Peering out through the blurred bus window, thoughts of uncertainty ran rampant. Trying to distract myself, I gently bounced my foot up and down, but I slowly gave into my spiraling mind. Suddenly, the bus hit a pothole and violently jerked upward, snapping me back into reality. Turning my head, I checked on my surroundings and then on my brother sitting near me. He was using his backpack as a pillow and had his papers scattered. While organizing the papers, my phone buzzed warmly in my pocket. It was a message from my mother, telling me where to meet her. She was able to scrape up enough money to rent out a hotel for the night, a nice change from sleeping in cars.
Stepping out of the bus, I squinted into the distance and saw my mother waiting in the car. A smile crept along my face. I headed towards the only home I had, my mother. When the green light lit up, I walked onto the street. Not a second later, a piercing screech invaded my ears. Turning towards the source of the noise, I was too late to recognize the car swerving in my direction. The next thing I knew, I was propped on a hospital bed and told that I would need to be placed in a wheelchair. Coming out of the hospital, I faced a new wave of uncertainty because not only did I have to deal with being homeless, but I also had to deal with being bound to a wheelchair.
The combination of being homeless and having a crippled leg left me in a rapidly deteriorating mental state. It felt like the whole world was against me, and there was nothing I could do to change my circumstances. I had no stable housing, bouncing from the couches of friends and family to the backseat of my car. I had nowhere to run to since my legs were bound to a chair, and I often needed assistance going up anywhere. Looking down in despair, I saw my yellowing cast and a pair of wheels as a reminder of the added burden I was to my family.
With my worsening mentality, my grades began to slip as I struggled to pay attention to my classes. The words from my teacher’s lectures would fade away as thoughts invaded my head. The homework seemed to be incompletable as I had bigger problems to face besides solving math problems or understanding the theme of a book. No matter where I went, I constantly thought about how different my life could have been if I had done something else. I eventually began to reflect on all the things that I faced. I told myself that these situations were completely out of my control, and that I needed to stop blaming myself for what happened. I knew that I could not let these adversities consume me. Rather, I needed to overcome them. From this, I climbed out of the void within my mind and into the light of self-acceptance.
With this new mindset and goal, I became hopeful for the future ahead. At school, I tried my best to focus on my academics. Even if I still struggled with a topic or concept, I vocalized my issue and began to attend tutoring sessions. After some time, progress was made, and my grades began to rise. After I successfully grew as an individual, I used my personal experiences to help others around me because I sympathized with those facing similar adversities.
By the end of the year, my family rented a garage out. I also got out of my cast, starting a new chapter of my life. Overcoming my adversities, I continued to do the best for myself and others around me. At school, I started tutoring students who struggled to understand lessons or complete homework. Soon after, I joined my school’s leadership class to make my school a better place and boost the morale of all students. However, I still wanted to do more for my community. I began volunteering at city-hosted events. I wanted to be a part of the cause that strives to help families in need and lend a helping hand to people who have nowhere else to turn. I feel like I still accomplish this because, even to this day, I am always signing up to volunteer for all the drives that give away food, clothing, and other necessities. Going forward in life, I hold my values close to my heart and continue to practice them whenever and wherever I can. Now, instead of peering out of the blurred window, I peer into a clear window full of opportunity.
