How Adversity Has Changed My Life

Gazing at the grizzly bear depicted on the postcard provokes a myriad of fateful memories, and an experience which has forever altered my mentality and lifestyle. As a Boy Scout with an addiction for adventure, I craved to escape the confines of my home and pursue the open wilderness. With the companionship of my childhood best friend, I took the first flight to the last frontier: Alaska. Intending to experience as much nature as possible, we immediately forged into the unfamiliar yet beautiful Alaskan forest. Looking up from the base of the mountain, we saw a distant peak and summiting that peak became our only goal. My perception that this was a simple climb was shattered as the incline began to increase and the trail became hazardously icy. With burning legs and struggling lungs, I resolved to take a momentary rest and began to consider retreat. As this attractive idea lurked in the outskirts of my mind, I reminisced previous experiences of my life where my decision to persevere through adversity had resulted in reward. Utilizing this mindset, I gained my second wind and endured the required miles to summit the peak. Awaiting me at the top was a view of an astonishing and inspirational landscape, which …show more content…
Countless Scout Masters, one of them being my father, have shaped me into the man I am today and for that I am eternally grateful, as well as eternally indebted to contribute to this influential program. I believe an accurate evaluation of character in times of ease is impossible; Times of adversity and struggle are when true character is revealed. Planning my future, I welcome challenges as opportunities for growth, self-discovery and personal improvement. As I continually learn to understand myself better, I become increasingly comfortable confronting adversity and appreciating it for how it has and will continue to develop me throughout the remainder of my