My Mother - a Source of My Inspiration

Who else to influence your aspirations in life than the person you look up to most? For me, it was my mother. At the same time that I was sitting in school and dreading every second of it, my mother worked full time as a nurse while studying for her associate’s degree. It was always apparent to me that my mother studied hard. It was where it got her that made me want to change the way I valued my academic success. I had such a great example of a strong work ethic shown directly in front of me. Searching for a source of motivation for so long made me feel oblivious. It was one day that I will never forget: when I was brought to tears watching my mother cross the stage at her graduation. All of the long hours she had spent at the kitchen table flipping through textbooks would now earn her the title of a registered nurse. While sitting in that auditorium, I had come to an epiphany. I wanted to be just like my mother one day. I would do this by taking full advantage of my education.

It was the same year that my teachers had shown belief in me and placed me in honors classes for middle school. My recent realization about my mother had taught me that I needed to work harder than I ever had if I wanted to achieve the success that I was so proud of my mother for. My two years of middle school had been filled with ups and downs. Yet, I pulled through for an outcome that I could have never imagined for myself. I would be entering High School with 3 regents credits. I had done it! Well, started to. Those three credits: Spanish 1, Algebra 1, and Living Environment was all that I needed to enter high school with an open mind. “Things won’t be so hard if I can keep up this momentum!” And they weren’t. I have maintained high honors in my three completed years of high school. Who would have thought?

As someone who has grown over the years, I can now say that I believe in a successful future for myself. I feel confident in pursuing a career in medicine. I am aware of the hard work that it will take but, I am prepared now. No more feeling lost with my school work. I now know exactly what I plan to do and what it will take to get there - that confidence and motivation I definetely gained from my mom.. It brings me great joy to see myself where I am now, as opposed to where I thought I might end up. This turnaround can be accredited to the events of my childhood that have molded me into who I am today. I hope that I can find myself in a position where I can repay my mother someday.