English Class

     While I'm sitting here dreading writing my "community data analysis" research paper I remembered one time that my brother, sister and I were home alone by ourselves one night. I remember my mom was at school. It was the last day of school and she had one more final. It was for her English class. My mom had been having so much trouble with that darn English class since it was her second language. I remember that night she came home from school and I was on the couch sitting watching TV. I asked her how her final went and when she turned and looked at me, her eyes were all red and I could tell that she had been crying. She mumbled "I didn't pass" and went upstairs into her room. I remember that night my heart broke into a million pieces watching how sad my mom was over not being able to pass her English class. I'd never felt so sad for her before. It wasn't fair. Didn't her teacher know that my mother was a single mom, working a full time job to provide for her kids, and that she would barely have time to eat after work because she had to hurry and go to school. I wished he knew how hard my mom had worked in that class. I wished he knew that just years ago she had left a horrible marriage and began a life on her own without owning a single thing. I wished he admired her determination to graduate and be an example for her kids.
     Now looking back at it I realize that every tear my mom shed all of those years of living in her little apartment, it was all worth it. Everything I have, has been because of how hard my mom worked for me while I was in school. I've never wanted anything more than to make my mom proud. I remember the day she graduated from college, it was me, Joel, Priscilla, and a neighbor who came to her graduation. That's all the people she wanted there because that's all she cared about. I was so proud of her that night.
     My mom has been the ultimate example to me of what hard work looks like. I have seen her go through SO much, and now as an adult, I don't know how she managed to do it all. I look around me and everything I have has been thanks to her example and hard work. My favorite part of every graduation I have had, has been to see the big smile on my mom's face. I hope to always make her proud.