Cause and Effect Essay

A Constant Truth

“If you expect to find a good job, you must study hard.” My mother always says this sentence to my siblings and me. My mother thinks it is a constant truth. Why does she think education is the most important part of our lives? This is due to her experience of growing up. When I was in kindergarten, my mother always told me about her childhood. About fifty years ago, my mother was born in China. During that time, it was not a peaceful situation. The Culture Revolution was started by Chairman Mao. He believed that people didn’t need to be educated and he became suspicious of intellectuals and educations. In fact, he sent teachers to prison and burned many books. The revolution affected many aspects, but education was one of most important part. Thus, this revolution had a significant influence on the education of my family.

During the revolution, my mother lost the opportunity to get an education and experienced a tough period. First, my mother had to drop her classes in school. The ten years of the revolution almost damaged the whole education system. Most of the schools were suspended and destroyed. My mother left school when she was in primary school. Because she lacked education, she couldn’t find any good job. Thus, her life became hard. My mother stayed at home and helped her family to do the farm work. Everyday my mother had to cut the trees and walk three miles to sell them. In addition, she had to plant and take care of the crops in the hot sun. Up to now, my mother has a thin body and bronze skin. Due to her difficult childhood, my mother has a strong belief to help her children to get the good education.

For this reason, my mother formulated an educational plan for her children. Until my family moved to Chicago, my siblings and I were studying at school. However, it was not cheap to pay tuition for three children. My mother and father both left school when they were studying in the primary school.  They didn’t have a good education and could only work in the handicraft industry and farm work. In our Guangdong province, some of my classmates only finished high school, and even some of them only finished middle schools, because they had to find a job to help their family. Nevertheless, my mother never agreed with these thoughts. She thinks the children should have a good education and then they can find a good job to change the life by themselves. In fact, university tuition was a burden for a low-income family. To pay my university tuition, my mother saved every penny and never bought new clothes before the old ones were worn out. So far, my mother has never changes her mind.

Finally, my mother’s belief has infiltrated into my life and has pushed me to insist on studying. When my family moved to Chicago, it was a big problem for me. I had almost finished my bachelor degree in accounting before I moved to Chicago. At that time, everything seemed good, and I thought I would have a smooth future. However, I never regret moving to Chicago. As a matter of fact, I know I should learn new things, but I also know they can open my vision. Moreover, my mother’s words still embrace me. Every time I want to give up my studying, I recall my mother’s small appearance. It seems to tell me to finish my mother’s will.

In fact, The Culture Revolution was an event that has influenced many generations in China. My mother’s experience is a model for my siblings and me. Education has always played an important role in my family. Everyone in my family believes “If you expect to find a good job, you must study hard.” It is a constant truth that exists in my family. In the future, it will be delivered to my children. I am sure it will be passed from generation to generation.