Bouncing. Up, down, up, down. Right, left, right, left. Strangely, I remember this routine from the first eighteen months of my life very clearly. Every day my mother would strap my car seat to her back and carry me over seven miles to my daycare center. She would then trek even farther to work a full-time job, after which she would attend night classes at a local community college. Emboldened by a better life for the two of us, she overcame her pride and conquered every excuse.
From my mother, I learned perseverance and self-reliance. A single mother at 18, she embodied these virtues in my eyes. It is these early memories that have affected my personality more than anything else. A bit of a dreamer, I often set high goals for myself. Expectedly, I also fail at reaching these goals sometimes. …show more content…
His influence affects my worldview and my approach to life; and although it makes me vulnerable, it also makes me amicable and empathetic, character traits that I am very proud of.
At a very young age, I was without a biological father. Although my step-father was present, I lacked the connection and identity that accompanies a relationship with a biological parent. My particularly strong physical characteristics, stemming from both my African American and Native American heritage, were not mirrored around me. The only family I knew looked nothing like me, which made me feel like an outsider.
When I was eighteen years old, I rekindled my relationship with my biological father. After reconnecting, I realized that he wanted a relationship for years, but that my mother had prevented us from connecting. I was angry because of all the years that we had missed. However, he was calm and grateful. His attitude, despite being separated for much of my life, showed me that looking ahead is necessary to move
From my mother, I learned perseverance and self-reliance. A single mother at 18, she embodied these virtues in my eyes. It is these early memories that have affected my personality more than anything else. A bit of a dreamer, I often set high goals for myself. Expectedly, I also fail at reaching these goals sometimes. …show more content…
His influence affects my worldview and my approach to life; and although it makes me vulnerable, it also makes me amicable and empathetic, character traits that I am very proud of.
At a very young age, I was without a biological father. Although my step-father was present, I lacked the connection and identity that accompanies a relationship with a biological parent. My particularly strong physical characteristics, stemming from both my African American and Native American heritage, were not mirrored around me. The only family I knew looked nothing like me, which made me feel like an outsider.
When I was eighteen years old, I rekindled my relationship with my biological father. After reconnecting, I realized that he wanted a relationship for years, but that my mother had prevented us from connecting. I was angry because of all the years that we had missed. However, he was calm and grateful. His attitude, despite being separated for much of my life, showed me that looking ahead is necessary to move