Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are?
It was a typical Friday night; I was sitting on the couch happily watching TV. I sensed something was wrong when my mother came home from work with a somber and tense expression. She revealed that my father had been involved in an affair with another woman for a number of years. Furthermore, they had conceived a child together that was a little over a year old at the time. Immediately I was overwhelmed with disbelief, which eventually transitioned to feelings of deep betrayal and anger as the shock disappeared. Instinctively, I created an invisible wall between me and my father, reinforced by judgment, resentment, stress and pain. I felt this mental barrier was the best protection against the hurt my father had caused.
The following day, my father discussed the event with me and my brother. By the look on his face, it was apparent that he had suffered great amounts of stress, exhaustion, and remorse regarding the situation. He started off the discussion with each of us expressing our feelings on what had happened. Deep down, I knew I could not show my true emotions because they would devastate my father, so I expressed a tone of ambivalence between forgiving and blaming my father. I would not be able to forgive him, especially for the damage he caused on our family.
After school the following week, I met my half-sister, Valerie, for the first time. I imagined a shy, typical Asian toddler distancing herself from me, believing the disconnection of bloodlines would prove a difficult wall to climb in our relationship. To my surprise, she had light brown hair, big brown eyes, pale skin, and a tiny button nose. She energetically waddled around the parking lot of Nob Hill, not saying a single word, as if keeping a secret. However, her tactfulness did nothing to conceal her innocent joyfulness radiating from her visage. Instantly, I knew I would love her, regardless of the sins that created her, much like the Pearl of my father's Scarlet Letter.
Through the next few years, I watched Valerie's progress through infancy, from running to speaking to potty training and even to swimming. My initial love for her planted its permanent roots in my heart, creating a desire within me to play with her, hug her, laugh with her, and protect her. Even my mother, who had suffered the most, loved Valerie like her own daughter; bathing, changing, and feeding her willingly. Throughout this time, as my love for Valerie grew, my secret feelings of anger and pain towards my father slowly subsided, and an open forgiveness reached my heart.
Thus, my love for Valerie created a transformation within me, which enabled me to eventually forgive my father, restoring our relationship back to its previous state. The rest of my family, whom I knew had repressed their feelings of hurt like me, each developed a love for my little sister. Although my parent's marriage has not returned to what it was, Valerie taught my family a valuable lesson; to stay open-minded, but more importantly, to forgive, but never forget. I can apply this to my studies at the University of California through the people I meet. By remaining an open and forgiving individual, I can develop current and future relationships with people who will create a positive influence on my life and my studies.
This is a pretty personal story to me. Please edit it and be honest in your criticism! Thanks!
This is a great essay and a nice story!
...especially for the damage he caused to our family.
"Instantly, I knew I would love her, regardless of the sins that created her, much like the Pearl of my father's Scarlet Letter." This is such a great sentence!
...restoring our relationship back to its previous state.
...whom I knew had repressed their feelings of hurt like I had , each...
