Personal Narrative: My Life At Ronald Mcdonald House

I remember counting pennies. If I wanted to buy something I would look through every draw and every coat pocket for enough spare change to buy something that I wanted. My father died from his addiction with drugs and alcohol. Not an overdose but a thrill ride that almost took someone else’s life. He lived fast and hard and died young. Me, I went home to an empty trailer in part because my mom worked and I had talked her out of going to babysitters. Looking back I think how crazy it that? In the summer I spend day and night alone unless I either spent time with my grandparents or I went to work with Mom. During the nice summer days I’d walk 2 miles by myself from my mom’s work to swim alone at the public pool. Coming from a simple background
and a simple life I never really knew what I was missing out on and pretty much the only thing I wanted was my cousin’s big closet filled with tons of clothes and shoes.
My upbringing has taught that honesty, excellence, and integrity all go hand in hand.
This drives me to be the best at what I do. I am an honor student and a member and a member of Phi Theta Kappa. Our honor society which helps the community in many different ways, one example is feeding the parents at Ronald McDonald House. Ronald McDonald House is an organization that exists on donations and it’s a place where parents can be near their children in the hospital or needing care near the hospital.
I never look at my grades as competition with other students but only a personal betterment within myself. I’ve played golf a few times in life. A truth that I learned in the game, you must always play against the course and not against a fellow golfer or you might as well pack up and go home.
I’ve placed my heart into demonstrating a spirit of compassion. Compassion for people that have mental and emotional problems. I see my Dad’s face every time I meet someone suffering from addiction. This is why I want to gain higher education. I want a better way to contribute to my
environment.
After my mother was on hospice in which she lost her battle of colorectal cancer I wanted to help others experiencing this difficult life experience. Thankfully, through Salt Lake Community College I was able to give back by being introduced to Envision hospice. I was taking a Jeanne Westgard’s U.S. Government and Politics class where I was challenged to become a Civically Engaged Scholar. I’ve involved with CES and working for Envision the past 2 years. I’ve seen several lives aided by the caring individuals and empathetic establishment that I have become a part of. This empathy also shows though the volunteer workers and employees that I have met at Envision. I have also volunteered outside the college where I worked as a Volunteer in the ICU at Jordan Valley Medical Center before being hired as an employee in 2005. Continued volunteer work includes my local church as a leader, speaker, and secretarial support from 2002-present.
I received an email asking for any art or writings that I would like to submit to the first Community Anthology book.
I was then given the high honor of being published within this first work. I love art, poetry, and writing. My life has been filled with many challenges but I have been able to channel the otherwise negative emotions I’ve experienced into different forms of artistic expression. Instead of sinking into mire of self-pity and despair, I like to pick up pen, brush, or even computer to pour my emotion into something that is beautiful to myself. Just as my grades are important only to me, my works of art are beautiful to my soul. I don’t share my work very often but when I do it is for a very special
purpose.
I have had many experiences that have shaped my life and made me the person I am today. I have overcome the poverty of single parent home, and the loss of my beloved father to the world of drug and alcohol addiction. That addiction took his life at the age of twenty five. My younger years made me appreciate every moment here on Earth. You would think that these circumstances would have kept me down but I think those circumstances made me a better and more compassionate person. I continue to strive for higher education and I have been accepted to the University of Utah’s psychology program. My goal is to complete Graduate school and gain a better understanding of the different difficulties of the mind. Research into these areas are crucial to help individuals an