Essay

A Story of Resilience
“I ran fast: that was my gift. If I did something bad, I would run. If something bad happened to me, I would run too. That night all turmoil broke out, I ran, like my mother had told me…”
Throughout history many people have faced hard times in their lives. One of these people is Benjamin Ajak, one of the Lost Boys from Sudan. He has learned from these hardships, and he shares his stories with others. Many people in our present community also experience these challenges. One such person is my aunt, Helen Brewster. She lost her house and her health, but she has stayed strong through all that she has faced. Both of these individuals have become resilient, and they appreciate all that they have now. They have taught me to look for the good in life. They have shown me to always stay positive, no matter how difficult the situation. They now talk about their past lives, and they share their joy for life with others.
Benjamin Ajak was born in 1982 in a small village in Southern Sudan. When he was five years old, his village was attacked. He and his two brothers fled with all of the other Lost Boys. They traveled 1,000 miles on foot across Africa. They had no food, and they faced deadly heat and animals. When he finally got to Ethiopia he suffered from terrible infections that would not heal. When war broke out again he tried to escape. He made his way back across Sudan. He was imprisoned by the Rebel Army and he tried to escape from their jails. After five months he was successful. He stayed at a refugee camp where he had no food, but was able to get an education. In 2001, he flew to America. He speaks at organizations and schools. He tells of his life surviving as a child of war. “I made myself strong like an elder. I made my heart strong. I told myself that I was going to make it.” He made a choice to survive, and he kept strong. He teaches others to appreciate all the good that their life contains. Instead of letting these problems get him down, he has become an even more resilient person. Another person who shares their positive outlook on life with others is my Aunt Helen.
In the last four years, my Aunt Helen has withstood two tragic events in her life. Her home in Scripps Ranch burned down Cedar Fires. After spending a year and a half rebuilding her house, the week that she finished, she found out that she had multiple myeloma, a type of incurable cancer. Although these experiences have been difficult for her, she has now been able to change her way of thinking and her outlook on life. “I always stay positive,” she says, “I accept situations the way they are and I don’t worry about the things that are out of my control.” She puts the pain out of her mind by focusing on everything that she still has. She simply enjoys each moment as it comes. My Aunt has learned from these hard times, and she now shares her positive energy with others. My Aunt’s ways have shown me a way to lead my own life.
When I leave this world, I want to have made a difference in other people’s lives. Benjamin Ajak and Helen Brewster will have left this world a better place; they will have left a legacy that changes others’ lives for the better. Now when I get upset and frustrated, I am going to think of how my Aunt would want me to deal with the situation. If I ever feel like giving up, I will know that Benjamin Ajak has been able to push through it all, so I should too. We will all leave legacies that have made our friends and families lives more optimistic. We will teach them to be positive, and we now know how to make our world a better place.