Merry Christmas

Around the world today, people are celebrating Christmas with family and friends, food and presents. Many times these are the first thoughts that come to mind when one thinks about Christmas. When I think about Christmas, some of my first thoughts go to ringing bells in the days leading up to the holiday. For me, ringing bells for the Salvation Army is what really gets me into the Christmas spirit, because it signifies what Christmas is really all about. If I don't ring bells, its not the Christmas season to me. Ringing bells is about giving one's money and time to people you may never meet in order to help them. When people give money to bell ringers and when bell ringers give up their time, it shows what Christmas is all about, which is giving without having to receive anything in return. Its about helping your fellow human in need.

As one can tell, I very much enjoy bell ringing and what it stands for. But even more, I enjoy the scenes that I witness while ringing bells. One of my favorite bell ringing memories occurred last year and demonstrated to me, in the simplest terms, what Christmas is all about. When ringing bells, my mom and I always bring candy canes to hand out to the little kids that put money in the kettle. During our shift, a little girl approached us, her mother and brother walking ahead of her, and put money in the kettle. We asked if she would want a candy cane and she responded with an excited yes. After taking the candy, the girl proceeded to catch up to her brother and mother and when she reached them, her brother looked at the candy cane in her hands and then back at her sadly. In response to this look, the girl gave the candy cane to her little brother without batting an eye, both children smiling at the exchange. I teared up at the scene in front of my eyes. My mom , also touched, walked up to the little girl and gave her a candy cane so that they could both have one. In that moment between the siblings, I saw what Christmas was all about thanks to a child. The girl showed me that Christmas is about giving of one's self, even if we are giving up something we want, in order to make another person happy. It doesn't even have to be the giving of something big. On the contrary, it can the simplest things that make us the most happy. 

This is a spirit that we should try to keep all year round. We should make an effort to make others happy and give back without expecting to be given anything in return. I hope that you all are having a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying the time with family and friends. Merry Christmas!!!

Give Thanks

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am always struck by this quote by H.U. Westermayer: "The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving." Hundreds of years ago, these Pilgrims landed in America with little to their name and little resources to help them survive.  Yet, these people who could have chosen to be angry at God and their circumstances, chose gratitude instead because after all, they were still alive and they still had some means to survive.

How different is this from the American culture today, where, to many around the world, we are seen as selfish, greedy,and narcissistic? We rarely take the time to give thanks and really reflect on all our blessings. We instead chose that way that the Pilgrims chose against. We choose to be angry at our circumstances, at others, and God. We choose not to be grateful for what is in front of us. In America, Thanksgiving has, in a way, lost its meaning. When people think of Thanksgiving, they think of food, a day off, and the sales that follow the next day. Or at least the sales used to follow the next day. This year, stores are opening earlier than ever, some at 8 PM, pulling their employees away from their families and friends for a mandatory work day. So now, instead of people appreciating what they have on Thanksgiving, they go and buy more.

We need to get back to original meaning of Thanksgiving. We need to get back to the meaning that the Pilgrims gave it when they sat down with the Native Americans and cherished their blessings, giving thanks. Although the Pilgrims didn't always get it right (specifically with what they did to the Native Americans after) being grateful and expressing that they were was something that they did. So let me start out with what I am grateful for this Thanksgiving, all of which have previously had their own posts.

First off, I am a grateful for my family. As much as we may take it for granted, family is one of the most special things that one has in their life. Family, be it by biological or emotional bond, is full of people who will be there to support you just because you are you...just because you belong to them. For me, family is my everything and I would be completely lost without them. They provide me support, laughter, love, and happiness. By being around them, I learn lessons that I might have never have learned otherwise. They are my teachers. When I am around my family, I am the me I want to be, I don't have to fake it for anyone.

One of the other things in my life I am grateful for is books. This might seem like a different one, but they make up a big part of my life and who I am. I would not be where I am without books. From books, I have learned many lessons and experienced many journeys. Because of them, I am going to be a writer. I can only hope that my work has the impact on others as the work of my favorite authors did on me. What I love the most about books is that when you find one that is really good, you feel as though the big complicated world, isn't as big and complicated anymore. The world makes more sense after reading an amazing book. For everyone in the world, there is at least one book that they can relate to, even though they are probably not the same one for everyone. When one finds a book that they can relate to, especially a character they can, they feel understood. When they feel understood, the world isn't as lonely and scary anymore.

In life, when a moment occurs, it is easy to pass it off as inconsequential at the time. For this reason, I am thankful for reflection and all the moments that have gotten to me to this point today. From where I am standing today, I am able to look back at all that has happend to me, good or bad, magnificent or terrible, and say that that particular moment taught me something. I able to say that because I went through it, I am a better person today then I was before then. WIth every moment, I learned a little bit more about myself that helped me to become a person I can be relatively proud of today.

So, before you enter a food coma and later go out shopping, remember the meaning of the Thanksgiving and tell those you care about how grateful you are for them. Realize that around the world, there are many, many people in worse off positions than yourself. Take time to acknowledge that you are lucky. Take time to be thankful for that fact.

A Revamped Fairy Tale

Growing up, I wasn't as interested in fairy tales and Cinderella as other girls my age. I didn't aspire to be a princess or have a magic carriage take me to a ball. I instead longed to be a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Now looking back, the whole being picked up in a magic carriage and taken to a ball was probably a more realistic dream than going to a school to be taught magic, but nonetheless, this was my dream as a child and I learned from it. As there were not princesses at Hogwarts, my role model was Hermione Granger, a smart, bossy, little girl who loved to read. To say the least, I wanted to be her.  In order to accomplish this, I read more books and participated in classes more, which soon became tasks that I loved to do. I became a stronger person because of this, because I learned to take matters into my own hands and not let others hold me back. I learned to take care of myself and be more independent.

I totally understand the appeal of a fairy tale, I mean who doesn't want to be swept of their feet by a handsome Prince Charming? I would love that. The part that I don't love is that the young lady is always, or least it always seems to be this way, a damsel in distress who is incapable of helping herself. Also, fairy tales don't just happen the way the do in stories. People don't just start to cry and a fairy godmother appears at their feet. Solutions don't just pop into our hands. If only life were that simple . I believe that everyone needs to be able to help themselves and solve their problems because there is a pride that one can have by accomplishing tasks on their own. I believe in strong role models for girls who don't always have to rely on the guys to save them. 

That isn't to say that I think that fairy tales are terrible. In fact, that's the complete opposite of what I believe. I think that fairy tales are very beneficial in the fact that they teach us to dream and that miracles can happen. They give us hope that we can one day have the prince and the castle. But I also believe that just like I learned that I couldn't be a witch and go to Hogwarts, children will have to learn one day that what happens in fairy tales doesn't just happen without any effort. In order to succeed in fulfilling their dreams, they will have to work hard and persevere, even when it seems that all hope is lost and nothing good is coming of the work. It is when one keep going in the face of all this that the real fairy tales happen. This fairy tale is worth more than the Disney one because they strove to make it happen and from it, their dreams came true. With hard work, we all can live happily ever after. 

A Letter to the Past

As much as I would like to say that we should spend our time focused on the present, I  believe that there is a lot that we can learn from reflecting on the past and where it  has got us to this point. After all, we all have heard that quote by Robert Santayana,"Those who cannot remember that past are condemned to repeat it." I believe this is very true and as much as I am happy with the person I have become, I wish that my younger self could have had some advice to help  her get through it. I recently just started my first year of college and walking into class the first day brought back thoughts of walking into to high school for the first time and what I wish I would've known then. If I could talk to that girl now, this is what I would've told her:

When you start your first day of high school, I want you to keep in mind that high school isn't always like in the movies and on TV. The things that you wish would happen probably won't and the things that you don't probably will. But remember to keep your head up and persevering no matter how much you want to sit and cry (which at times you will) and things will get better. No matter how much people talk it up, homecoming isn't as great as they make it out to be, but you will still have fun when you are with people who you can be yourself around. Speaking of being yourself, no one is worth changing who you are. Because even though you have your flaws (don't worry, we all do) you are wonderful and nothing you try to be could compare. When you join Yearbook, realize how lucky you are to be a part of it. You work will be something that you will be proud of and your closest friends will come from that club. When that girl is mean to you who you thought was your friend (you will know who I am talking about) stick up for yourself and don't let her make you think less of yourself. As much as you may not like how she treated you, having to go through that will prove something to yourself that you never realized before. Her best friend will also become yours, so whenever you get mad at her, think of the new friendship that you got out of the old one.  Don't be afraid to go against the crowd and start your own path, people will respect you for your beliefs and you will too. Do not ever forget how lucky you are to have your family. They are you ultimate blessing. Finally,whenever you feel alone, or like you don't fit in, remember you could never be alone if you tried and not fitting in high school isn't thing in the world. Don't worry, no matter what, you will always be okay. 

We cannot change the past, only learn from it. Themes in my letter to my younger self will always pop up in life, no matter how old I get. If I can ingrain the lessons in my memory now, hopefully I can spare myself some pain in the future. But we don't all need a letter to the past to bring things to light that we wish we would've known. We can just reflect, realize what we have been lucky enough to learn from all our experiences, and apply them to the future. 

Risk it All

We as humans risk a lot more of ourselves than we than we think we do. Everyday by getting out bed we are brave. Instead of sitting in bed all day, we go out an expose ourselves to the world through what we wear, what we say, and overall our actions in general. Although some people put themselves out there more than others, it is not any more easy or difficult on either end of the spectrum. We all risk something. 

Of course that is a very small risk in the scheme of things. Some people risk their lives everyday they go to work. In countries with harsh regimes, people risk their freedom, their families, and their lives to speak out in hopes of a better tomorrow in which the government doesn't exist. But not all risks have to end in disaster in despair, but that doesn't mean its any less of a risk, sometimes it even more of one.

One of the biggest risks that we will take in our lives is also one of the most rewarding. That risk is love. Love can bring us the ultimate happiness, joy, and satisfaction. It can complete our lives. But on the other hand, it can break us into pieces when it ends, or if it never even begins. And yet despite the possible consequences, despite the fact that we all know that nothing lasts forever,  that we know we only have a finite amount of time here on Earth, we love and risk it all just the same. That's brave. It's brave to know that there is terrible, painful, heartbreak possible, and make the leap as if there wasn't. It's brave to put your fate into someone else's hands and jump off a cliff not knowing if they will are willing to jump off that same cliff for you too.  But we do it because we know that a life without that risk, without love, is a life that is empty and might as well as not have been lived at all. 

So at the end of the day, don't be afraid to make that leap, don't be afraid to love. Instead, be brave and make the risk, because in some way even if we don't get what we at the time wanted or expected, it will be worth it all the same.

Tis the Season to be 'Fall-y'

The seasons are ever-changing and ever representing of life and all it entails. Each season can represent a stage of life. Spring represents new life and our childhoods. It is full of color, happiness, and growth. Summer is a depiction of adolescence. It's heat is hard to bare, just like the problems of the teenager years, but it is full of fun and memories too. Fall represents those middle years, the grown up years. It's changing colors are similar to those changing situations in life, both being beautiful. Winter represents those elderly years. It can be sometimes seen as cold and barren, but its beauty is always treasured and remembered.

But of all those seasons, fall is my favorite. When I think of fall, I am taken back to my childhood with memories of jumping into piles of leaves, carving pumpkins, and going trick-or-treating. It seems like just yesterday that I was eating caramel apples and smelling apple pies. Although, it probably feels that way because I was doing that yesterday, as a celebration of the first day of fall. As much fun as it is to be a kid in Fall, it can be just as much to be an adult at that age. Now, I hand out candy, make the piles of leaves for the kids, and can actually be trusted to use the knife when making jack-o-lanterns. 

One of my favorite parts of fall is the colors of the leaves changing. The colors of red, orange and yellow look are some of the most beautiful things that grace my vision in the fall months. They show how change, even if we don't want it, can fill our lives with beauty and joy. 

So as we watch the transition of the seasons, and the transitions that we go through in our own lives, it is important to remember that each one, though different, brings something special to us and what it brings is usually beautiful.

A Worthwhile Journey

Frequently while growing up, I faced myself in the mirror and asked myself "who am I?"I longed, and still sometimes do, for a sense of a clear cut identity, of a sense of how I was different from everyone, but also of how I was the same. Both these questions came into play at different points of my life. The 'how I was the same' was at the beginning of my life until the end of my sophomore year of high school. The 'how I was different' became more important after that. In my quest of who to find out who I was I tried out many different identities, many similar to those people and characters that I longed to be like. This didn't get me very far though because after awhile, I tired of playing a role and I had to change, but never back to myself. Looking back on this, I realized I did this because as you grow up, you want people to like you and accept you. You didn't want the world to mock you for who you were. If you pretend to be someone else, and people don’t like you, you can blame it on who you pretended to be and change to someone else. But if you be yourself and people still don’t like you, you can’t blame it on an act, and you can’t change into a whole new person, because who you really are never truly goes away. I mean, you can only run so long from yourself before you catch up to yourself. I feared rejection based on who I was, which to me is the worst kind of rejection. At the end of that sophomore year though,I came to realize though, if you live your whole life through a lens that belongs to someone else, at the end of it all, you never truly lived your life. You can't let fear hold you back from living. You just have to be yourself.

So, after I came to this realization, I tried to find out who I was and how I came to be that way. After all, isn't there that saying that the journey is more important than the destination? Well, it's extremely true. I had to look at my life at face value and realize that all that had happened to me, those times that I loved, and those moments that I looked back in embarrassment at, had all formed me in who I was and will always be apart of who I will be. All the things I had been through, the ended friendships, the bullying, the times with my family, and every random moment in between have led me to this point. And finally, at the end of this journey of self-discovery, I found someone who I could be proud of. But I have to remember, this journey is continuous and will always be a part of me. We never stop growing. 

At some point in every life, this is all a journey we have to take, whether we are aware we take it or not. Our lives are full of moments, many that we take for granted, many that we remember as horrible or sad, many that are full of beauty. But they all take us to who and where we are meant to be.

A Generation's Shadow

Every generation is defined by an event. From WWII to JFK's assassination to Watergate to the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, there is always a central moment that when we look back in history, we realize that it is part of our generation's story and definition. My generation stands in a shadow, two shadows to be exact. We stand in the shadow of the World Trade Center Towers. Our event, our moment, is 9/11.

I was only seven when the Twin Towers came down and yet I can remember the day with absolute clarity. I remember coming into our classroom at 8:30 (9:30 in NYC) and one of the kids asking about what happened in New York. Our teacher then proceeded to draw two rectangles on the board, the Twin Towers, and say that planes had hit them. The rest of the day, while we worked on projects, teachers watched the TV in horror and besides the basic information we were given, we were been left in the dark. I also remember that I lost a tooth at school that day and going home to tell my mom who didn't respond whole-heartily. I remember that night watching George W. Bush speak on TV. I remember the tears, I remember the heartache. I remember that sense of American unity that the next day carried when I think about when we stood around the flag outside our school and sang God Bless the USA. I remember a lot, much more than those younger than me do.

My generation grew up in the shadows of heroes who risked their lives, those who died, on 9/11. We grew up in the shadows of the wars, both military and political, that followed. But with each anniversary of the day, I began to understand 9/11 and its consequences. I also began to learn about all those who died senselessly on that day. I learned stories that touched me and inspired me about that day, many that will stick with me forever. It scares me to think that their are children growing up today who don't know about 9/11, who will not truly understand it, who will not get the emotion of it, like I don't get that of Pearl Harbor. 9/11 is a day that needs to be taught about in schools through the stories of those there and the stories of those lost. Kids growing up need to know what that kind of terror looks like, but even more they need to know what heroes that can come out of it look like, too.

Yes, my generation grew up in the Twin Towers shadow. But because of this, we do know what heroes and true heroism looks like. We know what it means to be brave. We know what it means to have to fight for one's country. We know what it means to have to honor those lost.

So, on September 11th, don't forget the sacrifices made, the heroes born, and the lessons the countries had to learn because of the day.

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A Book and its Impact

When we look back on life, it is usually the smallest and most unexpected things that majorly shape how we think and perceive the world. Things like fashion trends, political groups, the entertainment industry, and the economy tend to have the most outward effect not only on our culture, but also ourselves. For me, one of the things that influenced me the most was, and still is, books. I believe that they are some of the most forceful entities we put into  world, because millions upon millions of people can pick up a book and read what one person has to say. Through them, messages and countless lessons can be taught through one book.

Books for me opened up many new worlds, broke my heart and rebuilt it, and made me see the world in a different light. But most of all they taught me many things that I may never have learned any other way. Through books, you learn people's stories, you learn about people's lives, and you learn lessons with them. Books also served to console me too, when I felt alone and like no one understood me because in books, you can always find a person to relate to.

Growing up, J.K. Rowling’s story of a boy who went from living in a cupboard to becoming a hero impacted me, like many others, in a way I couldn’t fully understand yet. Her vivid words created worlds I had never even dreamed of before and possessed stories of human strength in the face of tragedy which inspired me. Back then when reading those books, I wouldn’t have been able to tell you what I have now learned through those 18 years of experiencing the written word: books and the words in them, although small, have a bigger impact on us than we would like to give them credit for. Books, and the characters in them, stay with you long after you turn the last page. As I said before, they teach and touch you in many ways. There are many memories that I associate with books, like standing in line for the last Harry Potter book, staying up late to finish The Life and Death of Charlie St. Cloud, spending a weekend reading The Hunger Games trilogy, being moved to tears at the end of The Book Thief, and tearing up at the end of Wild. When I see these books, they take me back to these moments, making them something that I will never forget.

My life, my world, has been impacted by books and by the authors who put their pen to paper to get them there. To these big pads of paper and the people who put them there, all I can really say is thank you.



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Go Home My Lady

Today, my dog of 14, almost 15, years passed away. She was the best dog I have ever met, that the world had ever met. She was filled with so much love and happiness that she made your life better because she touched it. When I think of Sophie, I think of a quote by Ann Patchett when discussing her beloved lost dog. She said, "Sometimes love does not have the most honorable beginnings, and the endings, the endings will break you in half. It's everything in between we live for." I will miss you sweet lady, but I can't thank you enough for the wonderful 14 years you gave me. Rest in peace my lady and enjoy the heaven you deserve. I will always love you.

 Sophie Rose
 December 1,1997- September 4, 2012

Dear Politicians

Dear Politicians,

This year I turned 18 and it will be my first time voting in any election. As I look at the you as candidates, I can't say that I really like any of you, be it from either party. When I look at you, I don't see any differences, but I instead see one major similarity. You are all far from the men who made this country, who's ideals are on which this country was built upon, who looked out for this country and it's people more than themselves.

After you are elected, you won't choose to be accountable to me, or many other regular Americans, you instead will choose to pay back those who helped and donated to your campaign. You will help those who have big ideas, who are part of big companies and organizations, who wrote big checks to you and your campaign. After all, without money and donations, what kind of campaign would you have? Possibly an honest and fair one. But there is something I would like to alert you to. While those who gave you money or other donations helped your campaign, they didn't get you to your office, the voters did. They are the ones who deserve your help, because even though most of them couldn't afford to give you a donation big enough to even register on your radar, they elected you in.

Here is another thought for you to ponder over. You are all so caught up in making your opponent look bad and trying to undercut them to get votes, that you are alienating the voters. As of right now, laws are being passed that would in turn restrict some groups of citizens from voting. Although this is meant to restrict voter fraud, it is really restricting what has always been a basic right in America: the right to vote.

So as election day approaches, I have no clue besides who's name I will check the box next to, but at this point I don't even know if it really matters. Politics was never meant to take the terrible turn that it has taken this in country. When America began, George Washington gave us the advice to never form the political parties, politicians worked together, and there was a dream to make a better country in which everyone had power and a voice with it, not just the wealthy. Now, 235 years after the Constitution was signed, the political parties that we were warned about have torn us apart, politicians seldom work together if it involves crossing party lines, and the wealthy have more power than does the average voter. Right now in Washington, we don't need a politician, we need someone who genuinely cares about what happens to all of America and its people, not just a fraction. If you think you can be that person, show me and the rest of America that. Help me make a decision on election day that I can be proud of.

Sincerely,
Sarah, An American Citizen

A Teacher: A Gift Giver and A Game Changer

Of all the people who have shaped my life, the ones I owe some of the biggest glasses of gratitude to are my teachers. Education is one of the greatest gifts you can give to someone and the people who give this deserve a huge thank you. From the alphabet to algebra, educators devote their lives to teaching us knowledge that will hopefully serve us well in the future. But my teachers, like many others, didn't only teach me things from the world of academia, they taught me things from the book of life as well. I live in a small city that is pretty closed off from the outside world, but I had teachers that taught me about that world beyond my city limits and changed my view of it and the people that inhabit it. For me, this was an important lesson to learn and could always be put to good use. When I had a bad day and thought my life was bad, I remember what my teachers said about people around the world who faced problems greater than I could ever imagine. To say the least, teachers gave me the gift of perspective.

While its important to teach children to have perspective, it is as equally, if not so more important, to teach children to dream. This is something that educators from my small city to Harlem to the idyllic suburbs all around America all try to leave with their students. Teachers want to change lives and want to see their students succeed and what a better way to do that than by encouraging them to imagine greater. Dreaming makes us set goals and strive to achieve them. If we were never taught how to dream, how far could we possibly get in life? Not very, because without a dream, how could we ever want to be better than we are?

Although we may not have the highest test scores in the world, I do believe that we have a great education system. In this country, we are lucky to have a free public education so that everyone has the opportunity to learn. Many citizens of other countries are not lucky enough to have this gift that so many take for granted. Education leaves a huge impact on our lives, and much of this comes down to the teachers who are there to help us. Teachers do not get into this line of work for the money or the days off. They become educators because they want to not only better their lives, but those around them. They are passionate about making a positive difference in people's lives through education. In my experience, one of the biggest reasons that teachers become who they are is because they have learned something in their life and want to teach it to others to make their lives a little easier.

So here is to the teachers who transform lives with their gifts, passion, and wisdom. You inspire us and prove the saying true that it only takes one person to alter the course of a life. With you, we learn and go on to change the world. Without you, nothing we do would be possible.

Puppy Love

Among the many things in the world I am grateful for, dogs are at the top of the list. There are many ways to describe the relationship between humans and their dogs, "man's best friend" being among the most used. For me, I describe my dog and our relationship in another way: world's greatest angel. I have had my dog Sophie for almost fifteen years and every single year has been a gift. Sophie is probably the sweetest dog I will ever meet. Whenever anyone in my family is upset, she makes sure that she is there to take care of us. Those qualities paired with the fact that she has filled my life with love and joy since I was three, make her one of the most wonderful blessings I have been lucky to have in my life.

This past winter, we began to notice that Sophie had a growth in her mouth. Thinking that it was an abscess, my mom and dad took her to the vet to get checked out. They returned with news that I never would've expected. Sophie, the dog who was barely sick, had melanoma. She was given a few months to live. In the next week, she would undergo surgery to remove the tumor from her mouth, but soon, within two weeks, the tumor had returned. Now the timeline of a few months had been lessened to just a few weeks. To say the least, our family was a complete mess, but I had yet to cry. Its not that I wasn't sad because I was devastated. I instead looked at it with the view that if I only had a few weeks left with dog who had made my life so much better, I should try to make her last weeks some great ones;that these last weeks should be about taking care of her. This meant no crying or acting sad, because if I did this, she would just try to take care of me. On the inside, though, I was a complete wreck. Sophie was my childhood dog and I had expected her to be there for my high school graduation and my 18th birthday, both a few months down the road, as she had been there for my older sisters'.

Weeks passed, then months, graduation and my birthday came and went, and Sophie was still here. In fact, her tumor had disappeared and she was acting like a puppy again. Last weekend, we had another scare with her, but she came back, fighting as hard as ever, and has returned to good health. She has surprised us and the veterinarians a like. Every day I get with her, I am reminded how truly blest I am to have her in my life. But I know that someday, those day will run out and when the time comes that Sophie does go, and I am faced with having to live in world without her, I will be a wreck. What will get me through is
remembering all of things she gave me in her time and that her impact on my life will be everlasting.

Dogs are amazing creatures with amazing souls. They always take care of us and bring us comfort and joy. In the scheme of things, we have them for such a short amount of time, and yet, they can leave an impact much larger than other people that touch our lives. I would like to end with a quote by John Grogan who, I believe, gives the greatest description of a dog and all that they give us:

A dog has no use for fancy cars or big homes or designer clothes. Status symbol means nothing to him. A waterlogged stick will do just fine. A dog judges others not by their color or creed or class but by who they are inside. A dog doesn't care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his. It was really quite simple, and yet we humans, so much wiser and more sophisticated, have always had trouble figuring out what really counts and what does not. As I wrote that farewell column to Marley, I realized it was all right there in front of us, if only we opened our eyes. Sometimes it took a dog with bad breath, worse manners, and pure intentions to help us see.

Sophie

What Unites Us

Today, as media outlets flood us with information about the Colorado shooting and the shooter who chose to take so many lives, I believe that it is important to remember not only victims, but tragedy as it affects us as a country and as humans. Tragedy is like Pandora's Box. When we first see it, it is all the terrible things that hit us: Number of victims, ages, reasons for it. But, with time, if we can manage to push past all the horrible things flooding out at us, and look deeper into it, I think we can find some strains goodness and hope in its aftermath. By this I mean, by looking at the heroes borne of the tragedy and how people all become united through it, we can find human goodness. In the Colorado shooting, many people lost or risked their lives to save someone else or help someone who was hurt. An example of this kind of heroism is the late Matt McQuinn, who dove on top of his girlfriend to save her life, even when it meant losing his. Then there was a group of teenagers who took care of a little boy when he was looking for his family, who had been inside the theater with him, and stayed until he found them. There are many more stories like this, not only with this tragedy, but with countless others too. Although these all people could have just thought about themselves and got out of there, they chose to help others instead, saving lives. The fact that these people acted so courageously, gives me hope. 

 

As humans, we are united by the fact that we know life is precious and should be treated with care and respect, not taken away so senselessly. We can empathize and sympathize with those who have been touched by tragedy. For this reason, people around the US, and the world, have been sending their prayers and thoughts to those victims and families of the shooting in hope of them knowing that they have someone there for them. As a country, for the first time in a long time, we all are united behind something. On Friday, political lines were dissolved when both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney released statements about the shooting. This might be the only time that we see Obama and Romney agree on something and use similar words to express their thoughts. Campaigning was cancelled in order to show respect. Hopefully, these political lines will stay dissolved long enough for something to be done so this doesn't happen again.

As the days progress, and more and more information is released about the victims and the shooting itself, I encourage you all to keep those who have been personally touched by the tragedy in your thoughts in prayers. It is also important to think about we can learn from this tragedy like that l life is short, that while you can, focus on what really matters to you, that things like this shouldn't happen and we should do everything to prevent them, and that when it matters, human goodness shows itself. My heart goes out to all the victims, their families, and those at the theater. You will be in my prayers.

*CNN did a really great article on the heroes of the shooting and I reccomend that you all read it: http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/25/opinion/bennett-aurora-three/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

Sisters: The Best Friends in the World

Today, on my sister's 24th Birthday, I believe that it is a proper time to raise a glass to all the sisters around the world. There are many reasons to celebrate sisters, one of which is that they are always there for you. From the minute you were born (if you're the younger sister), or the minute they were born (if you are the older sister) you had another person who had your back and was always watching out for you. As sisters grow up, that really never changes. While people can say that that is because you're family, or that blood stays with blood, it is more than that. Sisterhood entails a bond, and while that bond is different for all sisters, it is a connection that holds them together. It is a bond of memory and experience that you will never share with anyone else in your life. It is a linkage that sees beyond the outside into the inside, into the heart. It is a connection that has undergone strain but that never becomes so strained that you cannot mend it. It is a kinship that entails a multitude of emotions that only grows with each passing year of sisterhood. Overall, it is a complicated relationship that can be most concisely summed up by Linda Sunshine: "If you don’t understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly and want to wring her neck at the same time, then you were probably an only child."

For me, as the youngest of all the sisters, there was an extra factor added to that connection. Growing up, my sisters were my role models and in watching them, they were (and still are) some of my greatest teachers. In my life, there was a level of idolization of them, that with time, has waned, but I know will never totally go away. Although the idolization has lessened, my respect for my sisters grows everyday. I believe that that is probably true in all sibling relationships. When we are little, we see our older siblings as infallible heroes who can never do wrong. But as we grow along with them, we see that they can make mistakes, that they are flawed, and that they are ultimately human. But even though they are no longer God like, it is exactly because of that fact that we come to respect them (and love them even more). 

So here's to sisters, all kinds of them whether they be young or old, big or little. Thank you for all that you do and all that you put up with. You can never know how much we appreciate you. Sisters, you are some of the greatest blessings that we were born with. To my sister, Happy Birthday. Every year you get older is another one I am grateful to have with you.

Soruce: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm3inXH4lJqAxtSkMc0A5milPxvdrrp9cvONIVMMChZC8zwfC2WrB94B5Szj6QODswID6SEOWMWHjzfzFMixLfE_2M6xkx_4GDQQYIsm13JIuvQIh1QIdYOfYcVU6e7p1oTBguGcniUAY/s1600/SistersForeverCStavridisStock.jpg

'A Thank You Note to the World'

We live a world that seems, to many, to be in turmoil. From a economic recession in the United States that has cost millions of jobs, to a fight for peace is Syria which has lost thousands of lives, it is easy to have a negative outlook on the world, as well as on life. I believe though, if we look past all the wars and problems in society today, we all have a lot to be grateful for. So here is my thank you note to the world for all the small and big things that make up a wonderful and worthwhile life. My hope is that with my glass of gratitude, your glass will get a little closer to seeing the world in a more "half full" kind of light.

My first glass of gratitude is raised to family, which is sometimes undervalued and overlooked. Now family doesn't only include those to which we are biologically related too, but also those people who life would be hard to imagine without. Family is always there for us and we often take for granted the fact that they are there when we need them.  They offer support and advice when asked (or sometimes when not asked) and they always have our back. They bring joy and laughter to our days, brightening our lives with their smiles. Even if we fight with them, they always come back and are still the ones who love us the most in the world. All this is given for free, without any thought about getting something back in return. Personally, my family is the number one thing I am grateful for in my life and if given the chance, I would not trade them for anything. Without them, I would be lost and my life would be much more dark and dreary. So, lets raise a glass to those who make our lives so much better and easier, while painting our world with their vibrance. Cheers!