A Defining Moment Essay - 755 Words

Many people influenced and events my reading and writing development throughout my childhood from my mother, my elementary librarian, and Sesame Street, to getting my first pair of glasses. We all have defining moments in our lives where we can look back and say, â€Å"That moment changed my life.† This is the story of the defining moment that changed the way I read and write, and I learned it from a whale! It was the beginning of my seventh grade year. I was about twelve years old and, I guess you could say a nerd. I did well in school so I was placed in the Gifted and Talented program with other nerds in my class. As part of this program we were required to read at a certain level or read a certain number of books each semester. You†¦show more content†¦I thought to myself, hey, I like whales. I’ve read stories about ships and pirates and stuff before. This looks like something I might like. I can still smell the old paper and threaded binding resonating in my mind as I opened the book and scrolled through the pages, soaking in the vibrant illustrations of what would soon become my obsession for the next six months. Happy with my selection and feeling fairly proud of myself, I take the book to the check-out desk. The desk is occupied by the stereotypical librarian. She is an older lady probably in her sixties with gray wiry hair and half square bi-focal glasses that sit on the end of her nose. As I place the book on the counter, she looks down her nose and through her glasses at me with a look of skepticism. Frowning as she speaks, she tells me that maybe I should choose something else. Undaunted, I refuse and ask to check out the book. She gives a few other suggestions but again, I refuse. She wishes me luck as she slides it back to me and I stuff the hefty book into my backpack. I start reading the book and right away it is intimidating from the very first paragraph. I am faced with language and sentence structure I do not understand, what is a bedfellow and why does he carry a purse? Is he gay? Immediately I am second guessing my decision but I am determined to get through this book. It takes me the better part of a week to get through the first chapter. IShow MoreRelatedThe Position Of Ceo Of An Established Organization959 Words   |  4 Pagesessential components and play a significant role towards success (Reeves, 2003), the most important thing is the personal decision to pursue success. According to Omar s presentation (n.d), that moment that you decide to take the â€Å"red pill† and follow the path of your desires remains the defining moment in the path to success. Taking the red pill means acknowledging your ability to achieve your desires and do everything possible to accomplish the set goals. It is equivalent to taking up a new identi tyRead MoreFun Home by Alison Bechdel Essay1386 Words   |  6 Pagesdiscovered her father was homosexual. 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We can all learn from the past events and work together to make American a safer and better place to live, and one way to do so is by learning from theRead MoreThe Great Depression Was A Climactic Defining Moment In723 Words   |  3 PagesThe Great Depression was a climactic defining moment in the 20 century that crushed the lives of numerous americans in the United States. Its kickoff was Black Thursday, October 24, 1929. That is when merchants sold 12.9 million of dollars of stock in one day. It was triple the standard sum. Throughout the following four days, stock costs fell 23 percent. That is known as money markets crash of 1929. For all the more, optically observe When Did the Depression Begin? In spite of the fact thatRead MoreTerrorism: A Defining Moment in Our Recent History1576 Words   |  6 Pages As an American living in the 21st century, terrorism has been a defining moment in our recent history. 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