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Personal Narrative: My Theory Of Relativity

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Daly Mather Valderrama AP Lang 16 March 2015 My Theory of Relativity Eyeing the colorful Post-Its that haphazardly covered the extensive wall, the tall girl snorted in pompous disgust. “Typical,” she announced to her friend. “What do you expect from a bunch of South Orange County rich kids?” I reread a few of the papers, all anonymous testimonials of issues faced by teenagers at my school. Some mentioned how difficult it was to keep their grades up; others reflected on a sickness affecting the family; still others had written about self-harming habits or suicidal urges. Both confused and intrigued, I listened on. “Does anyone here have any idea how perfect their lives are?” Seeing where this was going, I struggled to keep the irritation …show more content…

That same year she created a YouTube account and discovered the magic of makeup. Talia began posting beauty tutorials online, eventually gaining over 750,000 subscribers to her colorful, upbeat channel. Attracted by not just Talia’s beauty expertise but by her spunky, fiery, cheerful demeanor, subscribers of both genders and all ages eagerly checked in for her frequent tutorial uploads, as well as updates on Talia’s treatment progress. In 2012, Talia learned that the cancer had spread to her marrow and that her illness had become terminal. Her openness about her condition struck viewers across the globe, all of whom were no doubt wondering how on earth she kept her gleaming grin so genuine. Months later, Talia was invited onto The Ellen DeGeneres Show, where she was named the newest CoverGirl, and asked by Ellen how she remained so optimistic, “despite what the doctors are saying, despite the cancer.” Talia responded with a phrase she had claimed as her motto, declaring, “a little fishy told me to ‘just keep …show more content…

But for those like Talia, it can be, in her words, “a gift.” When she received her terminal diagnosis, she took it as a door opening, offering her the opportunity to really go for her goals. She established an organization which aimed to bring about cancer awareness, especially for neuroblastoma. To Talia, a terminal diagnosis was not the worst news in the world; rather, it served as a motivator for her to better the world, as well as her own life. There are some who might call this little girl lucky. There are people out there who wish they had the luxury of dying. Instead, they live their gloomy lives being nothing short of walking, talking corpses. I know a woman who returns home from work each day with a feeling of hungry emptiness. Another with a sense of itchy entrapment. A child who comes home from school to nothing but cool loneliness. A man who feels a heavy sort of melancholy. They all experience an emotion they cannot put into

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