The Importance of Having a Positive Attitude in Life

"Never say the word can't, in my house!" This phrase has been embedded in my mind from the time that I could walk and talk and is still firmly resonant in my mind till this very day. Any time the word "can't" would come out of any of my mother's children's mouth including myself, she would converge into a fit of rage. She would grab us firmly by the arm, stare us directly in our eyes, and demand us never to speak of that word again. As a young child, I never understood why one small four letter word would cause such a dramatic response. However, as I have aged and matured, this quotation has guided and carried me through the trials and tribulations of this game called life and have made me who I am today.

I grew up in the rough parts of the Bronx with a single parent mom with a younger brother. Life was never easy for us but my mother tried to make the best with what she had. Despite the violence, drugs, and moral pollution surrounding us, my mother always instilled in us the proper morals to guide us through life. Her main focus with myself and my siblings, was education.

She wanted us to excel in school so that we could go to college and make a better living then what she had. While other kids were outside running the streets, we were inside working on math and reading workbooks that she had purchased. While other kids were out taking trips to Six Flags, we took trips to the library. While other kids received the newest toys and electronics for Christmas, we received books and intellectual games.

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As a young teen, I began to became angry with my mother. I was mad at the world. I couldn't understand why we worked so hard but never reaped the benefits. All the other kids had the latest fashion and the coolest toys, and yet, I had nothing to show for my hard work. It seemed as if everything was going wrong. For instance, at the end of my middle school career I applied for four exceptional high schools, and didn't get in to any of them. Instead they placed me in an unknown, low-budget school. I had a 90 average and was on the honor roll.

How could they not accept me? I cried to my mother and used the word "can't" one time too many and did horrible my freshman and sophomore year of high school cause of it. I spoke of how I couldn't be successful or make it to a good college and spoke of how I wanted to give up. As my mother did many times in my life, she grabbed me by the arms, looked me in the eyes, and screamed, "Never say the word can't, in my house!" She explained that sometimes, life presents barriers, which you have to overcome. She stated that anything I wanted to do in life, I could do, as long I held high expectations for myself and maintained a positive attitude.

I took my moms advice and made the best with what I had. I never use the word "can't" anymore. I can do anything I put my mind to, with hard work and perseverance. Although my high school does not have the most funding, I make the best out of it. Out of the many AP class's offered, I took AP English my senior year, and continue to improve my GPA. I am determined to better my life and I owe everything to my mother. Nothing can stand in my way, except my own self. And I will not let that happen, my goals are set and I will achieve them.

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