a500.2.3.rb_albertogil

      When I think of standards in life the first thing that comes to mind is my love and standard for the American Dream and working hard to achieve the American dream. This might relate to many political views in this country as well but lately there has been something that has been bothering me about the way things have been going in the country I care about so deeply. It seems to me that there is a growing population which is dependent on the government or others and feel that they are entitled to a certain life just because they are American citizens. Throughout my life I have been taught that you have to work hard for what you want and nothing will ever be free, this is an ideal which was always cherished by my father which came to this country at the age of eighteen and has worked hard ever since. My father never looked for a way around the system and never asked for any handouts. For this courage and mental strength I thank my father everyday.
     It is kind of ironic because I recall in my late teens, I had an anger in me for those that had so much more than me. I saw the world as unfair every time I would travel from the inner city which I grew up,  to the suburbs which the upper middle class of America would live. I grew up in one of the worst neighborhoods in the United States, the south Bronx during the late 80's and early 90's it was not safe for anyone. I hated this neighborhood which I called home, yet it made me the person that I am today. Their neighborhoods were clean, had nice green grass in front of their homes, they had school buses to take them to and from school, it felt so happy and the kids had no fear of playing out in the streets. When I would come home I remember returning to loud vulgar music in the streets, elevators that reeked of urine and people out on the streets wondering around aimlessly with no place to go in life. During my teenage years I would constantly think to myself the "man" is trying to hold us poor people back, not knowing what I was saying but believing every bit of the negative feelings which I harbored deep inside of me.
      At the age of nineteen I was bike riding from the Bronx to Manhattan through my typical route to get to work. While riding to work everyday I would pass most of the south Bronx which connected to Harlem and led me to downtown Manhattan. Kids from my neighborhood called this the rich part of the city. I arrived at Starbucks where I was making two dollars above minimum wage, a paycheck which was usually spent on just getting by throughout the week. I arrived home that day and thought about what I had seen today as I laid in bed exhausted from my day of hard work. I saw alcoholics laying on park benches instead of looking for work, I saw drug addicts waiting at the usual spot for their dealer to arrive, I saw gang members being hand cuffed for the same antics which they did day in and day out. Then I knew that I needed a change.
       I needed to live out the American dream, I needed a house to raise my family in, I wanted to be different from what everyone else around me was. I knew then that I had to listen to my father's advice, I had to educate myself and push myself to limits which I might not think I can achieve. I called a military recruiter the next day and never looked back, I even pushed my departure day up and left one month later. I knew I needed a new outlook in life, a way to pay for my education and a new life for me.
       Now when I hear about people getting paid too much, and how we should help towards the distribution of the countries wealth I just think about how everyone in this country has been given the same opportunities to be successful. My standard in life is to continue to push myself and those around me and if you are not willing to invest in yourself than why should anyone else? Some might see this as a harsh way of looking at social issues in this country but until you have seen the world through my point of view I know it can be hard to understand.
      Many people say that poor people in this country do not have the opportunity to make an economical and social status climb in this country but I am the first to tell those people that they are wrong. We must all hold ourselves to the highest standards and believe in our people around us. We have to give those in harder situations a push, but not drag them behind us for life.
     I looked out on my porch as I was thinking about my standards in life, I stepped on to the plush grass which is growing outside on my lawn. I turned to the side and I saw my kids coming home off of the school bus as they made their way through this beautiful neighborhood. I saw my youngest son riding his tricycle on my driveway as the other kids played in this safe neighborhood which  I live in now. In one month it will be a decade since I left the Bronx and now all I can think of is "where would I be at without that seed which my father planted in my head?" I know I would not be here if it were not for a standard of living the American dream which I have created for myself.