The Race by Helena

The Race by Helena - May 2014 Scholarship Essay

High school has been one tiresome race. Throughout my four years, I have encountered more hurdles than at any other point in my life. High school has tested my endurance. Beyond simply running this tortuous track, I am also carrying weights. These are the high expectations of my parents. These are the burdens of being the first person in my entire family to graduate high school and attend college. These are my own aspirations to be at the top of my class. I have sprinted like my life depended on it numerous times. I have fallen just as much times.

There were countless incidences where I felt utterly tired. Tests, research papers and homework piled up above the growing concern of college. I had this mentality of “if I didn’t get an A in my classes, I would not be able to attend the college of my choice”. I overburdened myself in pursuit of that coveted acceptance letter. The mentality consumed me from the inside out; I was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

I had never explicitly told my parents that the workload was stressing me and that I feared for the future. My mom has always had that sixth sense; she knew by instinct that something was bothering me. To ease my mind, she told me a Vietnamese parable that my grandmother had told her when she was younger.

In the story, a father allows his son to ride a horse around the outskirts of the village. While riding the horse, the son falls off and fractures his ankle. The villagers berate the father for being so careless. The son is bedridden for months and the villagers refer to the whole accident as unlucky. The father initially questions his ability to be a good father. He becomes distrustful of his judgment. Despite this unhappiness, he remains fervent that the incidence could play out in his son’s favor. Later on, the village becomes entangled in a war with a neighboring village. All the able young men are forced to go to war in which the men suffer great losses. The son remains bedridden yet in the safety of his home. Now, the villagers see the incident as extremely fortunate. At the end of the story, my mother tells me to always live with “lạc quan”. The phrase essentially means to always have an optimistic outlook on life because behind every thunderstorm is a rainbow. There is so much to gain and nothing to lose in the face of an obstacle. Much like the son in the parable, what may seem like a curse might end up becoming a blessing. Rather than beat myself up for every B that I get, I accept it and try to use it in my favor. I now have the mentality that “I will not let failure define me”.

I will never quit the race. I will always run. I will never let my falls distract me from the finish line. And I will be victorious.