Life That Have Made Me

¶ … Life That Have Made Me the Person I Am

There are many factors that have motivated me to continue to further my college education at this time. Some of them are selfish and some of them are altruistic. I see this as a chance to grow both personally and intellectually. Like everyone else I have needs. Besides the basic needs such as shelter, food, security, a sense of belonging, and self-worth, I also desire to learn new things, realize my potential, and help others reach theirs. For me this is an opportunity to fulfill these needs.

Webster's New World Dictionary defines incident as something that happens, an event. When I ponder the path I have traveled over the last 23 years I am amazed at the good incidents that have befallen me. I am especially fortunate to have met some very caring and intelligent people that I've been lucky enough to be able to learn from. It is these relationships that have made the person I am today. Like everyone else I am a compilation of the many experiences I have had over the years. Ultimately there are three people I can point to who have shaped my perspective and character and given me the optimism and capacity to believe that nothing is beyond my grasp if I work hard enough to attain my goals.

If there is one thing we all have in common it is that we all start as somebody's baby. My mother has provided me with the love and confidence needed to face the world without fear. She introduced me to good books and instilled in me a love for the written word, from Dr. Seuss to Thomas Wolf. She encouraged me when I was down and loved me unconditionally. She believed in me and made me believe in myself. It is not a matter of if I am going to college, but where I am going to college. It is through her faith and dignity that I learned to be strong and appreciative of the rewards that hard work, tenacity, and faith bring.

The band director at my high school was Mr. Mitchell. He is a transformational leader. I was under his influence for four years. Though his class was called advanced band in the curriculum, his real class was advanced life. He taught us more than music. Through him I learned the value and rewards of teamwork. Though each of us plays an individual instrument, the music we make is as a team. We are accountable to one another, and the better each of us learns our part of the piece the better the orchestra. Individually we can make beautiful music but together we make a more beautiful sound. Mr. Mitchell gave me the confidence to know that I can be successful, that I don't have to do it alone.

Finally we come to Bob. Bob was our elderly next door neighbor and my resident philosopher. We would have long conversations over the backyard fence or in the front yard while I was growing up. Bob would ask a question, listen to my answer, and ask another question. It was from Bob that I began to learn to think. These are a few of the lessons I learned from Bob. "Nothing too good or too bad lasts too long." Try not to get too up or too down. Be meticulous, "take care of the details and the rest will take care of itself." When making a decision to do something ask three questions, "is it logical, is it fair, and will it work." If it's not logical don't do it. If it's logical but it's not fair, don't do it. If it's logical and it's fair, but it won't work…don't do it. And "there are three things you can't get back, the spent arrow, the spoken word, and the lost opportunity."

I believe these three people are the reason I am here today. Though I arrive here with no idea of what awaits I realize that the opportunities that will present themselves in the near future are like open doors in a long hallway. The question is which to enter? My mother has given me confidence to know that no matter which I choose I can be successful. Mr. Mitchell's gift was the knowledge that I don't have to do it alone, there are others out there trying to learn the same song and dance. No matter which door I enter I will seek out support so together we can be strong. And Bob has provided an intellectual and philosophical perspective from which to question this journey as it unfolds. I feel very privileged that three such wonderful "incidents" have come into my life. It is these three people that are most responsible for who I am today.