Who I admire the most and Why?

When a nation gives birth to a man who is able to produce a great thought, another is born who is able to understand and admire it”, Joseph Joubert. Have you ever thought of the person who you admire the most, and have you thought of the reasons why you admire that person? I asked those same questions to myself. Who do I admire, and why?” I realized that the person I admire the most is my Grandfather. I admire him because he’s the foundation of my life. I also admire him for being a freedom fighter and for being the best teacher I ever had.

When I was growing up my mother left to visit my father’s side of our family in a different city. The visit lasted for six months. While she was gone I was under the care of my grandfather. He was the one who made sure I didn’t need anything and he also made sure I was going to school everyday as well as doing my homework. My grandfather had a large part of raising me because I was with him in this important stage of my life. He was with me when I needed a person to be my father, mother, and my teacher. He was all this and more, not only for these six months, but for all of my life. I call him the foundation of my life because he have built my life on the principles that he taught me and for this I am so very thankful to him and I admire him dearly.

He wasn’t only the foundation of my life, but also he was a freedom fighter for my country. In 1976 he fought in the war between the Western Sahara, and Morocco. He left his family and his new bride when he went to war. This war cost him his sight, his legs, and his health. He made this sacrifice because of his belief in freedom for my nation, and for my people. He also fought for the rights of women in our society as well as in my family. He instructed the elderly men of our family and tribe to release the young women from arranged marriages, and encouraged the women to pursue their dreams and to study no matter if it was in the refugee camps or abroad. He’s the reason why I am here today, and why I have such determination to pursue my dreams of an education, and to build a future for myself, my family and my nation. He was the one who believed and fought for the principle of freedom and through that he became my inspiration to do the same. For this I admire him greatly.

Along with being the Foundation, and Freedom fighter he was also my teacher. A teacher that taught me the most important principles of life, respect for others, integrity and character. Those principles have become my best friend in everyday life. Not only did he teach me those principles, but he also taught them to every single member in my family. Because of his gifts my family, tribal members and our leaders rely on his intelligence, wisdom, and his knowledge of the history of our nation, tribe, and the customs of my culture. While I was growing up I have always saw my grandfather’s tent full of people, young and old, listening to his lectures. I also saw many elderly people from my tribe coming and asking him for advice and his blessing on important occasions like a child’s birth, wedding or resolution to a conflict between tribes. He was always trusted with such things. Because of this I have come to love him, and respect him very much.

I have come to admire my grandfather because he has shaped my life and given me my core values. He gave me the strength and courage to face the difficult situations that I encounter. He has shown me the importance of helping other people and sacrificing for others. He has been my guide and inspiration. For these reasons I admire my grandfather. So as Joseph Joubert said “one person is born who is able to introduce great thoughts, and another is born to understand, and admire them.” Let us be the ones who understand the thoughts of the people who we admire the most, and through this understanding and admiration grow into the person that they would be proud of.

From the Blog Free Western Sahara by Agaila Abba Hemeida