When they told me I was going to have to write this column, I was indecisive.
I was told that I could write about anything I wanted, but it was hard choosing what to write about since I had a lot of ideas. I could have written about political issues, an anecdote or even sports. However, I think that with everything going on right now, we need a little pause. For this reason, I decided to write a little bit about myself and maybe, if I may, a piece of advice.
It has been about four years since I came to live in the United States. I spent about 15 years of my life living in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The place where I grew up can be described as adverse. The contrast of human kindness and cruelty surrounded me. Despite all of this, I had many beautiful life experiences while residing in Mexico.
Thanks to my parents, family, teachers and friends, I was able to learn everything I know today. My parents did their best to raise me. I am the product of their effort, and for that, I am thankful. Although we sometimes struggled with economic matters, I always had what I needed.
I have seen many people who do not take advantage of the opportunities they have here. They complain because of nonsense reasons. We have everything we need here to be successful. Therefore, we should not complain about not having the latest iPhone or not being able to afford the most expensive clothes. We need to liberate ourselves from consumerism and all other distractions.
When I lived in Mexico, I did not have all the opportunities I have here. That is why I never gave up. Today, I am a college sophomore at UTRGV and I will do my best in order to graduate.
It was not easy learning the English language in four years, but I knew that it was a great opportunity. I remember that when I was in high school, I used to miss my parents a lot because they do not live here with me. I stayed up late many times since I knew that I could not let this opportunity slip away. I never imagined that thanks to those efforts, I was going to have the opportunity to work for The Rider.
It took me some effort but at the end, everything is worth it.
Growing up in Mexico has given me the ability to see how fortunate we are. Many people wish to be in our places. There are people who dream about having the chance of getting an education. It is our responsibility not to waste all these opportunities.
Therefore, we must take advantage of every opportunity we receive. We must destroy the chains of consumerism and we must focus on what matters in reality.
Spend time with your family. Enjoy your life without all those distractions, and enjoy every second of it. Do not complain when you cannot get the latest phone. After all, it is just a phone. Stop looking at your phone and stop thinking about things. Pause for a moment every day. Look around you and breathe the moment.
