Reflection Paper

In the fall of 2012, my mother almost succumbed to her illness. I had just begun my freshman year of high school midst angry conversations between my parents and the threat of separation. It would seem as if they bickered about the most irrelevant things, almost as if they had no other reason to fight other than the fight itself. Those moments were excruciatingly lonely, my father worked until the dead of night and my mother would come home exhausted from treatment. I now know that there was no one who felt more unvalued than my mother. I wish I had the ability to iron away this blunder that destiny had fabricated, however foolish this desire is.

When I first decided to expand my education, it had been so long since I had been to school, and I was very hesitant. I talked at length about my decision with my husband and with his encouragement, decided to enroll but still was not quite sure which degree program to enroll in. I knew that this was something that I had always wanted to do since I obtained my Associates Degree in Nursing, but I did not have the courage, nor did I want to give up the time with my family and children. I second guessed my abilities and my knowledge because it had been so long since I had been in college. Now that my children are about to graduate high school and

Growing up in San Francisco was not easy. My life has been a up hill battle. I’vealways been a free spirited person. Always loved sometimes loved the wrong people. I grew up in San Francisco. Most people think of San Francisco as this wonderful free love place. Well it’s not this wonderful free love place. Fillmore is what my neighborhood was called. This Fillmore place was a very dark violent place. Many don’t make it out. Either you die young, or you go out on drugs. I always wanted more out of life. I always felt that if I could escape this dark unkind place I would be a better person. Sometimes as a child I would dream of living in a real family setting. You know a father that lived with my mother and I. “A real family not a dysfunctional one”. School has always been a outlet for me. I could go to school and learn, learn, learn. I’ve always been

Not many knows this about me, where and how I grew up. I was born in San Francisco, CA, and at the age of 3, my abusive, alcoholic parents abandoned me. I don’t remember how long I was left alone in that apartment until CPS was called, but I do remember being hungry, alone, scared, and what it was liked to not be loved or wanted.

After 40 minutes of waiting in the frigid weather I got the balls to leave. I didn’t even tell her, which was a huge step for me; I just began walking to the bus. And as I walked I planned out how I was going to attempt to escape from her unintentional grasp. It wouldn’t be hard for her but I knew it would definitely affect me if I left. I cried soundly on the bus ride home while snuggling my windblown face into my large jacket. I felt weak once I arrived at the comfortable yet small duplex.

My mom was a single parent, that needed more support than she was receiving. My mother worked a full time job and she did not have much time to attend to my siblings and I. She left me in charge, a majority of the time, to take care of my younger sister. I had to do more chores than before. At times, I felt like I had more weight on my shoulders than I could handle. I never wanted to let my mom down. I always did exactly what she told me to do. My goal was to keep a smile on my mother’s face, if she said, Jump!” I said, “How high?” When Savannah left home, a lot of things changed. Not only did they change for the worse, but for the better.

Since my father stormed out, I was now alone in my room. My room wasn’t the same anymore. The light blue walls seemed like prison bars, trapping me inside a house that was not a home. My father’s words still rang in my head; dirty, stupid, slut, piece of—ding. I looked down at my phone. Four missed calls from Charlie Murphy. I let out a sigh of relief and

We eventually got evicted and moved to Cleveland in a up-and-down house complex. Everything was alright as we first got settled, but shortly after my mother has started doing heroin again. I could tell instantly by her personality, and her reactions to things. Times really got tough, tougher than they ever been. Every summer, I usually always go and visit my grandmother and stay all summer. Well, one summer I went and never came back. I didn’t want to live that life anymore. I had the chance to save my life before I ended up that way. I haven’t talked to my mother in 5 years. So as of today, September 19, 2016, I do have contact with my mother but still have never seen her since the day I left. She is currently 28 months sober. I changed my life. I got away while I could and thank god that I did, because I wouldn’t be writing this essay. I always ask myself “what if I never left?”, “where would I be right now if I didn’t decide to leave?” The Road not Taken” for me is not a regret, but a relief. Relief to a better

At the juvenile age of just five years old I finally registered that I would always be different than the children I went to school with. I came from a parentless, poverty-stricken household, with one brother and four sisters. Now I only say I came from a parentless household due to my father working himself to death seven days out of the week, three hundred and sixty five days out of the year just to support my five siblings and I. Whereas my mother, well see, she was a meth addict. Her kids weren’t her life, it was her drug addiction that made her complete.

I had many questions about the city when I first came to Pittsburgh. I grew up in a small town, so my view of the city was based off television shows and music. This gave me a skewed perception of the city. I have found that one of the most challenging parts of moving to Pittsburgh is figuring out what role I will play. Fortunately, I have some time when it comes to figure this, and other complex aspects of city life, out. Since I have began this course not only have some of my questions been answered, but I have explored more important questions that I had not previously been asking myself. Questions like “How will I play apart in the evolution of Pittsburgh” and “What gives me a sense of belonging to Pittsburgh”. I still have much to learn about Pittsburgh, but what I have certainly learned so far is that it easy to watch the city move past you, but it takes much more to become a part of the city.

From birth I have lived in the same little community, a quiet place where literally everybody knows everybody. Come hunting season or Sunday morning the quiet dead little community all of a sudden looks like a metroplex. Everyone shares a common love for God, family, and the great outdoors; these core values have directly shaped me into the person I am today. I have been raised up in a very close knit family, and being that we all live on the same county road, every Sunday evening without exception my whole family gathers together to enjoy a good home cooked meal, and the time spent with each other.

Writing has never really been one of my strengths. Even in high school, when I took an AP English literature course, I did not enjoy writing papers if need be. Since I did not fancy writing papers, I never really developed a systematic writing process. I would write the paper last minute and pray for an A, but college doesn’t work like that. When I came to college, I placed into music classes first so that I could develop those skills, thus leaving my core classes (including English) on the backburner. Although I do not regret this decision, having a two-year gap between English classes made it difficult to get back in the swing of things. Instead of spending hours practicing instruments and music theory, I was faced the challenging task to shift gears and spend a majority of my time behind my laptop. How was I supposed to manage this new workload?

Over the course of these first 18 weeks we have covered quite a few titles. We have read texts so old that it is even a question if the author existed at all. In our studies, we covered everything from the very first works of western literature to what is considered modern western literature. All of the texts are great, and all have value for my education. However, two texts--but for the sake of this essay--three texts stood out to me the most. Of all the works we have studied Aristotle’s Poetics, Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, and Chaucer’s Wife of Bath were my most favorite.

Destiny……..it pulls us together. It’s what binds us all together. My story starts out in New York City at my apartment on East 5th Street when my father came over to visit me. “Laura, you need to find a man that will respect and love you.” He said as he folded his arms and leaned back on the couch. “Dad, I love you very very much, but I have to look after you and besides I can’t leave you with the shop.” I sipped my coffee and put my hands to my face And leaning forward on the arm chair. My dad owns his own bridal shop and I work with him as a seamstress and cashier. “Laura you need to find a better life away from here. I don’t want you to struggle like your mother did.” He leaned forward and grasped my hands. I started to cry just thinking of mom. I reached into my red and black checkered flannel shirt for my gold locket. Inside was a picture of my mom and I clutched it as I started to cry. “I know, it’s ok Laura-Bear.” He grabbed a tissue from the tissue nearby on the stained wood coffee table and gave it to me. I wiped my tears away with the tissue and i saw that my mascara was coming off just a little. “Thanks Dad.” I sniffled. Then my phone started to ring. It played Oh No! (By: Mariana And The Diamonds) “I think that’s Beth.” I sniffed. “You better take that, i’ll just head back to the shop.” He stood up and he started for the door and I followed behind him. I opened the door for him out to the hallway. “Bye Dad” I hugged him. “Bye Lauren, i’ll see you back at the

July 21, 2009 was what I considered to be the worst day of my life for several years. I woke up that morning to an empty room besides my bed, an empty bookshelf, and my hamster, Skittles. In the living room I could hear the sound of boxes being taped shut and several people talking. This was the day I left my life in Omaha, Nebraska to move to Roswell, Georgia. I was ten years old and oblivious to the idea of moving to a different state. Little did I know my dad would be offered a new job in a state I knew nothing about.