Vivid Remembrance of My Childhood - Essay Example

Outline: I. Introduction A. Brief cultural background (Polish spirit, communism, struggles, poverty, energy, bright future B. Brief family background (plans, dreams, hope, freedom, enthusiasm) II. Body A. Narration and description of vivid childhood memory- challenged to observe (parents, family, dinner, quietness, seriousness, curious) B. Eating time (ate in silence, beefsteak, famished, aroma, most memorable, dessert) C. The challenge (diners, well-dressed, highly-educated, highly-paid, status, observe, attentive, different mood, future, level of seriousness, explain, prepare, immigration, agonize) III. Like our nation (nation’s background, know, understand, mold, ambitious, hard-working, succeed, independent, sufficient, vague, meaningless, necessity) IV. Facing the truth (mind-boggling, family, together, dream, resent realize, value, family connections, simple V. What I learned about my self What I learned about my family (family, quality time, sentimental value, parents, work, goals, sacrifice, nation, new-found vigor, inspired, dream, strive, objectives, encourage, study well, pursue, own dreams, succeed) VI. How it helped me cope during tough times The death of a loved one (cried, promises, see each other, very soon, sad, years, died, alcoholic, devastated, weight, heavy, not survive, grandparents, comfort, help, cope, grief, restaurant, goodness, strength, face trials) VII. Fighting homesickness (homesick, parents, remember, appreciate, hope, love, father, lavish, understand, wonder, premonition, challenging, comforting, goal, do, best, excel, dream, succeed, struggles, failures, achievements, father, proud, fight, persevere, determined, achieve, goals, values, learned, world of possibilities) VIII. Facing new challenges (death, America, fulfill, dreams, new challenges, new environment, difficult, adjustments, acquaintance, English, not fluent, early years, unbearable, cry, want, go back home, disappointment, remember, memory, seriousness, face, tenderness, strength, harshness, hope, survive, thrive) IX. Looking back Facing tomorrow (years, America, look back, survived, thrived, determination, impressed, challenge, look forward, bright future, trials, hardships, fear, characteristics, qualify, fight, survive, succeed, experience, restaurant, indelible, lessons, learned, inscribed, heart, long-lasting, impact, pass on, children, future, values, mold) X. Conclusion- Catching the spirit (values, lessons, learned, history, nation, narrated, family values, determined, economic stability, employment, security, persevere, freedom, financial freedom, values, attributes, domino effect, poverty, challenge, education, positive, opportunities, difficulties, inherited, value, survive, trying times, trials) Long term effect (experience, trained, hard work, try, consider, options, possibilities, solve, hardships, encounter, care physical fitness, responsibility, physical condition, affect, determine, plans, conscious, health, vital, culture, concern, expectation, health awareness, alcohol, father, died young, fruits, vegetables, exercise, supplements, vitamins, minerals, strengthen, immune system, demand, school, work, social life, acquaintances) Full name Professor Subject Date Vivid Impressions I was born in Poland, a nation that has long struggled with communism for years. I grew up, raised in a family who looked forward to a bright future as the whole of Poland hoped for a good future as we were rediscovering our independence. The long history of our nation’s struggles with wars and poverty made the people disappointed many times however, with the new-found hope that the nation encountered as leadership was handed to our very own citizens, Poland was revitalized. There was a sense of a different energy unknown to Poland before. What probably remained in the hearts of the Poles, is the spirit that made our fathers survive the harshness of the hardships. Hand in hand, our parents busied themselves in rebuilding the nation that seemed to have no future. It was another struggle but it was lighter compared to those which were experienced under communist leaderships. The energy seemed to have an endless source that we never run out. Everyday brought new hopes and dreams for every Polish family that made people excited to rise up and breathe the fragrance of a promising future. This was the excitement I witnessed as I was growing up. I felt it in my own family. My parents used to converse animatedly over dinner about their plans, their dreams and their wishes for me. There was not much that we shared or enjoyed in our house but the love, care and concern for each other. Money was tight and my parents had to make every effort to save whatever money they can from their combined salaries. What I witnessed at home with my parents, are nothing different from what I observed outside our home, in our nation. My parents were just full of dreams and hopes, I always thought it could just really be a matter of being a Pole but I soon realized that it was what freedom embraced people with. Their enthusiasm was infectious, I grew up being in awe at how being free could give so much energy to people, without actually understanding everything. One day in 2002, my parents brought me to a restaurant for dinner. The place was quiet. There were people having dinner but they did not talk noisily and that is the reason my father brought us to that place. He said he liked the atmosphere there because it gave a sense of tranquility, a convenient place to talk and discuss important matters, especially family matters. At first, I did not notice the seriousness of my father’s tone of voice probably because I was curious about the place and I was not used to my father having such kind of attitude. Sure, he was serious about many things but he also found a way to take things lightly, making comments that would put a smile on our faces. That night, father asked me to observe the people at the restaurant, to notice how they dress, talk and so on. I asked, “Why?” and he dismissed my question, looking around, as if he was searching for someone. A waiter came to attend to us and I think my father was quite relieved with his presence. We ate in silence but that was just fine with me because I was concentrating on the food. We had beefsteak that smelled so good I ate quickly. Probably because I was so famished or the aroma of the food just made me want to grab it. Whatever it was, I must say that that would be one of my most memorable nights because of a new experience that I had. Nevertheless, I did not expect that it would surely become a memorable night that would always haunt me in many ways for the coming years. When we were having our dessert, my father brought me back to his request from me earlier and I just shrugged my shoulders and went back to my sweets. Father then asked me, “Would you like to come here again, sometime?” I quickly said, “Yes.” “This is a place we could not afford on a regular basis, my dear”, my father said. “If you notice the people here, they are well-dressed, highly educated and highly paid. That is the kind of standing we would like you to have.” My father went on to explain that he wanted me to be observant enough to know what I would like to become when I grow older. I suddenly became more attentive to him because he was on a different mood that I never saw before. Father and mother usually talked to me about my future so it should have not been any different but I sensed that there was really a different level of seriousness in my father then. I soon came to understand, when my mother explained why we were there for dinner. She said they were preparing for the best future they could possibly give me so they have no other choice but to sacrifice in the meantime. My mother planned to come to America to prepare everything for our immigration and she would understand how I would feel about her decision but that, I have to understand that she was also agonizing inside. My parents went on to talk about our nation’s background as they always did before. They said they wanted me to know and understand deep in my heart what our nation has gone through because it somehow molded Poles to what they are today, ambitious and hard-working. They said they wanted me to be just like that, ambitious and hard-working. It’s not that they wanted to enslave me for their own benefit, they said they wanted me to be able to succeed and become independently sufficient. I could see and understand their sincerity now, although when I was younger, everything seemed to be vague and meaningless. My mother’s plan to come to America was said to be a necessity, a move that needed no second thoughts because it was just very necessary and we cannot do without pushing with the plan. It is a part of Poland, a part of the family, a part of me- ambition. Mind-boggling. That is probably how I could best describe that time and situation. I had so many questions that I wanted to ask but I just could not bring to words. I was reaching a stage when I felt that I would need my family to be together but then, the dream of having a good future has to break my heart before I even understood what I felt. I resented the thought that I would be so far away from my mother. I resented my father for wanting her to go away for the sake of a future they did not even know if it could come to a reality. I resented my mother for wanting more than what they could offer for me. I realized then that I am the kind of person who values family connections more than anything and I just wished my life stopped when I was younger and when life seemed to just be so simple. Still I have to face the truth that life is not simple and that that was just the start. I thought that the night will always be remembered because as a family, we spent quality time together but, I never thought that it will bring more than just sentimental values. I learned a lot about that night however, the lessons were learned quite later in my life. I have witnessed how my parents worked together to reach their goals and in doing so, there were things they had to sacrifice. Living in a nation which was much inspired by a new-found vigor, they had to go with the flow, dream and strive to reach their objectives. When it comes to words, there was nothing new because I always heard my father talk about how we were going to achieve this and that. He always encouraged me to study well so that when the right time comes, I could pursue my own dreams and become successful. The time came when my mother had to leave. We all cried and promises to see each other very soon were made. Life went on despite the sadness my father and I felt the following years, until my father died three years after. He was an alcoholic. I was devastated. I was so far away from my mother and my father left me. The weight seemed to suddenly become so heavy I thought I would not be able to survive another day. Thankfully, I had my grandparents who comforted me and helped me cope with the grief that I felt. Through the months, as I looked back to the day at the restaurant, I seemed to have been reassured and comforted of the goodness of my father, seeing how I was strengthened to face the trials that I encountered. Whenever I was homesick of my parents, I would look back to that day and try to remember all their words. It always made me appreciate life with all the hope that it offers. I realized the love my father lavished on me and I understand now that he just wanted what was best for me. Sometimes, I wondered if he ever had the premonition that someday, I would be left alone and would need all those challenging yet comforting words he uttered. I probably would never know but one thing is for sure, he somehow reached his goal of pushing me to do my best in everything, to excel and to continue his dreams that I will succeed. I cannot say that I am the perfect daughter that I could have been. I had my own struggles and probably had more failures than achievements. However, I know that my father somehow is always proud of me because I live to fight, persevere and be determined to achieve the goals I learned to set for my self. These values I learned from my parents have been realized, I believe, from that night when my father taught me to open my eyes to the world of possibilities. Life has not been easy after my father’s death. I came to America to fulfill my dreams and there were new challenges I had to face. Living in a new environment was difficult because there were a lot of adjustments I had to go through. I met new acquaintances which became a part of the challenges that I faced. I am not fluent in the English language and it made my early years in the United States unbearable, I felt like crying and I just wanted to go back to Poland. However, during times of disappointment, I remember my father and the memory would usually start with him asking “Would you like to come here again sometime?” I could still see the seriousness on his face that made me a little afraid because of how he sharply looked into my eyes. But whenever I have that picture in my mind, I also see the tenderness that was behind the strength and harshness he wanted me to see. When I remember that night, I am always filled with new hope; that I could face another day and not merely survive but will thrive in a world where I do not seem to fit in. Now, as I look back to my years here in America, I could say that I survived and I will thrive. With the determination that night in the restaurant impressed in my heart, I know I can face every challenge that will come my way as I faced every bit of it in the past years. I am looking forward to a promising future where I know would be full of trials and hardships but, I know that I have nothing to fear because I am armed with the necessary characteristics that qualify me to fight, survive and succeed. My experience on the restaurant will probably have the indelible ink of the lessons learned inscribed in the heart of my mind. I reckon that that night would have a long-lasting impact in my life which I would also probably pass on to my children in the future, the values our Polish culture can mold in us. In conclusion, I can see that the values and lessons I learned from the history of our nation as my parents always narrated to me, have an effect on our family values. As Poland persevered to gain her freedom, Polish families are now persevering to gain their financial freedom. As Poland became determined to bring to stability the nation’s economy, Poles are also determined to get employments that would give them a sense of security. Consequently, the family values and attributes have a domino effect on every individual. As families struggle to break through the shells of poverty, individuals, especially the young ones, are taking the challenge of breaking through with the help of education. Children positively take the challenge and opportunities set before them despite the difficulties these challenges bring. As a woman of Polish decent, I could say that I have inherited that value every Pole has, that made them survive through trying times and so I will also survive whatever trial I will face. As I have been faced with the challenge of becoming the best that I could be, I know I can succeed because I came from a nation which was able to face the challenges, which I believe were more difficult than the challenges modern Poles are facing. Today, I can look forward to all what could be the long-term effect of that experience because I can see how it is currently affecting me. I have been trained to work hard, never giving up so easily on a challenge, rather I try everything that I could do and consider other options or possibilities in solving any hardships I encounter. On another level, I learned to take good care of myself, being careful of my physical fitness because I realized that in every responsibility I take, my physical condition will always affect and determine how I would carry my plans. I am very conscious of my health which I know is also vital in our culture because health is one of our major concerns in order to meet every expectation that is required of us. In addition, my health awareness could have been strongly affected by my father’s deadly intake of alcohol. He died so young and I do not like to end my life so soon. I am always careful to eat more fruits and vegetables and to exercise everyday. I also take in supplements like vitamins and minerals to strengthen my immune system especially now that school and work demand so much from me. Moreover, I am also widening my circle of acquaintances because I know this will help me develop more of my potentials especially socially. I am trying my best to be healthy not just physically but also socially, emotionally and other aspects. Read More