Family, what is it?

When people think of family their minds go to their parents, siblings, or grandparents, but when I am asked what family is I also think of you. Sure, we don’t share genetics, we don’t have casual get-togethers, and the only time we really converse is in these very walls. However, to me, family is a feeling. Family is anyone who makes you feel accepted when it feels that the rest of the world is shutting you out, family is someone who will be a listening ear when you need it but also act as a guide when you need advice, and family is someone who cares for you. Therefore, by my definition you are perhaps one of my closest family members.

Over the course of knowing each other you have seen me grow from an obnoxious child to a confident, soon to be, high school graduate, but little did you know that you were one of the biggest contributors to the molding of the person that stands before you today.

You have taught me countless things, from how to properly use the inverted pyramid to how to write an amazing college essay, but what I am most grateful to you for cannot be measured on a grade card. You have taught me three things in life:

1.Stay determined.

Whenever I would lose faith in myself, or my ability to do something such as swimming YOU were the one who pushed me to try just one more time.

2.Ignore Others.

I shared multiple personal stories with you and with each one you would remind me of all the great things I had accomplished that far in my life and would simply ask me, “How is a failure capable of that?”

3.Strive for success, take advice, but make your choices for YOU not someone else.

Whether it be me asking if I should take the ACT, again, if I should join the College-Now program, or if I should stop doing something, you would give me your advice but you would never tell me to do something unless I felt it was the right choice for me. These are some of your most admirable Qualities and it is for the qualities that I am eternally grateful to you.

So, thank you Mrs. Dillon, for not only being a teacher but a family member. I truly believe that thanks to you I can walk out of Madison Comprehensive saying that not only am I a better person, but I have a friend.