Personal Narrative Essay

Personal Narrative

        Work. Do it yourself. Do your work, because one day no one will be there to do it for you. At some point in our lives we all need to learn how to do things for ourselves. We aren’t always going to have someone to serve us with everything on a silver platter. If you want something in life, you must do the work to get it.

        Sometimes I relearn this life lesson every day. Having little siblings that are willing to do anything you want, or having power over someone can make a person forget that sometimes you have to work yourself to get something that you want. I used to manipulate my little brother all the time by saying things like “I’m older, so you have to do what I say,” or “I’ll tell mom and dad if you don’t,” and then he would do whatever I wanted. My sister, brother and I used to do that all the time to our younger brothers. It kept going on for a couple years, and sometimes it still happens. We all act like they are our servants just because we are older and can tell them what to do. One day, I noticed that all three of us older kids had asked both younger kids to do something for us. That was three demands for each of the younger kids. That was two acts of plain laziness of each of us older kids. Each of the “tasks” or “jobs” that the younger kids were given had to be done a certain way, or a certain time. Some of those tasks weren’t done right the first time so we had to do them ourselves the next time around.

That day I realized that not only were we taking advantage of them, but we were just becoming lazy. I also realized that more could be done, and that things could be done the way that we want them to be done if we just do those things ourselves. That day I apologized to my younger brothers for taking advantage of the fact that I was older than them, and I encouraged my sister and other brother to do the same and apologize too. Even though it still happens, I try my hardest now to not take advantage of my little brothers. I also try my hardest to just do the work myself if I want something or something to be done.