Influence

            Many things have influenced me and caused me to be the person that I am today family, friends, school and children. domestic violence. My mom is an extraordinary lady. She has gone a painful separation from her husband, Domestic violence, unemployment and many other difficult situations. My father left my mother for another lady when I was about 8 years old and also had three children by different women while being married to my mother. My older sister took it kind of hard; she was a daddy"s girl. It really did not bother me because he was never really there anyway and he was out cheating on my mother. My father use to punch my mother in her face and give her a black eye when she would ask him where he been. Because, he never came home from work. My mother use to wear sun glasses to cover up her black eyes. It was kind of tough for my mother because she had never worked; my father wanted her to stay home and take care of us. After he left my family had to get on public assistance for a few months until mom decide that was not enough money to take care of the families needs. .
             Although my mother was single she provided for my older siblings and me. She made sure that we did not need anything. My mother have always been there for me and supported me in all I do. She encouraged me in my schoolwork as well as my extra-curricular activities. Even though she did not attend all my concerts and things I participated in during school because, she had to work. She explained to me that education was the most valuable tool I could acquire and that with out it I would struggle through life continuously attempting to make ends meet.
             My mother taught me to treat others with respect and to treat them how I would want to be treated. This has caused me to try to be considerate of others" feelings and thoughts as much as I can. All the things that my mother taught me growing up, I now see why. They have all stuck with me through my adulthood.