Bowden

INDIA ARIE: “[|GOOD MAN]”

I remember the first day I met you, we was so young. I was playing in the sand and you walked over to me and said “hi”, my name is R’Shad, I started smiling, Then I responded back and said my name was Michelle. We was holding hands playing in the sand. You was a blessing to me. We grew up together, our love was so crazy we stayed with one another through it all. Once we got like in our mid 20’s we had a child, then we got married a year later. R'Shad and i was all good enjoying our life, then one day R’shad came to me and told me he wanted to be in the army. He was so serious, but I was telling him no then we sat down and had a long conversation. I was so upset that he was leaving his family. Anni’yah our baby was still young she was like 3 years old then. I was scared that she was going to grow up without a daddy. The day he was leaving he told me, he told me if the sun comes up and I’m not home be strong, if I’m not beside you do your best to carry on, tell our baby about me when she old enough to understand, tell her daddy was a good man. I told him I would do try my best to do all the things he told me to do if something was to happen to him, my heart. He stayed in the army for years, he always, came home to visit. Anni’yah was bigger she was 12 now. Daddy had made his last trip home it was thanksgiving holiday. We was emailing each other when he got back to his base safely. He was telling me how much he miss me and Anni’yah and how was ready to come home for Christmas. He had a surprise for niyah. I told niyah daddy had a surprise for her. She was so ready to see what it was. one day unexpected I got a envelope in the mail, I thought it was from him, when I opened the envelope my heart dropped. It had his picture and said, “sorry we must bring you bad news, your husband has died in a combat for your family and our country. We honored him and appreciated him very much, please contact us so we can make arrangements for his funeral, we will also have to talk to you. Anni’yah looking at me pointing at the picture and asked me where is he, tears started rolling down my face and she was like mama are you okay? What did the paper say to make you cry that way. I told her it said, “ your daddy lived for you and your daddy died for you, and I will do the same. We went to his funeral and left him things. As the time went by, we was over what happened but we still thought bout him everyday. On our first anniversary I remembered when we chose a star, and when I stand under it I cant help but wonder if you see it were you are every time our anniversary come around. I sat Anni’yah one day I was older now at this time, there wouldn’t be no telling when it would be my time to go. Anni’yah had 2 little babies. They were 1 and 3 years old. I told niyah if the sun comes up and im not home be strong, if im not beside you do your best to carry on. Tell your kids about me when they old enough to understand, and never forget your daddy R’Shad tell them that your daddy was a “GOOD MAN”