I CAN!

I remember reading this book in the second grade. My teacher was Ms.D. Anderson. Anyone that went to Public School 68 in the Bronx with me or prior to the year 2000 remembers that woman. Boy, was she strict! Although it was unlawful she would hit the kids that misbehaved with a ruler.

I remember one day she decided to give the class a spelling bee. She chose us randomly and made us recite words aloud.

That afternoon I tried to do everything to seem invisible. I had good spelling but I was nervous and did not want to be embarrassed if I couldn’t spell a word correctly. Needless to say, I was chosen and given the word encyclopedia.

I began spelling.

With a soft and shaky voice I recited; “E-N-C-I-L”

BOOM!!!

Ms.D hit me with the ruler…I hated her for that!

Of course my mother went to Ms.D with concern for my safety. Hitting children was not allowed in public schools back then. After speaking to Ms.D I remember my mom telling me to “Pray for that woman.”

Long story short, by the end of the year I was one of the top writers in my class and had the best spelling. (I ain’t wanna get hit again...)

I was determined to get A’s on all of my spelling test. My sisters helped me remember the words by turning words into rhymes. I began a rhythmic form of studying my spelling. I would look the words up in the dictionary too. Not only did I spell the words but I was inquisitive to know what they meant.

FAST FORWARD

The reason I shared this story with you all is because I am working towards being as ambitious as I was in the second grade. If anyone remembers the story of The Little Engine that Could you remember the lines “I think I Can, I think I can.”

I am that train.

From this point on I promise myself to be the best at whatever I do. I want to become exuberantly passionate about success as I was in my elementary years. I went on to becoming the president of my school in fifth grade too.

I know that if I Think it, Feel it, Seek it, and Envision it; my success will come into fruition.

I challenge my readers to have the same mentality. Similarly to the little engine that could “Think you can”… and Do it. A Swedish proverb states “God gives every bird a worm, but he does not throw it into the nest.”