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.

http://worldpittsburgh.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/9-11.jpg