Alfredo De Aza Perez 

Cover letter  

While drafting this story I realized the importance of standing for what I believe in and who I really am. This paper made me understand what I seek in the future and who I want to be. I am immensely proud of myself after writing this because I can proudly say that I wrote it and that I tried to describe my moment and who I really am. Please take into consideration if it is all over the place since my intention was to put 3 different time periods/parts to make up the whole story sort of like the story about the soldiers and the graveyard that is where I got my inspiration from. But I also tried to show me and how I feel within myself. 

Bottomless ambition. 

In this world filled with endless possibilities and hope. There lives one boy that was born without any future of having any of it. However, despite the many challenges he faces. He works hard and refuses to give up. He trains through blood, sweat and tears in hopes of one day being the strongest version of himself. In his journey he goes through many hardships and challenges to be who he wants to be in life. He discovers that this world is not fair and sometimes crushes people’s ambitions and hopes. 

Ever since I was born, I have always adored the human physique. The human body can accomplish great feats of strength, endurance, and agility. I have always admired the physical abilities of athletes. Humans use their bodies and build them as if they were a piece of art, and that has always inspired me. For example, humans can lift and carry heavy weights, with some weightlifters able to lift several times their own body weight. Another example is how some humans can react quickly to changes in their environment, such as catching a ball or dodging an obstacle. 

As I grew up, I became increasingly serious about my passion for bodybuilding and working out. I made sure to everyday exercise for at least an hour every day along with some of my friends because I also understood that exercising with other people is better than exercising alone because each other can uplift one another. Despite the challenges and hardships, I faced, I continued to work hard towards my goal of becoming the strongest version of myself. I surrounded myself with like-minded individuals who also shared my passion for bodybuilding and working out. Exercising with others not only provided motivation and support but also helped to push me to my limits and beyond. Deep within me I just knew that one of my goals in life was to obtain a body that I can be proud to say one day, “I have finally made it” or “I finally did it.” My parents never really supported me on my journey because since I went too hard whenever I worked out, they said that I could hurt myself or even worse, dislocate bones in my body, which was completely understandable, but I never allowed their words to discourage me. 

Despite the grueling hours I spent working out and how sore my body was, I loved every minute of it. I loved the feeling of my muscles burning. The feeling of pride I received after exercising was just worth it in the end, I felt proud of myself and unstoppable. Despite my dedication and hard work, I still faced many challenges along the way. There were times when I felt discouraged and wanted to take breaks, but I reminded myself of my goal and continued pushing forward. Hoping to one day be the best version of myself there could ever be. 

As I continued my journey towards my goal of becoming who I wanted to be, I encountered many challenges and obstacles. I noticed that the reality of our world is that it is not always fair and just, and unfortunately, this can result in the crushing of people’s dreams, ambitions, and hopes. Despite our best efforts, life can be unpredictable and uncertain, and sometimes the very systems that are meant to protect and support us can fail us. But even though the world might seem like it turned its back against us, having supportive people who can provide guidance, and encouragement are always needed around. I knew that it is okay to experience setbacks and failures, but we must keep moving forward and looking past the wall that is getting in our way, and figure out whether to break it, climb it, or go around it. 

Over the years, I started to question myself and wonder when I will ever become strong enough to be satisfied enough with myself. How long must I keep going through this until I reach the point where I can finally feel that I have done something right in my life. Everything was going well until a day like any other. The sun was shining, birds chirping, and I had woken up feeling full of energy. I had my entire day planned out, and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, little did I know that my life was about to change forever. 

I had a doctor’s appointment. It was a simple and straightforward appointment that I had gone through several times before. My mom accompanied me, and we were both looking forward to finishing quickly and going home. As I sat in the waiting room, listening to music on my phone, I could not help but feel a sense of contentment. I was healthy, had a decent job, and a loving family. Life was going great for me, and I was excited about my future. There were no obstacles in my life. I was a good student, the perfect son, the perfect friend, everyone admired me. 

As I waited for my doctor, something felt unusual. Her usual friendly manner was missing, replaced with an expression that made me anxious. She sat down flipping through my medical records, and the room was filled with silence. I fidgeted nervously in my seat, hoping for the best but bracing for the worst. “Unfortunately, your blood tests have come back, and it seems that you have developed Type 1 diabetes,” my doctor said. It felt as though my world had come crashing down. Everything I had done in my life felt futile. In that moment, the world felt like it was crashing down around me. Everything I had done my whole life seemed meaningless. Everything I had worked for or hoped for had now ended. I was only in my early sixteens, and being diagnosed with a lifelong chronic illness was the last thing I had ever expected. All the dreams and plans I had made for myself seemed to shatter into a million pieces. I felt as though I had lost control of my life. My routine, which once seemed so predictable and comforting, was now uncertain and filled with unknowns. I could not indulge in my favorite foods anymore, and even simple tasks like going for a run or a hike seemed impossible. It was like my whole life had been a lie, and I was back to square one. The diagnosis felt like a huge setback, and I felt as though I had to start over and rebuild my life from scratch. I felt as if the world turned upside down and had its back toward me. How can something this severe happen to someone like me? What have I done wrong in my life for this to be happening to me? I questioned myself “Why me.” My whole life was now over. I saw no tomorrow in which I could ever be myself again. 

But as the days passed, I stand here two years later living life like any other person. In mind even though I felt as if God had turned his back on me. My motivation remained. How can other people achieve their goals when I could not? Some people might say that I am too persistent but that is who I am. Being diabetic might have invaded my mind and body back then. But I kept something with me, my dream. I do not need anyone’s stinking help or approval. The key to defeating my feelings of hopelessness and fear of rejection from others was to obliterate the part withing me that still was human and cared. Knowing that I was diabetic was like a demon in my head. How can other people have a normal life when I could not? Even though I might be destroying myself and my body, it does not matter to me. I am the one who is going to crush myself. I am not going to die feeling like a coward. Letting a trashy illness defeat me and my morals. It is going to have to go through me first before it gets to that point. If my dream is strong enough it is going to push me past my wall and help me prove to others that I am the best. I am either going to be the best or nobody at all. It is time to take back what is mine and what was gone from my heart. I will not live my life without being who I want to be. I will not live my life not being who I truly am. That time is now over. This whole time I have being moving further and further away from achieving my dream and that is an insult to my honor. Do not anyone dare call my cause trivial. I am doing this for my values, my honor, my ambition, my goals, my pride, and the meaning of my sole existence. I am going to do this for what I have built and who I am. Unlike some people I will not let anything in this world make me abandon who I am. I will never abandon my morals ever again. Now it is better than never for me to prove myself and my worth. I will now evolve as a human being and show people what a human can really do and who we can become. I seek that which lies beyond the wall standing in front of me or the mountains I may have to climb. To me everything is possible, all I need is the power and strength to belief in myself. I will not suffer because of who I am. I will not make the same mistake twice. My dream is everything to me. I will finish what I have started.