Laberinto, Bobson Nathaniel G.

11 STEM C
Make it to the Top: A Passage Through Challenges to Growth
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" This is the question I want to
prevent myself from hearing because each time I hear it, I get under pressure to answer
because I feel like I need a goal to be reached right away.

Back when I was in elementary, I only had one goal, and that was to become an
architect. That was my only goal when I was a kid because architecture is my father’s
“TOTGA” or “the one that got away” dream, so I promised myself to show my father
someday that his son is an architect. But as I get older, I have become more practical
and understand that not everyone can be able to achieve their goals, realizing that
architecture is really not for me. But it doesn’t mean that I have to give up on my
dreams; it also showed me a lot of potential and made me open my heart to many
opportunities, not just one. That is the reason why I am here, moving forward on my
own journey toward my goals while enjoying each moment and overcoming each
obstacle. Furthermore, our path to achieving our goals is not a straight one; it's like a
wobbly road with unexpected turns, distractions, and even dangers because in every
journey, there will always be upsies and downsies while we are on our way into it; we’ll
laugh or we’ll cry, we’ll win or try, we’ll go up and down and up and down and repeat. So
it takes courage, determination, and dedication to get to the goal, even when the goal
may change along the way. Even though I experienced a lot as a kid, including breaking
my arm, going through a deep depression, losing my teeth in an accident, and
becoming seriously ill, I can still say that I had a great time growing up. These
occurrences have altered my lifestyle, but I refuse to let them stop me from becoming
who I want to be. The journey is not just a “you”, but “us”. We aren't lonely travelers;
rather, we are a part of a nest of connected lives. I know that we all have different paths
in life, but we all have the same objective, and that is to succeed. We should never
forget to be grateful to those who support us on our journey by being there for us
through both good times and bad.
 I remembered what my dad said to me and my sister: “You and your sister should
work together because in the end, you will still be the ones left to help each other even if
you have separate lives.” What my father said really stuck in my mind, so finally, keep in
mind that achieving a goal in life is an “us” than “you”. Stay away from people who will
hinder you from achieving your dreams, enjoy the moments that created you, embrace
the challenges, and celebrate your achievements. May you find satisfaction in your
dream journey, not only at the top but with each step you take. I hope that your path
serves as an example of the indestructible spirit that each of us possesses.