San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
First in family to graduate sees dream become a nightmare — then embraces hope
to one day cherish these moments too. All I felt was disappointment. These special events were supposed to be a celebration of my hard work.
As the first in my family to graduate high school and attend college, walking across the stage is very important to me because it is my hope to set a tradition in my family. I have seen the Disney movie “Mulan” perhaps too many times. Still, though, one of the things that catches my attention is how Mulan’s goal is to bring honor to her family. I, too, bring honor unto my family.
What I had to come to terms with is that not necessarily walking across the stage at graduation would be the highlight of my life. The reality is, life and hope are not canceled.
In this life there is much to be thankful for, despite a devastating reality like COVID-19. Who knew that the access to toilet paper, a basic necessity, was to one day not be enough? In a First World country, we forget that there is more to life than First World problems.
I have set a high standard of living for myself, and with the coronavirus pandemic I have realized there are certain things I can live without. What this pandemic has made me realize is that there are some who worry about their next meal, how they are going to pay their rent, or how their children are going to continue their education from home when they don’t have the internet or access to electronic devices.
In the beginning, I expressed myself as just about “me” — what I don’t have and what I earned. It is true that all hard work should receive recognition, but there is a greater good when we are looking out for others.
When one is looking at the bigger picture, one must examine things more closely. We must examine what it is we can do for others: supporting our small businesses, staying home and avoiding contact with the at-risk population, following the precautions mandated by local, state and federal governments, and helping people who suffer from mental illness cope with the situation.
In this time of tribulation, we must help serve those who are vulnerable. We have to do our part for the greater good. For instance, I provide meals to at-risk people through my church once a week. During the school year, and still, I participate in MacTEACH, a service program where I tutored elementary kids in the mornings, helped the custodians after school and continue to raise PTSD awareness.
In the end, all that I have left to do for my senior year is to treasure the memories made: the time I participated in my first theater production; when I got soaked after walking to school in the rain; the time I spent with my friends during lunch, blinded by the clear plastic backpacks reflecting the sun; going to high school dances; going to football games; playing at the Christmas concerts; hearing the marching band members give it their all; being pushed around in a rolling chair in my music theory class, laughing like a 5-year-old.
I see it now as the good outweighing what many perceive as the bad.
In the end, this year will go down in the history books as anything but traditional. Perhaps anticipation and expectation were canceled. Perhaps, more importantly, though, hope and a better view of life were not canceled.