What I Owe To My Parents

I have my parents to owe for everything that I have in life. For the majority of my life, I have always resented them for pushing me towards what I thought of as "unrealistic goals". I hated that they made me do things that I didn't want to do because it was for my "well-being". My parents showed me some tough love when I was younger and I often despised them to the point where I wanted to run away or get out of the house as quickly as possible.

Of course, it's hard to see the big picture sometimes especially when we're younger and only looking for immediate gratification. Looking back though, I am so grateful for all that they've provided me. My parents have been the key in my growth as a young adult. Throughout my years of teenage rebellion, where I've constantly fought with them, I discovered that my parents have only helped reinforce the morals that I've held.

They realized that I have more potential than I could ever imagine even it was something I couldn't recognize. When I used to tell them I couldn't do something because I lacked the inherent ability, my parents would punish me because they believed I could. My parents are true believers that hard work is essential to achieving anything you want. Anything that I failed at was because of the lack of work I was willing to put into it.

This winter break, my father pushed me to prep ahead for my Linear Algebra course that I previously failed. I was moved to tears and stress because I felt so hopeless, spending 5-6 hours everyday just doing math problems, learning the course material. I hated hearing about how my other friends were enjoying their breaks while I was trapped at home every day. I became somewhat depressed because I had been stripped of any freedom I had left. But, when the break was over, I didn't only learn the coursework, I had -mastered- a semester's worth of material in only a mere 3 weeks. I had done almost every problem in the book, something I still pride myself in accomplishing.

And it's all thanks to my parents. To me, they have given the world.