My inspiration

By Sukhpreet Saini

When you’re feeling down, you might have someone you turn to for comfort. For me, that person has always been my mom. 

My mom, Sarbjeet Kaur, is someone who always comes into my mind when I’m upset. I come to her for advice about some of the littlest things going on in my life to some of the biggest. Even when I sometimes don’t tell her about when I’m feeling down, she somehow always knows. She even jokes about how she has some kind of power that lets her know how I’m feeling, and to some extent, I believe her.

Mom: I think just by looking at your face I know how you feel. I can tell just by looking at your expression. You become more quiet when you feel upset. I also notice the little things, like how you react to things or if you seem more tired than usual.

When I do open up to her, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. She listens to me and tries to comfort me. Sometimes, we could just sit together in silence and just being around her would be able to comfort me.

One of the strongest people I know is my mom. She inspires me to be better and work harder. I feel like I would be a very different person right now if it weren’t for her advice. She’s pushed me through so many moments where I felt stuck.

There were times in school where I felt overwhelmed and didn’t know what to do. There was actually this one time in fourth grade where I had a project due the next day but I had forgotten to do it. I remember telling my mom last minute that I needed some supplies, and she happily went with me to get them. That day, my mom and I had stayed up late into the night to finish the project. She never once got mad. Instead, she stayed calm and supported me.

Even now when she sees me having problems with school, she tries her best to support me. She also makes it known that she’s proud of me and my efforts.

Mom: Well, I’m really proud of how you are doing in school. I see you working really hard and it shows. I am so proud of you for staying so focused on your studies.  

She always reminds me that it’s okay to ask for help. She encourages me to ask either her or my teachers for help if I’m struggling. 

I think knowing that she believes in me helps me build my own confidence. She also helps me come out of my comfort zone at times and I feel like I’m able to open up to people more easily now.

Her belief in me also helps me get through some problems I’m having. When I’m going through something, I know that I’ll always have my mom to support me. I feel like I’m able to push myself further and set higher expectations for myself with her help.

My mom has never been afraid to stand up for what she believes in, and in a way, she has taught me that the right path is sometimes the hardest, but it’s always worth it. She occasionally talks about how when she was being treated unfairly at work, she didn’t hesitate to speak up about it. She says it was a little hard and scary at first, but it was really satisfying seeing the results of her speaking up and people listening to her.

She does a lot more than just provide comfort to me. She’s my role model. She’s the person who has helped shape me into who I am today. From a young age, I’ve watched her get through so many challenges through determination. She always stays strong no matter what the situation is.

There are many qualities from her that I have achieved or hope to achieve. She inspires me to be a better person. I would like to make her proud of herself and I with how much she’s taught me.

Sometimes I feel like I won’t be able to repay her for all that she’s done for me, but I know she doesn’t think that. I hope to make her proud by becoming the kind of person she’s always been for me, supportive and loving.