Looking Ahead
By Deeya Bansal
Perseverance
Every person who is talked about in this letter has persevered one way or another. Perseverance means to achieve success even though there were adversities or struggles in the way. It's about overcoming those obstacles. First, it talks about Adeline, a girl who came from an abusive family but still had a successful life. Next, it talks about Nick Vujicic, a man born without any arms or legs. Then, there's Winston Churchill and Noah Galloway, the differences between a nation and a person. Lastly, there's Maxcy Filer, someone who failed the same test, but was determined to become a lawyer, and eventually passed. There is something to learn from these people. Whether it's not to give up, or to follow your dream, they all have the same concept.
The Impossible Isn't Always Impossible
Adeline, from the book Chinese Cinderella, faces many adversities. When she was born, her mother died a couple of days later, resulting into her family thinking that she was bad luck and treating her different. Through out all of her childhood and most of her adolescent years, Adeline was verbally and physically abused. Her family forced her to do everything from taking care of her grandparents to cleaning the whole house, instead of letting her live her young life. Her sibling would hit her and yell at her. Her father wouldn't even look at her unless she got an award from school. Speaking of school, Adeline was always 2 grades ahead and she was a very good writer. She won many contests and was always praised by classmates. It was Adeline's dream to go to college in England to become a professional writer, but it seemed impossible. Eventually, she realized how much she wanted to go, and after begging her father, he finally let her go. He let her go on one condition, she had to study in the medical field. Adeline agreed, but eventually became a writer. Even though her dream didn't seem achievable, she still managed to get there.
No Arms, No Legs, Still Successful
One Nation vs. One Person
Don't Give Up
Sources
- "If At First You Don't Succeed" By Maxcy Filer
- "Chinese Cinderella" By Adeline
- Noah Galloway video clip
- Winston Churchill speech