Aimee Claire Whitehurst
August 29, 2013
“What Represents Me”
Block 2
What Represents Me
Throughout life, there are many people we meet, places we
go, and activities we do that influence us.
Some are just a small part of our daily lives, and often we don’t know
how important they are until we stop and think about it. Many are taken for
granted and rarely thought about. Yet
some of these people, places, and activities have a big influence on our lives
and the way we grow as people. There are many small, but precious parts of my
life that have shaped me in some way, including my running shoe charm, the
color green, and a ribbon. Each of these
has somehow affected the way I have developed as a person and how I view the
world today.
My running shoe charm is a very small trinket that I wear
around my neck on a chain. It is silver
and fits perfectly in the V-neck of my school jumper, and it is simple enough
that it is a nice accessory for most of the clothes that I wear. I wear it every day.
But the charm is more than just a pretty piece of jewelry
that I wear around my neck. It is a
constant reminder to me to always go the extra mile in all that I do. My charm is special to me because it was
given to me by my aunt right after I ran in the state track meet in ninth
grade. It had been my goal to make it to
State in the mile, and I was excited that I had accomplished my goal. Running has been a big part of my life since I
started running cross country in 6th grade on a whim, and I haven’t
stopped since. Every year since that
first practice, I have been a part of the Episcopal cross country, indoor
track, and outdoor track teams. Each
year, I have worked harder and harder and strived to be a better runner. Each year, I have seen my performance
improve, and I know that I have become a better runner. But what I have learned from running is far
more than just how to be a good runner.
One of the most important lessons I have learned from running is that hard
work pays off. A runner must train
constantly to get better. A runner must
sweat and push to the limits every day to improve, and a runner must be able to
run through the pain and keep going even when it hurts. A runner must also know when it is time to
rest and rejuvenate. In a way, running
is a metaphor for life. Just like in
running, a good work ethic is an important part of a person’s character. A person that works hard and puts in lots of
effort will always be more successful than one who doesn’t try. In school, those that work the hardest are
usually more successful than those who are naturally smart but put forth no
effort. In the adult world, the person
that works the hardest will usually get the job. Those that work the hardest are the most
successful. From running, I have also
learned that a spirit of determination will take a person far. In a meet, even the person that has trained
well must have this spirit of determination to “pick off” people in the race
and pass other runners one by one. A
runner must have the mental stamina and confidence to keep going. In a race, the person that wins is the person
who is willing to give it 100% even when there is no more to give.
Going the extra mile in my life as a runner means working
harder, running faster, and doing more than my competitors. It means putting one foot in front of the
other in a race even when I feel like I can’t take another step. It means having a kick and sprinting at the
end of a race even when my body says to stop.
Going the extra mile in my life as a high school student means working
ahead, doing my best on my homework every night instead of doing it just to get
it done, and studying more so that I can make an A. It means staying up a little later sometimes
to finish an assignment, but going to be early when I need to be clear thinking
for a test. My charm is a reminder to me
of what I need to do to be great. I can
feel the charm on my neck and know that anyone can be a good, but only those
that are willing to go the extra mile will be great.
Green
is a beautiful secondary color that is a mixture of blue and yellow. It is found throughout nature, in healthy
vegetables that we eat, and in beautiful jewels. When I think of green, I think
of spring, new growth, rolling in the grass, climbing trees, and Christmas. Green always makes me feel peaceful, calm, and
relaxed.
The
color green also has a deeper, more special meaning for me. Green reminds me of my grandfather, Bobo,
because it was his favorite color. He
once told his mother that green must be God’s favorite color since He made the
best parts of nature green. He always chose the color green when playing board
games, picking out paint colors, and often in choosing clothes. It is very appropriate that green was Bobo’s
favorite color because of the lessons he taught me and because green represents
balance and life. Bobo was a very special person in my
life. He and I were closer than most
grandfathers and granddaughters, and I always felt like he was more of a father
to me than a grandfather. He taught me
many lessons about life, and I remember them all. Some of the lessons he made a point to teach
me, but some of them I learned by watching him.
Bobo taught me to value a person for what they are like on the inside,
not the color of their skin or the possessions that they have. He was always kind to every one, and his
nature was very gentle. It is very
fitting that green was his favorite color because the human eye can perceive
more shades of green than any other color, just like my grandfather could see
more in people than most others. I have
always tried to know people for what they are on the inside, instead of what I
see on the outside. Green is also a
symbol of life, and this also reminds me of my grandfather and another
important lesson he taught me. Bobo was
a great and brilliant man who was always helpful to people, especially his
daughters and his grandchildren. He
suffered a stroke when I was in second grade, and he was unable to walk, talk,
or care for himself. For someone who had
been such a strong person that loved life, it was terrible to be so
helpless. Many people would have given
up, but Bobo was so determined to get his life back. He spent many hours in physical therapy and
speech therapy. It was physically and
emotionally painful for him, and difficult for all of us to watch. But we gradually began to see change. We began to understand words he said. His arms began to move and he learned to hold
a fork and bring it to his mouth. And
finally he started learning to walk. I
will never forget my mom’s birthday when Bobo walked across the room for
her. There was not a dry eye in my
family. Bobo was determined to live his
life. It seems very fitting that the
color green, that represents life, was his favorite color.
My
grandfather died three and a half years ago.
I was lying in his bed by his side when he went to heaven. Every year on his birthday, we have a party
for him at the cemetery. All of my
family goes: my grandmother, my mom, step-father, and my four siblings, and my
aunt, uncle, and two cousins. At the end
of the picnic, we always release green balloons to the sky. We watch them until we can’t see them
anymore, and then we know they have reached him in heaven.
A ribbon is a long
piece of colored cloth that is used to bind objects together. I wear a ribbon in my hair every day. I choose a color that matches whatever I am
wearing. If I am wearing my school
uniform, I choose a color that suits my mood or the weather. I may wear red, yellow, hot pink, or polka
dots for a day that I’m especially energetic, green on a day that I’m calm, or blue
for a rainy day. If I have a cross
country meet, I may wear blue or gold. The ribbon completes my attire for the day
and makes a statement, especially when I’m wearing a uniform.
My ribbons are also a symbol of the most special
relationship in my life. My mother and I
have a unique bond that is stronger than most mother-daughter relationships. The ribbons in my hair represent that
bond. Every single morning of my life,
my mom fixes my hair. We have had this routine since I was a little girl. She
always starts by brushing my hair, then she pulls it back and ties it in a
ribbon. It’s a quick moment in the day, but it helps get the day off to a good
start. Like most mothers, my mom cooks
my meals, buys my clothes, brings me to school, and takes care of me when I’m
sick. But my relationship with my mom is
different than other mothers and daughters.
My mom and I have been through lots together. My parents divorced when I was five, and my
mom has been both mother and father to me.
I know that to most people, divorce is terrible, but for me, my parents’
divorce has given me a unique and special bond with my mother that others don’t
have. I think this is because we both
needed each other so much and because we have always been there for each
other. She has told me stories, taught
me values, and passed on family traditions that have become important to
me. She helps me whenever I need it, but
she has also taught me to be independent. I have learned a lot from just watching
her. She works very hard as a mother and
wife and teacher, and I have learned a good work ethic. She is selfless and always puts her family
first. From that, I have learned that
nothing is as important as my family.
She always makes the right choices, even when they are difficult choices
and are not very popular. I have learned
not to ever take the easy way out if it isn’t right. My mom tells me that I have helped her too,
and not just by doing chores around the house.
She knows that she can count on me to do anything, and she knows that
all will be done just the way she likes.
She says that I have helped her by making her need to be stronger than
she had ever had to be before. She says
that I give her more joy in her life than is imaginable. She says that she is so proud of the person I
have become. I know that she loves me
“more than the whole, wide world,” and I love her just as much.
Now I am 15 years old, and I’m very capable of doing my
own hair, but I don’t. It gives my
mother so much pleasure each morning.
And for me, having my mom fix my hair is one small moment where I get to
be a little girl again. The ribbon is a
tie that binds us together.
The significant pieces of life come in many different
shapes and forms. Some of the simplest
parts are some of the most meaningful ones.
My charm, the color green, and a ribbon all tell about me, the way I
have grown up, and what is important to me.
None of them are of great value to most people, but they speak to the
person that I am. I try to use them as a
guide to the person that I want to be and as a reminder of how I can get there.
Symbols are the
imaginative signposts of life.
Margot
Asquith
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