Small World, Big Decisions

In the novel, Enrique’s Journey, there are many life altering choices that need to be made and sometimes not for the better.  Maria Isabel, Enrique’s girlfriend, is faced with a tough decision of leaving her daughter Jasmin in Honduras and living a poorer life, or travelling to the United States to be with Enrique to rebuild their relationship and make money faster to provide for Jasmin.  Enrique pleads to her through the phone for her to join her, “’Together we will provide her a better life’” (237 Nazario).  She decides to go for Jasmin’s sake and swears to herself she won’t miss too much of her childhood like Lourde missed Enrique’s and Belky’s.  It proves to be hard on her when she leaves because she cries in the presence of Jasmin and doesn’t say goodbye in hope it won’t be final. 

Although I have never had to make a decision as great as Maria Isabel had to make, I have had had to make some hard ones.  When I was in second grade we lived in Brussels, Belgium and my dad’s work gave us the opportunity to move to Hawaii at the end of the year or stay another year in Brussels but he would not be promoted again.  I faced the ultimate decision: moving to Hawaii for two years and not seeing my dad as much, or stay in Brussels another year and have my dad retire and spend more time with me.  I chose to stay in Brussels another year with my friends and have my dad retire after I finished third grade and spend more time with him.  My parents agreed with what I had decided and told me they were hoping I would choose that.  Have you ever had to make a decision that affected your future?