“Las cosas que empiezan nunca paran.” The things that start never end. The spring day that took it all away; the existence of them was all that I had left, and it was gone, tarnished. This immense revelation was phrased as Muhammad Ali’s old saying, “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” You came quick, leaving me with traces.
On March 13, 2020, humanity was tested yet again. I am currently going through these tests. The cloth that separated me from the rest was something noticeable to all. Eyes of this world, full of faces that turned to just eyes, the eyes that stare at you for having a full face. I found myself left talking to just eyes, no mouth and no nose, just staring, glaring at all you had left of your face. It was a precaution because everyone had to take caution, of me, of you, and just simply everybody.
My name is Daniel, and this is my story about how I faced change during the pandemic.
Everything felt so difficult at first, learning new words and phrases. It just seemed so arduous, trying to get comfortable with a lifestyle forced upon you. I never speculated that staying at home could be such a challenge. I was content, though. I had the privilege to still receive an education from home, but I felt so cemented in my placement. I had this emotion of not wanting to change. Everything was abnormal; I was feeling figmental about all of this, as if it was not real.
My peers and educators were taken away from me. Everything turned to code, leaving me staring at this monitor for hours. I often reminisce about the time I had with people; high school simply turned into just a laptop and me. My will was left challenged, broken, and diced even more than it was previously. Problems never ended; they were just left stacked like a game of Jenga.
My mother once told me after my cousin passed away, “Las cosas que empiezan nunca paran,” meaning the things that start never end.
This was her way of telling me that nothing truly ends. It showed me that although it felt like all my motivation and drive to do anything was just gonna come to an end, my dreams, goals and ambition would still continue, and a pandemic would not put that to a halt. I wanted to learn from those words, so I could still keep on moving onward. Through the challenges and difficulties I have faced and will soon face in the future, I will keep on going. For I have no end in the things I will accomplish. I want to make inventions that hold the same meaning as me, something that has no end and is remembered. Unique. I would love to do this by becoming an engineer or to be involved in a career that is able to face challenges and accomplish development to our forever changing world.
With this, I was able to learn how to adapt to my situation and overcome challenges that came along with it. I will be able to carve myself a bright future and give those behind me hope for what is yet to come. With my ability to become a leader, I can cause this change I hope for. I can utilize my skills of being open and being able to take risks to aid me in my future. “Porque yo nunca voy a parar.” For I will not stop.
