My Greatest Influence

Anyone can make an impact on a person’s life. One may think that a particular person can not influence or have a significant impact on you until they come into your life and make a difference. I was one of those people who thought this. However, my mindset was changed when I came to the realization that I did indeed have someone in my life that has made not only a significant impact but has made me the person that I am today.

Some people are so integrated into our lives that without them, our very identity would be completely different. My grandma is a key figure in my life who has left an undeniable impression on me. She is a huge influence to everyone around her because of her stability, her work ethic, and her independent spirit.

   My grandmother is the matriarch of our family. She has such a close relationship with us, and a great deal of wisdom, her six children, and many grandchildren often seek her out for advice. We look to her for everything, and she relishes the fact that we ask her for advice. Although she may offer her opinion when it is not needed, that only makes her more special because she cares so deeply about all of us. Ever since I was a little girl, I always wanted to go to her house to visit, because she was ultimately my favorite person in the world. She was always there when I needed her; when I needed someone to talk to, when I was having a problem and needed help, when I needed advice or a lending hand she was there and willing to help. She taught me honesty, selflessness, responsibility, and how to have an optimistic outlook on life. My parents split up when I was very young, and my step-dad passed away not too many years later. I always knew that my grandma’s house was a source of stability when the rest of my world seemed jumbled. This sense of security has helped me face many other challenges as they come along in my life, like when I changed schools in sixth grade. Perhaps the most significant legacy left by my grandmother is her example of always expressing her opinion regardless of what people would say behind her back.

I would most certainly not be the person I am today, inside or out, without the influence of my grandmother. I can only wish to mimic her stability, her work ethic, and her refusal to be silenced by other people’s disapproval. I am very thankful for my grandmother.