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Its a Saturday night, and after working at America Reads all week and this weekend, I am left tired and reflecting on the time I spent with Seraphin. I met Seraphin unceremoniously, as so many have, around school - hanging out- friend of a friend. I soon realized he was my next door neighbor, and we'd nod and have that common
I understand you, I like you, but don't I know you relationship.
One day I saw a flier stating "
Photographer Needed, America Reads" and was quick to jump at the opportunity to A. Make money and B. Take pictures for something that wasn't ... as my family has heard ad nauseum... "
The Enemy." I found the America Reads office in a building at Pratt very unfrequented, and heard my future boss's voice booming down the hallway. I opened the door and Seraphin, like always it would soon seem, was sitting in the swivel- chair laughing, smiling, chatting Peggy up. It was nice to see a familiar face.
Soon after, two Saturdays and Tuesdays a month, 20 Tutors or so at Pratt - including Seraphin, about 50 kids, myself, and the other main photographer James Ward would crowd into a hot classroom to read, scream, and make a sometimes not all too charming raucous... from 9 in the morning til whenever...
As James Ward and I got closer, so did Seraphin and me. James had known Seraphin since the 4th grade, and like children skipping out on class, we'd sneak out of work taking extended lunch breaks. Seraphin was always so quick to laugh and without cruelty poke fun at you...forcing you to take yourself less seriously. With that though, he'd always say "You gotta have a plan." And he did. Always moving, always working, always striving. On more than one occasion during his life, he inspired me to work harder, be kinder and more focused.
Our working relationship quickly grew into friendship and one night during a very rare down point I asked him, "Seraphin, what's up?" He wasn't his usual self, he was quiet and withdrawn, he said simply, "I don't get it, I don't get why people are so down...negative." He kind of shook his head and trailed off... negativity so far outside of his scope. I silently agreed, knowing
I was one of those people.
There was a speaker at Seraphin's vigil who put into words what could be seen on our grieving faces. He said that although it may not be what we had expected for Seraphin, for we expected greatness from a character as enigmatic as he, the speaker was confident in that Seraphin's vision for his life existed within all of us. The speaker urged us to create our own vision through art, and now our wiser, kinder hearts was Seraphin's vision - for it was his wake, his force, a piece of him - artwork- within us.
I spoke with James Ward a few days ago, and he offered the advice of "Stay motivated. Keep smiling." In this unpredictable, beautiful, and horrible world, that's all any of us can do. There will be an America Reads celebration of Serphin's life and work at Pratt in September.
Here is also another link by the Miami Herald that illustrates of some his honors and accomplishments. I am truly fortunate, humbled, and changed forever to have known Seraphin Bernard.
