from Chloe

This was an essay written by Chloe for her English IV class. The students were asked to write about someone who they look up to and why. This was not the only time Chloe shared about her Lola Lee to a class. One other time, at her speech class they were asked to talk about their HERO, Chloe chose her Lola as well.

Happy Birthday to a Modern Day Hero...Lola Lee!

Chloe Ratilla

English IV

Period 5

Ms. Atwood

Having to raise 5 children by yourself is not an easy situation to handle. But my grandmother did it without complaining. Being married to a congressman, my grandmother did not have to work a day or ever lift a finger. After my grandfather’s death her entire world changed, she was left to provide for all her children and of course herself. She picked herself up and continued living. I wasn’t born yet when all this was happening but when I hear stories and when I see my grandmother today, I see such a strong woman. One day I would like to say I inherited my grandmother’s strength because that’s one of the traits I admire most about her. I always think about how I would react if I was placed in her situation. I often try to imagine if I would be able to put my emotions aside and put on a strong front for my children. In reality I would never be able to say for sure what I would do, but like my grandmother I know I to would not wallow in self pity but I would try and make something out of the situation. There will always be unexpected situations that occur in life and hopefully when this happens I’ll be able to remember my grandmother, what she did and how she handled it. I can only pray to be half as strong as she was.

Unlike some people, my grandmother’s legacy does not start only after she is gone, but her legacy started the day she decided to make something of herself and her situation. She devoted her life to her children and to making their futures the best she could. My mother always tells me that just like my grandmother, I am thoughtful and generous. She [my grandmother] always thought and put others first in her life. There is just this indescribable satisfaction I get in making others happy. When I was younger and I had a toy that someone else really liked I would give them that toy. And for some reason I would be happier after giving the toy than when I had it. Even though it looks like I lost by giving it away, but I never saw it that way. Just the thought that I made someone else happy was enough and satisfying for me.

I did not live through all the hard times my grandmother did. If an outsider looked at my grandmother’s life they might say that what she went through didn’t really affect my life personally. I would say they might be right but I know for a fact that although she did all she did for her children, as her grandchild my life has been impacted by the choices she made. If not for my grandmother, my mother and her siblings would not be the people they are today and I wouldn’t be who I am. If she would have given up and not moved on in life I wouldn’t be able to have the same quality of life I have today.

The choices I’m about to make will also be life changing ones. Living and being independent for the first time comes with a lot of responsibilities. The choices I would have to make and the responsibilities I will have might not be the same as the ones my grandmother had to make but they are going to be just as important. Looking at her life and what she did makes me realize that I too have to be as strong and self-less as she was. I know I might be thinking too far off into the future but I know that however I handle situations I am in or will be in, will impact the generations after me. Just maybe I’ll be able to live a life and leave a legacy that my grandchildren can look up to.