“’Cause I miss you, body and soul so strong that it takes my breath away...”, sings my mother aloud. These mere words, so potent can bring a tear to her eye. She continues, “...and I breathe you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today, ‘cause I love you.” She stops to look at me, and I glance back, immediately knowing her thoughts. It is moments like this, where I often find myself pondering about the well-developed bond that has formed between my mother and I; the events that took place, and the way she molded me into the person I am today. My mother, Paulina Jayne Ellis, has always found a way to rise above any obstacle that has crossed her path, for the sole purpose of my protection and satisfaction. The term, “hero” underestimates the amount of inspiration that she attributes to my life daily.
Most individuals have an idol or hero, somebody who they learn from, whom inspires them. The definition of a hero varies with each individual depending on their interests, along with their strengths and weaknesses. I perceive a hero as someone who inspires me to keep progressing in any circumstance, someone who excels at everything they set their mind to, someone who could make the best out of the worst, and someone so selfless that when performing a task, only continues with others in mind—my mother. She inspires me to go above and beyond the average criteria whilst facing each problem that I coincide with, head on; however, the roughest hardship in her life, we had to face together.
On July 29th, 1996, at the age of thirty-four, my father, Gennaro Crisano had passed away due to a massive heart attack; our lives were now torn. My mother and I were on our own in this vast world, with only each other to get us through each and every day. My mother had struggled emotionally, physically and financially; however, she showed no sign of distress. She was a widowed, single mother taking care of her only child, and continued her days dressed accompanied by a smile. She tried her best to create a normal lifestyle for us to abide by. With no hesitation, she found a place for us to reside, and a job to support our well-being. Though we did not live a luxurious life, we were not deprived of anything the average family had. There was never a time where my mother disappointed me; she always gave me everything I ever desired. She limited herself, to make me happy. Before the holidays, with each paycheck that came in, she would set aside a small amount. This was so that by Christmas she would have enough saved to fill the space under the Christmas tree. My mother had always found a way to raise my standard of living, even if it meant lowering her own.
Playing the role of both mom and dad, my mother never went a day without bringing me to school, picking me up in time for dinner, and tucking me in at night. Our relationship grew more fondly each and every day, and my mother grew stronger. She knew that in order for me to live a successful life, I needed a role model. A role model, who though was ripped apart inside-out, woke up every morning, got dressed and went to work. My mother’s efforts were always my motivation to keep moving forward. My mother has now obtained an occupation within the Unified Court System for over 15 years, and has even become the president of the secretaries association, leading others in all of the 5 boroughs.
Parents play a vital role in a child’s development. They teach us how to strive toward our goals, and persevere no matter the extent of the occurring quandary. My mother is my sole inspiration to discover the extent of my capabilities. Growing up to emulate her would be a gift in itself. Thus far, she has helped me develop into a hardworking woman and has taught me how to make the best of situations. Taking the strength given to her from my father’s undying love, she has turned it into a whirlpool of opportunities for the both of us.
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