With My Head Held High

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You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I’ll rise.
The passage above contains a few of the lines of “Still I Rise,” a poem by the famous American poet, Maya Angelou. In this poem, the narrator sends the message that no matter what, you should continue to stand with your head held up high. The narrator’s decision to abide by this message changed her life for the better. This poem is basically a metaphor for the way my mother, LaToya views her life. She is not one to allow herself to be put down for an extended period of time. In the midst of all of the negativity in her life, LaToya always makes sure that the positive aspects shine through. If anything, it is her high self-esteem and her optimism that has gotten her so far in her life. LaToya is not afraid to confident; she is not afraid to be happy.
The first impression she creates is one of a well-dressed business person; someone who knows what they’re doing. With her auburn hair neatly swept back and her face lightly covered in make-up, LaToya appears to be well-kempt. Her clothes are far from casual; she prefers exotic high heels, a brightly colored dress, and a blazer or shawl. The only time she wears casual attire is on the weekends, and even then her clothes are still dressy.
LaToya has had over 38 jobs in her life so far; 25 of them have been in the dental field. She is currently managing a local dental office and has been doing so for 10 years. LaToya not only handles reception, but she also files charts, organizes the office, greets patients, hires employees, calls insurance companies, and much more! LaToya has been doing all of these tasks by herself and appears to not need a se...

... middle of paper ...

...learly, as I was always by her side, comforting her. Eventually, LaToya finally came to terms with her mother’s death. After she gave birth to her second child (my sister, Makala) there was a huge shift in her attitude. Her motivation was back and stronger than ever. LaToya landed a job at a local dental office (the one she currently works at) and was immediately promoted to be the manager. Both her confidence level and optimism has risen significantly.
Sitting outside of a Starbucks cafe, listening to the hustle and bustle of the city, both my mother and I are deep in our own thoughts. I am reading a novel while LaToya is editing her resume. I suddenly lean over and ask her why she didn’t completely give up on everything after her mother died. She glances over at me, with a faraway look in her eyes and says “Nothing but death can keep me from my prosperity.”

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