I Believe That Anything is Possible
Luca Asaro
Luca Asaro
I believe that anything is possible.
There was a point in my life that I would have said that was ridiculous. I was logical, skeptical,
and I thought I knew exactly what could be done, and what couldn’t. My transformation was an
abrupt one: a near death experience.
During January of 2016, not a week after my fifth birthday, I got very sick. I never
complained of pain or irritation as a child, so we didn’t catch it until too late. I was hospitalized
with otitis media and cerebral thrombosis, or an ear infection and a blood clot in the brain. I lost
the ability to walk, and I spent two straight weeks in the hospital bed attached to a whole rack of
IVs. I received three injections per day, and my mother would bring me snow from outside to
play with afterward as a treat. Each evening, she would take me to the window and hold me
close as we watched the sunset. I often saw her crying, and I, being a five year old, tried to
comfort her. “It’s okay, mama,” I would say, “I’ll be better by Leo’s birthday and it’ll be okay.” I
did, in fact, go home for my brother’s birthday on the 21st, but I returned that night in an
ambulance to spend another week in the hospital. Even afterward, I had a portable IV called a
PICC line in my right arm for six months, and had to take three syringes a day of the most
disgusting oral antibiotics known to man. I didn’t know it at the time, but nearly every doctor
there expected me not to recover. I would be disabled for life, or worse, not leave the hospital at
all.
And yet, here I am- without any aftereffects, except for the PICC line’s scar. Somehow,
through the grace of God, I defied all expectations and got better. It showed me an important
lesson: if surviving otitis media and cerebral thrombosis at the same time at five years old was
possible, what isn’t? It gave me confidence. So, since then, I’ve lived with that philosophy at the
forefront of my mind. This lack of fear and stress allows me to set high hopes and goals for
myself, which, in turn, lead me to great success. My attitude has changed from “it can’t be done” and “what if x happens” to “I’ll fix it” and “what could go wrong?” I have no stage fright, no work anxiety, no lax in focus, and an “of course I can do it” mindset.
Even this spring, during high school applications, I had to take four standardized tests
and write six essays. I pushed away from thinking about how much it was and how I might not
get accepted, and took it one step at a time. After several weeks of anticipation, I got my
responses back. I was accepted by six of the seven of the STEM and IB programs I applied to.
But then, as usual, I had the next problem on my list. What school do I choose? I deliberated for
days. Again, I wanted only to make the right choice. Eventually, I landed on Blair’s STEM
program, and I still stand with my selection.
Over the years, I’ve had many experiences that have been affected by my belief: at five;
my first day of school; at eight, my first standardized test; at ten, the first time I sang for an
audience; at twelve, my Exhibition for the IB Primary Years Program; and all the projects and
first-times in between. Even with the trouble that came with those, I wouldn’t give them up for
the world; they’ve made me who I am. I seek out accomplishment, and I know I can tackle high
obstacles. Through it all, the same lesson has held true: impossible odds don’t exist- anything
and everything can be done.