The biggest lesson life has taught me is to always persevere. I was born to my single mother with a father that left due to mental reasons. People say that children need a father to succeed. People said that I would grow up with ‘daddy issues’ and a plethora of other dysfunctions with an absent parent. All I could do was persevere. My job was to beat the odds and defy expectations. One thing my father left for me was poor mental and physical health. I have been blessed with the gifts of depression, anxiety, asthma, allergies, and eczema patches all over my body. Doctor after doctor has told me that nothing can be done. Medications have failed me left and right. Though I used to, I do not let my health define me anymore. I must persevere. I show my splotchy legs with pride. I carry my inhaler like it’s my trusty sidekick. Rather than considering my differences to be defects, I know that they make me unique. When everyone around me has accepted the worst-case scenario and given up, I can’t fall into that pit. In sophomore year, I experienced my worst semester of defeat. My grades were scattered with D’s and F’s, and I wanted to give up right there. If I couldn’t be the best, what was the point of trying? It took a lot to get me back up on my feet. I had to use my core power to get back on track. Now, the perseverance has paid off. I am attending a banquet for the top one hundred students at my high school. Yes, I am in high school. You may wonder how I have learned this much about life this early. Through the skill of perseverance, I have learned more than any class could teach. I will stay strong. I will carry on. I will persevere.