When I was twelve, a kick to the hand from my younger brother turned into one of the scariest moments of my life. It all started with just a harmless bump, but as the weeks passed, then months, the bump just stayed there. A year later, a second one appeared just above it. My mom took me to a hand specialist and that was when I heard the words that no healthy twelve-year-old expects: "We might be looking at something a bit more serious here" We both knew what he was implying, but just to make sure my mom confirmed by asking are we talking about cancer, the doctor nodded. It felt like the world stopped. I could see the fear in my mom's eyes as she held my hand tighter. The doctor tried to reassure us, saying he'd take care of it, even joking that if some bones needed to be removed, "No one's gonna notice, because you're too pretty for anyone to look at your hand." That comfort didn't reach me. All I could think about was the possibility of losing part of my hand. Everyone around me was worried, but they all said to make sure I was praying and to turn to my faith. I started praying. Every night, before bed, I would ask God for peace and strength. The fear of what could happen to me still hung over, but something in me began to settle. I told myself, "Whatever happens, I know God has a plan for my life" It was not easy to let go of the worry but somehow I found a calmness that helped me face every day. Even though my mom was still trying to hold everything together. I felt in my heart that I was being held up by something much bigger than myself. We went to see another doctor at the Children's Hospital of Philadephia (CHOP) and after more tests, we waited anxiously for answers. But even in the waiting room, I felt that strange peace, I knew I wasn't alone, and no matter what the doctor said I had God on my side. When we finally got the results, the diagnosis wasn't cancer. The bumps were just congested blood vessels, and surgery would be enough to remove them. I immediately felt an overwhelming wave of relief wash over me. That experience taught me more than just how to deal with fear-- it showed me the power of faith when I am faced with uncertain times. Even when life felt out of control, I had this unwavering peace that I just couldn't explain. Looking back, I realize that it was not just the doctors that brought me through, but the trust that I placed in someone much greater than myself. That peace is something I still try to carry with me every day. Now, whenever something hard is going on in my life I know that my faith will keep me grounded. Whether it's a tough test, a difficult conversation, or just the pressures of daily life. I remember how God's plan carried me through one of the scariest times of my life. I am not afraid to face whatever comes next, because I know that with God, no weapon shall prosper against me.

Back in 2020, during the pandemic, my family decided to move from our hometown (Twin Rivers) to East Brunswick because my parents wanted to provide my brother and me with a better education there, at the time I was in 8th grade, so they figured it would be best to start high school somewhere else. But little did we anticipate how much it would hurt us financially and how I as the oldest sister would need to step up. My parents' decision to prioritize our education over our financial comfort came with a whole lot of consequences, we began to wonder if this was all worth it. I could see my parents were drowning, putting groceries on credit cards. Since my parents lack college degrees, it was hard for my mom to find a job especially with the world still so worried about this virus. It was then that I knew I had to help, I began staying up at night searching for anyone who would hire a 15-year-old with no work experience in the midst of a pandemic. It was early in the morning, before my Zoom class that I found it "Cherry Hill Programs hiring photographers/sales associates 15 years old and older" I quickly applied and days later had a phone interview and got the job. Capturing moments of children with Santa and the Easter Bunny became not only a means of financial support but also an invaluable learning experience in financial management. This was like a lifeline for my father, his paycheck could help us cover the mortgage while mine during the long Christmas season was able to cover our groceries and help pay back some of those credit cards. I saw how financial choices affected our family's stability, which pushed me to learn more about handling finances wisely. I look back on this experience, and I am proud of the decision I made because of how it was able to teach me, how to budget and balance online classes while working in the middle of the mall. I believe that by sharing my journey, I can help other teenagers who feel like they're drowning due to their parent's financial decisions feel less alone. Show them that it is possible to overcome this especially those whose parents don't have a college degree, because it's harder for us. We are most likely to follow in their foot steps but we must break down those barriers, and learn from them, and even learn from our financial mistakes!