Response

Ambition

Ambition is key. It unlocks doors that allow you to reach your full potential. It can stem from inside of you or it can come from outside sources. Everyone has their own outlook on ambition, which can come from personal struggles, inspirations or coaches. Its something that allows you to dig deep to find which goal best fits for you.

Take me as an example, my ambition is to further my education. None of my family has ever gone to college, but I want to be the first one to go. However, college is expensive, so I had to make sure that I would be able to afford it. My goal was to go to Bowling Green, but I had to make changes due to the cost. Since I knew I didn't have the money and I didn't apply for any scholarships I had to choose a better alternative. I decided to look at local community colleges that would be covered by financial aid. Even though it wasn't the college that I planned on going to, I still was able to maintain my goal by choosing a different route. It may look like my ambition was shut down, but I am still going to transfer, get my college degree, and manage the debt that is still yet to come.

Although we may  view my situation as a reward, ambition can be looked at as a risk and lead to disappointment. For an example, let’s take an eighteen year old girl named Mariah, who is a singer. She has been singing since she was three years old and is very talented. One afternoon she decided she wanted to try out for American Idol. So Mariah went  to Chicago and auditioned, and she made it through her first round. Mariah had to sing again that next week for round two, and she didn’t make it due to the wrong song choice. Mariah was devastated; she no longer thought her goal would be accomplished. Mariah felt that her only shot of making her dream come true was within that moment. What Mariah struggled to see was the fact that she went out and auditioned was huge. Even though she didn't make it through the second round there are more opportunities for her to pursue her goal. Winning wasn't the only option. She may not have a recording contract right now, but since she has already been on national television she could still gain fans, Which could lead to her having local concerts, and a new beginning to reach her goal in a different way. Nevertheless, even though Mariah didn't make it through her second audition, the ambition that she had helped her spread her voice to a broader audience and show a different way to succeed.

Similar to the aspiring singer, an example of an Olympian athlete may have obstacles that can also lead to disappointment. Let's take an Olympic runner for an example, Chris Bowes is twenty- two years old, and has been running since he was in the 6th grade. Every day he dedicates his time and effort running on the track to strive for his goal. His main goal is to be able to finish a race within so many seconds and earn an Olympic medal. Chris has been asked to run in the spring Olympics for track and field. Chris feels this is the best opportunity  and now he is ready to show the world how much he truly wants this Olympic medal. He starts to run and makes it to the finish line, he then realizes that he didn't win first place. Chris won third place in the race and became very upset. What Chris failed to realize is this was his first race competing with other Olympic runners just like him. He didn't know it took more work than just running on a track everyday. Despite Chris being upset, he didn't want to stop running just because he didn't win first place. Instead he recognized he needed more improvement, and if he would work harder there would be a better outcome. In all, this gave Chris more ambition to refocus on his goal to win a gold medal.

The three examples that are given are to show different perspectives of ambition.  Although, there were different outcomes, ambition did not fail. We looked at Mariah for instance, a talented singer. Mariah's ambition brought her more opportunities to succeed. We looked at an Olympic runner. We noticed that to become an Olympian runner is hard work, but with Chris’s objective to win his ambition allowed him to refocus what he needed to improve on. We also looked at me as an example. I want to be the first to further my education, but I had to choose a different alternative.  Ambition is that specific key to unlock doors that allow you to attain your goal. You determine your outcome of how it will be achieved. Now, allow me to ask, is ambition a negative or is it a positive?

Narrative

Goodbye

Work was crazy that night. Wing sauces all over my apron like a filthy dish rag. Smelling like the garlic butter we spray on our pizzas, I walked to the door at my grandparents’ house and realized that my dog wasn't in front of the door like he usually was, wagging his tail back and forth like a swinging sword trying to beat me to death. As I walked in, I saw he was lying down in the kitchen.

“Grandma,” I said, in concern, “Ugh..what's wrong with Sabor,”

“Well, he hasn't really gotten up today.. but me and your grandpa think it might be his hip messing with him again,” she replied.

“Do you think it’s anything serious?”

“Well, I'm not sure, but we're going to try and take him to the vet tomorrow.”

I started petting him and caught myself thinking back to when he got hit by a car in 2007, when he was 5 years old. I was twelve and he was laced up in staples on his right side due to the drainage tube where excess blood had to drain out. The surgery the veterinarian had to do to take out his hip bone would prevent him from being able to walk again. Sabor was a warrior; he stayed strong through it all and had a full recovery. Within that year, he was able to run and play just like he had when he was a puppy. Although, there would be days that Sabor wouldn't be able to run and jump  from the pains he would occasionally get in his hip, he still would try to greet you with excitement and beg you to take him on walks.

Since we all thought that it could be his right hip messing with him again,  I tried to exercise his leg to see if he would be able to walk towards me but he still wasn't able to. I started to have more concern since I was only 3 feet away from him. I could tell this was more serious than we thought by the way he looked at me with his cute mahogany piercing eyes. He was screaming  “HELP ME!” so  I tried to pick him up and bring him in the house since he was in the second kitchen, which is out on our patio, and I tried to see if that would make him feel better. When I put him in the living room, he still just laid there. I started to panic and kept telling him that everything would be okay, but since I had school the next morning I decided to go to bed and see how he was doing the next morning.

6:45, Wednesday morning, as I was getting ready for school, I walked to see where Sabor was. There he was again back in the kitchen lying there restless like he had gotten no sleep. I went up to him to see if he was okay but yet again he was still panting and still not acting himself.  I walked away to get dressed and saw my grandma was up.

“Grandma,” I said, urgently,  “I think you should really try and get Sabor in to the vet today.”

My grandma replied, “I know, me and your grandpa are going to call the vet in about an hour to see if they have a open spot for him today.”

“Alright, well I'm going to school.”

“Okay! Have a good day.”

Off to school with all this on mind, I really wasn't able to focus, but, before I knew it, my 11:50 class ended and I was on my way home. As I made it home, I walked in the house STARVING and ready to eat. But I realized something was really different when I walked in the house this time.

“Hey Grandpa!” I said.

“Hey, what’s up.”

“Nothing much, where’s Sabor?”

“Well..he’s at the vet, but I'm going to have your grandma tell you the rest.”

“No, Grandpa. What’s wrong with Sabor?”

“Well..” my grandpa said, “the dog is bleeding internally and..” Before my grandpa could finish, my grandma walked in.

“We had to put him to sleep.” I blankly stared..trying to fight back the tears..

My grandma said, “The surgery for the dog would cost $4,000 dollars and that wouldn't even be a guarantee that he would stay alive and...”

“Okay, Grandma that’s enough; I need time to take this all in,” I said.

I rushed into my room and sat on the bed and cried. I had guilt flinging through my mind just thinking about how I didn't get to say the last goodbye to him and of not being able to take him on his last walk. I've had this dog for eleven years and he is gone. But I know that he had a great life on earth, so, wherever dogs may go, I know he is happy and no longer has to suffer.