The Gift of Guidance by Kayla

The Gift of Guidance by Kayla - December 2024 Scholarship Essay

Comfort — something that by human nature we all desire and yearn for. Being protected and staying inside a bubble; sheltering as long as we wish. As a child, I didn’t understand what it meant to move. I did not comprehend that I would likely never see the friends I had made and the house that I grew up in again. I had lived in comfort, and I could not grasp how I would be leaving the town I held dear to my heart. As winter’s icy touch drew near, we packed our things and headed off to a secluded corner in Texas. That winter was the most bitter cold I had ever felt. Having no friends or family to celebrate the holidays with and staying in a new, yet eerie home made me despise El Paso, Texas. I was going to hate it — I just knew it.
Alas, school started again, and I was forced to attend classes with unfriendly strangers who gawked at the newest outsider. To top it off, my teacher made me dread wanting to learn. At my old school, I had asked questions with confidence and let my creativity free. But I will forever remember when my new teacher told me to “suck it up” and “life would move on with or without me.” That year I felt as if my whole world had been flipped upside down and I would never be the same. Every morning, I struggled to start the day and every night was filled with nightmares of school. At the time, I did not know what was happening, but my love for learning had deteriorated and I was falling into a depression.
Finally, the year ended, and I enjoyed my summer free from the worries that had accumulated. As autumn neared, dread began to build as I realized I would return to school. Thoughts filled my head of how horrible the year would be with an unsupportive teacher and how I would once again be all alone. I begged my mother to homeschool me and let me stay home. However, my mom believed in having an optimistic outlook and encouraged me to return. Since it would be a new year, in a new grade, with a new teacher, she believed that I had a chance to start over. And sure enough, it was the best chance I ever took. That year my remarkable third grade teacher helped my seed of learning to flourish and bloom. Every morning, I eagerly waited to go to class and see what was in store. Once my confidence grew in my education, I developed the faith to talk to new people and form new friendships.
Sometimes, facing challenges leads us to feeling like we have no choice but to give up. It makes us too scared to step outside our comfort zone and forge ahead on a new path. By believing in my mother’s wisdom, I was able to develop a more open mind that has been able to aid me throughout most of my life. Pushing myself out of my bubble of negative thoughts helped me to develop resilience that has contributed to the determined person I am today. Although considerable challenges will continue to arise in new chapters of my life, the strength I developed from my past hardships will help me to step outside my comfort zone and overcome those in the future. There may be times where I will feel afraid, but if I believe in myself, I can be fearless.