It took me eighteen years to realize what an extraordinary influence my mother has

been on my life. She's the kind of person who has thoughtful discussions about which

artist she would most want to have her portrait painted by (Sargent), the kind of mother

who always has time for her four children, and the kind of community leader who has a

seat on the board of every major project to assist Washington's impoverished citizens.

Growing up with such a strong role model, I developed many of her enthusiasms. I not

only came to love the excitement of learning simply for the sake of knowing something

new, but I also came to understand the idea of giving back to the community in

exchange for a new sense of life, love, and spirit.

My mother's enthusiasm for learning is most apparent in travel. I was nine years old

when my family visited Greece. Every night for three weeks before the trip, my older

brother Peter and I sat with my mother on her bed reading Greek myths and taking

notes on the Greek Gods. Despite the fact that we were traveling with fourteen-month-

old twins, we managed to be at each ruin when the site opened at sunrise. I vividly

remember standing in an empty amphitheatre pretending to be an ancient tragedian,

picking out my favorite sculpture in the Acropolis museum, and inserting our family

into modified tales of the battle at Troy. Eight years and half a dozen passport stamps

later I have come to value what I have learned on these journeys about global history,

politics and culture, as well as my family and myself.

While I treasure the various worlds my mother has opened to me abroad, my life has

been equally transformed by what she has shown me just two miles from my house. As

a ten year old, I often accompanied my mother to (name deleted), a local soup kitchen

and children's center. While she attended meetings, I helped with the Summer Program

by chasing children around the building and performing magic tricks. Having finally

perfected the "floating paintbrush" trick, I began work as a full time volunteer with the

five and six year old children last June. It is here that I met Jane Doe, an exceptionally

strong girl with a vigor that is contagious. At the end of the summer, I decided to

continue my work at (name deleted) as Jane's tutor. Although the position is often

difficult, the personal rewards are beyond articulation. In the seven years since I first

walked through the doors of (name deleted), I have learned not only the idea of giving

to others, but also of deriving from them a sense of spirit.

Everything that my mother has ever done has been overshadowed by the thought

behind it. While the raw experiences I have had at home and abroad have been

spectacular, I have learned to truly value them by watching my mother. She has

enriched my life with her passion for learning, and changed it with her devotion to

humanity. In her endless love of everything and everyone she is touched by, I have seen

a hope and life that is truly exceptional. Next year, I will find a new home miles away.

However, my mother will always be by my side.