Believe me; a year ago I was completely different. Perhaps you would talk to me several times and I would reply with a monotonous tone without showing any facial expressions, yes? You might also see my scrunched face greeting you in the morning as if I never wanted to see you in the first place. If you've met me a year ago, I am utterly unrecognizable.
Ethel in 2016 was described by her peers as a "Walking Sunshine". She was the life of the group. She can restrain herself yet she was loud—most especially when you hear her booming laughter inside their cafeteria that echoes through the walls. I remember the time when she was picked to host a local event in her past school; she did it flawlessly for she was confident in her own skin. She could do anything in public. Imagine her dancing imperfectly whilst there are people watching her. Ethel’s fondest moments were the times wherein she wouldn’t be scared of how people would think of her because in her mind, she knows herself better than the rest of them. Furthermore, her colleagues also described her as a person with a creative wit because of her humor. I believe that it is one of her charms—being funny. But, she also has her own flaws. Although Ethel conversed with vulgar words, she doesn’t speak for herself. She was also at ease of doing such things because she was protecting herself inside her comfort zone.
However, people change and so does she. Ethel began to pretend that she was this woman who was the epitome of grace—until she became it. She began to lose her loudness, her humor and herself. Ethel lost her sparkle and she felt that if she tried to redeem herself back, it wouldn’t be the same.
... I became a stranger to my own self.
On the other hand, I learned numerous things. I began to think maturely. Ethel in 2016 couldn’t bear the idea of being alone because she knows that there are people beside her that would always guide her. I also became independent of those people because I realized that I can stand on my own. Although I tend to look back, I am entirely proud of whom I become.
And I’ll always know that I, Ethel, will forever be a unique mixture of sophistication and witty humor.
