Essence Miller

Essence Sheile Miller- high school volleyball ( ())

My parents named my oldest sister Essence because the definition of Essence is spirit and my sister has the kind of spirit that draws people in. Essence is the kind of person who makes you rethink the phrase "nobody is perfect". She hasn't changed the world (yet) but just give her some time because she's not a normal girl either.

In her toddler years, from 1-3 years old Essence Miller was always being watched, loved, and protected from hate so it's no surprise that she grew up to be such a good person and had a close connection with everyone. In fact, on her first time trick-or-treating she gave her candy to the ladies passing it out! From 3-9, she moved around a lot, from Victorville to Riverside to Ontario etc., so she had to adapt to new schools like every year and she never got too attached to new people and places. This didn't stop her from making friends though. She made friends everywhere she went and everyone loved her. Then from 9 years old to now she's stayed in Ontario, participated in volleyball, cheerleading, track, dance, and jag jungle in high school, and made permanent friends.

Essence has never saved anyone from a burning building or defeated an evil villain but she is still heroic. She's helpful to my mom because she cleans up and takes care of my sisters and I. Essence is also helpful to me too. She gives me advice, offers to help me with my homework (not that I need it) when she's done with hers, or she just stays up with me until 2 in the morning. She's very determined, especially when facing a challenge like when she learned her multiplication even though she was 3 months behind or when she plays volleyball. This girl knows how to stay calm even when something bad happens and she has no idea what to do like when Heaven hit her head on a glass door and nearly fainted but Essence still took charge. She's also able to adapt to almost any condition. We all believe she is a gift from God himself but she is way too modest to let us call her that. She's apparently made mistakes too (I find that hard to believe).

Essence believes that I should want to be myself not her. She likes being called a hero though because one of her goals was to inspire her little sisters and that's a goal that she accomplished. She always wants to make other people happy and that's why Essence believes that she could always do better even if she did her best. Essence has this sort of special power that makes literally everyone she meets like her. It's one of the reasons she has so many friends. She is also very good at giving advice because she'll always tell you what she really thinks. She never sugarcoats anything, she just gives you an honest opinion. In addition, even as a shy little kid, she was never a follower. She never copied the newest style. Essence sets the trends and leads the pack ( the pack being her friends, her group, her class, her sisters, her fellow dancers, etc.) and she is a very good leader (once she stepped out of her shy phase). That's why everyone does what she does, they put their faith and trust in her and so do I. I try to be a leader to but I still always follow her. Like a hero she can sacrifice if she has to. For example, all those summers when my parents went to work and Essence had to watch my sisters and I. My dad said he could call my cousins if she wanted to go hang out with her friends but she stayed with us and made everything - even cleaning up - fun.

Essence is a true inspiration. She inspired her volleyball team to try harder even when they would lose. She inspired my writing because I based the characters in my book's lives on hers. She inspired me to be more confident by making me dance all the time. In the past Essence was very quiet and kept to herself but what's funny is that her inspiration made me the opposite. She also inspired some of my best qualities by giving me constructive criticism (which was kind of refreshing considering all of the regular criticism my other older sister gave me, no offense to her). I know I giving her a lot of credit for my upbringing but my parents are still most responsible for the way I turned out. Essence mostly inspired me to be a leader, though. How, you may be wondering? Well the answer is: by being a leader herself.

Essence is many things: a homecoming queen, a great dancer, a horrible singer, a beautiful girl, an annoying older kid, a brilliant student, a strong woman,a college dropout, a hard worker, etc. To me, Essence is a role model, a safe haven, an oldest sister, a hero. She inspires me to be the best I can be. Now do you see why everyone loves her, why everyone thinks she's perfect, why we all think she's an angel sent from God, why everyone wants to be her, why we all have faith in her, why we all trust her, but also why no one thinks she is a normal girl - they think she's much more. She just has that effect on people.