April 23, 2024
By Adriana Dominguez-Toxtli
Staff Writer
Growing up, I had far from the perfect life. As a child, I felt like an adult, having to worry about money, food, access to hot water and a roof over my head. I was concerned about things no child should think about because a child’s only job should be to have fun. I saw and went through a lot at a young age.
Most of the problems I faced were not created by me, but I was still forced to confront them. My parents did what they could to try to give their children a decent life, but no matter what, the results of their efforts did not last.
When bigger problems started surfacing, I had no one to go to.
When my mom, my two siblings and I moved in with my aunt, our living conditions were difficult. My sister, brother and I were all sharing a room, which wasn’t new for me, but now I was sharing a room with my mom too. Our room was so small, the roof wasn’t finished and we slept on the floor because our beds had not arrived yet. I felt trapped and avoided going out because I felt weighed down by problems.
All I kept thinking about was the life my parents promised me when I was younger. They said they came to the United States and later moved to New Jersey for a fresh start, but their hardships followed them. Nonetheless, they continued to promise that eventually, our family would be worry-free, living in a big house with our own car. Although these plans never materialized, our quality of life improved.
In August 2021, my parents took my siblings and me out to eat, which I thought was weird since we didn’t go out often. While we were waiting for our food to arrive, my parents told us they were expecting another child. I was ecstatic because there would be a baby in the family.
That Thanksgiving, I promised my unborn sister that I would love her, take care of her and protect her no matter what. I wanted to make sure she would be taken care of since she was giving my family another chance to achieve the dream we had all hoped for.
I never want her to go through the struggles I endured, but if she ever does, I want to be there for her because I know what it is like not to have anyone there for me.
On March 22, 2022, my sister Ailed was born. That day was the greatest day of my life. I loved her the minute I laid eyes on her.
Ever since that day, she has given me a reason to try hard, and whenever I feel hopeless, I remind myself of the promise I made to her because she is the most important person in my life. I love my baby sister so much that I sometimes pass up opportunities to hang out with my friends because I want to take care of her. I am proud that since the day of her birth, I have kept my promise of loving and caring for her.
Ailed reminds me so much of myself. Physically, she looks almost identical to what I looked like when I was her age. Also, for her age, she is really smart. She’s a fast learner like I am, and if I’m doing something or eating something, she wants to do and eat the same thing.
I want her to see the best of me, but I want her to become better than I am because I know how capable she is.
On March 22, 2022, my sister Ailed was born. That day was the greatest day of my life. I loved her the minute I laid eyes on her.
Just in the past month, she has hit milestones that include crawling, standing up by herself, taking her first steps and articulating her first full sentence, which consisted of a combination of English and Spanish words. Considering that my family generally speaks English, I am amazed that she incorporated Spanish into her first sentence. I felt special knowing that, by chance, I was the only one there to witness these accomplishments.
I hope that, with my support, Ailed continues to thrive. Just as I was a great student in elementary school, when Ailed goes to school, I know she is going to be the smartest one there because I will be there to guide her. Likewise, when she enters high school, I will encourage her to join many clubs and activities, just as I have.
I try to do my best in school so I can be the first in my family to go to college. My dream college is New York University in Manhattan, but no matter where I study, I will be glad to set an example for Ailed and show her that even though we aren’t the richest family or the perfect family, we are still capable of success. I want Ailed to be there when I walk across the stage to accept my college diploma, and I intend to see her do the same.
My sister is the light of my world, and with my support, I look forward to watching her do amazing things in life.
