There are many things that give our lives value, meaning, and stability, many of which cannot be measured easily. Let us say you had to determine what gives your life true meaning; what you would give your life for, and in an extreme case, what you would kill for? Although these are not easy questions to answer, every memory, moral, and experience you have impacts your perception of life and what choices you will make based on these factors. Life has taught me to focus on what I am passionate about and sacrifice what I can for the ones I love.
What do I live for? I live for the demanding position I hold at a legal services firm. I started at this company as a bottom-level associate, four years ago. The position was very fast-paced and overwhelming at first: too much work and not enough people. I put in a lot of hours and quickly learned how to complete my daily tasks in a timely fashion. Shortly after, I began taking on additional responsibilities. I continued to excel, and six months later, I began traveling to other locations in the company to provide training for our internal staff that management could not provide. The training was specific to our company’s new case management system that I helped develop. I also helped document and organize procedures on multiple processes for our locations to reference. Being asked to contribute to so many different aspects of the business so early in my career, built my confidence and proved my knowledge was valued.
Over the next three years, I received three promotions: Team Lead to Supervisor to Project Supervisor. My current position of Project Supervisor allows me to manage a number of processes surrounding our company-wide data entry team. There are many different aspects to my position: managing people, both internal and external, tracking performance, brainstorming, and building new processes around everyone’s ideas. Although these items are still being developed and structured, I know enough about the business that these additions and revisions come easily to me. I still regularly assist the associates with their day-to-day tasks to ensure that I keep abreast of each client’s specific requirements, as well. The sense of accomplishment and satisfaction I receive from looking back on where I started to where I am now is very rewarding.
Although I am proud of my progress thus far, the business world does have its drawbacks. I am constantly challenged, questioned, and disregarded by some within the company. Being taken seriously in a professional environment, at a young age, was and is still very difficult, but I am proud to say my hard work and dedication are paying off. I am gaining experience for my future career, and my company is receiving my best efforts, ideas, and commitment. I feel as though my position has helped me mature and understand true responsibility. It has taught me how to lead by example, keep commitments, and communicate better with others in person, via email, and over the phone. Each day differs; new challenges are presented, and something changes and rework are needed. As most of my time is consumed by work, it gives me great pleasure to be a vital piece in a moving puzzle. My position truly contributes meaning and purpose to my life.
What would I die for? I would be willing to die for my friend, my mentor, my mom. My family means the world to me, but above all else, my mom has really helped me understand that I need to play the hand I am dealt in life. My mom has battled a series of tragic events from the time I was born to the time I was a young adult. She was always a very soft-spoken person when my dad was around. She stayed away from confrontation with all of us and mostly kept to herself. There was a complete disconnect between me and my mom. Then, at the age of 16, my dad passed away, and I felt as though I had no one to fall back on. I have always been a strong-minded, independent person, but I struggled greatly with the loss of my dad.
A year or so after my dad’s passing, however, my mom turned into an almost completely different person. She became very vocal, optimistic, and in tune with those around her. Because of everything my mom has been through, she knew she needed to step in for her daughter. My and my mom’s relationship began to strengthen. As time passed, she was able to relate to me personally, which was new for the both of us. Through her experiences, my mom helped me realize the importance of being positive, regardless of what challenges you may face. One of the biggest challenges we faced together was coping with the loss of my dad. Although it pains the both of us to talk about him, we taught each other to focus on the good and to forget about the bad. I am very appreciative of everything my mom has taught me. We share the same values and memories, good and bad, sad and happy. One memory we share and still laugh about today was when my dad was sitting in a chair in our living room, eating chocolate chip cookies. My two-year-old puppy, Sadie, went up to him and snatched the very cookie he was going to eat and ran off. He was upset at first, but began laughing shortly after. Although my dad’s passing was a tragedy that struck me hard, my mom helped keep me grounded. I love my mom more than words can say, and if it came down to it, I would give my life for her.
What would I kill for? I would only kill defending my life and the lives of those I love. My life and my loved ones’ lives are worth more than everything to me. At a young age, my parents taught me good from bad, right from wrong, and how to handle stressful situations. They also taught me to think on my own, feel on my own, and act on my own. It is common practice to protect yourself and the ones you love when you feel threatened; parents caution their children around strangers, and animals protect their young from becoming prey. My dad was the one to tell me to help those who cannot help themselves first. Protect those younger, older, and weaker physically before tending to yourself. When a less than comfortable situation presents itself, I will know how to survive and what measures I may need to take to do so. I do not believe in killing, nor have I ever been faced with a life or death situation where someone or something was trying to cause me or one of my loved ones physical harm. But if I was, I think my first natural reaction based on what my parents taught me would be to protect myself and others I care a great deal for. I believe I would do anything I could, regardless of what measures I would need to take ensure our safety. If put in a position where I had to defend my life and the lives of those I love, and the only choice I had was to kill, I would.
My life has a past, a present, and a future filled with memories, morals, and life lessons. Although they cannot be measured on a small scale, knowing what is important to me and what risks I would be willing to take for the ones I love brings true value, meaning, and stability to my life.
