My mother would always endure hardships in her life, with two younger siblings to care for and a mother who spoke no English. Despite that, she never complained about what happened when she was a child. I would have to ask her directly and only sometimes would I get an entire story. My mother would always say, “ I want you to have a better life than your father and I had. I want you to experience all that we were not able to.” She always provided and showed me and my brothers what we were capable of. She never tried to discourage us when we enjoyed something, in fact, she pushed us to go further in any subjects we enjoyed. She would even buy my oldest brother engineering kits, my other brother a bunch of basketball equipment, and a bunch of art supplies for me.

She never put a price on knowledge, even when it cost more than we could really afford. The summer going into eighth grade, my parents sent me to a summer camp. It cost about $2,500 for three weeks of going to concerts, galleries, museums, and learning a large amount of math each day.  It was an amazing experience, but it was practically financially impossible. Despite the price, my parents still sent me because of how amazing the experience would be.

In many ways, my mother is a book, filled with knowledge and experience and always having something to say. My mother is not afraid to say what is on her mind. There was a moment in my mother’s life when her little brother was being wrongfully charged for robbery and she stood up against the false accusations of an officer. Now, when I ask her the reason for her brave actions the answer is always, “ because no one else would and that in itself is a crime.” Her bravery has never faltered. It is with this bravery that she continues to be outspoken and speak for what she truly believes to be right.

She’s also a lot like a rainy day. She is calming and welcome a lot of the time, with her light words being the soft pitter-patter of rain against the window. Despite those calming moments, there are times when things can spin out of control. The thunder and rain booming with explosive power, causing you to worry and wonder what happened. There are, of course, some people who despise the rain, but she does as the rain does. My mother goes forward anyway. Although there are people who would like to see her not continue, she doesn’t care and keeps bringing happiness to those who do appreciate her.

My mother’s view of family is held very high, in the aspect that she values a strongly bonded one. Every Thanksgiving was the same growing up, crowded tables filled with relatives and a lot of delicious food. She would invite the entire family over, bringing about four tables into the house and still barely having enough room for everyone. The loud voices coming together to create chaos and the never-ending feeling of being much too close together. It was troublesome and stressful, but it was family so my mother put in all the extra effort anyway. The family was more important to her than her own comfort. Family bonds are too valuable. My mother knows nothing but to give and give to everyone around her, pulling anyone out of the dirt. She thinks not for herself but for the betterment of everyone, that is what my mother is to me.