By Stephanie Garcia
Every day we live our lives oblivious to its turns and bumps. We enjoy every minute of it as we thrive with the people we love. Making our way through its hardships is a part of the life experience. However, when things occur whether in or out of our favor, they all happen for a reason. Using moments where they’ve made you feel upset as motivation to continue is what you should do.
Being 17 hasn’t allowed me to experience all that life has to offer, but I’ve had my fair share of the short end of the stick.
Growing up in a Hispanic household with a hardworking father, dedicated mother, and two unbothered sisters has allowed me to have a different perspective of things compared to someone else and their family (If that wasn’t obvious enough already.) My parents came to the United States when they were very young. My mother at seven and my dad at 15. They were destined to come to the United States by God’s will and the determination of their parents.
They came for a reason. A better life. Everyone has dreams they fight to accomplish and this one was in their parent’s favor. Coming to the U.S. was reason enough. To have their children raise their families in a country full of opportunities.
My mother has become one of my biggest inspirations. As for her, my grandmother didn’t get to see her the way my mother gets to see me. Having my grandmother passed away at a young age, my mother didn’t understand why or how this happened to her. When she was a child she was not the wealthiest. Living in a house of eight she knew she wasn’t going to get everything she could’ve asked for.
So why? Why did this have to happen to her?
In tragedies, all we can think is, “Why us? Why are we chosen to deal with the worst? But in reality, this didn’t happen to us because we deserved it or we had it coming. Trying to justify that one dying because it was meant to happen isn’t what one wants to hear.
Life isn’t as pretty as it may seem.
Using your bad moments to help you move forward is what counts. A bad breakup, a bad grade, an end to a friendship, losing something valuable. It all teaches us lessons to learn from our mistakes.
Things happen to allow us to grow. People who aren’t beneficial to your life leave. Allowing them to leave is the best thing you can do for you. Reflecting on how it impacted you, makes room for you to allow better things in your life.
Everything happens for a reason whether for the best or the worst. It opens up bigger and better things for ourselves to develop.