Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Life's Experiences


I believe, there are moments and experiences in life that shape us for who we are today. These experiences may be positive or negative, but it’s the knowledge we take away from these experiences that is most important. By applying this knowledge and growing from these situations, it will help to guide a stronger person down an influential life path.  I am able to recall three influential life experiences that have provided me with insight regarding the path of life I want to partake in. These situations have given me different outlooks on life and provided me with insight on the path I want to encounter.
                                  

The first inspiring life experience involves my younger brother. My brother has essentially provided insight and inspired me to become a special education teacher. My brother was diagnosed with autism when he was a young infant. I can remember attending countless appointments for my bother. Whether it was doctor’s appointments, OT, PT, speech therapy, or home service visits, I never missed an appointment. Life was an emotional roller coaster for both my mother and I. Despite all of the despair and difficult times, my life has been positively impacted by my brother. My brother has given me an understanding of a life with autism. I want to positively help and impact the lives of children and families that may have similar disabilities. I also hope to bring awareness to younger generations about autism and other spectrum disorders. Awareness and knowledge is essential because many kids are judgmental towards others who appear or act different. They may resort to bullying because of a lack of understanding. I can give credit to my brother for helping me find a path in life dedicated to helping others.

5 years ago


 The next life experience involves a tragic incident. One snowy afternoon, my mom and I were driving down a crowded city road. There were a few snow flurries moving through the afternoon air. I was in the passenger seat and my mom was in the driver’s seat. We were spending the day together. We were driving along a familiar road that we frequently drove down. My mom was driving slowly because the roads were slick from the cold wet snow. We were approaching an intersection, the traffic light was green. On the side of the road, my mother and I saw an elderly women starting to cross. As my mom began to slow down to let the woman cross, the tan colored car in front of us sped up. The tan car stuck the woman and kept driving. The woman’s body hit the tan car’s windshield, rolled over the entire length of the car, and she landed on the ground in front of us. We began to scream in horror. The woman wasn’t moving. As my mother got out of the car, she told me to call 911 and to remain in the car. I couldn’t believe what I had just witnessed, my heart was racing and it was hard to breath. The paramedics and police showed up with their lights flashing and sirens blaring. It was an unbelievably chaotic scene. They carried the women to the ambulance on a stretcher, shut the doors, and drove away. Every time I drive down that road, I have flash backs of the poor women being struck and projected into the air by that careless driver. Witnessing that moment in time, has certainly impacted my life. This situation has showed me how precious and how fragile life truly is. One moment, you could be going about your day and the next your life could be taken from you in an instant. From this experience, I have learned to cherish life and live everyday like it’s the last. (And of course to look both ways before crossing the street.)


               The last life experience involves a decision I painfully regret. After I graduated from high school I had decided to attend Framingham State University. I was a little nervous to go, but mostly I was excited. I couldn't wait to move away from home and live on my own. I was living in the dorms and had two roommates, As I got settled into the college life, I started making new friends right away. I was loving the college life and experiencing it to the fullest. Ultimately, I started to become distracted and less focused on my studies, In addition, I encountered a situation that led to a life changing decision. I couldn't tell anyone my secret, not even my closest friends or family. Keeping this secret sent me in a downward spiral. I was headed down a dark path of destruction. My academic grades plummeted and I had to drop out of school. To make the situation even worse, my family basically disowned me. My mom kicked me out and I had to find a place to live. I moved in with a friend and eventually found a job. Essentially, I wasted two years of my life. I regret the decisions I've made in the past. I wish I had opened up and talked to someone about what I was going through. Maybe, I would of had the opportunity to overcome this obstacle and continue my education. I feel frustrated and inferior because if I stayed in school, I would have already graduated college and had a career. From, this life experience, I have taken my frustration and used it as motivation to keep pushing forward to achieving my goal of graduating. As for my other secret, I am still finding ways to deal with this personal situation. I will get to a positive place regarding my secret someday. I try to always take time to remember, the past is in the past and it should not interfere with the future. 








 Anger

Aggravation and frustration
Can be an overwhelming fixation
 
Heart racing
Back and forth pacing

Feeling this way, in certain situations
With little to no explanations

I take a breath and think
How I was pushed to the brink

I wish I could just run away
And put all these feelings at bay

I'd travel to a peaceful paradise to relax

Never looking back into the past

Making footprint tracks 

in the sand
Golden brown and tanned

Listening to the crashing waves
Sitting underneath the warmth of the sun’s rays

Loosing track of time and the days

Encountering calming meditations
To balance these frustrations 

Channeling these feelings
Into powerful healings


2 comments:

  1. Emily,

    Very powerful post! You have a real talent for story telling. All three of your stories are gripping - the reader (me, in this case) just keeps scanning and reading to see what happens next. Your stories are all very impactful and compelling.

    You have excellent writing skills. You pace your stories well, and you provide a great balance of fine details and emotional impact. I felt like I was in that car with you and your mom. The story is that good.

    Just be careful of minor errors. In the car story, you kept referring to the single woman who was struck as the "women". Recall - women is plural.

    Your hip hop/poem about anger is very good. You have a great flow, especially in the beginning, when you kick the whole thing off. I like the emotional focus you used here, with the heart pounding, the pacing, the breathing. Very real. Very relatable for others to read and experience this with you.

    Excellent post. This may be your best one yet. Awesome pictures and professional looking design.


    GR: 98

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Emily, I just noticed that you posted this 2 days late. I have to deduct points for not being submitted by the end of Sunday.

      GR: 88

      Delete