You Always Have A Choice by Taylor

You Always Have A Choice by Taylor - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

I went to a French Immersion K-8 school, growing up. I also went through a horrible custody battle between my parents all of my life, but I remember this specific time in my life, where I used my situation to get into trouble. I was in second grade and my teacher Mme. Sangare was my teacher from the previous year. She knew of my issues and she was lenient, with me because of it. I would get into trouble just about every day, and would say I was mad at my mother or that the devil made me do it.

I would cry and put on a show, just so I wouldn’t get into trouble, every time she talked to me with my mother present. This performance went on for about a month, before my teacher had enough of it. She called my mom and told her what I was doing. I tried to cry again and say that the devil made me do it, just as I had done before. Only Mme. Sanagre told me that what I was doing was wrong. She told me that it doesn’t matter what you are going through, you have a choice, always. She reminded me that I have had my time to act out, but now it was time to make a decision. A decision on what I was going to do. Was I going to continue to act badly or was I going to do the right thing and act the way I am suppose.

I went home hurt and unsure of what to do, so I talked to my granny. Who I consider to be my voice of reason and she asked me if my behavior was wrong. I told her yes, then she asked what was I going to do? I told her be good. She said actions speak louder than words. The next day I went to school apologized for my behavior and was the best I could be for the rest of the year. This experience has stayed with me until this day, because it reminds me that no matter how bad things are we all have a choice. I chose to do the right thing and be the person that I know that I can be. I have tried to keep that same mindset throughout my life, but sometimes it feels hard. I am glad that I had a teacher who cared enough to tell me that what I was doing wasn’t right and helped me fix it before it worsened.