Perhaps the most personally impactful piece of writing that I have created is what I wrote for my common app personal statement. I distinctly remember being completely stumped for days before furiously drafting and editing for a week over the same two pages. Although it would probably have been looked at for all of four minutes, it was emotionally important to me to get my brother right.

I spent an entire evening fighting the English language because although I had the word to express myself I was unable to use it. Neither strange nor odd were quite right. Peculiar was more accurate although not with a great connotation. And special was even worse. Queer in its original meaning of being both unusual and of a distinctive demeaner, and with a more neutral tone, would have been perfect. But alas the main meaning of words changes over time.

The culmination of the short essay was the observation that "This is so beautiful" spoken during this desert trail and with so much impact to me.

This oasis is at the end of the trail snaking through the edge of a valley floor. Not more than a dozen or two feet ahead of me is a steep drop-off hundreds of feet down. I am not quite adventurous enough for that.