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Julia Gillespie

Ms. J. Yates

AP English Language

28 May 2019

A Laugh that Changed A Life

Prompt: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal

growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

His wheelchair always got lodged in between the stone path on the way to grandma’s

back porch. The sundry Christmas dinner feast placed precariously along the dining room table

wasn’t in an easily digestible form. To participate in the uproar of giddish laughter that sang

through the basement stairwell as the cousins rambunctiously ran up and down wasn’t possible.

Every Christmas as my dad’s side of the family gathered to celebrate at my grandmother’s house

on the edge of Northport, I was left with the minimal understanding that my cousin Jack was

different. And that was that. He could not speak, like I could. He could not move, like I could.

He could not eat, run, jump, play, sing, explore, all like I, and everyone else could. In fact, he

could do almost nothing I could, except for hear and form unrecognizable sounds. But my

understanding stretched no further beyond the cruel idea that Jack was simply helpless, bounded

by his differences.

One year, for the annual Christmas gift exchange, I was tasked with buying a present for

Jack. My sister had Michael, and she was more than ecstatic to give him the scooter he had

wanted since the Summer. But what was I to give to someone who was incapable of everything I

had known? This confused me to no end. Months passed and no ideas surfaced, for how could

they, when I had had such a restricted and ignorant mindset?

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On Christmas morning, my mother brought me into my grandma’s guest bedroom where

we would stay during that year’s trip to Northport. She dragged her luggage to the edge of the

bed and removed a book titled The Night Before Christmas. She then proceeded to tell me that

would be what I was giving to Jack as that year’s present. But why, I thought to myself, would

Jack enjoy a book when he cannot read? My mom opened the book, and each page held a small

microphone made for voice and audio recordings. I spent the next half hour reading through the

book, stopping frequently to store my voice on every page.

Later that evening, after the whole family had ambled through my Grandma’s door (Jack

through the back porch ramp) and made themselves comfortable, we started the gift giving. The

kids went first and the room filled up with shredded wrapping paper, each kid excited to play

with their new treasures. Eventually, the time came for me to give Jack his confusing ,and

frankly, illogical present. When Jack’s mother opened the gift for him and turned the first page

of the book, my voice rose from the pages. Without any hesitation, Jack burst into outrageous

laughter. As his mom continued to flip the pages, his smile did not cease to waver for one

moment, and his laughter continued to roll throughout the room.

From the moment Jack’s laugh bellowed throughout my Grandma’s living room on that

Christmas day, I have never been blind to the abilities that each person holds, no matter their

differences. There is a true importance in looking for the gift in each of life’s challenges and

learning to create space in one's life to appreciate all that you have, no matter how little one may

believe they hold. My path was changed from one of ignorance and misunderstanding, to one of

gratitude, and a pursuit of gaining further perspective about the unique qualities of each person.

Since the day I learned Jack could laugh like no other, I have readily embraced the lesson I

learned, integrating the ability to view all circumstances as valuable, regardless of the seemingly
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overwhelming hardships, into my everyday life and my personal future. My passions are shaped

by Jack’s laugh, for I found a desire to align these lessons with my developing knowledge,

specifically medically, as I continue to progress with my education and beyond.