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Eulogy

Today we say goodbye to Ann Mercedes. Although gone too soon, it seems we never have enough time with our loved ones as it is. She was someone who always put her family before herself and it is now time to put the focus on her. She would not want us to have her cross our minds and have it tinged with sadness. She would like for all of us to remember the amazing times spent with her and how she lived the life she wanted to. Ann always said to herself that she was going to look back on this life and smile because she had the richest, most fulfilling one that she possibly could. That life includes all of us here today, which we should be proud of. She did not have the easiest childhood but it turned around completely when she started to live for herself rather than others. She went through her fair share of setbacks but this only drove her further in the right direction. She taught me that nothing in this world happens without a reason and I carry that with me to this day. I remember the way she would speak about her ill grandmother. She always had her in the back of her mind and cared for her so much. Still, she never once complained. The patience and way she cares for people is unlike anyone I have met and I’d be lucky to find her in another lifetime because people like this do not just “go away”.Until then, her memory lives on. She genuinely believed that the dead are alive if you allow them to be, so lets keep her around.

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Charles Schulz Philosophy

Teachers that have aided my journey through high school

-       Monzon

-       Gonzalez

Three friends who have helped me through a difficult time

-       Ashley D.

-       Natalie H.

-       Megan M.

Five people who taught me something worthwhile

-       Ashley D.

-       Paola P.

-       Natalie H.

-       Diana S.

-       Daniela F.

People who have made me feel appreciated and special

-       Megan M.

-       Adriana R.

-       Ashley D.

-       Jeniffer J.

People I enjoy spending time with

-       Megan M.

-       Adriana R.

-       Ashley D.

-       Paola P.

-       Daniela F.

-       Jeniffer J.

This shows that those who care about you are those that you should care about and will remember. Not those with the most skills or money, but those that make a difference in your life.

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Community Service

I agree that when we connect to others we become better people. My experience with community service was with OneBlood and Miami Dade Animal Rescue. Through blood donations with OneBlood, I was educated on the importance of helping others. You can save up to three lives with a single donation and you can’t help but feel a bit heroic walking out of a blood donation. With Miami Animal Rescue, I had the chance to foster a dog. The experience was intense. I had never owned a dog before or taken care of one in the past so it was definitely not easy. However, I learned so much about responsibility and compassion. I realized that helping others, human or pet, it is so special and necessary to aide those who need it. 

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Key Moments

A key moment in my life was recently, when my mother became a citizen. I had never been so proud of someone before. We studied the citizenship questions for a year and it was amazing to see something she worked so hard for, be achieved. My mom had come to America from the Dominican Republic in the 90’s and she is now finally considered an “American” after calling the U.S. her home for so long. This is very significant in my life because it gets me thinking of how different my life would be if she had stayed in D.R. I probably would not speak English, I wouldn’t know any of the people I know now, and my house would be completely different. She sacrificed so much to give me a better life and it felt great to help her achieve something that would give her one. 

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There is No Job Beneath You

I definitely think there are entitled people in my generation. We want everything and want it right now. Due to the fact that we are used to having everything at our fingertips, it’s almost a shock when we have to wait for something or are not a priority since in all other areas of life, we are catered to first. For example, someone saying they are too good for a job in retail. We all have to start somewhere. With that said I don’t personally know people that I’d label as entitled. I know other generations looking in might see how we behave and think it is uncalled for. It is all about what way we look at it but I think it goes both ways.

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Handwritten Notes

Handwritten Notes are such a beautiful detail. They create a lasting impression on people because they appreciate the effort put into it. They are very rare and I actually haven’t seen or sent a thank you note since elementary school. I now might take it into consideration knowing they can be brought back, especially with graduation approaching there are many people I’d like to thank for helping me get where I am today.

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Experience Gained

My first job interview was for a hostess position at Olive Garden. I thought it would be a good opportunity to sharpen my people skills. The interview was less than successful but now I know what NOT to do. If they ask if you have a car, just say yes. They will assume you don’t have anybody to drive you. Be prepared to talk about yourself. I have grown to hate that question. “Tell me about yourself. Who are you?” I talked about school clubs I was a part of and how I wanted to study Hospitality at the time. The manager then asked about my very limited availability and I knew what was coming. The interview ended very quickly. Needless to say, I didn’t get the job but I now have the following tips in mind for my next one:

-       Say you have a car.

-       Prepare a speech about yourself.

-       Be flexible with your schedule.

-       Don’t be scared. The manager is a person just like you

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Group Work

Over the years I realized I don’t do well with group work. I am a team player and can pull it together if necessary but I prefer working individually. I don’t like how one person usually declares themselves as a leader and everyone else is expected to go along with it. Not to mention, if one person makes a mistake it is reflected on the whole group. If one person turns something in late, the “group” turned it in late. When working individually, you work at your pace and on your terms and responsibility is on you. You do not have to depend on others and it is how I prefer working. I preferred group work when I was younger because it was a chance to be with friends. In the real world, you’re most likely working with people you don’t know and independence in necessary regardless of group or individual projects. 

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What others think

I definitely care what others think but not to the point that it interferes with my actions. When I was younger this was a much bigger problem because fitting in was all that mattered. I never want to be the person that changes so other people will like me better. Then, you aren’t living “your” life, you’re living a life of somebody else that you created to please others. It’s a shame that this ends up happening sometimes. The most confident people have moments where they care what others think so it is just human nature.

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Complaining

I don’t think I complain much. When you’ve been through a lot of obstacles, you learn complaining doesn’t fix anything it just keeps you from moving forward. When I do complain it’s usually little things like “I’m so tired” or “I’m so annoyed”. It will usually be about how I’m feeling at that moment rather than big things I need to work to improve on. I think not complaining at all will definitely make me a happier person but it’s highly unlikely because we’re human. We always want to express ourselves and talk about the way we feel, as self-centered as we may sound. I feel like we can’t help but to complain sometimes. 

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Inspiration

Inspiration comes from people more than anything. My family, friends, teachers, and peers all inspire me to make good choices and grow as a person. I also look up to artists such as Kehlani. She refers to herself as an “artivist”. She’s someone who speaks up for what she believes in and uses her platform to share it with the world. When it comes to more creative pursuits like writing, inspiration is everywhere. I enjoy writing most when I “don’t care” about the end result. When I can write exactly what I’m feeling and know nobody will read it. When it is written for me, by me, it is easiest. The freedom is what inspires me and I go on and on.

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Yourself as “Teacher” / Reflecting on Myself

I have more flaws than I care to admit but I also know that they do not define me. I’m indecisive, I’m a pushover sometimes, and I don’t always let go of the past. There have been times I let people walk all over me and do nothing about it because it’s “right” in that moment. I recognize that I should talk problems out with people instead of letting it bottle up. It appears all my flaws go back to being a passive person. Everything is just “okay” even if it isn’t because it is the easiest way to dismiss an issue. I like to think I’m self-aware, however. When I’m in the wrong, I probably know and don’t want to admit it. My pride gets in the way a bit but I don’t know one person who enjoys admitting their faults. We have to be able to reflect on ourselves so we know if we’re progressing. If we are not self-aware, we will stay stuck in ways and use “that’s just how I am” as an excuse for unacceptable behavior. We could be helping ourselves get better instead. 

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Greatest Flaw

A strength I have that may also be considered a weakness is how neutral I am. I’m in many ways, in the middle. Always. The mediator, the impartial one when it comes to certain situations. When arguments arise it’s very rare that I support one side and then stick to it. I always go back and forth between two or simply convince myself that they both have their pros and cons. This is especially true when it comes to arguments. I always find it difficult to defend someone because an hour later I’ll see the other side and change my mind. This is why I now try to mediate and stay neutral rather than “declaring” a side that I know is going to change in a second. This is a strength because it will keep me personally out of trouble. It is a way to stay out of the issue at hand. It is also a weakness because by not supporting one side, it looks as if I immediately support the opposing side when in reality, I don’t have a side. When you are indecisive and passive as well, making decisions is not the most fun thing to have to do. 

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Who appreciates Life

A person I know who appreciates life the most is my grandfather. For the time of his life that I saw, he lived a very simple life. Everything he did, he did calmly and happily. I cannot remember seeing him truly upset. He was also a very generous person. In life, we get what we give and he always gave so much to everybody, not once asking for things in return. To me, that is someone who is just “happy to be here” and happy to help. If he was with us today I know he would still be the kindest, most humble man around. I know though, that the life he lived was the life he wanted.

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Brick Wall

Public speaking is my brick wall. I plan on studying Communications and as you can imagine, it is not ideal if you cannot communicate. Through all my years of high school it has been presentation after presentation and I just could not seem to get the hang of speaking to my class. It is scary but it does not have to be. Hearing the words “presenting” in class used to make my heart skip a beat, and not in the good way. I would think about it every second of every day until the moment came. Every single time, I would feel perfectly fine afterwards because it was finally over, until the next time came. I reconsidered my college major dozens of times trying to avoid public speaking as much as possible. I then came to a point where I decided that this is something I want to work on and have to work on to improve myself. I was not going to settle on a path of study that did not interest me because I was afraid. While I still struggle with public speaking, I try to view it differently. Instead of having every presentation be “a chance to embarrass myself”, it is a chance to practice and improve my communication skills. Rather than something to hold me back, it is something to help me move forward.

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Self-Esteem

I mentioned in “A letter to my younger self” that school feels like the most important thing in the world right now, even if it isn’t. However, my greatest setbacks that I have overcome have been at school. My 9th grade Chemistry class absolutely destroyed my self-esteem. I thought I wasn’t smart enough to be in a class with such intelligent people, that I’d be the first to fail any test given. It wasn’t until I had to retake the class online that I got my self-esteem back. I realized that by going through the course at my pace, I’d finish with a passing grade and actually learn what was being taught to me. Another setback was that same year when I failed my first AP test. The following year I realized I cannot simply hope to pass a test, but I had to want it. I had to make an effort. I applied this the following year. I successfully passed my classes and exams because I wanted to learn, not because I wanted to pass. That changed everything. I now feel like I am at the same level as those around me. I can keep up and turn in work with the same quality as the rest. Once you choose to improve, is the second the process starts. One should always strive to be “their” best not “the” best. 

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It

Something that has helped make me who I am today is love. The strongest force in this world is love. It is the single most beautiful thing. Rejection hurts, jealousy hurts, breakups hurt, but love in itself is the one thing in this world that does not hurt. Everyone, no matter who they are can love something, be loved, love themselves, and love others. The list is endless. Love is introduced to us the second we’re born. When our parents hold us in their arms and instantly fall in love with us. Your first moment on earth, you are already surrounded by love. I have never been in romantic love with someone but can write for ages about how much it has impacted my life because that is how broad, varied, and widespread it is. Think of all the problems that could be solved if we put love first. Is a life without love, a life at all? The way we feel when love is taken away from us shows how much power it really has. It is not just “my It” but I feel it is everybody’s “It”.