Healthy by April

Healthy by April - October 2016 Scholarship Essay

She came into the world crying and tiny. She changed everything. She made me a mommy. She took my life away and gave me a new one. No longer self-centered, I became fervent to know how to be the best I could be for her sake.

After she appeared, there came two more. I was overwhelmed with love and exhaustion. And I knew it was more important than ever to give them the best I could. Over time, it became apparent I was not giving them best in health.

I had become unhealthy over my years of life, facing one setback after another, and my nutrition and my health suffered for it. It was just something I didn't have the time or inclination to bother with when I had so many other issues to deal with. Now I watched as my children reaped the consequences of the years of neglect of my own body.

I have spent many of the past years doing my own research about health and nutrition, so I could know how best to serve my children and encourage their growth into healthy adults, so they wouldn’t have to face what I had faced. Now, as I enter this new time of life in which I am a mother as well as a student, I am focused on learning as much as possible about the academic field of health and nutrition.

When the time comes, and I have completed my graduate degree, I will be able to step into that role of teacher. My knowledge will no longer allow me to give the best to only my children, but to other people who have had the same struggle as I had as well. I will coach and mentor and consult, teaching people to do the same thing I finally learned to do.... Be healthy.