Autobiography Draft

I have always seen everyone around me as another story. Another interesting and exciting puzzle has built them; like legos stacking up on each other. I ask myself why they always look so happy or why they always look so serious, I wonder how they got that scar on there elbow and I think about why they picked out that outfit. I never have been bored when someone tells me about their life. Their raw, uncensored, life. I have so much more respect for people I learn more about because it gives me the opportunity to see them for who they are, and i feel honored that they trust me enough to expose their inner puzzle. My puzzle happens to be missing more pieces then it has already put together. Some of the pieces are in the wrong places and others seem like they are in the wrong place, but only I know that they are right. Adversity in my life has consistently helped sculpted me physically, mentally, and emotionally. I have noticed that every event that has occurred in my life has built my future.
I have embraced the fact that I am at high risk for breast cancer because of my hereditary background. Both my grandmother’s had breast cancer and one had died from it. I have also had many aunts with cancer as well. I think the scariest experience that I had to deal with was when my own mother was diagnosed when I was only 7 years old. My family had moved from New York to San Diego right before the nightmare began. She was stage 3-B and extremely ill. At the time it was difficult for me to understand the magnitude of the situation. All I could grasp was that for some reason I was scared, I was terrified, I had no conscious idea that she could actually die, but I knew something was wrong. As her healing process began my life became more hectic then it had ever been, little did I know that this was only the beginning to a life full of open-ended questions, confusing schedules, and difficult problems to solve. Although my mom survived cancer, the seriousness of the situation is something we have never forgotten. I will never forget the day when she passed out at dinner and everyone began running around me and there was so much chaos I couldn’t even understand what was going on. The ambulance came and I was sent to my room all I remember was sitting on my bed and trying not to cry even though my eyes were filling with tears. When my mother was announced to be “healed” but still at high risk, she made a promise to our family that if in 10 years the cancer did not return and she remained healthy, then we would all go to Africa on a safari. I am proud to say that this summer I will be embarking on a safari with my mom and my step dad. I never look at my mother’s experience as a horrible thing that has happened to me, her or our family; instead I see it as an opportunity I was given to see how strong she could be and I was given a chance to learn more about myself.
My mother is undoubtedly one of my heroes, and definitely my idol, but my father has also been through a lot that I have also been able to grow from. When my mom was diagnosed, she felt like it would be better for her peace of mind to get a divorce. I was very young and her illness was hard enough for me to handle, but I didn’t understand why my family was falling apart too. It has always been so difficult for me to deal with anyone around me being unhappy and I have taken it upon myself to make sure I can fix or at least assist with any problems they may have. I think this trait was partially acquired from my parents divorce. My dad was always sad and upset and I would take pleasure in knowing that I would make him feel better. My mom needed me there to talk to her while she was in the hospital and her, my brother, and I would go for walks through the halls with mom’s IV lines in tow. It brings tears to my eyes just to think in depth about all the pain everyone was going through during that time. The experience has definitely shaped us all. I know that I personally found that seeing and being very much apart of everything that was going on really helped me build a solid foundation for myself. I did rely very much on my parents to help me through certain situations I was too young to understand but while my mom was in the hospital and my dad was dealing with divorce and other problems he had, I was on my own to cope with my emotions.
Ideas: having to be the mediator for my family problems, helping my family through my brother’s problems, …..
I have truly been through so many things that have shaped my personality and have continued to make me appreciate everything in my life that I am so lucky to have. Instead of taking my experiences and using them as excuses to be pessimistic and ungrateful, I see all of my life circumstances as reasons to grow and inspiration to do the best I can to reach my full potential.