Perseverance

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“My parents were not wealthy, they didn’t have power or influence. But you, with the grace of God, dreams and hard work can accomplish things you cannot begin to imagine. There is much power when you have great dreams and seize the moments you are meant to seize.” The fresh-eyed teenagers brushed the tassel from their faces as they nodded. Being on stage, that’s what you were supposed to do. Being in the audience and two years removed from graduation, I nodded too but also thought, "Perseverance.” I heard this at my church by former member and then associate justice Eva Guzman of the 14 District Court of Appeals. Growing up, in my household she was always referred to as la abogada or the Lawyer and later la jueza or the Judge. I never really understood the significance of her accomplishments until later that November in my voting booth; on the screen, there it was: Justice Eva Guzman, 14th District Court of Appeals, Incumbent. "There it is again," I thought to myself, "perseverance."

My inner monologue began: Do I have it? Of course I do. Why wouldn’t I? I’m the first male in my family to go to college. I’m going to college on scholarship to make something of myself. I taught myself to play the guitar in the last year, no one was there making me do a thing. I did it. This may all be true but do I have perseverance?

I love playing the guitar. It relaxes me. It lets me have fun with others and I can create music people enjoy. It has added countless hours of joy in my life. I can impart my knowledge to someone else and they can experience what I feel and what I love. Now what if I had failed? In the grand scheme of things, would I be considered a failure if I gave up on the guitar? No, I wouldn’t. I would merely be one of those ...

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...y establish roots in this country many years ago. Opening checking and savings accounts for a community which has a history of being distrustful towards banks in Latin America was good but it wasn’t good enough for me. I knew I could do more. I want to go many steps beyond this one and help those who want to be part of the America Dream come to this country, legally. Families with perseverance, much like the perseverance I know I have.

The words I heard from Justice Eva Guzman have penetrated my heart and have helped mold my path. I cannot begin to imagine to know what I can accomplish with hard work and great dreams. To be a lawyer one must be able to accomplish the mountains of reading, to endure the countless cases, the insufferable hours. I know I have the ambition. I know I have the abilities. This is my moment and I need to seize it. I have the perseverance.

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