AsapersonIamanaunt,sister,cousin,aniece,agranddaughter,adaughter.AsapersonIamkind, loving,protective.Iamprotectiveofmysisters,mynieces,mybrother,andmymom.Iwoulddo whateverIcouldformyfamilyIlovemyfamilywithallmyheartCauseifanythinghappensto anyofmyfamilyIwillhuntafteranyonewhohurtsthem.Iwilldoanythingtokeepthemsafe. EveniftheygetascratchonthemIwouldaskmysisterwhathappentomynieces.SoifIdon'tget ananswerIwilltellmysistertodosomething.IlovethemsomuchsoItrytocalleverynightonce inawhilewhenIfeelsad.ButwhenIcalltotalktothemIdon'tevengetanswer.SoIcallandcall overandoveragainuntiltheyanswerIwoulddoanythingtobeabletoseemyniecesIlovethem somuchIwoulddoanythingtoseethem.Ilovethemallverymuch.Ihatetoseetheminpain.I woulddoanythingtoseethem.Ilovethemalotwithallmyheart.
WhatIliketodoinmyfreetimeisplaywithmycats,playwithmyguineapig,doslimewithmy sister,watchtelevision,playmytablet,playmyphone,playwithmyminicomputer.Ialsoliketo callmymomwhenIamatmydad's,whenIamatmymom'sIliketotextmydad'andwhenIamat bothofmyparentsIliketocallmysistertotalktomynieces.Whatdescribesmeaskind,loving, careaboutmyfamily,don'tcareforwhatpeoplesayaboutme,don'tcarewhatpeoplethinkabout me.AsapersonIamanaunt,
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MymotherAidaTekieiswithoutadoubtthemostimportantpersoninmylife.AidaisfromEritrea locatedinEastAfricawheresheleftearlyoninherlifetoescapetoCanadatoraisekidsandstarta family.Shemaycomebyasjustaregularmotherbutsheissomuchmore.Aidaisn'tjustmy motherbutshe'smybestfriendwhoisalwaysthereformeandconstantlybeingthegreatest influenceinmylifeMymotheristhetypeofpersonwhowouldalwaysstrivetohelpotherbefore herselfwithoutthinkingtwicebecausethatisjustsimplytheselflesspersonsheis.She'stheonly personthatIknowthatcaneitherbethebestlistenerorcangivememuchneededadvice.Icouldn't havemadeitthisfarinlifewithoutmymotherstandingshowmorecontent Bothmenstoodthereoutofdisbeliefaftertherockwasthrown.Aidaandherfatherlaterleftand begantodrivehomeandduringthatcarrideherdadstaredatherandaskedwhyshewoulddosuch thing.Shesatthereastearscamedownherfaceandrepliedwith,"Iwasscaredandjustwantedto protectyou".Heexplainedtoherthattheothermanwasjusthisclosefriendandthattheycametoa simplemisunderstanding,justifyingthatitwasnothingseriousThisstorythatmymothertoldme yearsagowillalwaysremindtillthisdayhowcaringandprotectivesheisoverherfamily.Whenit comestofamilymymomiswillingtoputherselfindangertoprotectothers. WhenIwasyounger,tooyoungtogotoschool,mymotherandIwouldbeathomehavingtimeof ourlives.AmemoryfromthosetimesthatI'llneverforgetwaswhenmymotherandwouldmake everyonebedswhilemysiblingswereatschoolandmydadwasatworkAlthoughmakingbeds mayseemlikeachore,itwasoneofthefewsimplethingsmymommanagedtomakeincredibly fun.Asweweremakingthebedsshewouldalwaystellmethatthebestpartaboutdoingitwas wheneveryonewouldcomehometoseetheirbedalldoneupwithahugesmileontheirfaceand knowingyouwerethereasonforthatsmilewasheartwarming.Thismemoryisaclearexampleof mymotheralwaysbeingabletomakethesmallestandmostsimplethingsseemfunalsoinawayto
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Inmostcases,wedevelopsomeoutstandingqualitiesandattributesthroughtrainingandlearning. However,mymotherattainedthoseuniquequalitiesthroughlifeexperience.Fromaveryhumble background,shehasstruggledwithlife,passedthroughalottobethepersonsheistoday.She alwaystellsusthatexperienceisthebestteacher.Also,throughproperparenthood.My grandparentswereverystrictandobservantTheylaidagoodfoundationtomymotherthrough teachingherongoodmoral,andhowtoberesponsible.Ourparentsalwaysactasourrolemodels, sowhentheyteachusgoodlifetechniques,thereisthepossibilityofusbeingbetterthanthem. Hence,inonewayoranother,herparentsmadeheracquiresomeoftheseshowmorecontent Shecouldnotaffordtogetasitterandpayhertolookoverus;hence,shewaskindofsocially isolated.
Fatigue
Parenthoodisusuallymeanttoinvolvetwoplayers,thatishusbandandwife.Tosomecases,the manmaybeirresponsible,orthewomanmaybesingleMymotherwasalwaysphysically, emotionallyandspirituallywornoutbecauseofmultitaskingandoverthinking.Asafamily,we dependedonher,andtosomepoint,shehadnopowertoprovideontous.Shehadtobalancework andherhealth,whichwasverychallenging.Shecouldnotgetwaystotakeabreatherorrefresh,as shewasallcommittedtogivingusthebest.Shecouldnothaveenoughsleep,asshewastowakeup earlyinthemorning,prepareusandgotowork
MyMother'sImpactsontomyLife
Mymominspiredmeonbeinghardworking,responsibleandaccountable.Herperseveranceinlife gavemetheinspirationforputtingmoreeffortinanyactivityIundertakeandgetthebestoutofmy life.Shehadagoalofgivingusadecentandcomfortablelife,andshemadeusproudofher. Again,sheimpactedmewithloveandrespecttootherpeople.Sinceshewascompassionateand empathetic,Iinheritedanattributeoflovinganyonedespitetheirsocialbackground.Infact,I wonderedhowshemanagedeverythingperfectly.Shealsosurprisedmeofherkindnature. SometimesIcouldoffendher,hurther,butshestillhadthatparental
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GrowingLily
AtagethreeIsaid"Iloveyoumommy."AtagesevenIsaid,"Mom,stopkissingmycheek!"Atage fifteenIsay,"You'resoannoying–Ican'twaittomoveout!"Atageeighteen,I'llbesaying"Imiss home"Atagetwenty–sevenI'llbesaying"Imissmymom"AtagefortyI'llbesaying"Imissyou somuch;Iwishyoudidn'thavetogo."Mymomisthesuntomyshine.Mymotherisahard worker.Sheloveswhatshedoesforaliving.Shedoesarrangementsforpeoples'houses.I'veseen herworkfrom7amtomidnightattimesThehardworkpaysoffbutmostofherearningsgoto billsorgroceries.Whenshehasanewproject,shegoesshoppingforflowerstomakewhatmental imageshehasinherintoreality.Theshowmorecontent Shehasthepowertomakeyousmilewhenyou'redown,makeyoucrybytellingastory,keepyou undercontrolwhenyou'retoorowdyandgetangrywhenneeded.Familyisanimportantthingto mymotherShelovestospendasmuchtimeasshecanwiththemShebelievesintheHawaiian saying,"Ohanna:Nobodygetsleftbehind."Thispastsummerwewentonacruiseship.Thewhole sideofmymom'sfamilyhadgone.Ienjoyedmytimethere,especiallywhenwearrivedin Cozumel,MX.Oneofthemostembarrassingthingsthatcouldhappentomefrightenedmymomto death.Purgingissaidtomakeyouloseweight.Thebangingontherestroomdoorstartledme knowingIwouldbecaughtFromthatpointonshetookextracareofmyhealthLookingafterwhat Iate,whenIshouldexerciseetc.WhenIwasfourteen,myparentsandImadeadealthatifIlost twentypounds,Iwouldbeabletogetmyfirsttattoo.Shesupportedmewithit,thus,melosingthe weightNoteveryonegrowsupwithmannersIhaveahightoleranceforrespectGrowingupgoing tochurcheverySundayduetomymomhelpedmeadapttomaturity.NotthatI'mhighlybipolar, butIdolosemytemperreallydrastically.I'vebeentaughtbymymomtoforgiveandforget. Throughtheworstofhertimesthatpeoplehaveputherthrough;sheforgives.ShetellsmeIhave thebloodofmydadseeingashowIwillalwaysholdagrudgetowardssomeonenomatterwhat.I knowmymomwantsthebestforherkids,
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ALOVEOFAMOTHER
Motheristhewomanwhogavebirthtoyou.MotheristheonewhoknowsallaboutyouandMother istheonewhosacrificeallforyou.Soallmotherintheworldshouldberespectedbecauseweall knowthattheydeserveitandalwaysrememberthatweareherebecauseofthem.Love,respectand careyourmotherasyoucan,Becauseifyoulovesomeoneyoufeelthattheyareveryimportantto youandifyourespectyouhaveagoodopinionofthem,andlastlyifyoucareyoufeelthatitis importantandareconcernedaboutit.
Sheisthefirstpersontosacrificeherlifebygivingbirthtoallofuschildren.Shetaughtushowto walk,talkandsmile.Ourfirstmentorandteacherinhelpingusdeterminewhatisrightandwrong. Thatishowourmothersare!Somemoms,especiallyinournewgenerationevolveasthesole providersofthefamily.Manyaresayingthatmothersaretheemotionalbackbonesofthefamily.If problemsoccurtheyarethestrongestpersontoholdbackandwecanshowmorecontent Sheisherchildren'sbestfriend.Amotherissomeonewholovesyouunconditionallyandmorethan lifeitself.MothersareangelsindisguisesentfromGodtowatchandhelpusthroughour troublesometimes.Wehardlystoptothinkofhowtheyfeelandiftheyneedhelp,weabusethemin asensebynotappreciatingthemenough.Thedefinitionforloveisagreatlikingoraffection.But loveissomethingstrongerLovedoesn'tgiveup,doesn'thaveaswelledheadanddoesn'tforceitself onothers.Loveisn'tjealous,isalwaysforgivingandwithoutlove,wearenothing.Amother'slove isabondthatconnectsustogether,evenbeforebirth.Itisstrongerthananyfeelingofhateorfury. Lovetakesoneverything,evenifitcan'tcarryitallMothersmayseemjustlikeordinarypeople, buttheyarereallysuperheroesindisguise!Theyshowtheirloveinamilliondifferentwaysevery
Whatcanonesayabouttheirmother?Onemaytalkaboutherpositiveandnegativecharacteristics. TherearesomanygreattraitsIloveandadmireaboutmymom,thatitwouldbedifficultandunfair towriteaboutjustone.Beingstrong,generousandoptimisticareallsomegreatpersonalitytraits, whichmymotherpossesses.
EversinceIcanremember,mymotherhasbeenastrongindividual.SheraisedmybrotherandI financially,emotionally,physicallyandspirituallybyherself.Mymomgaveherall,bythatImean, sheworkedtwojobstomakesureherchildrenateproperlyandthattheyhadtheessentialamenities togrowhappilyandsuccessfully.Anotherwayshesupporteduswaswithloveandcare.My momshowmorecontent
Shewouldencouragemebysimplysaying,"Complainingisauselesswaytosolveproblems,but becomingactiveontheissueisagreatwaytoconquerit.MymotherMymotherhasalwayshad strongfaithandviewsinherreligionWhenIwasyounger,everydayandnight,shewouldbring prayertimetomeandmybrother'sattention.MymominstilledAsachild,mymotherdisplayedthe seriousnessofspirituality.Inwhichsheexpressedherfaithinusatanearlyage,thatprayertime wasnotthetimetomakejokesnortocomplainabouthavingtopartakeinit. Onelessonshetaughtusthemost,washowseriousnessaboutourspiritualbeliefscouldprovideus withasubstantial,stableandstructurallifestyle
Mymother'sheartisatitspurestwhengiving.Iwitnessedmymotherchipinandpayforpeople's rent,carnotes,andbuyingthemgroceriesAlthoughmymother'sintentionsweregood, occasionally,hergenerosityhasbeentakenadvantageof.Onetimeaclosefriendofthefamily, cametomymotherindesperateneed.Heaskedhertoloanhimalargeamountofmoney,withthe agreementthathewouldpaybackineithermonthlyorweeklyinstallments.Mymomneverdidsee themoneythatwasduetoher.Despitetheincidentshestillgivesandencouragesotherstogive, whetherisitadonation,orvolunteeringyourtimeinyourcommunityMy
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Wetrytocompareourparentstootherparents,ourfriendsalwaystellus'heyyourmomanddad weresupercool'butwethinktoourselves,aremyparentsthatcool.Ithinktheworldrevolveson howstrictorsoftourparentscanbe.Weallhaveourexperienceswithourparentsgrowingupto nowthatwe'reincollege,welookbackandweaskourselveswasmymomordadstrictwithmeor soft,whichleadsmetotellingyouthisstorywereiwillbeexplaininghowmymotherwassoft comparedtoSophia'smotherfromtigermom.
Inthisstoryshort"whyilovemystrictchinesemom"bySophia–Chua–Rubenfield,shetalksabout howhermotherwassostrictwithherSophiawas18yearsoldatthistime,soatthebeginningof thestorySophiastartstellingushowshehadsuchahardmotherknoweverybodycriticizedher.
Mymotherraisedmelikeeveryotherparentexcludingherrules,inthestoryTigermomSophia explainshowcriticallyinvolvedhermomwasinschoolwithher,Sheexplainstoushowstrictand uptightshewaswithherduringherperiodofgrowingupIfeellikemymomwasverylenientmore saysoftasIgrewup,shehadherboundariesshehadherwallsandsheonlytoldmeoncethethings Ihadtodo,thingsareverysetoutandforwardbetweenmeandmymotherthereisnohiding anythingnolies.SoIfeltlikeIhadhertrustthereisnocurfewthereisneveratalkaboutheydon't dothisdon'tdothatdon'thangoutwiththesepeople,Ifeellikeshenever
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NowIwasn'tsomekindofsociopathasachild(forthemostpart),Ihavealwayslovedmymom. Butwhenyou'reachildyoulovepeopleveryshallowly,it'sjustathingyousaybeforebedorwhen youhugafamilymember.Itdoesn'tusuallygodeeperthanthatforachild.Lovethoughismore thanaworditsanactionthatrequiresselflessness,understanding,andsacrifice.Andatage14Iwas goingtolearnstepbystephowtotrulylovesomeone
TounderstandthisstorywehavetogoalittlefurtherbackIntomypast.Seemymomas Hypoparathyroidism(fiftycentwordIknow)Itmeansthatherhormonesareoutofcontrol,leaving herconstantlytiredandinpain.She'sbeensickmywholelifeandhasrequiredmultiplesurgeries. SometimesitwashardandmysistersandIhadtomissoutonsomething's(thoughnotmany becausemymomwasamazing).Forawhileeverythingwasfine,thenmydadgotdiagnosedwitha rareformofbonecancer.Hewasgivenonlyafewmonthstolive,buthefoughthardfornearlytwo yearsbeforehediedonAugust2nd,2012Twolongyearsofworry,strife,ofdoctorsvisits,ofa neverendingstreamofvisitors,andtwoyearsofpeoplerallyingaroundusandshowinguslove.
AttheendofitallIwasleftwithoutmydad(mybestfriend)andwhatatthetimefeltlikethe brokenpiecesofafamily,barelybeingheldtogetherattheseams.Iwasaverybittertweenmoody, sarcastic,andtiredofmyfamilyNowlookingbackat18Icansee
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Mymotherhashadthegreatestinfluenceonme.GrowingUpshehastaughtmemanythings.She hashelpedmemanytimesandstilldoes.Ihavelearnedmanylessonswithherhelpingme. Responsibilityisoneoftheveryimportantthingsshehastaughtme.Howtobeagoodperson aroundothersthatarenot.MymotherhasbeenandstillistheonlyparentIseeeveryday.While beingwithherIhavelearnedmanythingsShehastaughtmetoberesponsibleformythingslike myclothingandartsupplies,aroundpeople,andmysiblings.AthomeIhavetofinishmychores sweeping,mopping,washinglaundry,cleaningofthetablesandthecountertop,andsometimes cleantheyardMostofthetimeIhavetohelpmysisterswiththeirlaundryorsweeping,and sometimescookformyfamilywhenmymotherandgrandmotherarenothome.WhenIhavetoo muchworkathomeandschoolworkmymotherwouldhelpmefinishmychoresandwewillbefree fortherestofthedayandwhenthathappensweallspendtimeasafamilyandgoeatorwatcha movie.Ihavelearnedlessonswhilelivingwithmymotherandabigfamily.AlessonIhavelearned wasneveraddtoomuchsaltinmyriceandsoupDonotaddabunchofsoapintothewasher machineorIwillhavetocleanitupmyselfandtosewbutdonotpushaneedleupbetweentwo clothswhileyourthumbisintheway.Motherwasbusyhelpingmysisterswiththeirlaundryand thefoodwasnotprepared.Ihadnothingtodososhecalledmyname
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1.Icareformydearmother,art,andeducation.Icareformymombecausesheisthewomanthat gavemelifeandraisedmetobecomethepersonwhoIamtoday.Ihavelearnedhowtotreatother peoplebetterthroughwatchingher,andshehasshownmewhatitmeanstobehonestand trustworthy.ShehasforcedmetotakechallengeslikeapplyingtocollegesoutsideofTexaseven thoughIhadneverbeenanywhereelsethanTexas,Oklahoma,andMexicoShehassupportedme inmygoalstoreceiveacollegedegreetosomedayhelpunderprivilegedfamilyinpoorcommunities andpoorcountries.Second,Icareformyeducation.EverydayIhelpmyfamily,andIhaverealized thatIwouldliketoexpandmyassistanceandhelpothersAsImentioned,Iwanttobeacollege graduateandbecertifiedinafieldthatwillallowmetoassistpeople,suchaschildren.Iamnotsure whatIwanttodowiththerestofmylife,butIknowthatIwanttohelppeople.Iwanttobeableto usetheskillsandknowledgeIlearnincollegeforthebettermentofothersandmyself.Collegeisthe vehicleforthisbecauseIbelievetheonlywayformetoflourishmentallyandfinanciallyisgrowing inmyeducationEducationisalreadymypassion,andcollegewillsufficemyhungerfor knowledge.Third,Icareforart.Beyondhoningmyskillsintraditionalsubjects,Ihavebecome deeplyinvestedindevelopingasanartist.Atfirst,artinmyeyeswasjustsomethingthatIwasgood atcreating.
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