<p>Topic: Describe a person who has influenced you and how it has impacted you.</p>
<p>I have never been influenced by someone so deeply and genuinely as my karate instructor, Sensei Debby Veneroso. In the past six years of taking karate, I have spent a great deal of time with her, inside and outside of class. I know her not only as a karate teacher but also as a person. Having the opportunity to meet her has been truly significant in my life.
My teacher has been through a great deal of hardships in her life, from being raped to being beaten up, multiple times by the same man. As a student, I never thought she would open up to me about her past as she did. I was completely and utterly in shock when she had finished telling me her story. I wanted to say something to make her feel better, but I was speechless. All I could say was “I am so sorry.” That night, after thinking about what had happened to her, I decided to email her and tell her what I could not tell her before. She has been through so much in her life, yet she is one of the strongest people I know. Her past, as unfortunate as it was, shaped her into who she is today. She has been taking karate ever since she was a young girl and is now a fourth degree black belt. For the majority of her life, she worked as a cop, using her karate skills often and now she works as a manager for IT.
Before I started taking karate, I was an introverted, nervous girl. Now, after six years, I have become more outspoken and bold. I used to be afraid to compete in tournaments, always fearful that I would get hurt or that I would not win. With the encouragement of my Sensei (teacher) though, I was always able to remain strong and try my best. She taught me to not be afraid of anything or anyone, but to keep my head held high as if there was nothing in the world that could or would hold me back. I have also learned to never let my past hinder me from moving forward and becoming the person I am meant to be one day. I have trained with my teacher for six years and I have gained the utmost respect for her. Her strength, her confidence, and her aura are all just so amazing. She is the definition of a strong, beautiful, modern woman.
In class, we learn discipline and self control. We learn how to positively channel our strength. I never thought that I would be able to possibly defend myself against anyone, but I am progressing slowly to that point. I am working towards one day being able to use my self defense techniques if ever need be. My karate teacher is helping me work towards this goal. Class is rigorous and tiring, but very productive and helpful, keeping me active and strong. Every time I make a mistake or I feel like giving up, my teacher is always there to push me forward and to provide me with words of encouragement.
The impact my Sensei has had on me is apparent in every aspect of my life. My confidence level and belief in myself have greatly increased, allowing me to perform better in all tasks in my life. Having my Sensei by my side has helped me greatly and her influence in my life will be something I will always remember. I look at life differently because of her. I believe more strongly now that women are just as powerful as men and that if you put your mind to something, you can achieve anything. Just like my Sensei never gave up in life, I will never give up on my dreams.</p>