Determination

It is a normal day, and I’m exercising in my basement. I turn on the radio and this song comes on. I instantly know who sings it, but for some reason I decide to look it up. I watch the music video and it makes me remember. Back when I was about four years old, my mom left. She did not really explain to me why or where she was going. I thought she was going away for a while but then again I was too little to understand why and how long it would take. We would talk on the phone and she would always tell me that I would see her soon. I also remember that all through the year, my class and I would have events where all parents would come but at the time mine were never there. I will never be able to understand the struggle and how it is to still have the strength to keep going .My life was not as hard as I thought. My mom had to work three jobs everyday so she could pay the lawyer and food for herself.
It had been seven years of not seeing her. Then when I came back from school I got some very exciting news. I remember the exact words my grandma told me. “You are going to be able to live with your mom soon,” she said. It was a long process; we had to fly all the way from Mexico City to the city of Juarez. Then we had to go into this building which was very scary. Most people in there where dressed in suits and there was also many police men. After we had to go back to Mexico City and wait for the letter. It was very expensive to fly in a plane from where I was to Utah, so we flew from Mexico City to Juarez and then drove from Texas to Utah. The day I saw my mom was a day I cannot forget. She was wearing a dress and sandals which was good because when I arrived it was at the end of July. She hugged me really tight while crying. My mom had finally accomplished our dream of living all together in a better place. I now understand why she wants me to do better. Back then she did not have computers to type essays like this; she did not have work opportunities like we have in the USA. It would be a shame for me to mess around and not take school seriously after all that she has done. Until this day I am very grateful for what she did. She is my hero, she taught me to not give up, no matter how hard it is or how long it takes. She also though me to keep my values therefore she is a great mom.

Submitted by Anonymous

Determination