High School Taught Me More than I Bargained for by Jodi

High School Taught Me More than I Bargained for by Jodi - November 2013 Scholarship Essay

Through my years in high school, I had many lessons easily thrown my way. Some of these lessons were easy for me to grasp and others I struggled with. In high school one of the lessons that I learned was that frustration is only something that comes from living in the past. I rarely would become frustrated but when something happened that was past my breaking point, my frustration would sky rocket. I would mill over what happened for days letting it haunt me.

I had a small conversation with a teacher about my frustration. She told me that my frustration stays there because I let it. She pointed out that there is more than one angle to everything that happens in life. I left that classroom feeling lost. I remember the words she said replaying in my head over and over again “because I let it”. It was shortly after; I realized I needed to conquer this hurdle. How do I get rid of the frustration that I have let build up. I began to ponder how I could still have these feelings. I then realized I am still mad. I now know the reason I have continued to drag this frustration around with me. I have not forgiven the people I need to. I keep living in the past of what had happened at those times. I then and there decided, I need to forgive them.

This is one of the most important life lessons that I have learned. Without this lesson I am not sure where I would be. I sometimes wonder if I would have figured out on my own or if I would be a bitter person today. I have seen many people who have never learned the lesson of forgiveness and they seem to have so much negativity in their lives. I am very grateful for this lesson that I received all because of the situations that occur in high school and the teacher for her simple words. This life lesson has let me forgive everyone who has ever wronged me, and it has helped me to be a more positive person. I now look toward the future and do not dwell on the negative things of the past.