FREE ESSAY ON STRONG WOMEN IN MY LIFE

STRONG WOMEN IN MY LIFE

Demi Moore can pull off a shaved head with grace and beauty. I can't do that. If I were to
shave my head, I would slightly resemble a cantaloupe. I get that, and the rest of my
physical characteristics, from my mother. Short and ample do not make for a graceful
bald-headed woman. Martha Stewart can make a souffle from an egg, some tree bark, and a
cup of sugar. I can't do that either. My inability to just "wing" recipes comes directly
from my grandmother. If it's written down, I can do it, but from there it can get a
little scary. Hillary Clinton is a hard-working, respectable woman with an Ivy League
education. Now THAT I can handle. My dedication, determination and independence come from
the array of women who have guided me through life thus far. Inspiring me to find a
career that I thoroughly enjoy, no matter the costs, these women have lit my path.
Every piece of me has seemed to come from an inspirational woman who has somehow graced
my life. Whether for a second or for a decade, they have made imprints on my soul. To
limit myself to describe the one person who has given me the most inspiration would be
virtually unfeasible. I am a collage of influence and choice made by those with whom I
have interacted. 
My strongest qualities, determination and independence, are deeply rooted in my family.
Coming from an extremely tight-knit family all living within 30 minutes of each other, we
bring new meaning to the cliche, "It takes a village." My Aunt Betty is CEO of two
corporations and taught me to sacrifice nothing for my dreams. My Grandmother, having
borne seven children of her own and cared for twenty-one grandchildren while working with
her husband in the family business, taught me that I do not have to sacrifice one for the
other- prosperity comes in the balance. My strength comes from my mother. Having overcome
obstacles and making immeasurable sacrifices, she lives her dreams through her three
daughters. She never accepts anything from the best from me and I do my best not to
disappoint her. She instilled in me the strength to have MY OWN dreams and to never be
afraid of them. Individuality emanates from my Aunt Kathy, as she has always encouraged
me to break the conventional molds of femininity and go after what I desire. Aunt Barbara
told me from the time I was a baby that to depend on someone means you "can't hack it
yourself." As a Doctor in NYC, she gave me my urban independence and curiosity to gain as
much experience as I can. Finally, my Aunt Tink gives me my soft and gentle side. As we
are closer in age than my other aunts and I, we share a bond immeasurable by any
standards. I am never afraid to cry and show my emotions with her. She embraces them, and
from her I gain my security.
It's hard to imagine coming from a stronger family foundation. With the beliefs, values,
and ideas the matriarchs of my family handed down to me, I was left open to new
experiences and challenging the world as I crossed it along the way. As I entered the
collegiate world a year ahead of my peers, I was forced to make it on my own. Everything
I knew was challenged, and some of my most tightly held opinions were drastically
altered. I grew from a frightened, but self-reliant, HS Senior to a goal-oriented,
academically focused, young woman. I have to attribute this growth to my professors who
never seemed to let me falter, who understood and recognized that failure was never an
option. They saw in me that challenge was always welcomed and every conquest was a search
for more knowledge. To these brilliant women I accredit my thirst for knowledge and the
gratitude for appreciating it within me. 
Standing tall today as a woman confident in who she is and what she believes in can
sometimes carry stigmas. Thankfully, from the way in which I was raised and the
experiences I have encountered, I have never been forced to succumb these harsh
stereotypes. Even by working as a teacher in a daycare, I am able to influence the world
by being the woman I am. As I look into the faces of the girls I care for, I try to
picture them at my age. I wonder if they are going to be the determined, strong and
independent women I hope them to be, or if they are going to fall victim to the gender
stereotypes that still dominate American society. Will they conform or will they shatter
traditional roles? As they look to me with their questions, I hope to pass on even the
slightest bit of encouragement I was given. I am shaping the future as I was molded as a
child, and looking back, that's not such a bad thing.