My name means light but it carries weight. It carries the weight of many generations that my name has been handed down through. It all started with a boy. His name was Xavier. He had two brothers and they were very close friends. He was the youngest. They were playing ball in front of a foundation that had been made for a new building. It had rained the night before so it was filled with brown murky water. Xavier was running to get the ball. This would be the winning play, but he wasn't looking where he was going and he fell into the dark sludge-thick water. He was only seven years old and didn't know how to swim. His brothers couldn't find him, the water wasn't clear enough. They called and called his name. One minute, two minutes, three minutes, he was dead.

My name carries the burden of this death. It carries the burden of my family's sadness, but it in fact means shining light and a new house. As the first born child of my generation I can lead with my shining light. I am a new beginning. My light gives my family hope.  I feel that although Xavier died everyone can remember him through my name and because of this he lives on. No one has a name like mine.