I really value my relationship with my parents. The role of my parents and siblings in my life can hardly be overstated. To begin with, I must say that my parents have always been very supportive. Your opinion has always played an important role in my decision-making process. Whenever I had a problematic situation throughout my life, I necessarily talked to my parents about a topic that generated an apparently insoluble dilemma. I could go talk to my father about almost anything. When I was in high school and actually throughout my college career, my parents used to give me valuable advice on what kind of men I should choose for relationships, what classes I should take, and what clothes I should wear. They always taught me something. I can’t say that I necessarily followed his advice. The last source I always refer to when I have to make an important decision is my own brain. I think I’m smart and experienced enough to make my own decisions. However, it is always important to consult my parents simply because they might give me a different perspective that I would never have thought of on my own. Although your input may not be exactly what I’m looking for at a particular time in my life, your input is extremely valuable. It’s hard to explain, but sometimes when I find myself in a really complex position and feel like I know the answer to a question that’s haunting me, I’m going to talk to my parents anyway. Most of the time I am totally sure that I will not follow their advice and that my own decision will be the one that I will make eventually, but it is important to me that my parents listen to my story and contribute to my decision. In other words, there are times when I need to talk to someone. My parents and siblings are the only people I will select for that role.

My parents and siblings give me great moral support in times of difficulty. However, the role of these people in my life is not limited to comforting me when I cannot find a way out of a complex situation. My relationship with my brother and sister is somewhat different. Of course, my brother and sister are very supportive in almost any situation and I’m sure they are the people I can count on should I have a dilemma to deal with. However, there has always been tremendous competition between us in the family. It was always vital for me to surpass my brothers in almost all aspects of life. When I was a high school student, I felt like I needed to get better grades in all the classes we took together. When it came time to choose a university to apply to, I always had to know which schools my brother and sister applied to so I could apply to a better one. That supreme desire to be the best in the family has always dominated my personality. At this point I can’t say for sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing. Sometimes I excelled at something and that gave me enormous satisfaction. Other times I suffered considerable failure and that completely devastated me. However, now that I can look back over my entire life and consciously evaluate everything I’ve done, I can confidently state that I wouldn’t have accomplished most of the things I’ve done in my life if I hadn’t had my brothers. They were the source of my energy and drive that motivated and inspired me to persevere and keep going, even when the situation was bleak and hopeless. My brother and sister are those people I have to thank for almost everything I have achieved throughout my life. I didn’t realize that when I was younger. Now I can clearly see his role in my life.