I am an advocate of hard work. That's pretty funny because I am one of the laziest human beings you will ever meet. I never pick up my room. I always have to be informed to take out the trash. I fail to keep my promises on time. Yet, I support hard work.
I guess it's because watching other people work hard to their fullest potential inspires me to the point that my all-time low self-esteem experiences a slight lift. Hardworking people awe me more than prodigies. Genius is overrated folks. Even Mozart put in 10,000 hours of practicing before initiating his musical career.
Many of us ask ourselves, "Ok, they work hard, but what's in it for me?" And I just can't help but shake my head sadly at how brutally selfish and narrow-minded us adolescents are. I sadly admit that I am one of the most selfish people that I know. I find myself indulging in trivial matters when I can be devoting my time honing my intellectual capacities and musical abilities.
The lazy student does not, cannot, and will not understand why he has to put in the workload for his subjects at school. All that matters is that, that one extra honors class is going to cost him a weekend of loafing around or that one book to read is going to reduce an hour of his usual 3-hour long TV marathon. He does not bring into mind that by succeeding academically, he is doing not only himself a big favor, but also to the people who love and treasure him the most: his parents.
Our parents are very under-appreciated. We fail to realize that they are sagacious people. Through our hormone-induced vision, we view them as grouchy pricks. This is wrong. They were the ones who conceived us in the first place. Think of your mother. Can you imagine how much pain she must have been through just to give birth to you? Why, she could have decided she didn't want a baby at all. Yet, she endured all that pain just so you could experience this world.
Our parents are the only ones who love us unconditionally. They feed us, they shelter us, they shower us with their undying support. True, some other parents may show these qualities in questionable ways but no matter how "Asian" or anal the parent may be, their sole purpose is to guarantee that their child will have a good life in the future.
If we do not work hard, we have no right whatsoever to demand favors from our parents. If we do not work hard, our parents will no longer be obligated to feed us and guide us. Many of you parent-haters and individualists may rail against my argument, but hear me out. Your parents love you, and they will love you forever no matter what.
Don't belittle studious asian kids. They are merely repaying the tremendous deed their parents have bestowed upon them. Try to refrain from talking back to your mom next time. She means well. Listen to your dad's advice for a change. He means well. I have failed to do these things many times and I regret them to the core of my bone.
I love my mom and dad. They deserve so much more than what they are getting from me now. I long to repay them one day. The least I can do right now is to apply myself and work hard. As corny as it may sound, that is the only way I can make myself and them happy.
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