If you decided to take a shower in my bathroom, you would have an audience. There would be a line of brightly colored ducks watching you rinse and repeat. My collection contains 27 rubber ducks of all different patterns, colors, sizes, and personalities. The rubber duck is a simple, timeless bath toy, yet it can be crafted to have many different personalities. I see something more substantial in these simple ducks, and each holds special meaning. Each of the ducks symbolizes a small aspect of me; as a whole, the collection embodies my entire life.
Guarding the sink, the biggest duck in my bathroom is hot pink with white polka dots. It was sitting on my desk when I returned from taking the SAT’s, a present from my mother. This duck represents my accomplishments, the pride and hard work that went into them, and the faith that others have in me. One purple and one green duck are also gifts, these from my best friend to remember him while I went on a trip to Israel last summer. I try to be an available and giving friend, and through my friendships I have learned how to treat others with compassion and love. Perched on the windowsill, a pink duck with the breast cancer symbol reminds me of my grandmother. She struggled with breast cancer for many years and passed away three years ago. Her energy and optimism, even until her last day, remind me to appreciate my health, and inspire me to rise to difficult challenges.
I have two athletic ducks, one carrying a basketball and the other wearing cleats. These represent my athletic achievements in cross-country, basketball, and lacrosse. Sports, especially running, have given me a way to discover my physical and emotional strengths and push my limits. Resting on a small shelf, I have eight miniature ducks, each a different bright hue. As a group, these ducks represent me: I am a single person, yet I have a variety of shades to my personality. For example, while I like being social, I also enjoy spending a quiet weekend at home with my family.
Sitting in the shower, watching the bathers, are my favorite crowned princess ducks. Even though I am a tough girl on a boys’ cross-country team, I also enjoy getting dressed up and watching chick flicks. Some of my ducks are just plain yellow ducks that I have accumulated for the sole purpose of having a bigger collection. Yet even these ‘plain’ ducks say something about me. I like to set goals for myself and stick with something once I have started it.
As a whole, my extensive duck collection is a portrayal of who I am. Through future experiences and relationships, I will grow and develop as an individual, and I am sure that my collection will grow in turn. I am reminded of this as I handwrite my first draft of this essay: a yellow duck wobbles and dances on a spring atop my pen.