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 ampitheatre 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, which
makes this essay so strong. 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 very well
organized.
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