an accomplishment, event, or realization
Prompt : Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
When I was one, I could not talk properly like the other kids. My mother was so worried that she brought me to a counselling program where I was taught intensively on how to speak. Finally, words formed and came out of those tiny lips of the two-years-old me.
Nevertheless, I could not say the alphabet "R" properly, even until I entered kindergarten. One thing it was, until another side of my difference was discovered as I started learning writing-I was left-handed.
It was an extremely rare occurrence-at least in my society. The left hand was considered impolite to use, so everyone used their right hand for almost anything. On many occasions where I had to use my left hand, be it scribbling sentences, or drawing flowers, others would stare at me quietly. It was no big deal for me, until I started elementary.
I was beyond excited to befriend with new people in elementary. However, the truth hit me as I felt weird gazes from my classmates, exchanging pity, or mocking looks, that for them, I was an unusual existence, as if I was an alien from Mars.
The same old story began in middle school. To my surprise though, all the jokes and sneers appeared to be boring to me, at least until my seatmate joined in and ridiculed me for my lallation. I was mad since I had helped him a lot in his studies, and I tried so hard to become a good friend. I cried all the way home and looked at the mirror and hated myself, because I felt like I could not be "normal".
All of a sudden, my tears stopped falling and I remembered my mother asked, "What do you think is normal, anyways?" I realized, I did not know. My thoughts always circled around the image of how a person supposed to be like others, like all the people, but I wondered,
"Why do you have to be like others when you could be yourself?"
So I came to school the next morning and decided that I am myself. I am unique in my own way, and so is everyone if they only show their true selves instead of just being "normal". I proudly claimed that I was left-handed, and I had lisp. I stood upon ridiculous remarks thrown upon me and I made friends with people who respected me, who understood me, even I started exploring my own passions and talents instead of just sitting in despair for listening to what others commented about my so-called flaws. Moreover, I was selected to be the Student Council, and I proved everyone-including myself-that any condition would not limit myself and downgraded my value. No lisp would hold me to express out my thoughts out loud and elevate my public speaking skill.
I graduated middle school as one of the top students, and welcomed high school like a new adventure. Sure, I made my way to unusual things again, this time with my path, such as my decision to join the National Earth Science Olympiad, as it has been my passion, while not even one student in my year took the subject. I made it to the final and won bronze medal. It was an inspiration to my juniors who choose to join the Earth Science Olympiad too. I have been offered to tutor them starting in January 2022, and I hope they would love the subject as much as I do.
I not once, but countless times had questioned, "Is it illegal to be out of the ordinary?"
I now know that the answer is definitely no. I am the prove of it, that we can be ourselves. My "special conditions" would not detain my will to develop my talents. Being true to myself makes who I really am, an unique girl with her own talents and flaws.
I am different, and I am proud of it.
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