The small things are usually what tend to impact us the most. Day to day experiences are what make up our memories. I have accomplished many things-from being class president to putting myself through college-yet when I read this prompt the first thing I thought of was the Christmas of 2019. My mother is an angel. When my father left her with three very young children and twenty dollars to her name, she made life work. She has been a nurse for 30 years, but when I was young she kept three jobs just to give us the life she did not have. In fact, she worked so hard that she needed to have back surgery in January of 2019. Ever since then, she has been dealing with intense pain. However, that first year was particularly rough. Money was very tight, and she could not even decorate the house how she wanted for the holidays that winter. Her spirits were down and for the first time in my life I saw the hardworking woman that I admired begin to break down. I was just graduating high school and I really did not know how to help. I began working more hours and helping pay bills where I could, but it was not enough. My freshman year of college was beginning, and little did I know that I was entering the first and last normal semester of college I would experience. I was adjusting to my new schedule and trying to fit in as many hours at work as I could. When the holidays rolled around, I noticed that my mother was still not herself. She is very religious and Christmas is her favorite time of year, but I was not feeling her usual jolliness. I decided then and there that I would do my best to make it all better. I put up the Christmas tree and all of the other decorations my mom loves to put around the house. I took my time and figured out the perfect gift for her and my brothers. I picked out some shoes, clothes, and my mothers favorite perfume that she was always too frugal to buy herself. I wrapped everything and tried to make it look as perfect as she does. They were all very happy when they opened their gifts and we had a great day together at church and with family. My biggest accomplishment, though, came to my realization just before I went to bed that night. My mother pulled me aside, gave me a huge hug, and thanked me for making Christmas special that year. It was the first time I had seen her happy in a while. I waited until I got to my room to cry. That experience taught me about my impact on those around me. It is easy to forget that every little thing we do or say affects something or someone in many different ways, no matter how small. Remembering someone's favorite color can brighten their day and make them feel seen. In the future, I hope to become the most caring, passionate, and kind person I can be.

As Morgan Freeman once said: "If you pray for patience, God will give you the opportunity to be patient." Here, he explains that each day we have the choice to be who we want. It is always the smallest decisions that have the largest impact. In this life, we are given many opportunities to give up. Optimism is the gateway to success. I have experienced this firsthand. When the pandemic forced me into online schooling my freshman year in college, I was sure that I would flunk out without in-person learning and the classic college experience. I genuinely contemplated dropping out of college and resuming my studies when the campus reopened. However, I remained optimistic about my future and pushed forward and I am so glad that I did. Experiencing college through the pandemic taught me a lot about perseverance. No matter the challenge, whether it be having a hard time adjusting to new teaching styles or having technical difficulties, this experience taught me to simply figure it out. Life will always work out in the end.