Benefits from My Childhood - Essay Example

A Reflection of My Mother I can remember a lot of things from when I was growing up. To me, my mother was like Super Woman; she was able to multi-task and take on anything that came to her. Growing up, I wanted to be just as amazing as she was. Today, I find myself doing the same thing. Being responsible is a huge quality. I was raised with high expectations and learned very young. I was making beds at 5 years old, doing many indoor/outdoor chores, and helping my mom cook dinner when she came home from work. My father was also a workaholic, and rarely spent time with us kids, only during family trips to the coast or the lake. We all knew he loved us but he wasn’t a very affectionate person that always gave out hugs and kisses. Before I knew it, I was the official babysitter, watching my own sister and brothers, feeling like the mother goose. Growing up with a lot of responsibility, I was brought up to be resourceful and to never waste food. Being a middle class family, my mom was a little frugal and taught us to make goals and to stick to them. I was very involved in sports to stay out of trouble and planned around my sister and brothers functions so that we can all be home together at the same time. She also told us to never take pity on ourselves for the cards we have dealt; it happened, so now we should move on. We all learned to have respect for the elders and to help one another. I benefited from my childhood because it, and my parents, helped to set the foundation for the person I wanted to be when I grew up. I watched and studied how my parents, especially my mother, handled things and lived her life, and I strived to be just like her. I figured that if she could do a good job being the person that she was, then I could be the same way. The love that she had for others really inspired me to be just as loving and as giving. Today, I have two children of my own, a daughter who is seven and a son who is eight years old and they both demand a lot of my attention. With all the years of training I received when I was younger, it just seems to come natural to me. I work hard, apply myself and volunteer to help others. I do not always have the time, but I do try to make time. Another important quality I find in myself is that I do care for everyone, family or strangers. I volunteer to donate blood/platelets to help the people and cancer patients who need it. I sometimes find myself crying in front of the television over a commercial, feeling so happy or sad for that person. I try to do anything I possibly can to help people, though I always realize that I can never give enough - there is so much negativity out there, one person cannot handle it. That was something I learned from my mother. I can get so emotional sometimes that it’s almost silly to me, but it makes my heart heavy. There are times I see the homeless out there, really trying to survive, and you can tell who really needs the help. I know I have children to feed, but I find myself sometimes giving out my last dime to them. I have even gone downtown to donate clothes, blankets, and jackets to the children who sit out there with their parents just trying to stay warm during our cold, freezing days. I cannot bear to see people in lesser situations, so I try to do what I can to make it a little more comfortable for them, there I wish I could do more. I wish there was no such thing as poverty; it bothers me to know that it is all over the world we live in. I know that there are some people out there that don’t feel the same as nor practice acts of kindness. But I do believe in that philosophy “what comes around goes around”. Meaning, to me, regardless if it ever does today, tomorrow or years to come, the person(s) who has felt the effects of a good deed that day or may unfortunately have a bad thing happen to them later in life. My family, friends and neighbors mean so much to me, that it’s important to help one another when in need. Going out of your way, even with the smallest trinket, a nice comment, or remembering something so important to make them happy for that moment makes memories. It’s the little things that people remember you for, and not necessarily all the money you spent. Believing in a higher power and having faith is a good thing, even though not every one may agree with me. Sometimes it’s good to take risks and give people the benefit of the doubt; you’ll someday see that you have changed the attitude of that person you helped, and they will care for others too. Of course you will not always be fortunate, and the outcome in a situation will result into something you can’t undo. I believe that on all walks of life, speaking of human beings, that everyone is “wired differently”. I have seen almost all types, some people who are very religious, the addicts, the weary, the activists, the criminals, and the people who help one another. It’s unfortunate to still see angry people who keep things so bottled up inside with their problems and never talk to anyone, to vent. To them it seems to be about revenge and having that “eye for an eye” attitude. Independence is another strong quality to have, when you’re young and growing up, learning responsibilities, caring for people; independence feels great. I have built my self-esteem, and have learned not to rely on others. If you want something done or done in a way that is acceptable, you may need to do it yourself. I find myself being meticulous, multi-tasking, planning ahead and never procrastinating on getting things done. Taking care of the children, with school studies (theirs and my own), church, sports, meetings, appointments, and working a twelve- hour nightshift can get overwhelming. I am grateful my husband is there at night with the children, keeping them safe. We do the “high five” at the door while I head out to work and he’s coming in. Being independent, you become such a strong person and can make things work like a well-oiled machine at home and at work. I owe that to my parents, without their encouragement and advice, I probably wouldn’t be the person I am today. My mother and father, as hard as they worked, have been successful in their own way. I am a reflection of my mother, I do realize and value that. This is why it’s so important to me that I proceed with the goals that I have set for myself. With a little dedication, I do plan to graduate from college one day. This determination that I have to succeed is not only for me but for my parents and family. I want to show them how much of a difference they made in my life, to make them proud. My mother showed me the kind of person that I could be, and I aiming to be just that. With a little perseverance and a lot of love and support from my friends and family, I will be able to become, and remain, the person that I saw in my mother, to be just as amazing and successful as she was. Read More