Timothy R.'s Essay

I live in a small town outside of Pittsburgh. It is hard to do anything around my community without recognizing nearly every face and bumping into a handful or two of neighbors and friends. Not only is my hometown small in size, but also a bit lacking in terms of diversity. Less than a percent of the population of the hamlet I inhabit are not white, and sadly, many people here would not have it any other way, for they are not what many would describe as “accepting” when it comes to culture.

Graduating high school last year and heading out into the mosaic of the world, I was afraid I would inadvertently carry this mindset with me, unconsciously judging others based on their backgrounds. However, before I was shipped off to college, I hit a speed bump. I was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis,

Coming to terms with having a terminal illness, I decided I had the right to make it through life, and that nobody was going to stop me. As I thought about it more, though, I realized everyone else does too. Living with CF for the past year has taught me how to more readily view others as individuals rather than part of my world – to be less selfish with life and to take in the sights and sounds with everyone I can. My speed bump became more of a launching pad for a new life: a life I plan to enjoy for a long time to come.