The Smiling Credo

Ling Li

Mary Louise Hill

Eng 200

26 Sep 2016

The Smiling Credo

What does “credo” mean? What is your credo? Dictionary says that “credo is the formula of belief, which shows the attitude of life”. Because of different experiences, people always have their own credos. I wish my life is filled with happiness, so my credo is to keep a smile to life. I also give my credo a nick name, which is the smiling credo. In my smiling credo, there are three main points that show my personal beliefs of life.

The first one is “Work harder, and then, you will be successful.” As an international student, of course, there are many challenges to my studying. For example, education psychology is just a psychology class for most of native English speakers. However, to me, it is an English class first; and then, it is a psychology class. As a result, I have to spend more time on studying than other students. Therefore, I will be pretty happy if I receive an A in my class, which means that I overcome the difficulties. In addition, the different culture and customs always cause many troubles in my daily life. However, I believe that I can overcome them and get successful in the future if I work harder.

The second point is “No matter how hard things may seem, there is always something good coming around.” Life is always tricky; you will never know what will appear in the future. Although I feel downcast sometimes, I believe that there will be a rainbow later in my life. This is my first semester in Medaille College. I was really upset to see that I am the only international student of my education major. My teachers always emphasize at me. Although I understand that they don’t want me to feel forgettable, it is wierd if teachers add my nationality especially when they are talking. It makes me feel like a stranger in this school. However, there is a student, whose name is Andrew, he helps me a lot. If I don’t understand what the teacher said, he is happy to explain to me. Also, he introduced many new friends into my life and invited me to join the Asian club together. Because of him, I feel like that I am a part of Medaille College. Auguste Rodin has said, “Beauty is found everywhere. Our eyes do not show a lack of sense of beauty, but a lack of observation.” Therefore, I believe that the beauty is always around me, whether I am in trouble or not.

The last and the most important credo in my life is “Family is the most important thing in the world”. Although my parents are in Shanghai China, I feel that they are always behind me and support me. Connecting with my parents makes my time more enjoyable at here. After the conversations, I feel like I am filled with love and energy. Also, whatever mistake I made, my parents will always help me and correct me. I know that they will never leave me alone even the distance is far.

As a conclusion, all the three points above show my attitudes of life. No matter how huge the problem is, I believe that I can solve it if I work harder. If I still can’t do that, my friends and my parents will be there and glad to give me a favor. This is me, a girl who believes the world is colorful and want to keeping smile in life.

Destiny Taylor

Professor MaryLouise Hill

ENG 200 05

September 16, 2016

Respect

In life I believe it’s important to be the best person you can be, live up to your potential. To always treat the people around you the way you would want to be treated; with respect. Be kind to whomever you encounter, because you never know if you may need them one day.

I’ve always believed “do onto others what you would want done to you”, but it was never made as clear as it today. I would like to share what strengthened this belief; at the age of nineteen I became pregnant with my now one-year-old son. Being only nineteen and pregnant, there weren’t many people I could lean on, or ask for assistance. Although I did have a wonderfully supportive family, my friends were even more supportive.

Throughout my pregnancy I had several complications, in and out of the hospital way more than a normal pregnancy. Being that I had a high risk pregnancy, I always had a constant fear of losing my baby. I was dealing with a lot of emotional ups and downs and stresses. I was overworking myself to make sure I had everything for my son when he came home. Walking almost two miles to work every morning, it doesn’t seem like much but when you’re pregnant it’s a lot on your body.

I couldn’t get through it by myself, my family and friends stepped in, they gave me rides when I needed them helped me around, back and forth to appointments. Before I became pregnant I did everything I could possible for my family. I was always there to babysit, letting them borrow things, as well as emotionally and have always been respectable.

I pride myself in this belief I know it’s a part of others beliefs as well, but it means more to me. When I actually did have my son, I had him early at twenty-eight weeks; he was just 2 lbs. and 8oz. The hardest part for me was leaving the hospital without my baby, I cried for days. I made sure I went and saw him every day he was there for two months straight. My family visited but my friends were there every day with me like he was their own. Now that he’s one years old nothing has changed I still have wonderful family and friends. They are there for us as much as possible, and there’s nothing I appreciate more.

I have had such a large impact on the people around me, that in my time of need I actually have people I can depend on, because they were able to do the same when they needed me.

Linda Thompson

Professor Mary Louise Hill

ENG 200

23 September 2016

Peace Within

            Since the age of twelve years old, I have never been a great sleeper. I can be the most exhausted I’ve ever been, but the moment my head hits the pillow my mind is racing and my legs are itchy and I’m tossing back and forth and oh my dog is scratching herself it rocks the bed and I wonder if my partner will wake up or maybe my fidgeting will wake him up and one of us will get upset like that argument we had a year ago when we couldn’t sleep and it was late and he slept on the couch and I didn’t sleep at all and I felt terrible for days because insomnia should only affect the person who has it and….

Oh, four in the morning already?

Just breathe.

I believe in breathing. Each breath we are granted is a blessing that should never be forgotten or ignored. My father, a tall man with large knuckly hands and a contagious smile, drew his last breath on October 22^nd, 2015. At this point he had consumed enough poison to deteriorate his brain to shambles, and I became unrecognizable to him because of it. The last time I saw my dad, I had prepared his favorite meal (coincidentally, the same as my own: homemade Shepard’s Pie) and joined him for dinner at the nursing home he resided within. I proceeded to walk out when my frail and dying father mistook me for his girlfriend.

Keep breathing.

Death is a certainty, and should never be taken lightly. How might one convince their body to keep going, when it is inevitably time to let go? It is impossible. How should one persuade their mind to continue trying, when the chance is too far gone? Not so unlikely, yet incredibly difficult and life-altering. By teaching myself how to breathe through the pain I have begun the process of grieving. It is not fair to allow a tragedy, even an expected one, to alter a life negatively or with disdain. To allow life to pass by simply existing in the world as an empty shell is an utter waste. By ascending out of the sadness and coming up for air, I continue to cherish the gift of life and all the lessons my father intended for me to learn.

Breathe in, breathe out.

I have never been an avid sports fan (aside from horseback riding, my true calling) and it never occurred to me to exercise through the pain. Yet one night as anxiety came crashing over my broken soul again, my partner sparked a glimmer of light within me: “just breathe.” Under his constant gaze and steady hand, I listened. Inhale, pause, exhale. Inhale, pause, exhale. Certainly not an immediately life-changing experience, but this moment helped me to fight through the panic and make it to the other side. Because of this, I began to lightly practice the art of yoga and meditation. Particularly when getting ready for bed; just a few minutes of mindfulness helps me to obtain a decent night’s sleep. Stretching the soreness out of my muscles, clearing my mind of any blinding thoughts, and relaxing into the sanctity of my bed has allowed me to catch up on ten years of restless nights. I believe in the power of love. I believe in the power of life and death and how easily they can be given and taken. But more than any mantra or famous quote, I believe in breathing.

Eugene

Professor Mary

ENG 200

16 September 2016

Overcoming the hardship in a shelter

     It was 3 years ago. When I was serving military service, every single day tortured me. The tank battalion I was serving was notorious for its strict, fierce atmosphere and surrounding as well as location just below North Korea. The rank I held in was private, which is the lowest rank in army. I would do all the hard jobs and go through drills without any hesitation or mistake. Superiors and officers expected that from us as well. However, it is common that freshmen make many mistakes and are not used to most of things happening in the army. Whenever something went wrong, I was both physically and verbally abused by seniors. I began to lose confidence in myself, hoping every single day passed without any problems. This continued more than a year until I began contemplating suicide. I changed into a different person who was timid, clumsy and devastated.

     One Saturday, when the bright sunshine poured down, I came across a church and went inside. Inside of the church, rays of sunlight sneaked through the curtain hung on the large hazel colored window. It was comforting, warm, and silent. No one was yelling and torturing me in that place. I just came over to the antique brown wood and sat. When I raised my head, there was a cross standing in the center of the wall. This place was healing me without saying any helpful words and advice. Then I thought that I could overcome all the adversity I faced with this shelter. From then on, every Saturday and any other moment I suffered, I would came by the shelter and sit on the bench letting all my fears go away. Sometimes when I look back at my life in the army I appreciate the shelter I found by accident.

     While people are living in this complicated world that keeps pressuring them, they become easily tired and exhausted. Sometimes they think of committing suicide, drinking too much or even taking drugs. Then, it is the time to look for shelters. Through the experience, I believe, I stayed away from the stuff that breaks me down. Whether it is a quiet church or a breezy beach or a sunny meadow, they will find their own shelter and let them just lie down and take a rest. Do not try to stand against the fierce hardship. It will devour you. Just step back a while and see it going away. There is an old saying which goes like, “This too shall pass.” There is no everlasting suffering, but when you are so torn down and broken that you cannot afford to manage, just keep yourself inside the refuge that will never let the hardships hurt you anymore. This is what I believe.  

The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule

            In today’s world when you turn on the TV the radio, or any kind of social media, you see sort of violence, racism, discrimination or just some ridiculous “event” and not just involving people but animals too. I say ridiculous because as human beings we are taught at a young age to treat others the way you want to be treated. I believe in this life lesson very strongly but with a twist. I believe everyone should be treated the way they deserve to be treated, and to help those in need while never judging anyone because of their differences, this includes all living creatures so that they can live a good life they deserve to have.

            In 2007 the news blew up with football star Quarter Back Michael Vick. Vick was accused of fighting dogs and hanging/drowning those that did not perform to his standards. I bring this up to my point that all living creatures also deserve to live a life without harm or fear.

            Michael Vick was sentenced under felony charges and served twenty-one months in prison. After his release it wasn’t easy for him to get back to where he used to be. Vick was hurt financially by the loss of his NFL salary while losing the opportunity to play for the Falcons and later signing with the Eagles in 2009. The sentencing that Vick received was judicially right, that the animals were not receiving the treatment and care they deserved.

            While others deal with issues legally others deal with them personally. Struggling and hardships are a part of life and we all deal with it every day. As I was skimming through Facebook I saw a long post that was fairly old but it still meant something. It exemplified no matter how awful a person might be there can still be good in them. The post went on about a poor college student.

            The student could only afford the rent that gave him a dry place to sleep at night. One night this student came back to his home to find a man standing in the middle of his living room. He asked what he was doing there and his reply was “I came here because I wanted to rob you, but you have nothing.” The student only had a few blankets on the floor where he slept and an old milk crate that he used as a chair. After this man had seen how this student was living, he ended up bringing him some furniture and a TV. He told the student “I’ve got a bed for you as well, but it just may take some time.” This student didn’t throw the guy out or turn down the items he was given but accepted them and made a new friend. Not once did the student ever ask this man where the stuff came from.

            Seeing how today society is now I live by treating those that are in need and treat everything and everyone the way they deserve to be treated. I’ve done my part by becoming an EMT to help the people who could be having the worst days of their lives, and by becoming a Veterinary Technician to help those that can’t speak. 

The Power of Hard Work

The Power of Hard Work

I did not recognize the pain on my mother’s face. I didn’t see the stress in her eyes. I didn’t stay up all hours of the night studying day in and day out with her. I know the mother who religiously made breakfast and lunches for me regardless of her exhaustion. I know the mother who went out of her way daily for my sister, myself, and the countless number of people who turned to her. It was not until recently I recognized the struggle and sacrifices my mother faced daily.

I believe in hard work. I believe working hard in your younger years will be much more rewarding than working hard for the rest of your life. My mother, from a very young age, always encouraged me to work hard no matter what adversities are thrown at me. Although I was not raised in a very religious home, my mother did instill a strong moral background.  She would often say “Work hard when you’re young or you can spend the rest of your life working hard.”

Unfortunately, it was in 2008 when my mother lost her job. I was ten years old. It was a very devastating time for my small family. My single mother of two with mouths to feed and a house to uphold was at a standstill. Instead of sulking my mother went back to school to achieve a higher nursing degree. This is when my belief was formed. It was inspiring to see my mother overcome such adversities in those two years. I believe I grew up a lot during this time. My sister and I took on responsibilities to ease the workload on my mother’s part. We learned how to take care of ourselves.

Currently, my mother has obtained positions working in two nursing homes. Throughout the years my mother has obtained several positions in many respected hospitals and care provider organizations.

Working hard ultimately has become a large part of my life. When I started high school knew I wanted a head start at my career. This is when I took on the responsibility of graduating a year early. I did so in hopes of pursuing higher education. During my final year of high school I really pushed my hard working motto to the test. I worked through failure and difficulty. I enjoyed the responsibility. I realized how pleasant and rewarding it became working hard. Now being a sophomore in college I realize the severity of hard work and sacrifice my mother made in the past. So far, my academic career has been successful and I hope to continue achieving success for years to come. I have realized just how important higher education is to reach my many life goals.

Then and now I believe working hard is the basic structure for a happy and fulfilling life.  I believe working hard will allow me to pursue multiple careers and endeavors throughout my lifetime. I believe in working hard in a way that does not hinder other people of their own success. I am not the kind of person who believes in working hard and stepping on other people to get where I want to be. I still carry the many values my mother instilled in me at a young age like working hard and having compassion for others. I hope to make a change in this world. I hope to instill strong work morale in young people universally through education.

Rodney Rodriguez

This faith I have found in myself

            I believe in flexibility, love, and trust. Throughout life I have found that many challenges are brought forward on an everyday basis. Whether it be dealing with depression, loss of a relative, or just waking up late for a class I had the full intention of making a priority for in that moment. Waking daily with these negative challenges would leave me with a sense of being empty, almost as if I was just completely lost. I was drowning just like that infant soul engulfed by their own vomit. There had always seemed as if there was no way out of this whole I had personified. Almost like a mouth it began to swallow me whole.

            One day, I had been woken up by a light. Perhaps it was a fairy light?Pixie dust coating my eyes in new possibilities. Something had changed within me, My heart began to fly. Perhaps it was the lost boys calling me to newer in greater possibilities. One thing I knew is that I had a plethora of new beginnings waiting for me.

            Being led by that lost boy, I found myself in a world of flexibility. I was able to learn from past endeavors, and like a cold winter morning my lungs filled with cool refreshing air. The cob webs cleared and life began to form. My new body regenerated, took on the form of something new. I was still me, but the difference this time was I had a drive, a motivation to continue forward in pursuing my goals. To make that lost boy proud. To make our life lines glimmer.

            Love overflowed within me, a new and developing patience grew stronger. I was able to look at the others, the ones similar to myself but different in every way. The same ones I grew to hate over time. They became beautiful in my eyes, connections flowering like an early spring morning. That hate I once had grew into an overflowing cup of love. That was the point I realized that I had more of purpose to help those, who have also fallen captive to that mouth. The cold, dark, damp mouth that I would wish upon no other woman or man.

            Just like that I found myself in a clover field. The lost boy had shown me this, and with an explosion a light show began to blossom. The pixie that visited me the first night to my hand and with her little finger led me to the center. They began surrounding and I was unsure as to whether I should be scared, begin to run, or to lay and play dead. Something wonderful happened than. They dusted light of silver and gold which fell from the wings began to lay atop my body. Like the first winter snow I began to glimmer, and I fell in love with this diamond dust that showered over me. I learned to trust in that moment, trust in what was to come. Trust in the past for the knowledge of even the deepest of wounds healing with time. Trust in those fairies and that lost boy who gave me flight into my future.

            Especially that lost boy, my dearest nephew for you allowed me guidance, and personified hope in every which way possible. I hope every day that I will see that little light, once again but I know you are still with me. 

I believe in Mermaids

Frances Wolf

Mary Louise Hill                                                                               

English 200

September 18, 2016                                                               

I Believe in Mermaids

As I grew up I followed a quote – “When you feel like you’re drowning in life, don’t worry – your lifeguard walks on water.” This quote means that if you think your falling apart that you shouldn’t worry because you have friends and family that support you. This quote also relates mermaids because it has to do with water. Honestly if I was drowning, I always pictured myself being rescued by a mermaid. Most mermaids live in the water, so that’s why I might make my best decisions in the pool. I always feel relaxed. In the water a mermaid is weightless and that is how mermaids move so fast. People are always happy under the sea along with mermaids.

A mermaid is defined as a mythical half-human sea creature with the head and trunk of a woman and the tail of a fish. When you grow up in a pool like I did, you would understand why I believe I could have fins and gills instead of feet and lungs like mermaids. I believe that humans can become mermaids by just a drop water. When I am in the water I feel weightless, and my worries go away. When most people panic in the water I embrace it. I know I can swim, and I know nothing can bother me in my happy place. Water is where I belong.

I became a lifeguard so I could be in my natural environment. I started taking swim lessons at the age of 4 and by the age of 10, I was on a swim team. I swam for that team for 8 years. My teammates were like mermaids just like I wanted to be. I grew up in a pool and on a swim team. I am always in a swimsuit, and I’m always walking around barefooted. My teammates and I were always in the water. We always believed that we were going to become lifeguards or mermaids one day. I started teaching swim lessons last year, so I can give little girls the same dream that I had growing up of becoming a mermaid.

Mermaids are mystical beings that not many believe in. If I didn’t believe in mermaids, then I would be upset. Without swimming I would have nowhere to escape my worries. I would have no place to release my anger or sorrow. I would always be stressed out and feel like I’m walking with a big weight on my shoulders. Without swimming I would feel like an ostrich with my head in the dirt.

I believe in mermaids. I grew up in a pool and became a lifeguard. I also feel the most relaxed in the water. I am drawn to quotes that relate to water, mermaids and drowning. Three-quarters of the earth are covered in water, so I might as well live in the water and be with the mermaids. 

The Power in Staying True to Youself

Taylor Ranney

Professor Mary Louise Hill

English 200

September 26, 2016

                                                The Power in Staying True to Yourself

No matter the circumstance, I believe in always staying true to myself no matter what life decides to throw my way. This belief is something I stand very true to, and have stood true to, for the past few years, anyway. There have been several circumstances where I have come to realize that staying true to me is the best thing I could possibly do.

 Throughout my early years of school I was never really one to fit in with a certain crowd, just always that person to mesh with almost everyone no matter what they were socially ‘labeled’ as. During that time I was always just being myself, being around people who were good for me.

When I eventually got into high school, my freshman year, my mentality unfortunately started to change, and I started to try to change myself, and not for the better either. I thought that being skinny, pretty and becoming a cheerleader was the only way I’d ever have someone, besides my friends, like me. So I started wearing more makeup, changed how I dressed, started to try to lose some weight and I even tried out for cheerleading and actually made the team just so I could ‘fit in’. With this being said, I know this wasn’t who I was, yet I still kept trying to be someone I wasn’t. Thinking in this mentality only brought toxic people into my life. For instance, an upperclassman started showing ‘interest’ in me and I thought it was the coolest thing as a freshman to have someone older than me interested in me.

Well, I thought completely wrong. This boy dragged me down into one of the lowest points in my life. He used me at my own expense, and would only talk to me if he wanted something that benefitted him. Eventually, about a year later, I learned that I didn’t need that toxic person in my life, and that I didn’t need to be who I was pretending to be all along, I just needed to be myself and stop trying to please others.

I think hitting this low point in my life actually helped me out in the long run. I learned to realize that not everyone will like me for who I am, and to me, that’s completely okay. Other people liking you is a bonus, you liking yourself is the real prize. I learned to just be myself. Don’t change to fit in and don’t change your ways because that whole time it truly didn’t feel right pretending to be someone I wasn’t.

Staying true to yourself is possibly one of the best things you can do for yourself, and this now means a lot to me as a person. So, about a year ago I decided I needed to give myself a reminder every day to just be myself, so I got a tattoo on my ribs of a quote reminding me to do so every time I look at it. The quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson reads “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” These are words to live by and this is one of my favorite quotes because it reminds you to always just be yourself in this world no matter who or what tries to change you. If you remain true to yourself, I feel that you will ultimately live a happier life.

Belief

This I Believe
In life we have two options; we either take all of life’s obstacles and grow from the experience, or we let those obstacles defeat us. My story begins when I was first separated from my family two years ago. My siblings and I were put into separate foster care homes. In the beginning all I could do was cry. I was separated from everything I loved, and I started to fall into a deep depression. I could not concentrate in school and it was hard to even go somedays. I honestly felt that giving up was my only option. I had no support and it was hard for me to trust anyone. I was not able to see my siblings for almost three months. Those three months almost killed me.


Growing up, my siblings and I formed a really strong bond, we always stuck together no matter what. We were one another’s support group because we were all that we had. I am the oldest of seven siblings; being an older sister is kind of like being a second mom, and that is how it felt. Once we were taken away it was like a hole was ripped into my heart. I could not do anything to protect them. As I watched the CPS workers split us up into separate cars; I saw in my sibling’s eyes so many emotions. Fear, hurt, anxiousness, and just about everything but their normal spark. I will never be able to forget those looks.

That day was the day I felt I had nothing left to live for. I mean, how does one live when we have lost our reason and purpose. It started to seem like the end for me. It was not until I finally was able to get visits with my siblings, did I find my reason again. The looks on their faces were enough for me to realize that I cannot just give up, that I could still be there for them, and lead by example. After the first visit I decided to get my act together and start being the person that my siblings could continue to look up to again. I realized that no matter what, I had to be strong for them.

My grades in school started improving, and I even started to volunteer at a youth center. It gave me a sense of what I wanted to do when I graduate (working with troubled teens). At the center I found what I believe; I believe that there is no such thing as losing. From every experience we learn something; whether it is what we should do, or what we should not do. So how can we lose if we are constantly learning? Going through the obstacles of losing and being separated from my family has taught me never to let an obstacle stop me. If I would have just given up, where would that have left me or my siblings? If I would have given up they surely would have given up too.

Lessons Taught

Lessons Taught

            Lessons taught to me throughout my life have impacted me tremendously and some of those lessons are hard work will get me far, treat others how you would like, and do not take what others say to heart.

One of the lessons I have learned is that nothing comes easy to anyone. If someone is good at something, sure there may be some natural born talent there, but if they are really good they combined that talent with hard work. I know for me it was always sports, I had the natural ability and talent to do well, but to get where I wanted I used hard work every day and still do to keep myself on the right track. Hard work really for me is most represented in my school work. Some subjects like math and English I have struggled with from a very young age, but the more and more I worked at being a better student in those classes, the better grades I would end up receiving. Nothing comes easy in this world. Everyone at some point in their life, especially me, has had to work hard to achieve their goals and that work never stops even when the goal is reached, because a new goal will come in to fruition.

            Treating others with kindness and respect is something that I have learned first-hand about. Not ever being the most popular person ever, I had to deal with some adversity growing up. Sometimes it was family life that was taking a toll on me and sometimes it would be my fellow classmates or teammates, but my mom would always tell me that I should be the bigger man and not respond to anything negative. Her favorite quote that she would always tell me is “If you have nothing nice to say then don’t say anything at all.” I think that holds great significance in my life for the simple fact of knowing when to bite my tongue and not say anything, whether it is in a face to face conversation with someone or on the internet through social media. Someone’s definition of being treated well may be different than mine, there are certain values we all have and expect.

            Do not let other people affect me, whether it is by trying to bring me down or control what I do. That is important for me. It is so easy to hear criticism or negativity in this day and age with social media, anyone can say anything at any time and they can pretty much hide behind a username. Many times in my life I was told that I would not be able to play college baseball that I was not good enough, and this was from my friends who are supposed to have my back. Maybe they thought I was just joking about this but now I am playing college baseball because I did not let their negativity bring me down, but used it as motivation instead to pick myself up and work even harder to get where I am today.

            These three lessons I think are very important, not only for me, but the world in general. If anyone reading this essay can take at least one thing from here to make their life better it would be a success. While others may have learned different lessons, these are some that makes me the man I am today.

The Strength in Empathy and Understanding

            When a situation occurs and seems to be turning the opposite way that you hoped, I believe you should stay calm. Instead of screaming until you lose your voice, stay humble and try to understand the other side of the story. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes and try to feel what they feel. Throughout life, many obstacles will be thrown your way and only you can decide how to react.  During my middle and high school career, life has done nothing to help me. Instead, it has chosen to try and throw me off balance. Between tests in history to losing friends over stupid reasons like having stolen their crush’s heart or offended them by calling them stupid.

The main happening that tested my belief was playing travel softball. Not realizing that travel would have so many politics incorporated into it, I was left heartbroken. I played for a travel league for four years and when I tried out for my fifth, I found out that two teams wanted me from the same league. By the end of the tryouts, I was super ecstatic knowing that other coaches saw so much potential in me that they wanted me. Although with my luck, it seemed too good to be true. The two coaches said they would talk it over of who would take who and proceeded to make calls and make the players aware who will play where. Days went by and I wondered if I was ever going to hear from them. My mom saw I was affected by this so she called them. That’s when I found out they never talked about where I would go. I was told I did not have a team because they forgot about me. While my parents screamed at the coaches on the phone, I went upstairs and went to bed.

The next couple of weeks I felt like a dead corpse walking. I was devastated knowing that I wouldn’t play with my friends or even play the sport that over took my life. I’d find myself crying or even blankly staring into space replaying what had happened. I thought of everything possible of what I could have done to make the outcome different but, there was nothing I could do. After I thought about it intently for hours, it came to me. I have no right to be mad because it was not on purpose. I then found out from an old teammate’s parent, that an outside source talked to one of the coaches. The outside source said that I was too good to be playing on his team and that I should play on the other team. For a while I was mad at that person, then again realized he wanted what was best for me even though it was not his place to say anything.

I ended up switching to a different softball league and was thankful that things had happened the way they did. The whole time my parents screamed and lost sleep over it. I could not change the situation. I compared my parents to myself; they looked terrible and lacked sleep. On the other hand, I felt alright and had slept fairly well. Because my parents didn’t stay calm, they started unhealthy habits. I believe that by staying calm and humble things will work out in the end, even when they seem like the world is going to end. It does not end. Instead, life goes on. 

I Don’t Like Being Lied To

Let’s be honest, how many of us don’t like to be lied to but are scared to know the truth sometimes? Well, I am. It’s weird because I’ll be at a certain point where I really want to know the truth but I would rather be lied to. If you were to ask your partner or anyone an important question about your relationship or whatever the situation might be, aren’t you going to expect the truth the first time you ask not the second time? I would expect the truth the first time. Do you ever question why some people tell white lies while you’re having a regular conversation? I have. It’s weird because you’ll ask a simple question and you’ll get an answer but five minutes later you find out the person was lying. I believe in honesty. Honesty is very important to me because I would rather get hurt by the truth than to have plenty of lies told to me. A lot of people live a lie; they’ve had someone close to them like their parents lie to them about something that they should’ve found out a long time ago. That’s one way of ruining trust.

You put your trust into these people like family, friends, your partner or someone who’s trying to get to know you, to tell the truth the first time not the fifth or tenth time. I expect my family to tell me truth. That’s home and I’m expecting to trust them. Home to me in this situation means, the trust I have for those really close to me. I expect my friends to always tell me when I’m wrong, not let me believe my wrongs are right. I expect my partner to be honest throughout the whole relationship.

Life is based on reality not fiction unless you make it that way. It’s like being blind and not being able to see the world, you’ll just get to touch it. It’s also like living in a cave, you’re living in a cave like the prisoners in The Allegory of the Cave by Plato. The cave held prisoners who only saw shadows but had never seen the “real world”. The prisoners had mistaken shadows for reality. Once, the prisoner was released he’d see everything he had seen in the cave, get used to it, go back and tell the other prisoners but they wouldn’t believe him.

During the summer I met this guy who said he wanted to get to know me. The problem was that every time we met up he kept throwing little white lies. That was really the most annoying experience of my life. Do you want to know why? Of course you do. It was the most annoying experience of my life because that meant if he was lying about little tiny details that barely mattered, he’ll keep lying about things that do matter. So, after that experience I told him I’d rather be friends.

I don’t like being lied to that’s why I’m always honest. I don’t really care about telling the truth. So, if I’m telling you the truth when you ask me about something or whatever the case might be I will expect the same in return. I don’t like being untrustworthy and I rather still trust you than not to. It’s like having to question everything the person says to you, because of that lie they told the first time.

A few words can change your life

Stephen A. Bruno

English 200/ Professor Hill

“This I believe” Essay

21 September 2016

A Few Words Can Change Your Life

                    During my senior year in high school, I figured out what was meant when my track coach said very powerfully “Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard”. Those words to me mean that no matter how talented somebody is, Hard work will always prevail because you actually have to work for it, it’s never given to you.

               My beliefs are simple and stem straight from my coach’s wise words. That is that anything is possible to achieve once you start using words such as the ones I live my life by. Those are Motivation, Dedication, and Determination. Once words such as these are used as assets in your life; you won’t ever let something with true meaning to you slip away and given up on. You never truly lose sight of the goal big or small if it has true meaning to you and you definitely won’t lose grip of the future you so clearly see once you start to live by what you believe in.

              My beliefs weren’t always what they are now. The words dedication, motivation, and determination weren’t anything I saw clearly at a young age and until I cracked my wrist and damaged my back in my third football game of my senior year of high school football; I thought talent in the sport I loved would get me anywhere I needed to go. Well, let me tell you I was dead wrong and I was going to have to work hard for what I wanted to achieve in life.

             Starting with my health. Being big was all I ever knew in life and my position I played in football kind of called upon being an immovable object. A change in living arrangements soon after my injuries was the final straw for me. Watching what my uncle goes through, struggling with diabetes wasn’t anything I was looking forward to in life and weighing in at over 300 pounds it was the path I was ironically “Sprinting” towards.

              I say ironically because perhaps my greatest decision in life up to this point was joining my high school Track and Field team. Track not only gave me another chance to be somebody in life, but opened doors for me that I never saw coming. I was more Determined, dedicated, and especially motivated then anybody in my school and it was seen and awarded. I went from the 303-pound kid with nothing going for him to a 179 pound “Student Athlete” with nothing but a bright future. I lost 120 pounds within my final six months of high school and honestly can’t say that’s possible if I didn’t live my life by the words I stated above.

         I educated myself on everything health related and now am pursuing a degree in sport management to one-day help in a bigger way then just speaking.

           More often than not you hear people using these strong words as excuses. The best one being “I’m not motivated enough”. That’s just a sad way of saying no I like where I’m at. There is always room for improvement and nobody has the right to think otherwise. Nobody does by watching, one must go out and fight for greatness.

         One must learn to reevaluate their life before they can ever make improvements upon it. Adding a few strong words to your vocabulary will change your life tremendously, I am living proof that a few simple words can go along a way.

Be Their Voice When They Cant Be Their Own

Be Their Voice When They Can’t Be Their Own

            I believe that all animals should be treated humanely and should not be harmed. I believe that animals of all sorts don’t have a voice so you should give them one. I love all animals no matter if they are fat, ugly, old, young, dog, cat or any other species. They are all the same to me. I believe that you should always get an animal from your local pound. If you adopt from an online source instead, the dogs probably came from a puppy mill and their mothers are killed when they cannot breed anymore.  

            When you adopt from your local shelter at least you know more than if you were getting a dog from a mill.  There are about 10,000 puppy mills across the United States (By State).  You shouldn’t get a dog from a mill when there are about7.6 million dogs in shelters that need good and loving homes.

            Dogs today in puppy mills have very bad experiences including being put in overcrowded cages where they get very little food or water and there is no flooring so they’re always stepping on the crate which make it very painful for them to stand correctly once they get out of their cages. The majority of the mother dogs spend their whole lives in these crates creating new puppies constantly.   

            There are many health risks that come with a puppy that has been in the puppy mills. Some of these include heart disease, difficulty breathing, kidney disease, deafness, eye problems, epilepsy and musculoskeletal disorders (ASPCA).  The majority of these puppies have many behavioral issues which in the long run people don’t want because they want well- behaved dogs. Often the dogs are returned and they are killed to make room for other dogs that people are going to send back.

            When it comes to dogs that are put into shelters there are probably many different reasons.  Some of those reasons may be that their owners can’t take care of their pets anymore and they need to get rid of them or they might not be able to afford the vet bills. A person who owns a dog spends about 38,000 dollars to have a dog until they die.

            I believe that if you really want a dog, you should think about what you are doing and where it comes from.  Also, keep in mind that this dog may have different health risks and if so, can you afford all the vet appointments, treatments and medicine. Please, when you go home and you see your pet, just think  about where they came from and  if  it was the shelter or the kennel  remember that they can’t tell you what their life was like previously. When you go home later express love to your pet how they do to you.

A Voice for the Voiceless

A Voice for the Voiceless

When I was in high school, I always felt passionate about wanting to help animals and pursue a career in veterinary technology. Ever since college started, I realized how academically challenging this major is, but it will be worth it in the end. I also started to become a vegetarian at the age of 14 for certain health reasons along with believing that eating animal meat was wrong. I believe that creating awareness for abused animals will be helpful and gets people’s attention about the reality of it. Whenever I see helpless animals being dropped in shelters or pounds, I wish that there was something I could do about it, so they don’t end up getting put down if no one adopts them. I always feel so much joy being surrounded by these furry critters, and I just knew that this is exactly what I wanted to do.

Since I was a kid, my family and friends would call me an “animal magnet” because all the animals would just come right on up to me whenever I went on vacations or camping trips. In some of my high school classes, I chose to do projects that were about animal awareness. Some of them were the reality of how brutally humans treated the animals, such as cattle or pigs, before getting turned into meat. Doing the research for those projects made me realize how unhealthy and unsanitary the meat process really is, which is the reason I chose to become a vegetarian. When I did my first internship at an animal hospital back in Rochester, I saw firsthand of what being a veterinary technician is like. I enjoyed having the hands-on experience with the animals and being able to help them, along with learning a lot while I was there. Some of these hands-on experiences I had were basic stuff such as restraining the animal and giving their temperature.

I try to do what I believe is right for myself along with others around me. Sometimes I would go the extra mile to help out someone in need. I also believe in doing my best in school and getting good grades in all of my classes, no matter how difficult they are. Another thing I feel strongly about is becoming a better person on the inside and out. Doing what I feel passionate about, helping and working with animals, makes me believe that I am doing something right. 

The movement of mind, waves of a buddhist.

"We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. when the mind is pure, Joy follows like a shadow that never leaves." "Buddha"

Andrew Johnson        

Essay 1 This I Believe

November 16^th, 2016

Mary Louise Hill:

English 200-02

The Movement of mind, waves of a Buddhist

 Buddhism has been a part of my soul everywhere I go. Practicing it and learning it has helped me even in creating songs of musical artwork. The lighting of incense and the beautiful colors of leaves on various trees, the sound of bells are all things that I have been able to incorporate through the process of writing music. I compared my life and my memoires to sheets of paper, always adding more notes and chords and lyrics to portray my life, leaving an emotional state of mind open.

            My belief and faith in this religion is much more than just something I practice. It is a form of self-expression and shows inner strength and outer beauty. It allows my body, soul, and mind to all come to a state of equal balance between all three. It allows me to clear my mind making it as calm as the ocean, or as gentle as the clouds moving across the sky. Everything slows down from the blood flow of my arteries, to my respiration, even my heartrate starts to slowly dissipate. Buddhism has led my life from being so stressful and hateful towards many individuals, has now opened my eyes to see a clearer perception on the world. The hate and pain that I endured for so long has finally vanished, it feels like chains that were originally holding my body down were now suddenly free.

            The ideas of Karma apply to this belief, stating that actions will always have a consequence no matter what the situation is whether it is good or bad the repercussion will outweigh the deed that was committed. Karma has been a huge role in this belief and in my own utopia. I realized why spend so much energy into hatred and rage, when I can spend it on more positive thoughts. My birth mother was a Buddhist and she was the reason I started to continue this practice. She always told me “no matter how angry or sad an event might be remember anger is a drug it will consume you from the inside out.” I instantly fell in love with the idea of learning more about this religion hearing those words from my mother opened my eyes to see how truly blind I was.

              Buddhism is a widely respected religion practiced around the world mostly popular in Asian countries. In times of stress, Mediation is the best cure it helps individuals to separate their thoughts and emotions and completely empty the mind. Monks who are very dedicated to their religion will shave their heads bald and go to actual Buddhist temples where they are able to control their chakras and auroras. This belief of Buddhism led me to believe that once I close my eyes I can see the light at the end of the darkness and I can continue moving forward.

             As the song that I write starts to come to an end, it never truly has an end but is just the start of a new beginning. Like with any great song it might be almost finished but there is always more to add the more closely you look. The most beautiful things in life can’t simple be seen but touched by the heart. Buddhism shows this as a piece of my religion, my faith, my personality, and the second half of who I am meant to be.

Emmanuel Mante

                   What is family? I personally believe the deepest meaning of family comes down to love and trust. I believe that family morals are the greatest foundation of respect and discipline. Respect and discipline teaches people to make the right choices in life and also to be very considerate about other people’s feelings. Family values are a pathway which family members strongly believe have worth, such as being respectful to everybody regardless their age, race or ethnic background.

               I have been blessed and fortunate enough to be raised in a happy, successful and very secure family with two outstandingly loving and supportive parents who have always stressed to me and my two other siblings about how strong our faith should be in God because without him none of this will be possible. The happiness and joyful moments that my family and I have shared have mostly come from God’s teachings; we as a family have been taught how to be loyal, loving, honest and unselfish.

             A loving family does not come alive by accident, God puts us into families in order for us to grow in faith, happiness and also learn how to love other people unconditionally. Growing up in a spiritual household taught me a whole lot, certain basic life lessons I wouldn’t b able to learn anywhere else. As a family we made it a tradition to travel a whole lot. By doing such activities it allowed us to grow stronger and get to know each other in so many different ways.

          My grandmother always said to u “don’t just see your brother and sister as your siblings but also see them as your best friends “  I never understood why she said that until I grew up. That statement will never leave me. She always said to us “ take care of each other as much as you can and your parents and God will do the rest” She also stressed on ‘Prayer” and how we should use that to fuel our lives day to day. My parents stressed us on faith and hard work. They said to me one time” God will never give you something somebody else is supposed to have” basically they implied whatever we have we have to be content with it to a certain extent and work hard towards making it better. The love and support I have received from my family I can never replace anywhere on this earth.

                 I personally strongly believe God’s church is there to help us as individuals and also as families to gain eternal blessings. I believe he most wonderful blessing God gives to us as human beings is the opportunity to return t him in heaven with our families and loved ones. Family is the most important thing to me on this earth, without family and loved ones I don’t know what I would do. I believe family should always come first to everyone because in all honesty when the going gets tough, nine out of ten times family will definitely be there to bail us out o the sticky situation we are in. I love my family to pieces and I believe family is everything