Sister – a star
My sister was not only bright but also was good at teaching since she was little. She’d come home from school and teach me what she learned at school. I could read and write, make additions, and subtractions way before I started school four years after my sister. She applied praise as a tool to motivate me. When I was about four years old, I drew a picture of a blue bird flying over small houses, which image came solely out of my imagination. My sister was impressed and told adults around us how talented I was to have drawn a picture without looking at the object and have brought the bird in perspective to the houses below. I was elated by her praise and craved for more of her approval. She always brought back new knowledge, challenges, and ideas. I looked up to her as a star. And it was my joy to forever trying to catch up on her.