Growth Through Guidance by Gabriella

Growth Through Guidance by Gabriella - August 2026 Scholarship Essay

As a young child, I constantly mistook a time of silence as a time for a response. I was raised in a home where I was taught to speak up; so, I took every chance to fill a moment of silence with my voice. I would ramble on about anything I found the slightest bit of interest in, and rebut every statement or opinion I found an issue with. My spirited nature planted the seed for a larger argument and avoidable discussions about my behavior. My siblings would involuntarily watch and listen to the routine day to day, back-and-fourth disagreements between my parents and I. And, one day, this all too familiar routine was broken. My eldest brother’s voice filled one of the few silent moments left in our home.

My brother swooped into the kitchen one afternoon, after witnessing a normal interaction between my parents and I, and with a voice that was both smooth and calm, he told me, “Not every moment is a time to talk back. Sometimes a simple okay and sitting with your thoughts after the conversation is a response within itself.” What he intended to be a quick thirty second interaction, I kept as a lifetime of guidance.

It was at that moment that a seed was planted for my continued growth in relationship development. I now know that every situation does not require my input or response. My brother’s words will forever guide me. There is value and many lessons in the quiet spaces of life. The people in our lives, often time, deserve our undivided attention, not a quick-witted response. My brother’s guidance transferred into an integral part of my personal growth.