Live Life With a Smile by Luca

Live Life With a Smile by Luca - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

Don't let anything drag you down. Yes, I know what you're thinking. So cliché. Easier said than done. Impossible. But what if I told you that there is something in the world that makes this goal not only possible, but easy? Throughout high school, my teachers have taught me many things, but this particular lesson will stick with me forever.

This past year in high school was a roller coaster of ups and downs. The year got off to a great start, but before I knew it, problem after problem hit me all at once, and it was affecting me considerably. I felt tired, stressed, and alone. My grades were slipping, I couldn't focus, and my thoughts were all over the place. I was a mess. Little did I know that sitting through a class in 6th period would be a major turning point in my life.

During class one day, Mrs. Brown, my statistics teacher, noticed that I wasn't my usual self and had a talk with me. She noticed my grades were declining and wanted an explanation. My explanation prompted her to tell me something that will stick with me forever: happiness is a choice, not a permanent condition, and choosing to be unhappy will do more harm than good. This didn't make much sense to me at first, but I thought about what I already knew about Mrs. Brown, and it hit me. Throughout her recent years, she had been through it all. Deaths, close calls, car accidents, and near-fatal injuries all played major roles in her life and the life of her close family. And despite all this, she comes to school every day with a contagious smile on her face and ready to teach. She chose to be happy by teaching her students rather than choosing to dwell on the past.

Since then, I've chosen to surround myself with people who I enjoy being with and participate in activities which make me happy, and I've been smiling ever since. My grades have improved and focusing has become easier. Simply put, my life has become easier and less stressful.

Mrs. Brown is one of the most inspiring people I've met in my life because of her positive attitude toward life. She has taught me that choosing to be happy is the key to living a good, fun, successful life. Life is easy when you're happy. Suddenly, that cliché phrase I mentioned doesn't sound so impossible because the solution is fully in our control! We just need to live life with a smile! 