My Influencer and Inspiration: the Role of a Mentor in My Life

A mentor is someone who teaches or gives help and advice to a less experienced and often younger person. Someone who had been a significant mentor in my life was my mom’s close friend; cate yousef. I grew up with my two brothers in atlanta georgia. cat was a woman who led by example and possessed all the qualities I wish to have. Her excellent mentoring taught me how to have confidence in myself and how to be my own person which prepared me to face plenty of things in my life.

Around a time when I was ten years old, my parents registered me for a flute recital. It was arranged for me to play one of Bach’s pieces. I was terrified. Having two years of practicing playing the piano, in my opinion did not prepare me to perform in front of a large crowd. As a child I was very shy, and used to get bullied at school. my mentor understood this and she knew how hard it would be for me to perform. She took extra time out of her busy schedule working as a high school history teacher, and practiced with me piano skills everyday for a week before the concert. She also taught me tricks she used to calm herself when she was nervous.

Thinking positively was her key advice. She assured me that if I would think better and open-mindedly, my mind will accept the thoughts, and my body instantaneously will follow the belief. So the time came, January 14, when I had to perform. I was to go out on stage right after the other boy’s performance on the flute. As I was standing behind the curtains up on the stage, I felt my heart beating rapidly, my knees shaking and my palms sweating. I wanted to run away or for the piano to break because I didn't want to play.

However, I remembered how much time and effort my mentor put in me. All the hours we spent together playing the same notes over and over again, I realized that I cannot disappoint her. I took a deep breath and told myself that those people sitting will enjoy my performance, they will clap, I will play them the best Bach they have ever heard! By the time when my turn came, I was eager to go up onto the stage.

When I got up onto the stage I saw my mentor right in the front of that quiet crowd, I instantly felt better. I started playing and they loved it, at the end everyone clapped for me, especially my mentor. After the performance we went to get some ice cream to celebrate. The next day I got all my school supplies stolen from me by my bully. When I got home, I told my mom everything that happened to me and she was livid. The first thing my mom did was call my mentor. The two of them went to my school the next day to talk to the bully and his parents. After we sorted everything out with the teacher the bully never bothered me again. My mentor was like a second mom to me.

A few years past and soon we found out that my mentor had stage 3 cancer. It wasn't long before the house visits turned into hospital visits. It's been a little over 3 weeks since my last visit, so I told my mom I wanted to see her. After that time it was the last time I ever saw my mentor. I went to her funeral which was held in the church we all went to every sunday.