Keep Moving Forward
THIRD PLACE (7TH & 8TH GRADES) Trowbridge, 8th Grade
Why should I keep moving forward? This is a question we all ask ourselves from time to time. However, when things get heavy and we can’t see them changing, we have to remember that the pain of the situation is not permanent; therefore, we have to keep moving forward.
Furthermore, life is sometimes going to bring very painful moments and there are always going to be challenges that we can’t see ending; but that doesn’t mean that it won’t. During these times, giving up is going to enter your mind and that’s ok; but you can’t let that thought over take you. You have to try to stay positive and remember it’s not always about how you start, but how you finish. Remember, “the race is not given to the swift nor strong, but to the one that endures till the end.” I personally can remember when I was a preschooler, I started school late and therefore I was behind for many years; but through hard work and commitment from my aunt, I persevered and kept moving forward and now I’m on top.
Sometimes things get overwhelming and you may have to take baby steps; sometimes you may have to cry or even scream, but you have to keep pushing. Life packs a punch, but like Rocky Balboa once said,” It’s not about how hard you can hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving.” For instance, this year we have all been hit extremely hard by the pandemic; causing some to lose their homes, jobs, and even family members. In addition, inequality and injustice has also been a hardship. The fact that in 2020, we still have to talk about police brutality, racism, and being denied the right to vote, has knocked many of us down, but we can’t stay down. We have to get back up and keep fighting. Change may not come overnight, but if we keep moving forward like the peaceful protesters from not only the past, but those of today as well, I believe that the best is yet to come.
One day I aspire to be a cardiologist. I want to help those within my family, as well as families across the world. I know that I will have to work very hard and that there will be obstacles along the way; but I have to stay focused, stay determined and keep moving forward just like Dr. King once said, “If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl; but whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” So let’s move forward in love and in peace.