College Admissions Essay: The Man Who Changed My Life

As I pushed deeper into the dry browning meadow, a drop of sweat rolled over my forehead. Arm after arm, I swept away the towering stalks that obstruct my path: my destiny. Suddenly, glimmering of a deep red, and hinting of green in its reflection, I glimpsed the exploits of my travels. To others, it was an ordinary rock; but to me, it was a treasure. I greedily knelt down, picked the gem up, stuffed it in my pocket, and continued on my safari.
For years, I never second guessed why I proceeded; however, looking back I realize that my decision reveals a fundamental aspect of human nature, and thus originates the most perplexing question of my life: for what do we proceed?
Why do men such as Albert Einstein work up until their last breaths for a cause of which they will
never reap the rewards? Why do woman such as Oprah Winfrey, who have already far exceeded societies expectations, continue to strive for more? Is it for pride, or honor, or greed, or hope, or curiosity, or something else entirely?
The question perplexed me for years.
“There must be an answer,” my black and white mind would insist to itself, so I went searching. At first, I resolved at greed (anecdote or story about how i used to want to pursue a career strictly for wealth), a while later, I settled on admiration (I only did what I thought others would want me to be doing), and then years later, curiosity (Bring in my love of knowledge and how it drove me to exceed); however, it’s clear to me now that these conclusions were nothing more than a projection of my own motivations onto that of the world’s.
After years of contemplation and thinking outside the box, I’m privileged to say I’ve discovered the answer. Its prose is simple: all of the above. It’s greed, it’s hope, it’s curiosity, it’s admiration, and it’s so much more. I realized that the world isn’t always black and white, and the individual constituents don’t always define the whole.
This viewpoint has shown me the falsehood of stereotypes and generalizations. It has allowed me to appreciate the individual, and the stories that come with him/her. And most importantly, it has highlighted the subjectivity of life, and how no two people will look at something in the same
way.
In the end, while my mind does remain deeply scientific, and my desire for literal answers remains fervorous, I will always keep the lessons I’ve learned close to heart. During my future endeavours, as I sweep the decaying brush away, I’ll know why I keep going: my thirst for understanding could never be diminished.