The Person I Greatly Admire

I have often times admire the achievements of some world leaders, the beauty of some celebrities, the endurance of some athletes, or even the success of some businessmen. These persons I only knew through print and mass media, but if asked to write about the person I greatly admire, I cannot think of someone else except the one I have lived with and experienced with through all my life. Of all the persons I ever knew and learned about, I greatly admire my Mother. Read through this essay and here's why.

First and foremost, my mother was able to finish her studies despite of many hindrances in life. While in school, she did not get full financial support from my grandparents because of two main reasons: one, my grandparents have had limited income as farmers; and the other, she came from a large family of eight siblings. In other words, small family income could hardly sustain the needs for many children. She was even obliged to take care of smaller children because the works in the fields call for other members of their family. All the years in being a student, she has been on and off from school. Despite of the given situation, she was determined to continue studying though teens of her age have been graduates. In fact she finished elementary school at the age of 14. In high school, she was much older than her teacher who as 19 then as she was 21. Still, she pursued her college education, supporting herself by sewing for a dress shop. My mother almost lost her interest in school because in her second year in college, she was married and got a child first before she finished her degree. She was 25 then when she bore me as her first child and meant to leave school for a while. With my father’s support, she returned to school until she graduated a bachelor’s degree in education when she was 28.

The person I greatly admire was able to manage her family well. In a multiple role as a teacher to her students, a wife to my father and a mother to two growing up kids (me and my younger brother): patience, hard work, and skills became the best instrument as she started her teaching career in a government school where she first became a “substitute teacher” for six long years. She was then assigned in a remote area with poor transportation facility but made sure she was home before dinner to prepare meals and other household chores. After several years of hope and prayer, she was given permanent slot in a school nearest to our house. Her job became the bread and butter for the family because my father did not get higher level of education and got only temporary job as a driver to somebody’s transport vehicle. We, her children were fortunate enough for we were given all the basic needs with few extra pieces of new clothing on birthdays and Christmas days. Large portion of my mother’s salary goes to our tuition fees, other school fees, and daily expenses as we took secondary and tertiary levels in school. With her dedication towards good work and strong family, she was able to send her two children in school through college.

One last good reason why I greatly admire my mother is that she has made a lot of sacrifices towards mother-daughter relationship. With my aggressive attitude and lack of experience when I was young, I have uttered onto her hurting words that any mother does not deserve. But still, she was a person who is always forgiving, and much understanding to my mistakes. Another sacrifice she had made was the separation we had become when I chose to study college in the city which means I could not stay by her side to even help her with some tasks. As I gone further to explore my horizon, I was at times in need and all I had to do was to seek my mother's helping hand and she was there to share her resources. This person has never stopped playing her role as a mother to me since I was just small and until today as I live separately away from her.

My mother may not be as wealthy as the businessmen I knew but I admire her generosity towards people in need. She may not be as pretty as the celebrities I've seen but it's the inner beauty that comes out to reflect good heart through her pretty smiles. She has not attained post graduate though, but her service to people was a priceless achievement for her. And finally, she may even lack recognition, but maybe this essay will give her delight.