Stanley, 1

Andrew Stanley
Dr. Wanda White
ENGL 1102-018
10 February 2014
Concocting Me
Red eyes, cherry face, and a cacophony running through my mind. Why wont this
stupid computer work, shouted a young me. This temperamental outburst was hastily met by
the scolding tongue of my grandfather. Youll never get anywhere in life with that temper of
yours, he stated. He went on his way back to fixing the kitchen cabinet while I sat on the couch
to calm down. Suddenly an eruption of shouting echoed from the kitchen. Ive had it! Were
just getting new cabinets, my grandpa shouted. Needless to say, Im sure of where I acquired
my temper. There are many factors that mold us into the amazing, unique creatures that we are.
The people around us shape our values, beliefs, and ideas. I attribute who I am today to my
family, especially my mother and grandmother. Through them I have developed my value for
knowledge, perseverance, health, compassion, and my passion for art.
Ever since a young age, my family has given me ample opportunities to expand my
knowledge of the world. The concept that a life without education is a life full of struggle has
been embedded in my mind by my mom. The only way to make the world what you want of it is
through education. This saying would be reinforced each and every time I would receive report
cards or grades back on assignments; mother harping away like an incessant mocking bird. At
times like this, I would always be annoyed. Other children would go home with Cs or Bs and
their parents would be ecstatic but not mine. It was either an A or it was a failure. Upon
reflecting on these memories, I am grateful. Through this I have become an individual who
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strives for the best position; never a silver or bronze medal. It has given me the drive to
approach everything I do with professionalism and precision. Unfortunately, there is a
debilitating aspect to this characteristic which if something goes not according to plan or Im just
not able to meet my own expectations, I become discouraged and bombard myself with questions
of what I could have done differently. I definitely see this as an unhealthy habit.
Health has always been a major issue in my family with both my mother and grandfather
having heart disease and diabetes; I am predisposed to both of these conditions. Ive learned to
value health through the efforts of my grandmother who has always strived to take care of our
family from a nutritional standpoint. For forty-six years she has practiced as a registered nurse
and with her knowledge she has been able to guide me in the nutrition I need to combat the
diseases I am so severely predisposed to. Watching my mothers health deteriorate has become
reinforcement for my value of health and also a bridge for my desire to care for people.
Conglomerating all the issues of health and its influence in my life has developed my ideas for a
future career, becoming a nurse anesthetist or even an anesthesiologist further down the road.
For nearly six years now, Ive had to reverse roles with my mother in which Ive become
the caregiver. With her severe diabetes and heart disease she has fallen victim to many different
ailments: blindness, heart attacks, renal failure, dialysis and more. She still acts motherly and
commands me to finish chores at the age of twenty but for some of the simplest tasks she
requires assistance. The situation of having to watch someone who has loved me
unconditionally my entire life wither away to such a feeble state has taken a major toll on me and
my perspective on life. I used to be angry every second of the day and hated the sound of her
voice because it would remind me of all the things shes went through. Only of recent date have
I been able to begin coping with everything that has happened and now Ive been able to reverse
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my anger into determination to do all I can to help those that need helping. This has cemented
my value for being a caring person and my value for perseverance. Through all the struggle and
strife, my mother still maintains a positive outlook on life and lets nothing deter her from what
she wants to accomplish even if it requires a little help.
One of my biggest coping mechanisms has been my artwork. Ever since the age of four,
I have been obsessed with drawing and painting. I can attribute this to my mother who would
always sit my sister and me down to doodle portraits of each other. With the first doodle I was
hooked. I kept a folder and sketchbook everywhere I went, whether it be to the store, church, or
school (which would lead me into some trouble when teachers caught me drawing instead of
reading). As I grew up my work became more advanced and I was introduced to other art
mediums such as painting and sculpture. When faced with my mothers illness and the rush of
anger that I couldnt explain I could always sit down and draw or paint to remove the thought.
There are many factors that contribute to our composition as unique individuals. The
people around us are who shape our values, ideas, and beliefs. My mother and grandmother
together have contributed to a massive portion of who I am today: my love for art, value for
knowledge, passion for health, and drive to care for others. Though these are only portions of
me, they reflect on what I value most. My father has taught me the values of becoming a hard
worker and my grandfather has shown me how to treat everyone with compassion. In total, it is
my familys hands that have molded me into the young man I am today. My family has brewed
the concoction that is me.