How I Became Me By Aaron Davis

How I Became Me

Every single person is unique in their own way. Many possess talents while others are intelligent or beautiful. How people become who they are relies on many things. I became who I am because of my Dad, the media, and because of situations I’ve been through.
My Dad is a huge reason why I am the way that I am. He is very kind and he allows me to do many things that I would like to do as long as I stay in line and don’t make bad decisions. I am very much alike with my Dad. His interests and personality have rubbed off onto me. He is athletic and I’m athletic, he loves football and I love football, he loves pizza and I love pizza, his favorite band was KISS and they used to be my favorite band too. I am, in a way, a mirror image of my Dad. I’m very responsible, I got that from him. I am very energetic, I got that from him as well. I receive a lot of compliments about my eyes, I got them from my father as well. I remind my Dad of himself when he was younger, but he always tells me to be better than him by making smart decisions. I love my Dad and he loves me too. I am indeed a miniature Benjamin.
I’m influenced by what I see on the television and what I hear on the radio, but just because I watch violence or listen to rap and hip hop music that doesn’t mean that I will become what I watch or hear from a media stand point. I watch football on the TV a lot, and since I watch sports, I naturally become more competitive. When I watch American Idol and see everyday people going to do their dreams of singing and performing on stage, it constantly reminds me that I can chase my dreams just like the people on the show. They show me every Wednesday and Thursday that my dreams are within reach and I can accomplish my dream of becoming a doctor as long as I keep working hard and preparing myself with the information that I will need in the future. Listening to Z 102.9 doesn’t mean that I will turn into the next Eminem or Kanye West and be singing about how I do bad things, but the bass they have in their music is very attractive. Listening about getting drunk and having sex is a reminder that I need to be careful with the decisions that I make. When I listen to that kind of music it shows me that I should not do the things that these artists are singing about. TV and the radio have many influences good and bad. It just depends on how someone interprets what they are watching on the television and what they listen to on the radio. I listen to “bad” music, but what I hear through my earphones doesn’t make me want to do bad things, it teaches me to make good decisions and how to avoid bad situations. So in a way, the “bad” music has created a teenager that can and will make responsible decisions, I’m that teenager.
Certain situations can define a person. I have been through many things and tough times. Personal situations involving death and birth of family members. I have almost drowned and I have been in car accidents. Back when I was about four years old, I was at Hannon Lake in Benton county and I wanted to see how far into the water I could go until my head was completely covered. Once my head was under water, I tried to turn around but I lost what direction I was supposed to go. So I just kept walking thinking that I would reach shallow water, but I was walking the wrong direction. I was walking deeper and deeper into the lake and I didn’t know how much longer I would be able to stay under water. I stuck my arms out as far ahead of me as I could and just kept walking hoping that I would find something to get me out of the water. At this point I was seven feet underwater when I was only three feet four inches tall. I started to get very dizzy and felt like I was done for until I felt something with my right hand. I reached farther into that direction and I could tell it was a big body, so I grabbed onto their swimming trunks and tried to crawl out of the darkness. The startled man pulled me out of the water and held me above the water so I could breathe. He and his wife took me to the shallow end of the water and let me venture on my own. I never did see them again when I looked back at the water. They must have been my guardian angels because if it wasn’t for them being at the right place at the right time, I would not be here. I would have been put into a body bag. I remember when my Mom’s car was spinning on black ice on railroad tracks next to a river with no side rails, it was scary. I was about seven years old when the Buick spun six times and suddenly stops in the opposite lane. Another incident was when I was in the back seat of one of my Mom’s friends vehicle and we lost control and ended up in a ditch. I was only five years old at the time. Being through these experiences has really changed who I am as a person. The things that I have been through have really influenced my values. I have learned to be grateful for what I have and to be thankful that I am still here.
Multiple things can create a person and define a person. I believe that everyone is unique and special in their own way. I know why and how I have become the person that I am today. I am healthy and most of all living life. If it wasn’t for the things I have been through, the media and most of all my family, I would not be the unique and special person that I am today.