Preview

Personal Narrative: My Grandfather Changed My Life

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
454 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Personal Narrative: My Grandfather Changed My Life
My Grandfather never complained. No matter how bad it got, he never said anything. When he was young boy, he was thrown into the brutal and treacherous lifestyle that made up a Japanese internment camp during World War II. Treated like a POW, his life was miserable. When he was released from the camp he had to pick up the pieces that was his life. Everything changed. He was just a young man to make his own in the world. He struggled for jobs, was discriminated against, fought in the Korean War, and yet provided for his brothers and sisters with a smile on his face. He eventually started his own automotive repair company becoming successful. My grandfather became a successful man, attaining everything he wanted except one thing. A college degree. His father wouldn’t let him obtain an education. My grandfather promised himself he wouldn’t limit the …show more content…
Nothing seemed to be a challenge. I found it easy to accomplish things. I got this false sense of reality, that you didn’t have to work that hard to be successful. I entered into high school overconfident and unprepared. And I was hit with the reality that it took more effort than I cared to put in to get good grades. When I was really motivated and interested I did well. At the same time my family was dealing with serious health issues with my mother. The proud, caring, loving, and nurturing mother I knew started to fade away. Since there is no diagnosis from my mom, she is seriously ill with a life-threatening condition, I have no idea what my future holds. This motivates me know even further to take advantages of what life has, and push my limits towards success.
Just like my family, I have my own challenges and struggles I have to deal with. After learning what my heritage and family has accomplished, I think I can work through my own challenges. It has taken me long time, but I think I have started to figure things out. I understand the effort needed to become

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    “WHOA WHOA WHOA THIS IS BALONEY MAN!” that is something I say whenever I am frustrated. People have always told me sometimes the best way to learn something is through failure. People value things they have accomplished differently. Often the people whom are naturally adept at things do not realize how much of a struggle it can be for others. Many times when people have told me that if you are going to fall, fall forward. Do not let your insecurities, doubts, and pride get in the way of improving yourself. In brief, there can always be a way to improve yourself.…

    • 733 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    With ever story of victory, comes a drowning idea of failure. Throughout our live, these battles are fought, taking not only mental strength, but physical as well. Some of these battles are chosen, while the rest flank from behind. With this in mind, a story of victory must be told, on behalf of my Aunt, Joenell. Her battle took place in April, of 2009, she went to the Suttee Delta hospital, in Antioch California for a doctor’s visit, for fear that something was wrong, during this visit she informed her doctor that she felt a not on her left breast. Soon after, she had a mammogram, and an ultrasound done, revealing three cancerous lumps. As the doctor went into detail, she started to realize the gravity of the situation. For the first time; at the age of 59, she was confronted with the most life threating event she had ever faced. So for a second opinion, she went to the Epic Cancer center, also in Antioch California. Certainly, the last thing anyone would like to hear during a doctor’s visit, she knew there would be some decisions to be made, time to study up.…

    • 603 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Challenges can influence the way a person thinks and understands a complicated situation. For example, Kohan’s article states, when going through a hard time, “embracing adversity is almost always discovered in the aftermath” of a tough challenge that may expose hidden talents. Obstacles can show a person their achievement in…

    • 461 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    To any that may find this, this is my story for all to know my struggles and to hopefully one day pass this down to my children and their children. So they will know some of the history of their ancestors.…

    • 1004 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    According to nature everything must run it’s course that also includes struggle and hardships. Struggle is something no one wants to endure but everyone has to. When you struggle it builds character and paint your audience a vivid image of your development. I can’t think of anyone who hasn’t struggled in life. Did you know that Steven Kings first novel “Carrie” was rejected 30 times. After being rejected by many publishings companies out of anger he trashed his novel. However his wife retrieved the novel and encouraged him to finish it. Today King has sold over 350 million copies of “Carrie”. With that being said struggle and hardships are not meant to tear you down they’re meant build you up, and push you beyond that invisible roof your mind…

    • 131 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    I am just your average teenager from Paterson New Jersey trying to make a better living for my family. Growing up in Paterson, I experienced things I should not have experienced, from deaths, drug dealing, to gang violence in my neighborhood. I come from a very big family where college was optional. But for me, I made sure to make it a priority. I come from your typical Dominican family. My parents migrated to this country in 1993 with nothing to their name. Two years later I was born. The sacrifices they made to provide a better living for me were enormous. I know the only way I can make them proud and paying them back is by being successful in my studies. It took the support of my family get here where I am right now in my life.…

    • 807 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    My mother, “Regina Hopkins,” has been a positive influence in my life. She has raised 6 kids all by herself as well as earned a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a City College in Gainesville, Florida. My mother has been through pretty much everything a person can go through outside of war and was still able to be there and provide for all 6 of her kids. In high school, my mother wanted to play football and couldn't because she was a girl and back-in-the-day women were not allowed to play football with the guys. However, she remained strong by raising 6 kids and independently took care of all of us on her own. My mother has several qualities that I would love to develop. The first quality she has is balance; she certainly knows how to make…

    • 266 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Growing up in an immigrant family shaped my view of life. Neither of my parents achieved their goals of higher education, so they enforced their beliefs on their three children; the oldest daughter (who battles with identity issues), a son (who grew up playing basketball to express his emotions of not knowing his biological father), and last but not least, the youngest daughter (who faces an endless battle of stress and depression). As a result of my parents forcing their beliefs onto their children, a competitive barrier formed around us. As the youngest child, I had to watch my older siblings achieve the most in their schools, while I was left as the “last child” to the rest of my family members; the “last child” to achieve something. They…

    • 402 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Throughout the years, billions of individuals have inhabited the Earth, each with their own lives and their own particular choices. With every choice made, these individuals have started to compose their legacy, which is the exemplification of who they are and what they have accomplished. I, like the majority of the rest of the world, am starting to leave a legacy as well, and plan to continue and enhance it along the shining stone path known as my life.…

    • 815 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    I was born in the suburbs of the Bronx and raised in the Brooklyn, New York. At a young age, I never understood the amount of hard work my parents had gone through to raise me and give me a great life I have today. They emigrated from South Korea to this country in hopes of the American dream. They had their definition of the American dream as working hard to become successful. They were strong believers in that hard work would result in great results and rewards. My parents took huge sacrifices in order to make it to this great nation. They had left their families, their jobs, and their culture to start a new life. My father went from being a chemical engineer to making a small living as a delivery man for a clothing company while my mother worked as nurse in a small clinic in downtown Brooklyn. We didn’t live in the best of neighborhoods, but it was sufficient enough to provide shelter and food. It took a lot of pain and long hours for my parents to provide for me and they have taught me the most crucial life lessons. They told me that the most important lesson is life is to always put other people before you. They explained how if you are always there to help others and be there for another person, they will return the favor to you. This helped shaped my identity as to be a caring person who is always willing to help out those in need. Throughout the rest of my life, I would encounter this life lessons…

    • 1433 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    When I was younger, I typically received the things I wanted, things such as toys – being that I was an only child – and never worried about hearing the answer, “No”. I had this insane idea that the world revolved around me. Although I still had the concept in my head, that it was all about me when I was informed I would be an older sister, I knew that nothing would be the same. Before I was a sister, I never took anyone else into consideration, and I was never told to do otherwise. I was around four years old, when this news has changed my life forever.…

    • 694 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Maya Angelou once said, “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” This quote states that you must encounter obstacles in order to find out more about yourself. I believe in perseverance. Perseverance is the willingness to continue on. I do not wish nor do I want people to judge my character for my success but rather for my perseverance shown. People, as a whole, observe peoples’ success in life rather than one’s strength that shown. My perseverance is what has shaped me over the years.…

    • 790 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Navy Eod

    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Throughout the course of my life I've always been looking for a challenge. I've always endeavoured to go above and beyond what's expected from me physically and mentally. No matter what objective that's been emplaced before me have I not been able to accomplish.…

    • 438 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    I have persevered through obstacles that I had encountered in my high school years. Junior year, first semester, I had high grades and perfect attendance to maintain my honor schedule. Once second-semester arrived, everything went downhill. I had two family passings that were out of the state. The first death was from my father’s side of the family in North Carolina. I spent a whole week out of school, which made me fall behind in every one of my classes. As soon as I arrived back home, a week later, there was another passing, however it was from my mother’s side of the family in Mexico. There went another week out of school again. Both sides of my family were in complete sorrow and grief which really affected my personal and academic life.…

    • 192 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Overcoming Obstacles

    • 687 Words
    • 3 Pages

    “If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it (Michael Jordan).…

    • 687 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays