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It took me
eighteen years to realize what an extraordinary influence my mother has
been on my life. She's the kind of person who has thoughtful discussions
about which artist she would most want to have her portrait painted by
(Sargent), the kind of mother who always has time for her four children,
and the kind of community leader who has a seat on the board of every
major project to assist Washington's impoverished citizens. Growing up
with such a strong role model, I developed many of her enthusiasms. I
not only came to love the excitement of learning simply for the sake of
knowing something new, but I also came to understand the idea of giving
back to the community in exchange for a new sense of life, love, and
spirit.
My mother's enthusiasm for learning is most apparent in travel. I was
nine years old when my family visited Greece. Every night for three
weeks before the trip, my older brother Peter and I sat with my mother
on her bed reading Greek myths and taking notes on the Greek Gods.
Despite the fact that we were traveling with fourteen-month-old twins,
we managed to be at each ruin when the site opened at sunrise. I vividly
remember standing in an empty amphitheatre pretending to be an ancient
tragedian, picking out my favorite sculpture in the Acropolis museum,
and inserting our family into modified tales of the battle at Troy.
Eight years and half a dozen passport stamps later I have come to value
what I have learned on these journeys about global history, politics and
culture, as well as my family and myself.
While I
treasure the various worlds my mother has opened to me abroad, my life
has been equally transformed by what she has shown me just two miles
from my house. As a ten year old, I often accompanied my mother to (name
deleted), a local soup kitchen and children's center. While she attended
meetings, I helped with the Summer Program by chasing children around
the building and performing magic tricks. Having finally perfected the
"floating paintbrush" trick, I began work as a full time volunteer with
the five and six year old children last June. It is here that I met Jane
Doe, an exceptionally strong girl with a vigor that is contagious. At
the end of the summer, I decided to continue my work at (name deleted)
as Jane's tutor. Although the position is often difficult, the personal
rewards are beyond articulation. In the seven years since I first walked
through the doors of (name deleted), I have learned not only the idea of
giving to others, but also of deriving from them a sense of spirit.
Everything that
my mother has ever done has been overshadowed by the thought behind it.
While the raw experiences I have had at home and abroad have been
spectacular, I have learned to truly value them by watching my mother.
She has enriched my life with her passion for learning, and changed it
with her devotion to humanity. In her endless love of everything and
everyone she is touched by, I have seen a hope and life that is truly
exceptional. Next year, I will find a new home miles away. However, my
mother will always be by my side.
Comments
The topic of
this essay is the writer's mother. However, the writer definitely
focuses on herself. She manages to impress the reader with her travel
experience, volunteer and community experience, and commitment to
learning without ever sounding boastful or full of herself. The essay is
also well organized.
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