Someone once told me, with leadership comes great responsibility. To be honest I never understood the true meaning of it until I experienced it myself. Nearly two years ago, my mother was diagnosed with a brain tumor which caused her to be absent for about three months. This traumatic situation caused me to abandon my goals for some time, and take full responsibility of my family. Until this very day, with all of the tears I shed, my hopeless nights, and sacrifices that were made, I continue to walk my journey through life without any regrets. Not only did this help mold me into a better person, but I became a leader as well as a hero. I became a hero to my siblings and a provider for my family.
Managing a household and trying to provide a normal lifestyle for my siblings with the absence of my mother was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to face. At this point in time, I have realized it wasn't about me or my feelings and dreams, but what I needed to do to keep my family at peace. I decided to withdraw from all of my classes, leave my internship, and managed to take on two extra jobs to be able to pay for my siblings’ school fees as well as rent. To me it was very important that my siblings had someone that they can count on for support. As their eldest sister, I managed to take on a bigger role and what they missed out on at that time, which was their mother. There were times where we couldn't eat, neither watch television. However, we managed to stay together, cry together, and pray for our mother's well-being together.
It took some time before my mother was able to recuperate and bounce back into the swing of things. She was out of work for at least six months, so I still held the responsibility for providing for my family. It became easier once she was home knowing that she was ok and in good health. We all had peace of mind were a family again. The love that was absent for so long was available to us, and for that we were so grateful.
Although this experience was very traumatic for me, it really taught me so much about myself and the qualities I have. Being a leader really comes with great responsibility and sacrifices. Many of the decisions I made in the past have affected my goals and my current position in life. However, I've managed to never allow my circumstances dictate my future, especially if it was for a great cause. I'm a leader, which wasn't easy to adapt to but most importantly, I'm a hero to my family.
