Throughout our lives, we experience thousands of memorable moments, many of which are defining moments. Sometimes these events confirm that we are on the right path, expanding our options and helping us mature. Looking back on my life, it is not difficult to select several events that confirmed my path: learning to drive, graduating from high school, meeting my wife, getting married, and the birth of my children; These are just a few of them. However, there are other times when an event is so dramatic that it changes you forever; it makes you skip the track you're on and start a new path in a completely different direction. I've experienced many of these extreme moments in my life (in no particular order): finding God, learning sign language, and working with homeless ministries are just a few. Looking back, the most impactful moment of my life was when I heard and felt my cell door close, depriving me of my freedom for six months in the Los Angeles County Jail. Before that, I was a self-centered, self-centered narcissist, and I didn't know there was anything wrong with being that way. Afterwards, I was very motivated to change my life for the better. Growing up as the second youngest in a family of six testosterone-filled boys was definitely a challenge. Through constant fighting with my brothers and boxing/wrestling classes, I quickly became quite good at self-defense; but that was only the beginning of my education. My father taught us logic and common sense, believing that these two skills, along with physical prowess, were essential to surviving in this world. He believed that we were significantly better than everyone else, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or social status. It wasn't a racist thing, it was more... middle of paper... grown adults, and a grandfather too. I ended up becoming a champion of the same kind of people I mistreated; all in about 20 years. I'm not proud of what I've been and I don't blame anyone but myself. Without that “life-changing” moment, I might never have started the change. That echoing sound of the cell door slamming will be with me for the rest of my life. I can still feel it pulsing through my body, keeping me on the right path and focused on the goal. But that is not enough; Without the support of my God, my family and my friends, I would never have made it. If you take anything away from my words so far, make sure it's this: Just because your childhood taught you to behave a certain way does NOT mean you have to behave that way forever ; it's entirely up to you. With hard work and support, anyone can change; I am living proof.