This I Believe

I lead my life with the notion that we only get one life to live, so we should make it uniquely ours. My mother once told me that no matter what I say, do, or wear people will always find a way to criticize me, but if I'm doing in my heart what I feel to be right, it shouldn't matter. A life lived pleasing others, isn't my idea of a life at all. No matter what I do I try to embrace every decision I make because at some point what I did was exactly what I wanted. People will criticize every aspect of my life, even the things that I cannot change. Being “too this” or “too that”, not having enough, not being enough, these endless standards are etched into my brain. It would be impossible to be the person everyone wants me to be. I believe in living for my dreams and making every choice one that I made.

My older brothers are both 16 years my seniors. When they were my age they were supposed to follow in the footsteps of our cousins and continue farming. To my family's dismay without consulting anyone, they enlisted into the military. My brothers made their own decision to do what they wanted with their life and because they did so they acquired the money to pay their way through college. My brothers have showed me that living for your dreams is doing was feels right even if that's not what's expected.

My grandparents could not possibly be more than half my size. What they lack in height they make up for in spunk. After years of marriage my grandparents have learned to play off each other and successfully make everyone laugh. What most people don't know however is that when they were younger my grandmother was forbidden to marry my grandfather. They came from very different families and their families hated each other. Of course they wed anyways, had 12 children and could not possibly have any more vigor. My grandparents have taught me that living for your dreams is doing what feels in your heart to be right because only you know what will make you happy.

With college acceptance letters, comes a lot of contemplation and the inevitable question, “So where are you going to college?.” For me the answer to this question was complicated. I was born and raised in Seattle Washington , my entire life was wrapped up in that city along with the people I grew up with. When I announced that I was going to go to college in Ohio it caused quite a stir. Actually packing and driving away from my childhood home broke my heart, but I had this overwhelming feeling that I had made the right decision. When it comes to life, what is important to remember is that it's my life, and I'm the one that's going to live it. Believing in dreams is making only my opinion count.

I have the utmost respect for parents, for they both come from a long line of farmers, and while I know my grandparents would love it if my parents were also farmers, I can turn to my parents are see that they are indeed happy. I believe that together they made the right decision for their lives to move to the city. For my brothers and I all my parent's want is for us to be happy with our lives regardless, of what choose to do. I believe in following your dreams.

Melissa Zapata

Melissa Zapata