On a calm and ordinary day in the summer of 1996 I ventured down a path that would radically and irrevocably alter the course of my destiny. I took this path blindly with my head held high, joy in my heart and tears in my eyes. In an ever evolving and dynamic world, change is inevitable and unstoppable. Life is constantly propelling us to make decisions which in turn can mold our hearts, thoughts and our actions. Most changes are simple and have little influence over the ultimate direction of a person’s life. Then, there are changes that can turn your life upside-down and send you on a new course entirely. This was one of those moments. This moment was so profound, so life altering, so gratifying, but most of all miraculous. The day that changed my life forever was …show more content…
Responsibility became the forerunner. A college student at the time, I made the first of many complex decisions. I chose to put motherhood first and to pursue my degree as time would allow. Little did I know at the time how educational, delightful, exhausting, and rewarding this choice would be all at the same time. I have learned how to be a doctor, a teacher, a chef, a mediator, a psychologist and the list goes on. But one of the most important things I’ve learned is to listen. When I listen to what my children are truly saying I hear them say, “Lead me, show me, and nurture me with a strong, steady and righteous heart.” I have learned that I am their greatest teacher and if I lead by example, they will follow. The seemingly simple and mundane event of having a child opened a gateway to new insight, enlightenment, and the desire to not only be a better person, but to be a better leader. Understanding and encompassing the need to be a better leader ultimately led me to revisit my personal goal of completing my bachelor’s degree. In pursuit of this goal I have had many moments of self-reflection and
Life normally doesn’t go the way you plan when you’re young. When I was little, I figured that when I was at the age of graduation I would be totally prepared to go off my own. As I sit and think about the topic of how my life is going, several thoughts pour into my mind. First, I think of how lucky I am. The past two years could’ve changed my life because of bad health. Through weeks and months of hospitals stays and hours spent in the doctor’s office and in the emergency room, I’ve come out lucky and I have almost returned to good health. Second, I think of those friends who I thought would be there for my whole life that are no longer a part of my life. I also look to the people who I never thought would be there by my side and realize
The air is tainted with the fumes of cherry blossom, hairspray and “Scarlet” red nail polish. Pink and white paint add texture to the walls. Week old clothes begin to hide underneath the solitary wooden mahogany chair as new, fresh clothes take their place as head of the drawer. Pieces of pencil shavings cover the once pastel pink carpet while the white fan creaks once it hits a 180-degree angle. A battle between bright yellow and soft white light occurs when someone decides to take settle on the full- size bed.
“You know Kwesi, I only came to this country with forty bucks in my pocket and the clothes on my back and look where I am today.” -- words from my father I thought to myself the first time I saw a rifle plummet down to my head.
I believe the turning point of my life began with the separation of my parents. I had always imagined myself living in my native homeland of the Dominican Republic. Yet, my life would drastically change as a consequence of my parents divorce. A few weeks after my parent’s divorce, my mother and I arrived undocumented in Boston, Massachusetts. Thus, at the age of fourteen, I found myself in a new country with few family and friends. The following chapter of my life would require me to not only make sacrifices but also become more independent. The meaning and value for me becoming independent at a young age was twofold: (1) I was able to help my mother financially and (2) I learned the meaning of hard work and perseverance. I recognize that my tangible core values cannot be measured by test scores—though I have done well academically—but by my desire and perseverance to become a successful Latina.
It was halfway through my sophomore year when my mom and two older sisters sprints down the stairs and storms out the house. Confused and worried, continuing to curl my hair. My mom walks back in towards me with a gruesome look in her eyes. With so many ideas already running through my head, I was notified that my grandmother was killed by my uncle. I cannot even describe my sense of emotion at the time. Confusion, hatred, and hopelessness all merged into one. And all I could think about was just giving up on everything. That is until my pastor said these words that I will always remember; “You're going to get through this, just have faith.” I took in those words and began to put his words into action
I grew up in one of the wealthiest families in Minnesota and I was constantly reminded by the many family get togethers that were held at one of my uncle’s houses. You see, in my family the term wealth does not have the same definition as that of the one in the dictionary. Instead of riches and an abundance of money, I was born into a massive and united family that has supported each other throughout each others lives’. In truth, my family has been through extremely tough times financially, especially so in this last year with the loss of our main source of income, my mother’s job. With a roofing, seasonal working father and a year full of rain, there wasn’t much money to be spared for anything other than the essentials and even then those
“Be strong, banish fear and doubt, and remember the lord is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 New International Version). Next month on September 28th, will be my 30th birthday, another milestone will be met. As I look forward to celebrate this milestone, I have also taken the time to reflect on who I am today. Throughout the years, I have experienced many obstacles that have influenced me into becoming the person I am currently. Moving to Columbia, South Carolina had great, if not the greatest, influence on me.
In the drug-infested streets of North Highlands, adversity ran the gamut. In a place where individuals were treated more like statistics than human beings, it was very difficult to feel any hope or purpose. As I grew up, I found purpose in the hopes of escaping from the adversity. However, I found my true purpose, as well as hope, back where I started.
When life gives you the opportunity to be successful, you take it. So, out of every let down or every time you ever ask yourself, “was it worth it?”…, you say “definitely”, persevere, and continue seeking greatness. When I got that opportunity, I hit the ground running. I was hungry to become successful, hungry to graduate from college, hungry to even hear my dad say, “I’m proud of you”. Maybe I could have taken a different route but hey, growing up in a small town like Mullins SC with a high unemployment rate, don’t get you too far. I couldn’t find myself falling into that statistic. Working temp jobs, wondering how I would pay for college…, it was rough, definitely some humble beginnings. This by no means is a message for sympathy.
A thick cloud of smoke fills the air, the crackle of the debri engulfed inside of the glowing orange flame, with heat radiating off an unstoppable fire. “The most powerful weapon on Earth is the human soul on fire” (Foch). Every fire has to start somewhere, either you build it yourself, or someone else drops the match that will ignite and develop the fire. Many people in my life have dropped the match to start the fire for me, such as encouraging me on the path to become an Eagle Scout. However, I have also gathered my own sticks and materials to grow my fire by successfully overcoming adversity in my life.
"Youth is everlasting if you feed your soul with much love and many adventures," a phrase I have claimed my entire life. I have traveled across the seven seas, from the white sand beaches and crystal clear waters of the Caribbean, to the snowy tundra of the Italian alps. I have studied traditional Indian art and learned to play the tabula under the tree canopies of Karola, India. I have hiked to a cliff's edge to watch humpback whales migrate through Queensland, Australia. I have payed homage to my religious ancestors at the western wall in Jerusalem, Israel. I mention a few of the places I have traveled not because they describes who I am, but because my adventures have created the person you see today. Seeing the world has struck passion in my heart and curiosity in my mind.
A life-changing event is not something to be taken lightly. Throughout our lives, we encounter many obstacles and changes, some of which bring us joy and excitement, others of which may be hard for us to handle. When I look back on my relatively short life, it may, at first, be hard for me to think of an event that has truly molded and shaped the person that I am today. I have encountered several changes, but at the time, they felt like mere speed bumps along my path. Looking back now, it is easy for me to see that these changes were not by chance, but were placed in my path to form the person that I am today.
There have been very few events throughout my lifetime that I feel have impacted or inspired me with such noteworthiness and that I know will change my outlook on the world and affect me forever. One of those events occurred when I traveled to Portugal, my parent’s homeland. From this excursion in 2007, I learned the importance of family, most importantly the distant kind. It provided me with a totally different perspective on the world and how large and extended one’s family can really be; even across cultures and continents. I felt so fortunate learning this lesson at a young age and growing to appreciate the ideals I was brought up with as a child. The family I have in Portugal has always been there; however, their faces have aged and
I remember it like it was yesterday, the day that changed my life forever. On March 9th of 2011, my mom was diagnosed with skin cancer in her lung. The doctor gave her about six months to live and this is how it went.
The end of school came eventually, and I abandoned dreams of the sixth grade. Luckily, I was transferring to another elementary school, but this offered me little consolation. Only dummies have to repeat a grade.