Undergraduate / Common application essay - My grandmother; 'Nothing good without sacrifice' [5]

"Nothing good in this world ever comes without sacrifice." This is something my grandmother taught me at a young age. My grandmother was an immigrant with no more than a sixth grade education who raised seven children and put six through college all on her own. I've learned a lot about sacrifice from her. She came to the U.S. in 1969 from Trinidad and left behind six of her children. It wasn't until 1974 that she was able to bring them to America to live with her.

Even in America she had her struggles; she had to deal with an abusive husband who wouldn't financially support her, who took her money, and who wouldn't tell her on what he spent it. She ended up divorcing him and took much pride in her newfound independence. Jean had to raise seven kids and pay off a mortgage on top of all this. Due to her sacrifice, I have an advantage to achieve without such arduous struggles. Not many people would be able to do what she did. When I hear her tell those stories I think about what I have and I have to wonder, "Did I do anything to really deserve this?" In my aunts and uncles I see how they were able to benefit because of my grandmother's labors. She's one of the many hard working immigrants that have helped make this great country what it is today: a land of opportunity.

My grandmother also taught me the value of money. A couple years ago I was at home she asked me to pick up some stamps for her because they were going up by two cents. She wanted to send some letters but I had said that two cents didn't make much of a difference and that I would pick some up the next day. Later I realized that I had been selfish because while two cents means little to the average person, she knows the value of those two seemingly insignificant pennies and how much they mean. That showed me not to take things for granted.

She lives alone now and sometimes I worry that she is lonely. I call her every day and when we talk she asks me for just one thing. She asks me to do well in school so I can go to college; so I don't have to toil like she did. She has given me tremendous motivation from her countless stories of hardship from working innumerable hours. Her independence has become my inspirations. These lessons will continue to motivate me throughout life. Without her I don't know what I would do.