Page 38 - Education Issue

INCREDIBLE KIDS OF SAN DIEGO

The Mah’s

By Sofia Mah

Can I let you in on a little why he has such great grades! also spending time with the rest of
secret? But you have to vow never However, he turns in two or three our family. Which is super helpful
to tell anyone or anything for that assignments late and owns up to on days where she has to run like
matter. Our family, the Mah fami- it, to keep it realistic. I know, this a thousand errands. Pretty cool
ly, isn't just your ordinary next- all sounds crazy but hang in there, huh? Now, for my own super-
door-neighbor kind of family. The I’m almost done. Let me talk about power. I can create peace in any
Mahs are superheroes. Yes, yes, I my mom now. Actually, let’s talk situation. Whenever my parents
know it's hard to believe at first, about my dad. My dad’s power is argue over something or when my
but it is true, no matter how bon- healing. If someone is injured, all brothers fight, I can create peace
kers it may seem to you. See my he has to do is think about healing and calm the situation. I can also
brother, Matteo, has super speed, the person, although it looks like create peace between animals. I
which is super helpful because he he is doing some kind of weird never thought that creating peace
plays video games a lot. His nick- yoga. But, he can truly heal peo- between animals would ever
name at school is the dodger. He ple. Not just physically, but also be useful until last week when
got his name because he has such mentally. If someone is emotional- I stopped a fight between two
fast hand coordination and such ly feeling sad or angry, he can use pigeons fighting for the same piece
quick thinking in video games that his special power and make them of bread. My pets also have super-
he can dodge absolutely anything feel the happiest they have ever powers, but I'll tell you about our
that comes his way in absolutely felt. I remember one day I got the gravity controlling dog, talking
any video game. He’s a video game worst score on my math test out of shrimp, shape-shifting pitbull,
legend! My other brother, Alexio, everyone in my whole entire class. and flying turtle next time. I think
can travel into anyone’s mind and You could imagine how I felt. But, that your brain is fried already,
control what they think, how they when I saw my dad, he made me so I don't want to add anything
act and what they do. So, he gets feel the happiest I have ever felt. else too crazy for you. Yes, yes, I
away with a lot. For example, if And that's his superpower. Now know that it is always a little hard
Alexio didn’t do his homework, on to my mom. My mom can to believe at first but let it settle in
then he can control the teacher’s duplicate herself which means she and then it won’t sound so crazy.
mind to somehow think that he can be in multiple places at once. But you can't tell anyone that
did his homework, and just give So while she is in a meeting, she you know the secret of the Mahs.
him a one hundred percent. That’s is also getting her nails done, and Promise?

It’s a matter of perspective. Sofia wrote this essay as an introspection into her not so typical family to shine the
light on their “superpowers”. She believes that when looking at people or families, you could focus on negativity
and limits, but being a superhero is limitless. Sofia’s brother, Alexio, the one who can read minds, has ADHD and
is challenged with focus, thus consistently not being able to hand in homework on time or at all (even when he
has finished it). Matteo, her other brother, has Cerebral Palsy, mitochondrial disease, and is color blind, so even
though he is challenged with running fast, video games allow him to be the avatar he dreams of. Sofia’s mom,
leads 6 companies/organizations and manages to be everywhere, but is challenged with schedules that don’t
sometimes allow for that. Sofia’s dad, is a stay at home dad after many years in retail management, so this year
has been a challenge of transitions, losses, and miracles all rolled into one, and he takes it with a smile and tons
of jokes. So this essay is so much more than a story of a superhero family, it’s a story everyone should write about
their families. This is what every individual deserves, to be limitless.

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