The Measure Of Success Is Happiness And Strong Ties

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To a modern America student of my age, this would sound crazy when I state that the measure of success is happiness and strong ties in family and not possessions. Looking back to where I come from, where I want to go and where I am now, I know I will go very far. What makes this statement hold is that at least I look back and say that as much as I am not where I want to be, I am not where I used to be. Apart from the ethnic identity, or racial identity or other factors people base their identities on, my identity has been shaped by my family, friends, culture and personal interests.
The influence culture and family has on a person is in morals, responsibilities, ethics and sense of humor among others. Friends influence the social lifestyle of an individual at a greater extent. Personal interests determine the amount of stamina a person will put in their life activities to attain success. My life story started when I was born, however, the significant part my life story that has contributed to get to where I am started when I was seven years old. At 7, I always wanted to be the center of attraction to everybody. My mother kept on referring to me silly. I wanted to get people’s attention since my mom’s attention swayed on to other things that I have never understood up to now.
I attracted my grandmother who gave me all her attention. My relationship with my grandmother was so strong though my mother kept on despising it. I wished I had been brought up by my grandmother. As much as my mother provided everything I needed, I was tired of talking to the playing instruments in my bedroom. I am an extrovert by nature and being forced into an introverted world meant something else to me. Towards the end of my 7th year, my grandmother committed suicide. This was a blow! Up to now, I am still finding out what made her do that.
The demise made me to start accepting the life I was born into. I stayed alone, being the only child. I talked to myself and created virtual friends that we chatted and played the whole day especially those days when I was not in school. Time passed and I grew up. It was time to join high school. By the end of the first month in high school, I had made a few friends. My company changed my life a lot. I sometimes wish that had it that my grandmother had not passed on when I was a tender age, maybe she could have helped to making sound choices in life.
I don’t know how it happened but I can say that I used to see my friends do it, why not me. Within a period of three months in high school, I became a strong addict of marijuana. I took all kinds of alcohol to a point that I stayed drowsy the whole day. I minimally attended classes and whenever it happened I never got anything. I was at the best of hangovers. I was expelled from school with a few of my friends.