Resilience by Dollitia

Resilience by Dollitia - October 2013 Scholarship Essay

I have always been taught by my mom to never allow life to get the best of me and to always trust my first instincts. This I have proven first hand by seeing her in action.

My mom got married January 2011 to someone I did not really care for. He was very smart, well dressed, and an executive in the corporate world. He treated me well and would give me anything I wanted, but there was something I could not put my fingers on that irritated me about him. I tolerated him to please my mom, but would cry sometimes because of the resentment I felt towards him. I thought I was evil and did not have a good heart, especially because our lives had improved drastically, meaning financially since they got married. He, however, had a superior attitude towards my mom. My mom and I talked about it and she would always try to protect him.

The day after Mother's Day the following year, my step dad told my mom he was leaving her. To my knowledge there were no explanation given. Three days later he texted her that he would be moving out the following morning; and that was when I found out. There were no signs of fights or quarrels prior, but I noticed that my mom was never her goofy self for some time.

I got home the following day to find the house empty. My step dad took all the furniture. My mom had given away all our furniture when they got married to accommodate his since they were bigger and more expensive. My heart leaped for my mom, but to my surprise she shifted gear - it's like she went into survival mode. She never fussed, cussed, or talked badly about him. Her main concern was me and getting our home back in order.

This truly has taught me resilience - that life can hit you down, but not for long. That ineffable quality that allows some people to be knocked down by life and come back stronger than ever.