Living Without Financial Stability

Xena Giegerich, third place

“Financial stability is much more about doing the best with what you have and not about achieving a certain level of income.” -Erik Wecks I am 14 now, and I’ve lived in poverty ever since I was 8. I’m always afraid to do activities because it costs money. I’m not able to travel because we can’t afford it, and sometimes we struggle with meals because we don’t always have enough money to go shopping.

Some nights I sit in the kitchen and watch my mom cry while she cooks dinner knowing I can’t do anything to help her. Ever since my parents separated I’ve strived to do better. I’ve strived for good grades, scared to disappoint my mom. I strive for good grades knowing that I can get a good job that pays well. Then I can help my mom. I can bring my family out of poverty.

While living in this position, I have learned to strive for better, to not let the way I live now affect what I want in life and what I want to do with my life. I want to be financially stable, I want to be able to tell my mom that I can pay for groceries. I don’t want to watch my mom cry while making food knowing I can’t help. I learned never to let the way I live now affect how I want my future to be. While living in poverty I have gained resilience learning never to give up. Living life through poverty my values have changed, and I have learned so much. I have learned to appreciate what I have and all my mom has done for me and my little brother.

I want to live my life better to strive for financial stability. I strive to get a job that pays really well. I want to be able to afford a nice house for myself and my mom. I want to be able to afford food. I don’t want to worry about whether I’m going to have food to eat that night. I want to have financial stability and to be able to take care of my mom when needed. I don’t want to have to pretend that I don’t want to do activities because I can’t afford it. I want to be able to look at my mom and say I can pay for dinner, groceries, and the house bills. I want to be so financially stable that I forget it’s payday.