Life Lessons by Benjamin

Life Lessons by Benjamin - December 2019 Scholarship Essay

My parents are divorced. It happened when I was two, but to be honest I don’t remember anything about it. All I know now is that I have two of everything. Two houses, two rooms, two family room couches, two gaming consoles, two completely separate families. I’ve learned many things from each side of my family, and both my mother and father have shaped me into the person I am today.
My father grew up in Lodi, New Jersey, with a strict Italian mother and a German/Italian father. He came to Illinois for college, and never went back. I’ve learned many lessons from my dad, but the one that sticks out in my head the most is about 2 months ago when my grandparents were in town. My dad didn’t really let me do much that weekend, and I was so bored at home doing nothing but lazing around with my 70-something year old grandparents. I asked and asked, but he didn’t let me do much. It got to the point where I had to ask him what is so wrong with going to my friends house for a couple hours. He then explained to me why he kept me inside for most of the weekend. He said “Ben, you do realize that they won’t be here forever.” It hit me right there that my very own grandparents could pass at any time. I am old enough to understand this now, but when my mom’s mom died, I was 8 or 9, so I didn’t really get “death” too much. I really appreciate this lesson from dad, because it will always teach me to think about everything I ask and do, before I do it.
With my mother, I have been supported by her more than anyone in my life. She is always pushing me to achieve at the highest level possible. I often get mad at her because she doesn’t always let me do what I want, when I want to. She is always saying that I’ll look back when I’m older, maybe with my own kids, and think “Wow, she really did that all to help me.” I guess that’s true, because she has done everything in her power to benefit me. She has gone all in on my baseball, and intends to be my #1 Fan for the rest of my career. I believe it will happen that way too. What I can say that I’ve learned from my mom is to never give up. I’ve already achieved feats that I never thought I could, with her help. She hasn’t given up on me, and I really don't think she ever will. That’s what I want to do in life. Never give up on what I want to reach.
My entire life has been inside two different bubbles. But I have come to realize that it’s not the worst thing that could’ve happened, at least for me. My mom and dad are always in my corner, teaching me life lessons, and pushing me to be the best that I can be. I am grateful that I have two of everything, but most importantly, I have two parents that do everything in their power to make a better person.