by Rebecca Nielsen When asked to identify the person who has had the most powerful influence in my life, the most obvious choice is my mom. She has been my teacher, counselor, role model, and friend for the past 17
years. For me, she has become a source of inspiration and a constant reminder of what true love really means.
In considering my mother's position and influence as a role model, I am reminded of a quote from Charlotte
Bronte's Villette: "In addition she gave me the originality of her character to study: the steadiness of her virtues…the power of her passions to admire, the truth of her feelings to trust. All these things she had, and
for these things I clung to her." (Chap. 4) The virtues that stand out most poignantly in my mother's character are her dedication and self sacrifice. On the strength of her principles, she gave up a successful career
in order to give my brother and I the strongest educational foundation possible. No obstacle seems insurmountable when it comes to our education; even when my algebra classes seemed to have gotten the better of her, she
searched high and low until she found a capable tutor. She is passionate about what she believes, yet has reached an amiable balance of enthusiasm and reserve. In her there lies the essence of good character with her
honesty and generosity. If there is something to be done for the community or the church, there is rarely a flinch of hesitation before she adds it to a seemingly never-ending to-do list.
One of the most important
roles that my mom plays in my life is that of teacher and counselor. Unlike most teenagers, I study, eat, and sleep in very close proximity to my teacher. Although this may seem downright unpleasant to some, my
homeschooling experience has been a truly remarkable one. My mom has not only been my academic teacher, but also a teacher of "Life 101," something that could never be learned in a group of thirty students. I have been
given a lasting and confident knowledge of myself as a person, and a moral code that serves as a firm basis to judge implications of actions. She has instilled in me a love of people as a whole, and has presented advice
to me in an unthinkable amount and variety of situations.
The kind of relationship that takes most people years to attain with their mothers is one that I already cherish. The depth of our understanding of each other
could only have been developed through seventeen years of patient persistence and much time shared as teacher and student and mother and daughter. When academic lessons are over for the day, I often look forward to a
cup of tea in the living room with mom to discuss the day's events, future plans, or even just to share a moment of silence after a busy day. Though we have had our share of disagreements, her decisions have never been
presented in a "because I said so" manner, rather, however unpopular the decision is, it is always presented with clear, understandable reasons. She has taught me to realize that she is far from perfect, yet together we
may live life more fully in the knowledge that we are helping each other to become better people through the constructive criticism of friendship.
Thus, it is clear that the individual who has had the single highest
degree of influence on me is my mother. In a world where teens consider their parents just another authority to rebel against, I realize that I could never be where I am today had it not been for the sacrifice and
motivation of my mother. I will always respect the influence that she has had on my life, and will endeavor to take all that she has taught me as the inspiration to be all that I can be in the pursuit of my dreams
