Of the numerous jobs that I have had in the last few years, only one has maintained a lasting hold on me. I return again and again to the call of serving the same gratifying, palatable treat, that amazing creation called ice cream. With the experience I have had, I could have aspired for a more professional working environment than Frosty’s Frozen Yogurt or Baskin Robins. Yet, for some unknown reason, I am strangely drawn to this type of work. Consequently, seems fitting that ice cream would be the perfect metaphor for the characteristics and accomplishments that I embody.
If I look at a hot fudge sundae, I see several layers, each unique with its own taste that all do a part in representing me. The foundation is the ice cream, an endless number of choices, yet one flavor must be chosen as the individual chooses direction in life. Like the layer of whipped cream, experiences give shape to the rising dish. My qualities as the hot fudge adds to the plethora of distinct taste that make a sundae special, as with my qualities. Finally, my accomplishments, as the cherry, sit proudly on top, completing the unified masterpiece.
Just as there are countless possibilities of ice cream flavors, so are there a number of paths that I can follow in life. Rocky Road, with all its connotations, best describes the path that represents my life. Rocky Road has chocolate ice cream with nuts and marshmallows. It is not necessarily the smoothest route; however, the diverse elements that I experience along the way give additional pleasure to the sweet aftertaste. Coming from a very loving and indulgent family, I have been exposed to only the good of the world.
Even my private school education helped to place rose-tinted glasses over my eyes, letting me see only what was good. Just as the chocolate ice cream in Rocky Road. During this stage, I was nave and oblivious to the real world. Content with my position in life, I was awakened to the harsh reality of life when I transferred to a public school for the seventh grade. My experience in public school completely altered my perception of the world. The nuclear families that I was so familiar with became nonexistent.
For the first time, I met kids with divorced parents, who came from dysfunctional homes, and who claimed distasteful habits of smoking and other drug use. The realization that life was filled with many obstacles, like the hard pecan nuts, changed me as a person. I learned that the journey through life is not always easy and pleasant, but rather filled with obstacles, like nuts. After fitting in and discovering who I was, I became more aware of my surrounding and was more realistic in making decisions. The sweet reward as I discovered a marshmallow in Rocky Road gave me much pleasure.
My past deeds, actions, and my experiences determine who I am today, Like the fluffy whipped cream and sprinkles that define an ice cream sundae. Coming to the United States at the age of six, I entered the first grade at a disadvantage compared to all the other kids. I was different just like every sprinkle on the sundae. With two languages already embedded into my vocabulary, I discovered the hurdle of a third tongue before me. Nevertheless, it was a hurdle I overcame and from which I learned much. My travels to other countries helped me understand, appreciate, and adapt to other cultures.
In a multi-culture world, diversity is a gift and one that I cherish. I enjoy acquainting myself with everything and everyone who is different and unique in his other own way. Just as the whipped cream distinguished the sundae making it different from all the other ice cream specialties there are. They, in my opinion, can offer me knowledge I would otherwise not have access to, and I myself can offer them the experiences and lesson of my life, as short as it is right now. Not one person is like next. I myself am very unlike any other individual.
The definitive qualities of my character are all my own. Of my virtues, I hold morality and honesty to be the most valuable and priceless trail of my personality. Compassionate by nature, I receive great pleasure and warmth of spirit when I am able to volunteer my time to helping others or participating in charity. My good fortune has made me see the misfortune of others and create in me a desire to share what I have with the less fortunate. Perhaps the strawberry topping will compare to them, sweet and taste all around. Beside honesty and morality, I favor my diligence above all else.
Just as hot fudge tends to stick, I too stick to my duties and responsible until they are completed. I pursue my objectives with resolve and relentless conviction that it is within my power to accomplish what I have set out to do. Having these characteristics will help me succeed in the future. Looking back from where I started to where I am today, I am proud of my bright red maraschino cherry. Starting my schooling from the lowest point and lifting myself up to taking some of the hardest classes my school has to offer is one of the accomplishments I value the most.
My success in life so far has allowed me to understand that if I believe myself capable of a goal and if I desire the goal enough, I can achieve it. This hope is perhaps the greatest substance anyone can possess. It brings sunshine and promises of the fortune when the present and reality deal a crushing blow to morale and self-esteem, in the words of Emily Dickinson, “Hope is having the thing the thing with feathers and perches in the soul. ” With an optimistic view of what lays before me, I can safely say I will enjoy all the marshmallows, pecans, and chocolate chunks that Rocky Road of life has to offer.
