Consolation

             While Ishmael is in the bush, similarities to his old life console him. The moon is something that reminds him of how things used to be. It still shines the same way and makes the same shapes. It’s there every night just like it was years ago. Ishmael’s grandmother had explained to him why the moon was something one should strive for, as the old man in Kabari would say. The moon “served to remind people to always be on their best behavior and to be good to others”(pg. 15). So the moon not only reminded Ishmael of a more peaceful time in his life but it reminded him of who he was and who he wanted to be. Keeping a sense of identity during this time was crucial and very difficult. The moon served as a constant reference point of what good was and of what he should strive for even in this time of extreme difficulty. During hard times, I myself have things that console me. Comfort foods, things that remind me of good memories when I was little seem to console me. One of my favorites is warm white rice with butter, a seemingly strange combination that never fails to warm my insides. Something else I turn to for consolation is music. I play piano and I know no matter what I am going through that instrument will always be there. The chords will sound the same and provide the same therapeutic, mind-clearing melodies. And even when I feel helpless, the ability to makes music gives me a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Of course my hard times are nowhere near comparison to the atrocities that Ishmael has undergone. But, I believe it is human nature to establish things in your life that can console you.