Ibreakoffapieceofcandyandtakepleasureinitssweetoutsideandthebitter,darkchocolateinside,thinkingofmyownlife.Beingraisedbyasingleparentwasabitter-sweet     ,whichgavememotivationandambition.
Therewereseveralyearsthathaveleftanextremelybittertasteinmymouth.Thefirstfewmonthsaftermymother’sremarriageweresweet:baseballgames,familytripstothemall,dinnersandmoviestogether.Thenthings     .Baseballbecametooexpensive,andtripstothemallwere     bydaysEmilyandIspentlonelyinourroomsunderourstepfather’s     .Moreover,screamingmatchesbetweenhimandourmotheralways     dinner.Wespentfiveyearslivinginafamilythathad     awarfield.EmilyandIalmostgrewusedtothissituation.Thenoneevening,afteranotherargumenthad     ,wewerelefthomeless.Andlaterafriendofmymotherletusstaywithher.Insteadoffocusingonoureconomicproblem,mymother     pushedmetostruggleforsuccess.Shewantedmetoleada     life.Sheworkedlonghourseverynighttopayherbills.     ,shewouldfindtimetoreadandplaywithEmilyandme.Momtaughtmethe     ofperseverance(坚持不懈)andeducation.
Andnow,writingthisessaywithmyfavoritecandycloseathand,IrealizemyfamilyandIareatthebestpointsofourlives.Ihaven’tletthetryingtimesstopmefrommaking     ,bothacademicallyandpersonally.Iknowthatabitterenvironmentcanprovidegoodlearningexperiences,andthatsuccess,evenmorethancandy,isthesweetesttreatofall.