My Challenge is the Greatest Gift
At the second I was born, I received a gift which is not a typical gift that you get on Christmas day, or a gift that you have one year and forget about the next. This was a gift that I could never get rid of, lose, or even have the chance to open.
On the day March ninth nineteen ninety-two, I was born with a birth defect by the name of Erb’s palsy (which is the injury to my right arm). The older I got, the more aware I was of my defect. The more I was aware about my defect, the more I thought that I could not accomplish any physical task. In fact, I always used my physical limitations as an excuse for the way I acted or why I would later end up a bum in life. I even used it to cover my tendency to be lazy. Throughout my childhood there was a constant struggle between my parents and I when it came to making my arm better; even though all they wanted was for me, along with them, to be committed to making sure that I got better and make my future much easier. The only thing hindering me from progressing was myself. When it came to putting an effort into something, I was the last in line; the only reason that I would even attempt physical therapy was because my parent were constantly pushing me to do it . Eventually, they stopped urging me and of course, I stopped exercising.
Years passed and occasionally my parents would remind me to exercise. Although I was not happy about it, I still did it. After all, they knew “what was best for me”. Despite all the effort, my heart was still not in it. In fact, I found it much easier to pity myself and constantly blamed God for making me the way I was. I went thought the first two years of my high school life thinking and acting the same way until my junior year (which was the highlight of my high school life) came along. I became more involved in my school, got a job, and most importantly, I was really discovering myself for the first time. I saw myself achieving things that I never thought I could do. There was even a time when I was recognized in the school newspaper as the student who could do every day things that required two hands with only one hand. People were amazed to see the way I could quickly bag groceries at the same speed as those who used two hands. The more I was able to discover who I was, the more I realized my biggest challenge was not my handicap. Nor was God the blame for my difficulties earlier in life. The only handicap I really ever had was me. The lack of motivation that I had at a younger age, The loads of opportunities I let pass me by without a care made me realize that I was destroying myself and that I needed to wake up before it was too late.
I am in the most important stage of my high school career, and I am still learning more and more about myself. Being a senior, my time is being focused on who I am going to become, if I am going to make a difference in my community, or just become a log that floats along for financial benefits. I rely more on God every day and thank him for giving me Erb’s Palsy. Without it, I would never have come to realize what was hindering me from becoming all that I could be. There is never a day that goes by for me that I do not face challenges. Some are what others give to me, but the majority is what I give myself. The best I can do is to hold my head up high, ask for God’s help, and overcome my lazy tendencies. Instead of hiding my birth defect from the rest of society, I have now vowed to share this God given gift with those in need, those who hope, and to become a living testimony and servant to my community.
Gender:
Points: 1023
Reviews: 14