Without my mom, I would not be as successful as I am today. She has taught me countless lessons, which have helped shape me into who I am today. She has encouraged me to go above and beyond academically and lets me know that she believes that I can do anything that I set my mind to, even when I don’t believe that myself. There is one memory I vividly remember from my childhood. This event has inspired me and helped me gain the confidence to approach learning new things positively, and with an open mind. I feel that this event has impacted not only my reading and writing, but rather my overall mindset while attempting to learn something that is new or unfamiliar to me.
As I lay in my cozy bed, I observe the shimmery castle mural on my bedroom wall, which was painted by my mom. I hear her footsteps, gradually getting louder and louder. I know why she is coming to my room. It is the time, right after she has changed into her thick pajamas and fuzzy socks. The time when she walks up to my room, David Goes to School in hand, and tries to convince me to read aloud a few pages from the story book, while we wait for dinner. The slow creak of the door lets me know she has arrived. She gives me that shy and hopeful smile as she always does. "Hey, buddy," she says as I quickly hide my face under the blanket. She walks over and sits beside me on the bed, as I raise my stuffed animal, Rosie, up out of the blanket. Mommy laughs as I slowly peek at her, one eye first, and then the other.
“I am not going to do it. You can’t make me.” I say knowingly.
“I know but you should at least try.” She prodded. That’s what she says every night. I know that I can’t do it and so does she.
“I can’t do it and it’s boring, Mommy.”
“Bela, it’s fun. You will love it. It’s like a movie in your head, and you can take it anywhere! You can take it to school, or in the car, or even up in the treehouse. And soon you will be able to read your little brother bedtime stories, and he will sure love that.” I take that into consideration as I curl up next to her. She strokes my head and moves the hair out of my face. Suddenly, she perks up and opens the book. “How’s about I read a page you read a page?” she asks. “David’s teacher always said…” she looks over at me, waiting for me to finish her sentence.
“Mommy, I can’t do it. Reading is for big kids and you know I’m only four years old.” I whine.
“Bela, I know you can do it. You read this last night, I know you didn’t forget what these words say.” I smile as she looks over to me. She’s right. I know exactly what these words say. In fact, I probably have this whole book memorized after a whole week of my mom trying to convince me to read her this book. A whole week of her re-reading this book to me, looking over and facing the book towards me after each page.
“NO DAVID!” I yell, so she knows I am frustrated with her. “No yelling, no pushing, no running in the school.” I say without even glancing at the page.
“In the school?” My mom asks.
“Yeah, she says no running in the school, Mommy.”
“Are you sure?” she asks as she points to the word.
“House?” I half ask, half declare. Unsure of my decision.
“Sound it out. H-A-L-L-S. Halls. No running in the halls.” She informs me. I knew that, I know I did. I can’t stop thinking about how pointless this is. I could be watching cartoons, or playing with my dolls. I listen to my dad and brother play together in the next room, their joyful squeals filling me with envy.
“No more.” I say. I know it won’t be this easy but its worth a shot.
“That’s what you said last night, buddy. Come on, I know you can do it. I bet you could finish the whole book tonight. I begin to daydream. I bet princesses who live in castles and marry princes don't have to learn how to read. I sure wish I was a princess.
"I am a princess." I decide.
"What? Oh, of course you are." She smiles at me.
"Mommy, princesses don’t have to learn how to read. So neither do I. Because I am a princess."
"Well, buddy, even princes and princesses need to learn how to read. In fact, they enjoy it, princesses love reading. Didn’t you know that?" I was caught off guard. Do they really? I mean I guess she is smarter than me so of course she knows what she is talking about. She knows everything. "You can't be a princess if you don't know how to read, Bela."
"I can read." I glare at her.
"Show me." She says as she hands me the book. As I begin, I am suddenly aware that I don't know what some of the words say. It's okay though, because mommy is a genius, and she knows which words I need help on. With quite a bit of assistance from my mom, I make it through the book. She beams at me as I shut the book loudly, and look up at her. "You did a very good job, buddy. I'm proud of you"
"I told you I could do it." I said, realizing how determined I had been to not read. "I could do it again, and again probably like 12 times, all by myself." I then look at her and proceed to snatch up the book and stand on my bed. I begin yelling the words out as I jump up and down. I turn the pages with a wobbly hand. "NO DAVID!" I scream. Mommy is giggling and I know she is happy. I am happy too. I can read a whole book now. I can read it to my mom, and my dad, even my baby brother. I jump off the bed and race to the other room. I begin reading the book aloud and showing my dad the pictures. He smiles at me and my baby brother laughs as I show him the illustrations in my book. By now, I am all sweaty. My mom slowly walks into the room.
"Dinner is ready, you guys." She smiles.
"Can I read at the table?" I ask her.
"Princesses don’t normally read at the table, but I'm sure we can make an exception." She winks at me. That night, I read David Goes to School aloud to our family at the dinner table. Everyone applauded me and asked for an encore. I was so excited I ran into my room and grabbed another favorite of mine, Skippyjon Jones. I opened it up and asked my mom if she will help me that night and she agrees. I even call up my grandparents and read aloud to them while my mom held the phone up. I didn't know I could do it, but I guess mommy sure did.
That night I laid up in my room, waiting to read the new book. I examine the wall, with its magical castle and moat wrapped around it. I clutch my stuffed animal, Rosie, telling her she will soon get bedtime stories, too.
Little did I know, within the next few weeks, I would be able to read every book on my bedroom shelf. Instead of her reading me a bedtime story, I would read her one. Sometimes, I even let her pick out the book. After deciding that I wanted to challenge myself, I began choosing harder, more advanced books and later novels. Reading became a habit, and even a hobby. I also began writing my own stories, in my pink cheetah print diary.
All of this reading and writing has really helped me excel academically. It has even helped me improve my vocabulary.If this event had not happened, I would not be as successful as I am today. I would not have gained the confidence, and inspiration to try new things with an open mind. I would not have learned that persistence is key, and to work hard to get what you want. This is a rather significant event in my life, and I feel it holds great value. It will also serve me infinite times throughout my life, making it an everlasting gift to treasure forever.
