What challenges and controversies have you faced and how have those experiences shaped your character, your outlook on life, and your vision for the future?

Challenges are the cornerstones of character . They are natural parts of life that not only support change , but they also strengthen the mold of which we are made . Of the many forms challenges that appear , two challenges (one of which is inevitable and the other that is self-imposed ) do their parts to alter who we are for the better

Though a natural part of life , death , in any form , evokes and arouses many conflicting emotions . Experiencing my grandmother 's death at the age of sixteen marked the first time I attended a funeral

. The fact that it was the funeral of someone very dear to me made my first attendance extremely difficult . The black dresses and solemn looks mirrored the emotions I felt inside . The beautiful remarks about my grandmother did little to comfort me or provide supplement for the inner loss I felt Moreover , knowing I had to let go continuously battled the potent feeling of not wanting to let go

While old enough to realize that death is a natural end to life that must come at some point , I was also cognizant of the fact that death had marked an end to a very valuable friendship . My grandmother was the epitome of wisdom . Though her words of wisdom will forever resonate in my mind , I will deeply continue to miss her reassuring voice and still harbor a bit of resentment towards death for permanently depriving me of time in the future that I could have spent listening and learning from more of her valuable advice

One lesson learned from my grandmother 's death is to seize and savor each present moment . A news article said that the present is so appropriately named because it is a gift . Gifts are meant to provide pleasure on more than one occasion . Thus , I have learned to assume and appreciate the times with my grandmother as invaluable and lasting sentiments

Approximately one year after my grandmother 's death , my idol and role model announced that life was too hard for him to continue . Working full time and attending medical school proved to be too challenging for my brother . He would go to classes during the day , take short naps , and whisk off to his night job

Though his goals were noble and definitely attainable , my brother failed to recognize his limits . Going to class required usage from the mental power source , for which a couple of hours of sleep could not replenish The job required more mental effort as well as physical effort . As a result of his self-imposed ideals , my brother reached a point of exhaustion that threatened his logic and life . Between the two demands my brother cracked under the pressure . He had simply stretched himself too thin

Witnessing my brother 's breakdown taught me that having high goals is acceptable , but that reasonable planning to reach those goals is just as important . When pursued logically and strategically , high goals will still challenge , but they will also prompt growth...