Personal Narrative: Farther Along

I along with my family moved to Canada in 2004, this was the biggest and happiest day of my life. I had great expectations for my future; since living in Pakistan, I understood that Canada was a land of opportunity. Unfortunately, due to the earthquake in Pakistan on October 8th , 2005, we had to move back to Pakistan since we had lost members of our family as well. The move back to Pakistan at that devastating time was very hard for myself and my family. My father enrolled me to a school in Pakistan since we were going to live there now. The school system in Pakistan just did not seem right anymore, I missed my school in Canada which I had attended for just a year. I struggled to live in Pakistan for three years and in 2008, my mother decided

I awakened in a cold sweat, breathing hard while clutching the blankets with white knuckles. I quickly glanced from left to right, my heart only beginning to slack after I realized I was awake. Carefully stepping out of bed, still reeling from the frightening movie my brain played while I slept, I looked toward the door and froze. Something seemed off about the room, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.Pulling a blanket around my body, I attempted to block out the cold air and end my shivering.The sun barely peeked through the closed blinds of my window. It was still early dawn.

I don’t recall having a hard time learning how to read. It was one of those things that just came easily to me for some reason. For the most part I enjoyed reading as well. The only time I didn’t enjoy reading was when I didn’t understand a certain word or a certain phrase. One of the strongest memories I have from learning to read was when I was unable to pronounce the word “the”.

I hug her knowing that this will be our last. Tears are streaming uncontrollably down my cheeks, staining her shirt. I'm not ready to say goodbye. I don't understand why this is happening. Out all of the 7.28 billion people in the world, why did it have to be her?

Lani: I was helping for someone’s project for COMM 245; I was in the video lab, in the studio. I was on campus and decided to contact everyone I knew who comes to the school. I remember I sent out a snap saying guys I think there is a shooting, be careful and then I started sending out individual texts to people making sure they were okay, like hey are you good? Stay out of an area. I didn’t know how many people were getting shot. I just knew it’s not good and that we have to be careful. At first, the campus was like we are unsure, just be careful, and then it took some time till I finally got an email that said stay on campus and were held there for about two hours, I just kept recording.

I have been doing some thinking about our conversation a few days ago and have concluded that I will take you up on the offer! I just sold my old bike and now have some money left over that I can use to pay for those seminars. I am going to see how soon I can get this done, I am going to look at the dates and send my form in.

I used to be so oblivious. I would attend school every day and criticize my surroundings, little did I know how much I actually had. Come junior year, I observed a flyer for a club called S.A.L.T. (Student-Athlete Leadership Team), it seemed interesting to me so I decided to fill out an application. During our first meeting at 6:45 in the morning, Coach Jones, the head of the club, explained, “I did not cut anyone since you will cut yourself, you will give up and you will not want to put the work in, so you will stop coming. As a result, I will know who our leaders are”. That proclamation was something that genuinely made me think.

It was a taciturn gloomy morning, the year of 1862. The 12th of September. At the end of it, I might be with my family again or buried someplace underground. It was my time to go into battle as soon as I finish saying goodbye to my loved ones. The tears slid down my wife’s face and my daughters lingered into their mother’s arms to cover their dripping faces. I gave everyone one last family hug as my wife said to me “Be careful”.

"Sometimes we need someone to simply be there. Not to fix anything, or to do anything in particular, but just to let us feel that we are cared for and supported."

It was a cold November morning in the valley of Cowan, when I fired my first shot. It was a smooth and clean feeling after I pulled the trigger. I than saw the deer hunker as the slug hit its side, and it began to run away from us. Dad, knowing I had made a good shot, still decided to jump out of the blind window to end the animals suffering. Unfortunately, when his foot caught, it was all over from then. Once, I was inside the blind and the next I was in the cold crisp air. I then saw Dad on the ground cursing himself for jumping through the window.

I remember it like it was yesterday. The adrenaline rush, the anticipation, the sky-high nerves, and the undying support from our small Community. Softball, just like football is a very prided sport in Danville. In 2008 it was my sophomore year of High School, which meant another year of softball. Another year of unforgettable memories with teammates. Little did we know, that year of memories would include winning our towns first State Championship title. For the first time in history, us girls would be taking home not only a trophy taller than our auditorium trophy case, but state rings as well

In the beginning of 2001 I was a SGT in the 82nd Airborne Division, by January 2002 I was standing in front of the Battalion Commander’s desk being read my second Field Grade Article 15 in seventy days. I was being demoted to Private First Class, being sent to Correctional Custody in Camp Lejeune, South Carolina for thirty days and being moved to a new company when I returned. The first field grade was for disobeying a lawful order from three senior NCO’s, the Brigade CSM, Battalion CSM, and my Platoon Sergeant. They had all told me in the same day at separate times to get a haircut and I failed too, the second was for stealing from the company supply room while on extra duty from the first field grade.

Upward Bound with Tarrant County College along with AVID at South Hills High School have guide me through my high school trajectory. During the last 3 years AVID has helped me speak up and diminished my self-esteem issues such as speaking to other mates and creating what we called an AVID family. Upward Bound has been a catalyzer for me to learned how to managed my finances such as loans, budgets, and banking services. Since I was the lead of my family both organizations helped me become a more experienced person at a younger age. More than a college readiness program AVID and Upward Bound are the dispensers of life lessons and the nest of future leaders.

When I was in my freshmen year of high school I was known as the guy who was too afraid to speak his mind and become more interactive with my years. After over a year of depression and loneliness I was destined to just run away and disappear from the world. That was until my family realize about my problems and decided to put me as part of the youth group known as the Young Peoples Department, where I have desperately tried to avoid, to increase my self-esteem and to motivate me be evolved with my own community. With that booster I was able to explore other groups which includes cooking at my church, ushering, becoming president of my own youth group, and join a group called the Upward Bound. One day I decided to volunteer at an airshow where

I rolled Devon in his wheelchair down to the parking lot to show him my new ride. The hospital always insisted on us using the wheelchair and was very strict about Devon getting up out of it when he was not in his room or in physical therapy. “Your mom got you this? Oh my goodness, it’s beautiful. How’s the sound system?” said Devon “totally bumping’.” I turned the key and cranked a beat that rocked the whole parking lot. Devon started to groove, nodding his head in time. “This machine is off the hook.” I lowered the stereo. “Amanda Hardison told me today that the student council voted unanimously to cancel the senior prom.” “What? That girl abuses her power.” “And then the plan is to combine graduation and prom into one event. They’re hoping it will give you extra time to be there.” Devon paused.