DELIGHT O (10S)

Whenever someone gives a speech on an inspirational black person, they nearly always mention Martin Luther King or Rosa Parks. Not that they’re not inspirational people who have shaped Black history as we know it, but we hear about them all the time. However, the person who has truly inspired me, despite my lack of desire to go into their field, is Serena Williams. She has had a great impact on my view of life and has inspired me so much. This includes the qualities she possesses, her devotion to her profession, her perseverance in achieving her goals, and rising to the top, winning 23 Grand Slams, taking the top spot in 2002.

The movie King Richard was what made me really inspired by her. It depicted Venus and Serena Williams' perseverance, determination and willingness to follow their parents' instruction to the T. It made it extremely clear to me that I should never become complacent and should be thankful for every opportunity since I never know where it will take me.

It also made me realise how much my parents have done for me and how much they’ve sacrificed. In the film, Will Smith plays the role of the father who pushes his kids even when it didn't seem right or was difficult, but it paid off effortlessly. This also teaches me how I need to work ten times harder and have gratitude for everything so I can show my parents that their efforts don't go unnoticed.

One famous quote from a popular film that relates very heavily to Serena Williams is - “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world." In other words, as people, we fear what benefits us, things that make us stand out and we all have that light in us, whether small or big, or whether discovered or undiscovered, it's in there, and it's what we do with it that really matters.

This is exactly what Serena did. She used the light she was given, and it got her to places that she thought were unimaginable and unreachable.

So, I leave you with this: what light do you have? And how do you use it to enlighten others instead of hiding it inside?

Thank you for listening and God bless.