On December 20, 1972 my mom, Julia Gonzalez, was born. She had to grow up with no real mom or dad in her life. Life was difficult for her in Mexico, causing her to go through some daily challenges that most people here in the U.S. have never truly experienced. Even in adulthood, she has still had to overcome obstacles and challenges that have faced her. For example, the death of her grandmother or the infidelity of my dad, are two adversities that she has had to overcome. Despite this, my mom has shown courage and bravery, though her small appearance wouldn’t make one expect it, and she’s always followed God her whole life.
At first sight, my mom may not look like an idol or a hero, considering her small height and frame. She may look nothing like the epic hero Odysseus, but one can still notice familiar traits by the similar acts accomplished by both. Odysseus had to go through many challenges on his way home to Ithika. My mom has had to face plenty of problems like working more than one job and learning how to speak English at the same time. All that hard work has paid off as she has helped make life for her kids as easy as possible today. Perseverance and effort has always been shown by her in the challenges she has overcome.
My mom has already inspired some people around her. Noelia, her daughter, said, “She’s been through a lot of tough times in her life; however, she has turned to God and gotten past them all.” She always shows that she doesn’t give up. Fidel, her nephew, “I’m really glad that she recently helped me start my confirmation preparation.” My mom is always willing to help people out. My dad has said, “She is a fighter and never quits at whatever she does.”
My mom may not have defeated a Cyclops or become a praised person by everybody with the help of a Greek god. She has turned to God though in the biggest struggles of her life. A few years ago, an unfortunate event happened that caused big problems in the marriage of my parents. Because of these happenings, my mom had to find a way to forgive my dad for his infidelity. She turned to God for help, prayed and prayed, and eventually forgave my dad. The death of her grandmother was also a tragic experience for my mom. Again, she turned to God for help when it happened. It helped her get past the tough period of time after the death of her “mother” and role model. This showed all the people around her that if you follow God and never give up, you can do anything.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This is a verse from the bible, Philippines 4:13. My mom lives by this quote because she truly believes in exactly what it says. She tries to use and perform the values her grandmother taught her while growing up. She was a good role model for my mom, and my mom is a good role model for a lot of people today.