Have you ever played a treasure hunt game? It’s a scroll of paper with a map on it. You start from the beginning point and follow the roads to explore the map. As the treasure map unfolds, of course you will see junctions. To go to the right or go to the left? You have to make a choice. Our life is just like that game: right or left, to be or not to be? No matter what choices you make, they are just the beginnings. My life experience taught me: to get the life treasure, we must TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY!

Last semester, an evening student Tim came to me: “Kevin, Please, please, please let me pass your class.” I didn’t say yes; Instead, I encouraged him to study harder. “Kevin, I beg you. I know your heart is not made of stone. You are kind and you are nice. Most importantly, I really don’t want to take your class—The THIRD TIME!” I knew Tim worked at a night club. Every night his life is just like a Party Animal! I used to encourage him to quit his job so he could pay more attention to his education. Tim chose to keep both. But, he failed to make any effort after the choice was made. He cut classes; he didn’t turn in all his papers; and he did poorly on quizzes. That’s why he failed. Tim has to TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY for his choice. That’s also what we are learning every day. After a choice is made, if everything goes smoothly, Congratulations! Enjoy it! But if not, deal with it, make things right, and move on!

Tim’s case reminded me of my own choices. When I was in college, I majored in English language and literature. To be honest, I really didn’t know what my job would be when I graduated. The Future to me was uncertain. Once I passed a screening exam to become an English teacher in an elementary school. That was indeed a rare but good job opportunity. Margret, my girlfriend, suggested me: ‘Kevin, you should take the job. It’s a SUPER chance!’ My mom strongly urged me to take the job: ‘Kevin, this is a stable job with a great retirement plan’. But in my heart I had another choice. I wanted to go to the US to study for my master’s degree and that’s my dream. Every day Millions of people called me, from breakfast, lunch, to dinner. All of them were talking abou the same thing: ‘Kevin, GET THAT JOB!’ It seemed the whole world only saw that job, but nobody saw my dream. I faced two choices. One was the job and the other was my dream. The job was so sure and clear; yet my dream was far with no guaranteed result. Job/dream? If you were me what would you choose?  Eventually… I chose… my dream!

In the US it was really tough for me to catch up with my classmates. When they studied, I studied. When they went out and had fun, I studied. When they went to bed and slept, I STILL STUDIED!!! I studied 10 times harder than my American classmates. Finally all my hard work paid off. I was a straight A student and I got a 4.0 GPA. I got a job immediately when I graduated. My work performance was so impressive, so the board members promoted me and would like to sponsorg me a green card. I even got accepted to a prestigious Ph. D program. Just when everything seemed so perfect and promising…, my father… was diagnosed with cancer. Career or Family? I faced two choice again. My choice was immediately quit my job and came back to Taiwan. To take care of my seriously ill father, I found a low pay but easy job, so I could move in the hospital to stay with him for his last 6 months. After my father passed away, one morning, my boss called me from NY. ‘Kevin we want you to take over a department. So come back to the US. Quick!” My choice… was to stay in Taiwan and accompany my old mother. I tried my best to spend quality time with her, because she is now my most important family left. For all the choices I have made, I gave up a lot, but I knew exactly why I made those choices. I took full responsibility for them and I have no regret!

Ladies and gentlemen, every day we make various type of choices: your job, your car, and even your wife! To marry Margret or Julia, ……or Lady Gaga. As for me, I cautiously make choices for things I value the most. AFTER a choice is made, I STRIVE for it and manage all the challenges. Job / dream; career / family; the US / Taiwan. Sometimes we follow our heart to choose; sometimes we choose what we need to do. Nobody knows what the future is going to be like? All we can do is to take full responsibility and make our choices work. Because that’s our life, our choices, and our responsibility!

Contest Chair.

Word count: 863

Coach: Shang Su