Influence Essay
Mike
Sometimes as teenagers, we find ourselves staring into the mirror and realizing that we’re not satisfied with how we look. There’s always something that we think should be fixed in order to make us happy. At times I find myself doing exactly that, thinking that if I improved my image maybe things would be different in how I feel or how people view me. But then I remember that the exterior is just what people see and that our character is what really defines us. I wouldn’t of been able to understand this if it wasn’t for my brother Mike.
My brother is the eldest in the family and at birth was diagnosed with Spina Bifida. Spina bifida occurs when the baby is forming in the womb and the spine doesn’t form correctly. There are different forms of spina bifida which cause brain damage; fortunately, my brother’s brain was not affected but his legs did not fully develop so he must use a wheelchair. Growing up, I knew my brother was different from other people in the way he looked, and when other people saw him I knew they automatically assumed he was mentally retarded. As I got older, my brother became my best friend and I noticed that he wasn’t like other disabled people; he always had a smile on his face, always had something funny to say and was always surrounded by a lot of friends. I’m not stating that all disabled people aren’t happy, but my brother Mike was placed in special classes throughout his life and he once told me the majority of the kids were never happy with themselves and always felt like they were worthless. After hearing this, I asked him what made him act different from that and he told me that he knew that physically he wasn’t the same but the way he looked had no affect on who he was. He knew that feeling sorry for himself and trying to find ways to fix himself to please others wasn’t something he wanted to waste his life and time on. His positive outlook on life and himself made realize that I was stupid for not being happy with my...
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