If you asked me who has inspired me in my eleven years of life, I would say my uncle Michael. He is a considerate and committed person, always thinking about other people’s feelings before his. Because Michael is a middle and high school English teacher, he easily relates to children of all ages. His job is to educate kids at a school called Fieldston, meanwhile Michael is inspiring them. Additionally, he is an enthusiastic coach for the boys lacrosse team and the girls field hockey team. My uncle Michael inspires me to follow my dreams while sticking up for myself, to not get embarrassed, and to take responsibility. 

Michael encourages me to follow my dreams while sticking up for myself. Michael has a zeal for writing poetry, so he decided to take this past year off from teaching to focus on his passion. Although people thought it was not the best idea, he did it anyway. He tells me I can be whatever I want, by working hard and not letting anyone discourage me.  He always supports me hoping that no one will turn me away or bully me. Whether I want to be an actress, an athlete, or an artist, he is always there to back me up. People I have know in my other schools have have made fun of me for what I want to be. I told Michael, and I have used his suggestions. The most important thing is to walk away if people are not respecting you. Furthermore, he inspires me to not talk back, but to ignore them. I am no longer concerned about what people think of me and the dreams I want to pursue. 

When I hang out with Michael, he never cares if he gets embarrassed, but being humiliated is one of my worst fears. I was always afraid of what people would think of me if I did something weird. Will they infer that I’m crazy, maybe insane? Michael says, people won’t even care. They might think about it for one second, but life goes on and soon they will forget. You cannot stay in your shell for the rest of your life. Have some fun, and express yourself. After hearing that, I felt much better. I figured that people would probably get to know me better if I express my feelings. In addition, I am no longer as worried about people speaking behind my back. 

Michael believes that I can be responsible in all areas of my life. Since he is a teacher he motivates me to do all of my homework (OF COURSE)!!! He encourages me to take care of my nine year old sister, Chloe, especially when she is feeling lonely or scared. Chores aren’t one of the things I “like” to do either, but it has to be done. Michael lives alone so he has to hold himself up, by doing tasks to support himself. When Michael is over at my house he tells me to help with the chores that involve dinner, such as clearing the table or loading the dishwasher. Although, I might not enjoy all of these jobs, I realize that it is my responsibility.

There are many other people who inspire me, but my uncle Michael encourages me the most. It is easy to connect with him because he educates children and teenagers daily. I will take his advice to follow my dreams while sticking up for myself, to not get embarrassed, and to take responsibility. By achieving these goals, I know I will be a stronger and better person.