My Boo Radley

When I think of my Boo Radley all I can think about is my great uncle Gregory. When I was 5, I met Uncle Greg for the first time because he lived in Miami, Florida, across the country from us. My first impression stuck with me, and I won't forget because he only shook my hand. I thought that was quite weird because we were family and I was only 5.

When I was older I asked my mom about him and why he hadn't just hugged me. Her response caught my full attention as she said, "He prefers not being social and isn't into the whole family gatherings idea."

Although I was never close to him, just like Scout wasn't close to Boo, but I still learned a lesson from him and that was "forget what people think about you, and don't judge others."

He gave me this advice and I think the story behind what he taught were things that happened to him. He compared his life now to back then and made it a teaching for me.

I suspect he used to be judged for the type of person he was and he wouldn't want me to do that or have to go through the pain. I still think about when he talked to me.

We were at a wedding for my aunt and as we sat at the dining tables he looked over after not talking to me all night, then blurted out a statement which was very deep.

Some people would have just forgotten something said by a person who wasn't that significant in their life. He left the earth; but he will never leave my heart.