Woodside Writes Silver Medal Winner – Alison McBride

Alison McBride
May 25, 2012
Filed under Uncategorized

Life is a privilege. We are given an infinite amount of
opportunities to make the best of or, in some cases, make mistakes.
Unfortunately, once that decision is made, you can’t take it back. We
are forced to deal with it in all possible ways. The difference
between a completely different life sometimes rests in one, important
decision or action. For me, I met those cross roads when I started
middle school. I was faced with the opportunity to be a caring and
loving daughter to my mother, or shun her to gain popularity with my
peers. I chose the latter and it ended in disaster. If I could change
one thing in my life, I would’ve chosen family over friends.

In my attempt to be popular, my so called “friends”
ended up excluding me, leaving me with tons of problems and no one to
talk to. I couldn’t trust my mother. Over the past few years, I had
ignored her and made fun of her to try and impress my friends. The
maternal bond between us was gone, the chain broken by my own
immaturity. So, I sunk to the lowest state I have ever been in. My
grades dropped and I no longer felt that life was necessary. I blamed
the people around me for a mistake that was my own.

In eighth grade, I met friends who understood the
situation I was in. They helped me out of it and to them I am forever
grateful. But, I know it would’ve never happened if I had chosen my
mother.

My mother was destroyed by my decision. She thought I
no longer cared about her. Although I could see her hurting, I kept
pushing her away out of habit. Forever the loving and caring kind, my
father tried to help. However, when he blamed it on me, I pushed him
away too. In doing so, I lost the only other person that I cared
about.

Today, I live in a world where I have few trusted
friends and my parents aren’t included. I know that if I had changed
my decision, life would’ve been much better. My friends still wouldn’t
excluded me but, at least I would have had someone to lean on. By
being happier, I would have had many more friends than I could ever
imagine, certainly more than what I have now. Also, I would be able to
talk to my mother.

The low period in my life has influenced much of the
choices I made. Most I regret. It started a chain reaction that forced
me into oblivion. Even if I had just talked to my mother more, I know
she could have helped prevent it. Instead of being the shy,
self-conscious, and insecure person I am today, I would be the more
fearless and outgoing person that I wish I could be.
In the future, I will try to mend the relationship with my parents. If
I continue on the current path, I might risk living my adult life with
no parents for support. I don’t have siblings so they are all that I
have. From this experience, I have learned about the consequences of
making the wrong choice. Hopefully, I will spend more time caring for
others than myself.

So far, I have worked toward being selfless the most. I
spend a full year helping those around me and in doing so have gained
many friends. Now, I am being more thoughtful around my parents. I
think before I say something and go out of my way not to offend them.
Hopefully, by the time I end high school, I will have made a lot of
progress toward having the relationship I want with them.

Decisions in life can make or break a person. They can
help you get that scholarship to Stanford or they can cause you to
fail the big exam at the end of the year. But, they also teach
valuable lessons. In my cause I learned the importance of family.
Through every championship, tantrum, and mistake, they will always be
there for you as long as you let them. Many people don’t appreciate
their family as they should. I will work to open their eyes to the
truth and help them avoid going through what I had to. Love your
family as best you can. In the end, they are all that matters.

Tags: Alison McBride, Silver Medal

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