Juliet LaBonte
I remember the bitterly cold winter night many years ago my dad almost left. His
stuff was by the door and he was ready to say goodbyes. I knew if I let him go, he
wouldn’t come back. I knew if I let him go, life for me would change. Drastically. I felt
powerless, like I wouldn’t live to see the next day. That night, strange or not, I sought
comfort in Eminem. It seems like there have been many times in Eminem’s life when he
has felt like that. I knew that night I needed to listen to an Eminem song to know that
everything would be okay.
This isn’t just another typical Eminem essay. When he raps, he encourages those
who feel similarly to move on. At that moment, I desperately needed him. I need to listen
to him because it’s almost like he was and is, listening to me. He has had a difficult life:
“I guess I had to go to that place to get to this one,” meaning that he has had to have bad
times to get to the good ones. Despite the fact that he’s been through it, he has persevered:
“it was my decision to get clean, I did it for me.” He had a risky past with drug addictions,
but he has successfully overcome it all.
Eminem has had an overpowering significant influence on me. He has influenced
me to be hard working and he has taught me that giving up isn’t ever an option. The night
my dad wanted to leave, I did not allow myself to give up and let him. After listening to
Eminem, I was determined to make him stay. He has made me feel like I can be
successful. I was successful that horrifying night, because my dad did not leave.
Eminem’s music makes me feel devoted to strive for what I want. Without his music, I
wouldn’t have been able to make my dad stay that night because I wouldn’t have had any
encouragement.
That night, listening to his music made me able to hold my head up even though I
wanted to bury my head in my hands and cry. His music makes me insistent. He says
“when I’m gone just carry on”. I know that if my dad had really left that night, he would
have wanted me to just carry on. Many of his raps have to do with carrying on. By
listening to Eminem rap about it I feel strengthened to move along too. Overall,
Eminem’s music has gotten me through difficult times and I am confident that he will in
the future as well.