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Becoming Adversity: A Short Story

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Becoming Adversity: A Short Story
When life hits you with a brick, it is how you respond that reveals your true character. No matter how hard we try to be perfect, adversity in our lives is unavoidable. The truth is, we usually discover the depth of our strength and learn the most valuable lessons after facing these hard times.
Up until my eighth grade year, I had the seemingly-perfect life. Most of my worries revolved around the completion of my homework and which outfit I would wear to school the next day. However, these matters became insignificant one night after a fun-filled day at the mall with my friends. I was trying on a swimsuit to show my mom what I had bought when an uneasy look flashed across her face. Initially, I wondered if she didn’t like the suit, but
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After confirming my severe case of scoliosis, my parents and I began looking at treatment options. When our attempts at using therapy and bracing proved to be unsuccessful at stopping the curve’s progression, surgery became the only option to prevent my spine from putting my health in danger. By the time Christmas of my freshman year came around, I was in the hospital with six screws and a metal rod in my back.
I was finally released to go home after five agonizing days in the ICU. At the time, I was miserable and angry; I found my situation to be extremely unfair. Nobody else I knew understood the constant, unbearable pain that I was dealing with. Only three percent of the population has scoliosis, and of that, 0.2 percent requires treatment. Why was I one of
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I realize how ignorant I was to the world around me. Life is not fair; we can not control the conditions we are given or the situations life puts us in. Everybody has their own problems, and each is different, presenting its own challenges. Looking back, I understand how truly lucky I am. I have a supporting family, great friends, a home to return to at night, food to eat everyday, and a closet full of clothes. There are some people in this world who don’t have these things that I take for granted every single day. Now, as I’m deciding which path to take in life, I see my journey as an opportunity to help those who are not as fortunate as I

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