What Matters-AvereeL

Throughout my entire life, there have always been people who have impacted me and supported me. I have grown up with a great education and closeness to God that I am so grateful for. However, when friends, family, school, or even God stress me out, I find myself wondering what life would be like without them. Without friends to fight and cause drama, would life be easier? Without school, would life be less stressful? Without family to tell me what to do and when to do it, would my life be more fun? During those times, a friend will call me, a family member will hug me or tell they love me, or God will give me something truly to special to be grateful for; its then I realize how completely lost I would be without my friends, family, education, and my faith. It's during those times when I realize what really matters.

My mom and dad have always been a big part of my life. Whether it was in fourth grade when I was second to get out at the School Spelling Bee, or in eighth grade when I sang at the talent show, my parents have always been there in the audience to cheer me on, and to comfort me when things didn't go so well. However, supporting me hasn't been the only thing they have done for me. Since I was little, my parents have taught me about work ethics and responsibility. They have taught me things that will help me later on in life when I get my first job, when I start driving, and even things that will help me when I have kids of my own. My parents have helped me through some of the hardest times in my life, even when things seemed impossible to fix.

My sisters (Amber, Ciara, and Elyse) have made a huge impact on my life. As a little girl, my sisters taught me many things that probably aren't going to help me later on in life. For instance, they taught me that if you put a four-year-old in footsie pajamas that are too small for her and duct tape the zipper closed, she can't get up the stairs to tell on you. As I got older though, their advice was a little more helpful. My sisters have helped me through stressful homework, bad grades, and even the occasional bully. They taught me how to be patient with other people and with myself. Whenever things get too stressful, Elyse is always there to get me out of the house, so I can relax for even the tiniest bit. My sisters taught me how to find the answer to difficult equations and helped me learn how to read when my parents weren't available. Since all three of my sisters are now out of the house, asking for their help isn't as easy as it used to be, but I can be sure that they are always there for me when I need them.

My friends are so supportive of everything I do. They never stop helping me, whether its to help prepare for a test, warm up for a performance, or just to give me a big bear hug when I feel like I can't take anymore. There are times when, for some reason, I feel like I can't talk to my family about something, and I realize how important to me my friends are, because they are always there to help me through it. I can never thank them enough for everything they have helped me accomplish.

My education has always been really important to me. I have worked hard to get good grades, something I will be thankful for my senior year when college is coming up. Having the education I do has given me the skills I will need later on in life, when I apply for my first job or when I have to start worrying about taxes. My education has taught me how to appreciate art and literature, and how to determine east from west and how to read books like Pride and Prejudice without being utterly confused by the vocabulary. The education I have received has given me a head start in life that I am so grateful for, because so many people don't get that chance.

My faith has been one of the most important things in my life. Being blessed with the closeness to God that I have has made life much easier. When I lost my grandfather to emphysema, I turned to God for help, because I didn't know who else to talk to. A year ago, we found out my dad had a tumor in his nasal passage. Having God in my life helped me through the weeks before his surgery. The relationship I have with God has meant so much to me over the years, and I know that when things get rough during my years here, at Arapahoe, I can always seek help from God.