Life Lessons by Janette

Life Lessons by Janette - October 2013 Scholarship Essay

Janette Palomino

There is a time when a person learns a valuable life lesson outside of the classroom. However, it can be a time when you are not prepared to learn, or it can change your life forever. There was a time when I learned the most important and valuable life lesson that changed me in a way that nobody expected, and it didn’t happen in a classroom.

When I still lived in Mexico, I was sitting on my favorite rock in the mountains. The fresh air and the peaceful silence made me remember the most devastating moment of my life. When I was 9 years old my mother died of cancer and my whole family was devastated. Suddenly, I realized that life is very short and that one day it can all end unexpectedly. At that age, all my dreams had fallen down and I just wanted to be with my mom again.

But then, I thought about the two little kids that were my brothers who were 4 and 7 years old. I realized that they needed me more than anyone else to get ahead in life and support my father. In fact, the most valuable lesson I learned in my life is this: life gives us blows that can destroy and change our lives forever, but God gives us the strength to be strong and overcome all obstacles in life, and keep moving forward with my family. Also, I learned that people are the most valuable treasure in our lives, and especially our family. Through my life, I have tried to give my time and all my love to my brothers because life is very short. I, more than anyone, know this because a few short years after my mom died of breast cancer, my dad died of pancreatic cancer.

This period in my life was when I learned my most valued life lessons, and they were not learned in a classroom. I just hope that all people give love to their family before is too late. These lessons have helped me become the person I am today: strong, responsible, and eager to move forward in life.