Free Essays on Comparing And Competing

When I was in elementary school, our classes would compete in sales of Christmas cards as a fundraiser for various equipment and supplies. The winning class received an ice cream party, and the student acquiring the most sales won a special award. Being quite competitive, I found myself challenged by a boy in another classroom. I worked very hard making phone calls to all my relatives, knocking on doors in my neighborhood, and even begging for sales at my church. â€Å"Marco’s† family, however, was affluent, and she didn’t have to exert much effort selling his cards. His parents just purchased the whole case of cards and that was the end of that. I took this as a personal affront and I began to compare myself to him and my family to his. The next year, the big finale was a history contest in the library that showcased on the final contestants: Marco and me. I had great hopes that our class would win. Then I learned that Marco knew that father of Alexander the Great had only one eye and I had missed that. His intelligence loomed before me, merging with my already tainted image of his perfect little self and â€Å"financially privileged† family (as I thought of them). As for me, I had become frustrated, discouraged, and depressed with the faulty images of my life I had accepted. I was uncertain about my future and whether or not I would ever amount to anything of value to anyone. I had worked so hard to win approval- to be like Marco- but I had failed, at least in my own heart. I just didn’t measure up to my own expectations. If I couldn’t be like him, then who was I? Out of desperation I shared my struggles with my grandmother, Zorka. She told me that I did not have to be like anyone else on earth; that she loved me for who I was. She, also, said not to limit my possibilities by what I see in someone else's life or what others expect of me. The anger and bitterness began to melt away Gradually; I let go of compar... Free Essays on Comparing And Competing Free Essays on Comparing And Competing When I was in elementary school, our classes would compete in sales of Christmas cards as a fundraiser for various equipment and supplies. The winning class received an ice cream party, and the student acquiring the most sales won a special award. Being quite competitive, I found myself challenged by a boy in another classroom. I worked very hard making phone calls to all my relatives, knocking on doors in my neighborhood, and even begging for sales at my church. â€Å"Marco’s† family, however, was affluent, and she didn’t have to exert much effort selling his cards. His parents just purchased the whole case of cards and that was the end of that. I took this as a personal affront and I began to compare myself to him and my family to his. The next year, the big finale was a history contest in the library that showcased on the final contestants: Marco and me. I had great hopes that our class would win. Then I learned that Marco knew that father of Alexander the Great had only one eye and I had missed that. His intelligence loomed before me, merging with my already tainted image of his perfect little self and â€Å"financially privileged† family (as I thought of them). As for me, I had become frustrated, discouraged, and depressed with the faulty images of my life I had accepted. I was uncertain about my future and whether or not I would ever amount to anything of value to anyone. I had worked so hard to win approval- to be like Marco- but I had failed, at least in my own heart. I just didn’t measure up to my own expectations. If I couldn’t be like him, then who was I? Out of desperation I shared my struggles with my grandmother, Zorka. She told me that I did not have to be like anyone else on earth; that she loved me for who I was. She, also, said not to limit my possibilities by what I see in someone else's life or what others expect of me. The anger and bitterness began to melt away Gradually; I let go of compar...