Then and Now

The activity that I chose to do was to take a family picture and study it, to see if it is indisputably similar to my life today, and to the person who I’ve become. I picked this picture because this is the last picture I see before I go to bed, and the first thing I see when I wake up. It was taken when I was about 2, making my mom only 18. Being a young mother is probably the hardest thing you’ll ever face in your life, especially having to do it on your own. Immediately, I noticed that my mom has both her arms around me, showing that I was her whole world and that is the same today. I’m my mom’s first born, and I can say without a doubt, that I am still her world. I talk to my mom on the phone at least twice a day, and text her all day, every day. She is my best friend. This picture was taken in our old house. My mom actually ended up renting an apartment after I was born for just us, and we ended up staying there for a while. Being able to support a child, and live on your own and only being 17, shows  how strong and determined my mom was to do what she could for me. Everything in the picture is still the same, my mom loves me more than life itself, and she still does anything she can for me. The only differences in the picture are clearly that my mom and I grew up, I’m now 18 and my mom is 34. We also don’t live in that same house anymore, and I also have a 12 year old sister. Unfortunately, my mom is still raising us by herself, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. My mom continuously shows me what it’s like to be strong, and that is why I’m sitting here writing this. I’m in school to better myself, so that when my mom is old and on her own, I will be able to take care of her the way she took care of me. I’m here to show my mom that she did a great job raising me, and that she led me on the right track because I’m in college and pursuing my career. This exercise really showed me how thankful I am for everything that my mom has done, and reminded me of how much harder I want to push myself to come out on top and accomplish my goals to benefit for me, my mother, and my sister.