Admire

I have a few role models. One of these role model in particular is an outstanding person. My high school best friend, let’s call her Claire, proved trauma can be overcome.

Claire is a very gregarious person. I was new in town when a camp leader asked her if I could bunk in her cabin. She took one look at me, and said, “Well, we already have seven people in a six person cabin, but sure!”

In eighth grade, Claire and I were on the same soccer team. She was and still is very athletic. Her dad, our soccer coach, had been training her in a very intense way since she was 6 years old.

This and a series of other traumatic events occurred in Claire’s life. She had experienced enough trauma for several lifetimes before turning 18. Yet, she persisted through her psychology undergrad and ended up graduating from a grad school on the Pacific Coast.

She was a fully licensed school psychologist. Then, Claire’s mom passed away when Claire was in her twenties. This inescapable pain caused an enormous emptiness within her. Nevertheless, Claire persisted and continued to flourish in her career, social life, and health.

Claire is an inspiration to me because she can take hardships and use them to drive her to achieve and sustain her goals. She is a wonderful example of how to be a mentally healthy, stable human being.

Is there anybody that you admire? Who are they, and why do you admire them?