Write about a time in your life when you gained insight into something
or someone. What had been your attitude previously? What triggered the
insight? How did your attitude change? [100 words]
When you look around everyday you step outside what all do you observe? I see a broken system. Children and families on the street. Homeless veterans. People who barley scrap by despite working a full time job. When I grew older I became aware that this is the reality around me. I'm low class but I've always seen people who are worse off. I think this is when I gained a perspective on the world we are living in. People who need assistance aren't able to obtain it and those who don't need it are allowed to have it. Racial issues and prejudice on people because they are different exist all over. I used to believe those who needed to be taken care of would be. That as a country we wouldn't let people starve or let hate crimes pass, but now all I see is a corrupt system and no one willing to help change it.
When I became a manager at a carwash, my idea of managerial work completely changed. I was always a hard worker, or so I thought. I couldn’t imagine being a manager would be so much more work. Yes, obviously I would become responsible for a lot more but that would only be the beginning. I’ve gained a lot of respect for managers in any career field. Not only do they have to manage employees and their tasks, but they also have to answer to any angry customers, which I can say from experience, is never fun. It takes a lot of patience but can also teach you to have more patience outside of work.
When I became a manager at a carwash, my idea of managerial work completely changed. I was always a hard worker, or so I thought. I couldn’t imagine being a manager would be so much more work. Yes, obviously I would become responsible for a lot more but that would only be the beginning. I’ve gained a lot of respect for managers in any career field. Not only do they have to manage employees and their tasks, but they also have to answer to any angry customers, which I can say from experience, is never fun. It takes a lot of patience but can also teach you to have more patience outside of work.
I’m not a religious person by nature, but I had an experience once when I was in foster care. My foster parents were devout Mormons who went to church twice a week, girls were not allowed to wear pants, or imbibe tea, coffee, or cigarettes. I was raised Baptist and believe in God but I hadn’t really been serious about religion because I’d never had a very customary childhood. Although when I lived with my foster family they made me have weekly meetings with missionaries, and I was very uncomfortable with the situation because it felt like they were trying to force me to be a part of their religion. My foster mother got very upset and tried to force me to go to church with them every week and told me I was going to hell for smoking cigarettes. It was very hard for me. It made me realize that some people aren’t trying to accept you even when they seem like the best type of people. My attitude changed dramatically towards religious people, especially overly pushy people. I don’t think anyone should be forced to believe something, you can have your own beliefs.
In 1990, I drowned off the coast of Guatemala and my body was washed up on the shore of a Buddhist retreat nudist beach in the jungle. I can't explain how I escaped the stormy waves breathing and alive on the beach. I believed -- somewhat -- for the next 10 years that I was actually dead and that my life was merely a dream.
Well the day was, May 8, 2012, and I remember it like it was yesterday. I walked out of the courtroom wearing handcuffs and seeing my parents cry. Talk about an eye opener. That is when it hit me when was I going to change the person I was. Not giving a damn, about what anybody that really cared about me thought. It was heart breaking to see my mom cry. As they started my 3 year sentence for the wrong doing I did. It opened my eyes wide, to show me that I finally had to start growing up, start getting my act in order to make sure I survived what life was going to throw at me. It was an unfortunate way of doing it, but I’m glad I overcame it and look who I am today.
Suddenly last summer I realized it’s been a long time since I've been fishing. I haven't visited some friends that I really like be around. That most of the people I knew when I was in the military are retired or close to it like me. My son was becoming the man I expected him to be. That my car was getting old and it’s time for me to replace it. I didn’t that I would be climbing a 120 foot tower at my age. I would be taking college classes in the fall. That I was content at where I am at this point in my life.
When I had my children my insight on life changed. I use to be all about me and had time to myself. I never thought that I could love so deeply. They became my life. I stopped working just to take care of them until they got in to school. I went back to work. I was blessed to have been able to stay at home with them. They have grown into great young adults and help me with my school work, liked the times I had helped them. I am a better person because of them. I learned the wonderful feeling of caring for others and putting the needs of other first.
My cousin and I were walking into the stand one day when new had walked up on too a bear. As we approached the bear he began to charge and as fast as I could I poured 5 rounds of 3 inch 000 buckshot into its chest. It turned and ran off and fell about ten yards from the edge of the road.as we sat in the trailer that night we said to each other , what if one of us was in there alone with no protection or worse? This just goes to show you that life can change in just an instance and all it take is that one time and it can effect you the rest of your life.
My first job in the real world was in insurance. I was answering the phones and trying to resolve the customer’s situation when they called in. Every once in a while I’d get those not to happy I want to chew you out customers. Seeing how it was my job to calm the customer down and explain to them that I was on their side and I would help them, not try and hurt them more, I couldn’t exactly speak my mind. Your first reaction when someone yells at you is to yell back. I couldn’t do that. It was hard, but once I put myself in their shoes I began to understand why the customer is mad and was able to help them with ease.
“Peering past the cover” Often I catch myself looking at other people and asking myself; Why? Why are they like this? How? How can they act that way? Who? Who even are you? With these questions I slowly infer about someone while analyzing how they’re acting in the present. Often my attitudes stay the same about the person but some few cases my attitudes change. However despite the variations in personalities and people I am confronted with, the equation to change my attitude seems to stay constant. It normally involves bonding. The insight was merely holding a conversation with them, and finding out what made them well them. The good, the bad, and the ugly. All of it is included when you characterize people, not just one specific thing. Last year, my last year in high school I was granted the chance to get to know two wonderful people. Both with their hardships in life and different life experiences and outlooks on life. It granted me the chance to not just breeze past the cover of their lives and merely cast them out on the shelf of “uninteresting”. Instead I actually took the risk of reading two blank cover books. Both actually took all their effort into making the pages the interesting and important part instead of the cover.
When I lived in Pennsylvania, every Friday night at my friend’s church, they would hold a dinner for anyone who liked to attend. You didn’t have to be homeless, but simply for anyone who wanted a free meal. Some people even came in with their whole families and sat down for this meal. Now about 95% of the people there id say were homeless, but when talking to them and serving them food and seeing how grateful they were, it has always made me appreciate the life I have and to be able to have a good meal every day. Some people avoid homeless, I’m the person who goes out of my way to help.
I once had a friend who was married to woman who became addicted to drugs. As he endured the turmoil of divorce I spoke with him often and tried to give him the best council that I possibly could although I had never been married or addicted to anything. I remember him calling me one day and asking if I could drop by his house that he had made a horrible mistake and needed my help. When I arrived he was blinking sporadically and trembling. I remember immediately knowing what his mistake was but not wanting to truly believe it. He had done drugs with his wife. I was infuriated and immediately began to scream and shout about how disgusted and horrified I was that he had made such a horrible judgment call. Through a great amount of tears he told me he did the drugs in hopes that it would put him on common ground with his wife and she could finally have a conversation with him about why she was choosing drugs over their marriage. I still disagreed with his decision but instead of disgust I felt pity for him. The insight I gained was sadly he wasn’t doing drugs to chase a high but to chase his wife.
When I was 19 Instead of going to real college, I attended a technical school called Concorde. I decided to become a dental assistant. Going through 9 months of school you really don’t get much insight of the real thing, just learning the basics of it all. Well luckily, I was hired at an amazing dental office after temping for free after three months in Jacksonville, FL. I was able to get all the insight possible for the general/cosmetic dentistry side of it all. In getting that job I learned dental was not my passion. While I’m thankful to have had a job and paycheck luckily my husband got orders to Hawaii. There won’t be any dental jobs in my future. I was recently hired to become a preschool teacher for 2 year olds. I may want to go back into the dental field? I’ll let you know next week!
When I had to tell my dad that I wanted to move to Florida with my mom, I seen I side of him I never had before. He became so emotional and normally my dad did not show that. In all honesty, I thought at times he did not care at all, especially about what I wanted. But, when I told him he cried. He would call me crying and ask if I was sure and it was so hard for me to listen to it and say I did not want to live with him. I began to feel sorry for my dad, which I never really did before when I made my decision. I also came to the realization that he may hide his feelings, but he did care and that made me feel better about my relationship with him.
August 13, 2014 at 11:54 p.m., when my mom came into my room and told me that I was pregnant. Seeing fear in her eyes for me. More and more days past as I became further into my pregnancy. I realize that I can no longer make my teen decisions. I had become an adult and learn to think not only for me but for another human being. I would have to take on bigger responsibilities now. The first time I saw my baby girl in a sonogram, I then, focused on the most important things in life. To be successful for her, to focus in school, be an outstanding mom, and to finally grow up. The way I should’ve a while ago. I never understood how important life was until I became a mother.
When I was younger I had serious asthma issues that would flare up all the time. They often came as I pushed myself too much at cheerleading practice or intensive conditioning. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized how life threatening something as simple as asthma could be. I knew a girl from church perfectly fine, no health problems and once she had her baby she developed asthma. The girl was about 20 years old when she had her baby. A few months later she had an asthma attack which caused her to go into cardiac arrest. She lost oxygen to her brain, which caused her to become dependent on others, and she is now on a trachea to breath. The importance is no matter how acute we think something maybe, to take any medical condition serious, because my friend now has to have 24 hour care, and her mother and grandmother are taking care of her son.
In the past I would never wear safety glasses while doing anything at work or at the house. I was always under the impression that I could move far enough away in time to avoid any serious harm. Well, while I was in the Air Force, I was refilling an oxygen tank on a jet. As the pressure increased we noticed the dial gauge wasn’t following as it should, so I went in for a closer inspection. As I did, the bottle blew up. I got shrapnel in my cheek, forehead, and arm. I was extremely lucky not to get any foreign objects in my eyes. However, ever since that day I have always worn safety glasses and I never look directly into something under high pressure.
If there was anything that changed my perspective in life, it would have to be when I moved out. It was during this transition that I learned the value of a dollar bill and became an adult. Before I moved out of my parent’s house, I thought that I had my finances in order. I thought that I was good enough at math to be financially responsible. I was totally wrong and shocked when I first started paying my own rent and utilities. I had to quickly change the way that I operated and come up with ways to budget my money so that the lights would stay on. This was a life-changing event that most every adult goes through. I think that I can speak for us all when I say that this lesson is definitely one that I wish I had learned at a younger age!
When I moved to US in 2008, I thought this experience will be the best think that can happen to me, but after all this years, I realize that I am a stranger, and sometimes I fell so lonely. I miss my home, my family, but that country that I’m from does not offer a good, and a secure future. I learn to be happy and to appreciate what I have now, and I love this country for everything what is offering to my family.
When you’re young, you’re carefree with no worries. I remember graduating and being able to hang out and come and go as I pleased. I lived a carefree life with no direction as to what I wanted to do with my life. However when I had my daughter, my insight on life changed. It was no longer just about me. I had another life to think about. I began to strive for better and created goals for myself. I’ve learned to overlook certain things and situations. Having my daughter gave me a whole new outlook on life and what I want from it.
Throughout the last three years, I have experienced and noted changes in myself and those around me. Such change includes physical and mental differences. Future behavior and stature alterations I welcome. However, recent events have forced me to become aware. My friend’s recent stroke and paralysis has forced me to come to a revelation. I realized that all constructions and entities in this life will come to an end eventually. Therefore, I concluded that I should strive to make life enjoyable for myself and those I love. Although I know that this is not my last life, I will try my hardest to help my family before I leave this world.
April 4, 2015 is when everything changed for me. This would be the day I welcomed my son into this world. It was then I realized life isn’t just about what I want for me, but what is going to be best for him and his future. He taught me to put others needs before my own and makes me strive to be a better person and role model. Never did I think one could love so unconditionally.
It was October 8th, 2013. I arrived home at around noon as usual, and the first person I saw was my mother. She came down the stairs with the great news that my nephew was born. My first reaction was to ask, what hospital is he in? I was surprised when she answered: he is at home, where he was born. I couldn’t believe what she had said and rushed to my brother’s house to confirm. There he was, my beautiful nephew Otto in his mother’s arms. I then found out that my sister-in-law and brother had planned a home birth and didn’t mention it to anybody besides a midwife and a nurse. They decided to keep it a secret to avoid any kind of negativity and all the “what ifs’’ people would ask. This was a life-changing event that encouraged me to see child birth with different eyes and opinions.
When you look around everyday you step outside what all do you observe? I see a broken system. Children and families on the street. Homeless veterans. People who barley scrap by despite working a full time job. When I grew older I became aware that this is the reality around me. I'm low class but I've always seen people who are worse off. I think this is when I gained a perspective on the world we are living in. People who need assistance aren't able to obtain it and those who don't need it are allowed to have it. Racial issues and prejudice on people because they are different exist all over. I used to believe those who needed to be taken care of would be. That as a country we wouldn't let people starve or let hate crimes pass, but now all I see is a corrupt system and no one willing to help change it.
ReplyDeleteWhen I became a manager at a carwash, my idea of managerial work completely changed. I was always a hard worker, or so I thought. I couldn’t imagine being a manager would be so much more work. Yes, obviously I would become responsible for a lot more but that would only be the beginning. I’ve gained a lot of respect for managers in any career field. Not only do they have to manage employees and their tasks, but they also have to answer to any angry customers, which I can say from experience, is never fun. It takes a lot of patience but can also teach you to have more patience outside of work.
ReplyDeleteWhen I became a manager at a carwash, my idea of managerial work completely changed. I was always a hard worker, or so I thought. I couldn’t imagine being a manager would be so much more work. Yes, obviously I would become responsible for a lot more but that would only be the beginning. I’ve gained a lot of respect for managers in any career field. Not only do they have to manage employees and their tasks, but they also have to answer to any angry customers, which I can say from experience, is never fun. It takes a lot of patience but can also teach you to have more patience outside of work.
ReplyDeleteI’m not a religious person by nature, but I had an experience once when I was in foster care. My foster parents were devout Mormons who went to church twice a week, girls were not allowed to wear pants, or imbibe tea, coffee, or cigarettes. I was raised Baptist and believe in God but I hadn’t really been serious about religion because I’d never had a very customary childhood. Although when I lived with my foster family they made me have weekly meetings with missionaries, and I was very uncomfortable with the situation because it felt like they were trying to force me to be a part of their religion. My foster mother got very upset and tried to force me to go to church with them every week and told me I was going to hell for smoking cigarettes. It was very hard for me. It made me realize that some people aren’t trying to accept you even when they seem like the best type of people. My attitude changed dramatically towards religious people, especially overly pushy people. I don’t think anyone should be forced to believe something, you can have your own beliefs.
ReplyDeleteIn 1990, I drowned off the coast of Guatemala and my body was washed up on the shore of a Buddhist retreat nudist beach in the jungle. I can't explain how I escaped the stormy waves breathing and alive on the beach. I believed -- somewhat -- for the next 10 years that I was actually dead and that my life was merely a dream.
ReplyDeleteWell the day was, May 8, 2012, and I remember it like it was yesterday. I walked out of the courtroom wearing handcuffs and seeing my parents cry. Talk about an eye opener. That is when it hit me when was I going to change the person I was. Not giving a damn, about what anybody that really cared about me thought. It was heart breaking to see my mom cry. As they started my 3 year sentence for the wrong doing I did. It opened my eyes wide, to show me that I finally had to start growing up, start getting my act in order to make sure I survived what life was going to throw at me. It was an unfortunate way of doing it, but I’m glad I overcame it and look who I am today.
ReplyDeleteSuddenly last summer I realized it’s been a long time since I've been fishing. I haven't visited some friends that I really like be around. That most of the people I knew when I was in the military are retired or close to it like me. My son was becoming the man I expected him to be. That my car was getting old and it’s time for me to replace it. I didn’t that I would be climbing a 120 foot tower at my age. I would be taking college classes in the fall. That I was content at where I am at this point in my life.
ReplyDeleteWhen I had my children my insight on life changed. I use to be all about me and had time to myself. I never thought that I could love so deeply. They became my life. I stopped working just to take care of them until they got in to school. I went back to work. I was blessed to have been able to stay at home with them. They have grown into great young adults and help me with my school work, liked the times I had helped them. I am a better person because of them. I learned the wonderful feeling of caring for others and putting the needs of other first.
ReplyDeleteMy cousin and I were walking into the stand one day when new had walked up on too a bear. As we approached the bear he began to charge and as fast as I could I poured 5 rounds of 3 inch 000 buckshot into its chest. It turned and ran off and fell about ten yards from the edge of the road.as we sat in the trailer that night we said to each other , what if one of us was in there alone with no protection or worse? This just goes to show you that life can change in just an instance and all it take is that one time and it can effect you the rest of your life.
ReplyDeleteMy first job in the real world was in insurance. I was answering the phones and trying to resolve the customer’s situation when they called in. Every once in a while I’d get those not to happy I want to chew you out customers. Seeing how it was my job to calm the customer down and explain to them that I was on their side and I would help them, not try and hurt them more, I couldn’t exactly speak my mind. Your first reaction when someone yells at you is to yell back. I couldn’t do that. It was hard, but once I put myself in their shoes I began to understand why the customer is mad and was able to help them with ease.
ReplyDelete“Peering past the cover”
ReplyDeleteOften I catch myself looking at other people and asking myself; Why? Why are they like this? How? How can they act that way? Who? Who even are you? With these questions I slowly infer about someone while analyzing how they’re acting in the present. Often my attitudes stay the same about the person but some few cases my attitudes change.
However despite the variations in personalities and people I am confronted with, the equation to change my attitude seems to stay constant. It normally involves bonding. The insight was merely holding a conversation with them, and finding out what made them well them. The good, the bad, and the ugly. All of it is included when you characterize people, not just one specific thing.
Last year, my last year in high school I was granted the chance to get to know two wonderful people. Both with their hardships in life and different life experiences and outlooks on life. It granted me the chance to not just breeze past the cover of their lives and merely cast them out on the shelf of “uninteresting”. Instead I actually took the risk of reading two blank cover books. Both actually took all their effort into making the pages the interesting and important part instead of the cover.
When I lived in Pennsylvania, every Friday night at my friend’s church, they would hold a dinner for anyone who liked to attend. You didn’t have to be homeless, but simply for anyone who wanted a free meal. Some people even came in with their whole families and sat down for this meal. Now about 95% of the people there id say were homeless, but when talking to them and serving them food and seeing how grateful they were, it has always made me appreciate the life I have and to be able to have a good meal every day. Some people avoid homeless, I’m the person who goes out of my way to help.
ReplyDeleteI once had a friend who was married to woman who became addicted to drugs. As he endured the turmoil of divorce I spoke with him often and tried to give him the best council that I possibly could although I had never been married or addicted to anything. I remember him calling me one day and asking if I could drop by his house that he had made a horrible mistake and needed my help. When I arrived he was blinking sporadically and trembling. I remember immediately knowing what his mistake was but not wanting to truly believe it. He had done drugs with his wife. I was infuriated and immediately began to scream and shout about how disgusted and horrified I was that he had made such a horrible judgment call. Through a great amount of tears he told me he did the drugs in hopes that it would put him on common ground with his wife and she could finally have a conversation with him about why she was choosing drugs over their marriage. I still disagreed with his decision but instead of disgust I felt pity for him. The insight I gained was sadly he wasn’t doing drugs to chase a high but to chase his wife.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was 19 Instead of going to real college, I attended a technical school called Concorde. I decided to become a dental assistant. Going through 9 months of school you really don’t get much insight of the real thing, just learning the basics of it all. Well luckily, I was hired at an amazing dental office after temping for free after three months in Jacksonville, FL. I was able to get all the insight possible for the general/cosmetic dentistry side of it all. In getting that job I learned dental was not my passion. While I’m thankful to have had a job and paycheck luckily my husband got orders to Hawaii. There won’t be any dental jobs in my future. I was recently hired to become a preschool teacher for 2 year olds. I may want to go back into the dental field? I’ll let you know next week!
ReplyDeleteWhen I had to tell my dad that I wanted to move to Florida with my mom, I seen I side of him I never had before. He became so emotional and normally my dad did not show that. In all honesty, I thought at times he did not care at all, especially about what I wanted. But, when I told him he cried. He would call me crying and ask if I was sure and it was so hard for me to listen to it and say I did not want to live with him. I began to feel sorry for my dad, which I never really did before when I made my decision. I also came to the realization that he may hide his feelings, but he did care and that made me feel better about my relationship with him.
ReplyDeleteAugust 13, 2014 at 11:54 p.m., when my mom came into my room and told me that I was pregnant. Seeing fear in her eyes for me. More and more days past as I became further into my pregnancy. I realize that I can no longer make my teen decisions. I had become an adult and learn to think not only for me but for another human being. I would have to take on bigger responsibilities now. The first time I saw my baby girl in a sonogram, I then, focused on the most important things in life. To be successful for her, to focus in school, be an outstanding mom, and to finally grow up. The way I should’ve a while ago. I never understood how important life was until I became a mother.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was younger I had serious asthma issues that would flare up all the time. They often came as I pushed myself too much at cheerleading practice or intensive conditioning. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized how life threatening something as simple as asthma could be. I knew a girl from church perfectly fine, no health problems and once she had her baby she developed asthma. The girl was about 20 years old when she had her baby. A few months later she had an asthma attack which caused her to go into cardiac arrest. She lost oxygen to her brain, which caused her to become dependent on others, and she is now on a trachea to breath. The importance is no matter how acute we think something maybe, to take any medical condition serious, because my friend now has to have 24 hour care, and her mother and grandmother are taking care of her son.
ReplyDeleteIn the past I would never wear safety glasses while doing anything at work or at the house. I was always under the impression that I could move far enough away in time to avoid any serious harm. Well, while I was in the Air Force, I was refilling an oxygen tank on a jet. As the pressure increased we noticed the dial gauge wasn’t following as it should, so I went in for a closer inspection. As I did, the bottle blew up. I got shrapnel in my cheek, forehead, and arm. I was extremely lucky not to get any foreign objects in my eyes. However, ever since that day I have always worn safety glasses and I never look directly into something under high pressure.
ReplyDeleteIf there was anything that changed my perspective in life, it would have to be when I moved out. It was during this transition that I learned the value of a dollar bill and became an adult. Before I moved out of my parent’s house, I thought that I had my finances in order. I thought that I was good enough at math to be financially responsible. I was totally wrong and shocked when I first started paying my own rent and utilities. I had to quickly change the way that I operated and come up with ways to budget my money so that the lights would stay on. This was a life-changing event that most every adult goes through. I think that I can speak for us all when I say that this lesson is definitely one that I wish I had learned at a younger age!
ReplyDeleteWhen I moved to US in 2008, I thought this experience will be the best think that can happen to me, but after all this years, I realize that I am a stranger, and sometimes I fell so lonely. I miss my home, my family, but that country that I’m from does not offer a good, and a secure future. I learn to be happy and to appreciate what I have now, and I love this country for everything what is offering to my family.
ReplyDeleteWhen you’re young, you’re carefree with no worries. I remember graduating and being able to hang out and come and go as I pleased. I lived a carefree life with no direction as to what I wanted to do with my life. However when I had my daughter, my insight on life changed. It was no longer just about me. I had another life to think about. I began to strive for better and created goals for myself. I’ve learned to overlook certain things and situations. Having my daughter gave me a whole new outlook on life and what I want from it.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the last three years, I have experienced and noted changes in myself and those around me. Such change includes physical and mental differences. Future behavior and stature alterations I welcome. However, recent events have forced me to become aware. My friend’s recent stroke and paralysis has forced me to come to a revelation. I realized that all constructions and entities in this life will come to an end eventually. Therefore, I concluded that I should strive to make life enjoyable for myself and those I love. Although I know that this is not my last life, I will try my hardest to help my family before I leave this world.
ReplyDeleteApril 4, 2015 is when everything changed for me. This would be the day I welcomed my son into this world. It was then I realized life isn’t just about what I want for me, but what is going to be best for him and his future. He taught me to put others needs before my own and makes me strive to be a better person and role model. Never did I think one could love so unconditionally.
ReplyDeleteIt was October 8th, 2013. I arrived home at around noon as usual, and the first person I saw was my mother. She came down the stairs with the great news that my nephew was born. My first reaction was to ask, what hospital is he in? I was surprised when she answered: he is at home, where he was born. I couldn’t believe what she had said and rushed to my brother’s house to confirm. There he was, my beautiful nephew Otto in his mother’s arms. I then found out that my sister-in-law and brother had planned a home birth and didn’t mention it to anybody besides a midwife and a nurse. They decided to keep it a secret to avoid any kind of negativity and all the “what ifs’’ people would ask. This was a life-changing event that encouraged me to see child birth with different eyes and opinions.
ReplyDelete