A Look Into My Life

 What is history? Marcus Cicero, a Roman writer, speaker, philosopher, and politician, says, “History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time; it illuminates reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance in daily life, and brings tidings of antiquity.” While Cicero describes history in this way, R.G. Collingwood, a British philosopher and historian says, “History is for human self-knowledge. Knowing yourself means knowing, first, what it is to be a person; secondly, knowing what it is to be the kind of person you are; and thirdly, knowing what it is to be the person you are and no one else is…” This is the same with our own history or past as human beings. Just as Cicero’s and Collingwood’s views of history aren’t necessarily the same, no two people have the exact same past; yet, they can still relate to one another. Personally, I agree with both men’s views on history. I believe that history, or self-history to be precise, is different with each human being, and I also believe that one’s own history is exactly what one makes it to be, showing who someone is, why he or she acts a certain way, where a person has come from, and where that person is headed in life. As for my history, I have five aspects that are the core of what makes me exactly who I am today: my birth, my love for people, teachers, teaching, and my faith.

 First, my birth: I was born three months before my due date, obviously resulting in a pre-mature baby, weighing two pounds, eight ounces, barely living, and my mom barely surviving as well. I believe this is the first thing that began to shape my life today. Hearing so many stories growing up about my birth, how I wasn’t supposed to survive, but did, I began to realize that I have a purpose. I may not have known what my purpose was at the time, but I do now. Also, because of the stories I heard growing up, I have come to appreciate the life I’ve been given with open eyes and an open heart, which leads me into the second thing I believe has shaped me into the person I am today.

Because of this “open heart” and unique outlook I have on life, I have become the person who loves people with every ounce of my being. There is a saying that “God’s greatest gift is love.”  I am one to believe this is true. One of the best things I have learned out of life is to love people, let them into my life, and let them become as close to my heart as they are willing to get. When I meet someone I really get along with, I am quick to become close to that person, and I deeply care about him or her. I have also learned that this can be a good or a bad thing. This can be a bad because I tend to let people get really close to me, and in an instant, they are gone, I have to realize that they never truly cared, and I get hurt. One would think that I would have learned my lesson by now, and I would stop letting people into my life so easily, but I believe that it’s all worth it because if I didn’t love people as much as I do, I never would have gotten close to five teachers in the way I have, leading into the third thing that changed my life forever.

 There are five teachers I have in my life, all from high school, who changed my life in huge, magnificent ways, which I will always be grateful for. Each of these teachers taught me things about themselves, through their history, which ultimately showed me things about myself I had never even known before. Each of these teachers have taught me many things about life, but I believe the greatest lessons I’ve received from each would be patience, love and care for others, guidance and understanding, how to have an upbeat, optimistic attitude, even in the worst of times, and how to be outgoing, not caring what others think of me. Each of these aspects of life gets me through each and every day, but I never would have understood why they are so important if it weren’t for these five teachers. I now know that I have five teachers, who are much more than that in my eyes, whom I can trust with every single aspect of my life, knowing they will stand up for me and defend me, no matter what this crazy, dysfunctional life throws my way. This is love.

The fourth item that shapes my life today is teaching. While I do love these teachers very much, it’s not their teaching that shapes my life; it’s my own. I aspire to be a high school English teacher in the near future, and saying that I love it would be an understatement; it’s my passion. I chose to be a high school English teacher for many reasons. The main reason is that I want to be the inspiration, role model, and encouragement for my students to come that my past teachers have been for me. I want students to know that learning can be exciting and intriguing if they put enough heart into it, and most importantly, I want them to know that they are intelligent, they do matter, and they can do anything they set their minds to.  I am choosing to teach high school because I have the utmost passion for older teens. This is the point in their lives, where, if they do not have a positive role model or source of guidance in their lives, they will begin to stray away from every single ethical sense of behavior and discernment that they’ve previously known. I could be the change they need. As for the English part of my dream, I love anything to do with the subject. I love to read, and writing is one of my favorite things to do in the entire world; it renews my thoughts, and it gives me space to freely express myself, even if I’m the only one to ever see what is written on the pages, and it allows me to say even more than what is visibly written or what I could ever openly express through speech. One day, I will share this passion with my students, but until then, I will keep writing for myself because it’s what I love to do.

            Last, but not least, the number one, biggest thing which has turned my whole life around is my faith in God, who is my savior, my father, my strength, my hope, my everything. My Christianity and faith in God are what gets me through each and every single day. He gives me the hope I need when I feel like I’m about to fall through the cracks, and He reassures me that I’m unique, priceless, and made in His image every time I doubt myself. I became a Christian in seventh grade, and I have to say, ever since that moment, when I received Christ in my heart, with open arms, I’ve been a whole different person. My actions speak volumes about who I am and whom I live for. All I can hope is in Him, and I can only dream that others can see Him and His light through me. It gives me peace knowing that whenever I fall, I have someone right there to pick me up, guiding me right back to where I belong, and that He won’t love me any less. In Him, my history will live on forever, and in Him, my history is more meaningful than words could ever express. My history will guide me through and through, and it will continue living, even after my last breath. What’s your history?