Pierce 1

Brooklyn Pierce
Professor Scott
English Comp TR 10:30
6 February 2015
Pierce, Brooklyn. Four Wheels, Three Lessons. 6 Feb. 2015.
I wrote this essay in my Composition class my freshman year of college. By then my
writing had improved significantly but werent up to 100%. I chose this topic because it had
impacted my life and taught me three lessons. I wish I wouldve spent more time writing this
paper and composed more drafts. If I were to write about this topic now, since I have had more
experience writing, I think this paper would be much improved.
Four Wheels, Three Lessons
Six years ago I had an intense four-wheeling accident that changed my life. I grew up on
a dairy farm and my grandparents had tractors, golf carts, four-wheelers and numerous other
safety hazards around. One day I decided to drive one of the four-wheelers home through the
pasture that connects the farm to my fathers house. I was driving extremely fast and I had no
chance of slowing down before I went over the hill. The next thing I know, I was laying on the
crisp evening grass trying to figure out what was going on. I was so bewildered by what had
happened I hadnt noticed that this massive ATV was on top of me. Being twelve years old and
maybe a hundred pounds, there was no way I was getting this substantial weight off of me alone.
There was nothing I could do but wait, I was desperately yelling for help but I was so far away
from the house no one could hear me. The weight was crushing my fragile rib cage and starting
to cause trouble breathing. This four-wheeling accident taught me patience, thankfulness and
caution.

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The traumatic mishap taught me patience. I was out in the pasture alone for close to an
hour with the weight of the ATV and the thought of what was going to happen when someone
found me. I was yelling for help and I could see my cousins outside but they couldnt hear me, I
was too deep into the pasture for them to hear my screams for help. I think the worst part about
having to wait was how heavy the four-wheeler started to feel. I would try to move and get it off
but it wouldnt budge. When my dad finally drove through the pasture he saw me and ran over to
relieve the pressure of the four-wheeler. After the accident I had to be understanding of my
fathers hesitance to trust me again. It was a long few months before my dad let me drive
anything again. I am glad this taught me patience and understanding, these two things are very
important to traits to possess. Not only did I learn patience, I learned to be thankful as well.
The wreck taught me how to be thankful. It was one of those experiences that really made
me think about what is important in life. I was so lucky to not be seriously hurt, I walked away
with my back completely bruised from the crushing weight of the four-wheeler but I didnt break
any bones and didnt have any injuries from the actual flipping and for that I am very blessed. If
my dad hadnt went out to feed cows in the same pasture that I was laying helpless, I cant
imagine how long I would have been in the pasture. Still to this day, I am thankful for my dad.
The experience is important to me because it was truly life-changing. I havent been the same
since. More than anything, I am extremely thankful and blessed the wreck happened the way it
did.
After the incident, I was very cautious. I always have the image in my head of what could
have happened to me on that day and I now take more precautions. I learned to take it slow and
not drive like a maniac through the pastures any more. When I got my drivers license, I tried to
use the same precautions while driving a car. By this wreck teaching me caution, I hope that

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when other people hear what happened to me they will be more cautious as well. In the end
every thing was okay and I learned to be more cautious of my surroundings and what can
happen.
My four-wheeling accident taught me to be patient, thankful and cautious. I learned the
importance of all three of those traits that day and for that I am grateful. I learned to be more
patient because I had to wait for someone to help get the ATV off of my back, I learned to be
thankful for what I have because the wreck couldve been so much worse, it is surprising that I
wasnt seriously injured. But the most useful tool I learned that day was to be more cautious.
When I am texting and driving or something worse, I think of that day and how scary the crash
was and I focus on driving and being carful. I am glad this substantial experience had such a big
impact on me. Growing up on a farm taught me a lot of useful life skills that I am still thankful
for today. Learn from the experience I told you about today and be aware of what is going on
while driving any motorized vehicle.