The sudden loss of my father when I was a teenager at the time was one of the most difficult experiences I had in my life which has left a permanent imprint in my life. It was such a crippling blow that altered the whole current of my life. And he was not just only my parents' figure, but my teacher, my pillar, and my greatest encouragement, was my father. His sudden death made me feel lost, angry and even completely heartbroken.
During the following weeks and months after the death, I have found it difficult to live with the overwhelming sadness and grief that I felt. I was furious at the injustice of it all and I could not know why this had to befall me. I also felt that a big part of me was missing and I was not sure how I was going to proceed without him on my side.
However, later on, I discovered that I needed to make a decision - I couldn't allow his death to take over my life and so I made decisions to focus on the remaining part of my life, or I could turn it into a springboard and discover something about myself. I started to think of his death not as a tragedy, but as an opportunity to live my life in a manner that will make him proud of me. I wanted to do something in his honor by being the best person I can be to him and also by giving back to the world around me.
The lesson I gained in this experience is to be resilient, persevere, and have the strength of love. It demonstrated to me that despite such a great amount of grief and loss, we possess the power inside of us to keep doing anything that is put forward of us. It helped me to appreciate the time we can spend with people we love, we should not waste life and take everything too slowly, life is so short and we do not know when it will be our final.
The other important experience that has influenced my life is my choice to study at university. As a child, I was the homebody and the idea of going out and visiting a new state horrified me. However, deep inside, I was aware that I must stretch myself and take my limits to advance and develop as an individual.
My experience of studying at the University was a revolutionary one since it gave me the opportunity to view the world through a new lens, to experience a different culture, and to get acquainted with representatives of all walks of life. It also taught me to be independent, flexible and open-minded. It has taught me the ability to go through the unknown and to find beauty in diversity.
These events have taught me the lessons on priceless things that have become the person I am today. They have demonstrated to me the value of being resilient, compassionate, and self-discovering. They have made me understand how to value the people and things that make my life joyful and meaningful. Most importantly, they have made me realize that despite the challenges that may be facing me, I have the strength inside of me to rise above it and to be stronger on the other