Important Changes example essay topic

Mirrorings Sure, some of us have this great confidence within ourselves about looking great, but that does not hold true for everyone. I understand the pain or disgust, or even disappointment one feels when they look in the mirror and say, "I wish I could change this or that about myself". Although this piece is written about the author's life, it holds meaning and connects with for many people; one only has to dig deep enough to find one. For me, it was to realize what is important in life can change, adapt and that we must explore our inner selves and find our own path in life. In this piece, Grealy describes the influence of her experiences of cancer, its treatments, and the resulting deformity of her face on her development as a person. She explores how physical appearance influences one's sexual identity and over all self worth.

She also explores how one's own interpretation of one's appearance can be self fulfilling. Only after a year of not looking at herself in the mirror, ironically at a time when she appears more 'normal' than ever before, does Grealy learn to embrace her inner self and to see herself as more than one's looks or physical appearance. Now that the summary is out there for all who did not get to read the story let's make some connections to everyday life. In the story is it said by the author that, "All the while I hated myself for having wept before the needle went in, convinced that the nurse and my mother were right, that I was 'overdoing it,' that the throwing up was psychosomatic, that my mother was angry with me for not being good or brave enough". (Grealy 727).

Now throughout my life, being the oldest son, and brother I have always felt that I needed to set the example for the rest of my family. I've felt that I needed to be the pillar of strength to carry my family, my parents always made me believe that if I was strong then everyone else around me would benefit. Emotionally as a child I felt shut off from the world because I would be struck / scowled for crying, or even if I'd show the slightest bit of what my parent's called "overconfidence", which is basically any type of trying to feel good about my accomplishments in any form. But of course I was always expected to perform at the peak and be above everyone.

For this type of upbringing I was "isolated" from the rest of my peers, emotionally detached, and felt as if I was an unwanted enigma. As it says in "Mirrorings" on page 729, "I felt that I was the only one walking about in the world who understood what was really important". I felt the exact same in that I only thought I knew what was really important, now that I have moved out on my own, I finally understand that what is important changes with each day, each second, each human interaction. For example, in college what is important most would say is to graduate, but suppose one were to meet someone they could not live without for the rest of their life, slowly that number one priority of graduating changes to living for that person and making sure both people as a partnership get through this life's challenges. Now with that said, I have not seen this example in action nor do I expect to anytime soon. So I shall attempt to give another example.

I guess it comes from being taught by my parents to always do what's better for the group rather than the individual but the reason I attend college is to try to become one of the best cops that I can become. This goal has been the only thing that I have devoted my full focus on, the protection of other human life, it is the only thing that is truly important to me and it is how I identify myself. Now suppose that I take a class that would catch my interest and ignite a flame I never knew existed... the only thing I've felt that was important for years would suddenly be changed, my world would feel upended for sometime but then I would learn to cope with this new found "identity". It is with these examples I speak of that I am slowly finding myself, and even better "understanding" my inner self. I feel these are some of the same changes / challenges that the author went through and had to identify herself differently and feel comfortable with her new identity. In conclusion, I invite you to not only find what is important to you but to "understand.".. to define what is important to you each and every day; to do some soul searching and find your identity.

I believe it is only then that people will or can truly feel centered or tranquil in this world of ours today. It is not a simple task, for it does change within moments of moments, but as I said in one of my earlier works, you " ve got to live for the moment and find in that exact time and place what do you truly want, deep inside?

Bibliography

Grealy, Lucy. "Mirrorings". Arguing Through Literature. Ed. Judith F erster. McGraw-Hill NY, 2005.725-34.