Inspirational Mark by Daisy

Inspirational Mark by Daisy - April 2014 Scholarship Essay

There are several people in our life path that have influenced us in some way, however, I find that fictional characters have just as large of an impact on the manner in which we view the world and achieve a better understanding of ourselves, leading us to gain a different visual on our behavior as well as our values. Augustus Waters, from The Fault In Our Stars, by John green, had been my largest inspiration. He is not the typical heart throb often portrayed in novels but rather a realistic portrayal of a teenage boy, filled with flaws, who unfortunately faces and ongoing battle with cancer. Knowing that oblivion was close he did not fear to be brutally honest or to be insensitive, as he did not allow his limited time on earth to affect his persona. The message that Augustus transmitted through his character is how large of an impact one can have on others through the simplest of actions, as he converted his his last days of life, as well as the lives of those around him into a 'little infinity'. He had explained that “The marks humans leave are too often scars.”

Gus has influenced me to appreciate what I have in life at the moment and to not let anything change who I am as a person. I want people to remember me not by what I did, but by any impact that I had on their lives. Just as Gus had explained, I wish to leave marks on the people close to me, rather than scars. I have formed closer bonds with my friends and am more open about what I think and how I feel about certain things because of Gus's example. His courage is a quality that I would like to obtain and so I approach others with more of an open mind.

Most importantly, he taught me to not let time control my life, as there is no reason to fear time running out and that you will be most fulfilled if you disregard it completely. I feel that the fear of a limited amount of time and its quick passing is always a worry that faces many people. However, time is nothing more than an illusion. Living day by day instead of thinking about future concerns has helped me remain at peace with myself and relax my own mind. All that is real is what we have at the moment and so any future problems should not be stressed over and in fact dismissed at the time. What matters is taking advantage of every breath you have left in you and to not lose yourself in the darkest of times, just as Gus concentrated more on what he wanted to accomplish in his time rather than focusing on his health issues and what awaited him. He lived satisfied with what he had achieved and content with the time he spent with loved ones, regretting none of his actions. This is the life model I wish to follow.
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