Ryan Boden

I do not think that one instance in particular has defined who I am, but rather believe that many scenarios over the course of time has shaped my character. I have experienced moments in which I feel to have impacted me more than others, but to say that one molded me more than another would be disrespectful to my being.  For the sake of this exercise, though, I can point out a time in which I felt as though I had been molded by something that happened to me…
When I was young, I will never forget the day my mom came home from work and told me that she had a gift for me. She told me to close my eyes and I heard the ruffling of a bag. I held my feet out like she asked, and she put on a pair of Ruby Slippers she had purchased for me from FAO Schwarz. My favorite film of the time was The Wizard of Oz and I remember how those shoes made me feel as magical as the movie did. I believe that my mother’s unwavering acceptance of who and what I loved, exemplified by this moment, allowed me the confidence to be who I am today.