Development and Growth Requires a Strong Knowledge of Where Youve Been Essay

Development and Growth Requires a Strong Knowledge of Where Youve Been and where you Plan on Going - Essay Example In order to offer a better understanding as to what my implied meaning is in this statement, I will introduce a brief idea into the ethnic culture of Haiti and its people, to give more of a background of where I originated from, and my personal roots. Growing up in Haiti, I learned at a young age that it takes ambition and determination in life to get to where you want to be. I witnessed children struggling alongside their parents, in fields, working long hours, just to try and make ends meet, keep sustenance on the table, and clothing on their backs. Though times in Haiti could be hard, they could be fulfilling as well. For many of the young people, these hard times are exactly what lead them to strive harder to achieve something in their life, and help make their family's lives better as well. I am very much this same way. I grew up in a village similar to ones like Fondwa, where although the countryside can be seen as beautiful, life in itself was and is very straining, especially since I did not live with my mother but lived with my father and my other siblings. The house I grew up in was also very much like the houses you could find in the villages scattered about the island of Haiti. We had a very small, modest house but it was enough to keep us from the elements, and it provided a place for us to be a family as well. However, we often shared our house with other members of our village, which by doing this, taught me that sharing is a great thing to do as it brings about the emotion of compassion and emanates kindness onto others. The majority of houses in Haiti are small, domesticated types of homes, many with the famous white picket fence, and a group of children standing around outside in the summer (Williamson 2004). Furthermore, Haitian people are not lazy. This can be proven, as many of the adults, as well as children work together to bring completeness to their community. If something needs done then often times many work alongside one another until the project is complete. The following quote by a Haitian man goes to emphasize this point fully and rather matter of factly. "One must always work a little to help one's community" (Williamson 2004). In this way, the Haitian people can all feel as if they have achieved something and bettered their living environment. This was always highly impressionable on me as a child, and is yet another reason why I stay so determined to follow my goals through and do whatever it takes to get to where I want to be. Of course this is following my own roots, which at times I am not even aware that I am doing, it is just an inept attitude that I have developed about life. I have had to learn that when times get tough, you can't just give up and give in, you must do whatever it takes to continue on in your life, if you're ever going to get to that place where you want to be. Also, by understanding your own self better, and your past history, you'll come to the realization that it has a major impact on how you engage in activities in your adult life. This is exactly what I have found, as the Haitian culture and its roots are very much a part of my persona. Another aspect of my life in Haiti that has lead me to where I am in my life today is the fact that in my original country, children did not always have the