Events That Shaped Your Personality — ICSE Reflective Essay

Events of the past portend the future, sometimes giving new direction to our life altogether. The humiliating experience of being thrown out of a train because of his colour, strengthened Mahatma Gandhi’s resolve to fight the British. The rest was history. Thus often unseemly incidents influence our life and personality.

Looking back at the last ten years of my life, I distinctly recall an incident when I was studying in class VI. My father had presented me a new bicycle on my birthday. Being my only worldly possession, I embellished it with a new bright coloured seat and chain cover. Cycling to school in my characteristic flamboyant style, I parked it in the cycle stand, as my friends looked on with envy. After the school got over, I ran to collect it, from the stand, but Lo and behold! There was no trace of it. My heart skipped a beat, as I looked around fugitively, but it had just vanished into thin air. I lodged a report with the school authorities, who in turn called the police, but all in vain. I was reprimanded for my carelessness in not locking the cycle while parking it. Ever since recalling the incident embarrasses me. However, it has taught me the virtue of being careful and cautious. Gone is my flamboyance, for I am now more sober and fastidious.

The other incident happened just two years ago, when I fell severely ill. I was running high fever for nearly a month, which the doctors were unable to diagnose. All tests for malaria or jaundice proved negative. The long hours of solitude in the hospital, made me restless and ill tempered. My mother consoled and prayed for me. Initially I ridiculed her for it, but her firm resolve and faith in the Almighty, finally moved me. She read the Ramayana, and the Mahabharata to me, which strengthened my resolve to fight the illness. It also gave me new insight into life, and strengthened my will to fight against odds. I found myself praying, a thing I had never done till then. By the end of the month I had recovered from the mysterious disease, which was soon diagnosed to be meningitis. The days spent in the hospital, were indeed the most horrifying. The pain, suffering and solitude, made my life very miserable. However, I was able to bear it because of my new found faith in God.

These two incidents have proved to be important milestones in my life. They have profoundly influenced my personality, making me sober, cautious, humble, and God fearing.