It feels like it was just yesterday when I created an account on The Common App and started researching my college options. But two long years have passed since then. Now, less than a month from heading to Brown, I have to kiss goodbye my country, friends and family. Farewells are never easy, nor is making sacrifices in the name of your dreams. But we can't always have it all. So, as I prepare to fly away, with no other reason than to thank them, I've been visiting the places and people that —through their teachings and life examples— helped me get to this point.
Thanking is one of the most valuable human habits. It not only means acknowledging the contributions of the people close to you but also demonstrating the affection and care you hold for them. Something that I've learned is that there are infinite ways of demonstrating thankfulness. Giving presents, inviting someone to have coffee, or simply spending a day with somebody can all mean "thank you." Thus, showing thankfulness is just as important as feeling it. What point would it have if people didn't demonstrate their being grateful?
However, in today's society, it is common for people to ignore or forget showing gratefulness to others. We sometimes take their service for granted or just believe it is what they should do. Yes, it's teachers' jobs to give their lessons well, but the effort, support and guidance some of them provide to their students out of the classroom is highly commendable and many times underacknowledged. Thus, building a culture of thankfulness is an ongoing learning process. Noticing the little actions that people around us do for our good, despite their apparent significance, is a way to start seeing the world through a lens of gratefulness.
And seeing the world in such a manner is rewarding both to others and ourselves. When I started my process of re-learning gratefulness, I immediately saw changes in my relationships. People acknowledged the validity of their efforts and rewarded themselves for that, feeling appreciated and taken into account. Thus, demonstrating gratefulness improved and strengthened the bonds I have with my friends, family and acquaintances. "Thank you" became something more than just a phrase.
As I head to college and leave my country and people behind, I've been thanking old friends, high school teachers, and family members to show them how deeply grateful I am for their teachings, support, patience and love. I wouldn't be at this point without all the contributions —whether small or big— they added to my life. Thus, I'd like my last two weeks in Mexico to be a process of reflecting about how the people who surround me played a big part in my current success. In this way, leaving with profound gratitude, I head to college ready to face new challenges, meet new people, visit new places, and have more things for which to be grateful.
