Before my story started I was lost in my own thoughts because my emotions were not as happy as when I was a little boy. It was hard growing up with family problems, depression, and experiencing things I wasn't supposed to experience until I was older. I didn’t care about anything and never expressed my love.

All of that felt horrible, yet what hurt the most was the feeling that my mom was somehow letting herself down because I wasn’t doing well. I am not really sure why, but I never did anything. I just sat there and thought about who I was. Mentally, I felt like I was living alone - sure my mom was there, but I felt alone.

I was worried because I knew I was putting stress on my mom. I wanted her to be happy and proud of the son she always wanted me to be. She hoped I would graduate from high school, find a well paying job, and have a happy life. She wanted me to be different from my siblings and become the special kid in the family that made her proud. I often wonder if I can actually be the little kid she sees in me. Can I really have that amazing life? Everyday I went to school and tried my hardest by putting effort into all my classes so I could give my mom everything. But, I just couldn't. I ended up breaking down because I wasn't going to graduate on time.

I had to make changes and take control of my life, so I enrolled in a new school. Things started to change when I moved to Bridges High School. My teachers and my principal put up with my crap. They told me I can make my own choices and that they would help me with whatever I need. I struggled but they were always there for me. Slowly my grades improved and so did my attitude. I told my mom that I was doing better and she started crying tears of happiness. I started to see who I really was, a scholar. I began thinking I was the smartest person. I really started to get better and happier, and I began getting closer with my mom. Not only was I doing better in school but I was also building stronger relationships with my family.

I learned that with a little happiness and hard work, you really can make differences in your life day by day. It can't happen all at once because the next day you wouldn't see that happiness. Happiness is temporary, and it doesn’t happen every day. When I realized that it depended on me, I changed the way I was thinking. I looked for joy instead of happiness in the little things from each day. I started smiling more, greeting people when I saw them, and enjoying each moment.

I realized that I do matter and that I can make a difference. I do not know where I would be if I didn’t have so many people helping me and believing in me. Their care and support makes me tear up, but having my mother next to me through all of this makes me want to burst into tears. I feel bad that I put her through so much during the past years yet she never gave up on me.

The main thing about my story is how I've changed and how much I really care for my family. I’ve learned how to pay attention to others instead of hiding my emotions and being a person I do not want to be. This story is about the relationship that I have with my mom, and how she encouraged me and how she put up with all my challenges.

Breaking my walls down, no matter when I'm upset or angry, she's always there for me.

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