My mother always said “ Elizabeth, believe in yourself. You’re smart and can accomplish anything you put your mind to. Just remember, your family believes in you.” Little did she know that the words coming out of her mouth were the opposite of reality.

Ever since I was young, I had to live with my oldest sister, Guadalupe. Not because I wanted to, but because my mother had to work all the time. My mother, being the protective mom she is, didn’t want me to be alone. But now, come to think of it, I would have been better off alone. My sister, Lupe, wasn’t very fond of me. She always made me feel worthless and found a way to bring me down.

“You’re proud of your A’s and B’s?! That’s pathetic. You should get all A’s like my daughter!” Lupe would say.

Of course that made me feel bad. Not only because I didn’t like being compared to my younger niece, but also because I always put maximum effort into everything I did. All of my teachers from fourth to fifth grade knew that I always tried my hardest because even though I had a language barrier, I found a way to do my work by myself and still get good grades. But to Lupe, this was never enough.

Lupe’s insults and mistreatment continued, and about two years ago, my mother and I got into an argument with my sister because of  how she was treating me. Painful words were said. Even now, I can still remember all the terrible things Lupe said about me. At the time, I let her words get to me and tear me down. How  else was I supposed to feel?

 As time passed, I started thinking about what my mom always told me. Maybe my sister didn’t believe in me, but my mom definitely did. I had to prove her wrong and show her that I could do things independently and that I was going to work hard to succeed. Ever since, I’ve been putting even more effort into school, saving up to buy my own car, and I joined the Army National Guard and became a member of the National Honor Society. Instead of bringing myself down, I rose up to be better. Not only did I want to prove her wrong, but I also wanted to make my mom and my dad, who is now in heaven, proud. 

I have a goal. I’m eager to go to college and get at least a bachelor's degree. If I reach my goal, I'll be the first person in my family to go to college. I want to be able to support my mother like she supported me. I’d love for her to stop working, enjoy life, and have the things that she deprived herself of to give me a future. She’s the one person that I know believes in me. My mother made sure I had everything I needed even if that meant she had to have less. Despite my sister’s discouragement, I think it is safe to say that I am who I am today mainly thanks to my mother continuous encouragement..