I Am From

I am from a glass town, not well known but of great affluence. I am from a yellow and brown parsonage, with a second-story, screened-in porch where my brothers and I would play with legos. I am from our family dog Bandit, a husky mix. I am from the neighborhood kids I was friends with, and the backyard which seemed huge as a child that in reality was kinda small, but it had a tree fort in the very back that was so much fun to play on.

I am from the town of many locks, along the Erie Canal, a gorgeous small town with immense charm. I am from a duplex with a neighbor who wouldn’t let us play on her side of the yard, and a neighbor that was very fun to listen to as she sat in her minivan. I am from the adjacent field we would play baseball in, the same field where I accidentally hit another kid in the mouth with a bat during my swing.

I am from a single-wide trailer in the sunshine state, where I would go blackberry picking in the woods nearby in spring. I am from a church that I helped build, where I was the sound operator and cameraman, and I first fell in love with the concept of filmmaking.

I am from pinto beans in the taco meat, with white corn chips because my mom was allergic to yellow corn. I am from cinnamon sugar toast and a cupboard full of spices because my dad couldn’t eat msg. I am from ham bone white bean chili and bone broth chicken soup, and americanized beef stroganoff with egg noodles. I am from my neighbor who would buy me ice cream novelties, and my father’s ice cream truck with birthday ice cream treats since my birthday is in the summer, and family dinner nearly every night.

I am from my mom, my first teacher and my first rock, who read with us almost every day from the proverbs of Solomon, and my big sister who protected me from my older brothers. I am from my Aunts who showed me every day that I could be a good person without religion, and my mom’s best friend who gave us her old issues of readers digest and the Sunday Comics pages of her local paper. I am from an army veteran that taught me to work smarter and not harder, and that Apple Macs are so much better than a Microsoft. I am from my loving older sister, who I’ve lived with on and off since moving out of my parents' house at sixteen, and has made so many sacrifices to provide me a place to land in my attempts to fly.

I am from so many Sunday school teachers and a handful of pastors that taught me about their religion in their attempts to find the truth, but more importantly, I am from the Bill Nye vs. Ken Hamm debate where I realized how wrong their religion is. I am from the intro to psych class at Murray State University, and a lifetime of hard experiences that taught me empathy and thankfulness. I am from the psych ward where I first read the Tao Te Ching that my older brother gave me, and the doctors who tried during my stay.

I am from the city beautiful in the sunshine state, the dear friends I made there, and the life lessons I learned in that city. I am from my first car I bought while there, and the pizza delivery jobs I had while there.

I am from Corvette city, an growing town in a wonderful state. I am from my ‘live más’ friend and the restaurant where I worked when I met him. I am from my first ex, as much as I hate to admit it, who wanted an open relationship and still cheated on me by not telling me about his actions outside our bed. I am from cruising around my city and smoking weed. I am from the death of my friend by drug overdose. I am from his younger brother, who I’ve become best friends with and have learned about his difficult realities.

I am from the city in a forest in the peach state, and the amazing people who live here that I get the honor of calling my friends. I am from my school where I am learning digital filmmaking at my own pace, and the incredible, understanding teachers there who are able and willing to teach at a level I can grasp. I am from my hopes to become a great writer and screenwriter, film director and producer, and my dreams to provide for the people I get to call family, who choose to share their love with me and I love deeply in return.

I am Caleb Geiger.