Not Only One

Not to long ago my grade took a mandatory state test to see if we are smart enough to graduate high school. This test consisted on a math, and a English portion. It was split into two day and the day we took the English I was surprised to find out there was an essay we had to write. After filling out the question portion, I came to the essay. The prompt read, “Describe one person who inspires you.” The directions where simple and strait forward write a five paragraph essay on the prompt. After reading it I knew exactly who I was going to write about. The problem was, how I going to describe all the things she does for me in five paragraphs and on three sheets of paper. Regardless I used a scrap paper to write some of my ideas down. And after I finish and re read what I wrote I noticed that it would be complete gibberish to a sane person. Never less I wrote it any way and on completing my essay I fell in love with it. I wanted to keep it. I wanted to show Mandy (the girl I wrote about) what I wrote, to tell her all she has done for me that she doesn't even know.

 Then I re read the prompt and I realized I wrote the essay to the prompt, I just wish the prompt was different, because it said to describe ONE person, but not just one person inspires me, hundreds do. And when we started the essay the test officiator said for this prompt people write about celebrities and famous people most of the time, and as much and they are inspirational people, they aren't the real people to inspire me. The ones who really inspire are my friends, peers, family, and relatives.  I have this friend who has gone through more than I think one girl should, and even after every time she is thrown down she gets back up ten times stronger than she was before. I have this group of seven friends who have stayed best friends since 5^th grade even though we all go to different high school and are all involved in different things. I know this one guy who walked around so confident, and even though he’s a little harsh sometimes, he’s speaking the truth. Or this other person I know who is taking six AP classes, has straight A’s, is involved in sports and clubs, and still goes to school and practice when he’s sick because he’s made a commitment. These are the kind of people that inspire me. The kind of people who see someone has fallen and helps them up. The kind of people that helps others when there is nothing to return. The kind of people who never give up on someone, that never give up on themselves. Those are the people that make me want to be a better person.  So when I thought about the prompt, and about my essay, as much as I did love it, I wish the prompt asked to write about the PEOPLE that inspire me. Because for me there’s not just one. 

The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.

- Ann Landers