Jonathan Maldonado Class of 2017

“Quiet Home” These images depict my father’s silence. A behavior my family and I adopted to avoid confrontation. To prevent erratic behavior, we chose to be quiet. It became an unwritten rule. This is normal. I don’t expect anything anymore. Intrusive thoughts riddle my mind when I don’t hear anything. Silence is soothing. The knife hits the chopping board repeatedly. The blender whirrs loudly, broom bristles against the floor. Sandals slap methodically against tile, the toilet flushes, the shower runs, the heavy door thumps closed, someone comes or leaves. This is what silence sounds like at home. Silence is both a gift and a curse.