What is an essay?

From our readings, I have concluded that en essay revolves  around the author and his ideas. The purpose of an essay is to provide a forum of communication between the author and his readers and the subject of this discussion is anything the author wishes to discuss. From this, we see a need for a personal presence from the author. A good essay will allow the reader to participate in a journey alongside the author. In addition to the abstract values of a good essay, it needs to be accurate relative to the subject and the writer's perspective. 

My essay is intended to be a personal narrative, but I have yet to include a strong personal aspect to my piece. I will be including more anecdotes about my self, things I have observed, and their relatedness to my topic. I want to work off the idea of an essay as a journey and invite my reader on a trip through my topic.