TUESDAY POSITIVITY

08/20/2019

QUESTION

Describe one person who has/had a great impact on your life.

I had an English teacher in 8th grade named Mr. W (blocked out his real last name for privacy reasons) who greatly impacted my life.

Growing up I was surrounded by negative people, mindsets, and attitudes throughout my entire household and family, so naturally, it took it's tole on me as well. I hated school, I hated most teachers, I hated the students, I hated every single aspect about school. I would wake up dreading the day and the following and so on.

Until my 8th grade year is where I met Mr. W.

One day he sat me down because he noticed this dark place in my eyes. He opened up to me like a book, told me about his adoption, how his parents gave him up and were severe drug addicts, and how fortunate now he was to have his adoptive parents. He told me for the longest time he didn't recognize them as his parents, even blamed them for his real parents not wanting anything to do with him. He however overcame this tough obstacle. He found his place in this world. He told me if he could overcome something as dreadful as this, I could do anything I set my heart to.

It was different for me, I was never used to having someone physically sit me down and try to pry inside my mind and help me out. I never had someone talk to me like a human being without screaming at me.

And just like that, I slowly started transitioning my mind. I started to become more eager to learn, always craving the next book/lesson before the other students. I actually started to interact more with the students and opened up to them. Don't get me wrong, I had some friends throughout my middle school years, but Mr. W helped me to not be so judgmental of everyone before getting to know them, so naturally, my 8th grade year I had many more friends than the previous years.

Mr. W impacted me on so many levels but most of all he helped to wake up the inspiration inside of me. I never thought there was a place in this world for me, that I would never figure out what it is I wanted to do when I grew up, where I would fit in. He is where I learned I wanted to be a writer. I'll never forget Mr. W and I can't thank him enough for showing me more to the world than just negativity and loneliness.