Whoever Said Life Was Fair Lied

People have always said life wasn’t fair and it’s not. Life is cruel and it will knock you down until you’re lying on the floor. It’s up to you to decide whether you want to lay on the ground groaning and moaning about your troubles or get up, wipe the dust off your clothes and fight. Some people that I know complain about their misfortunes blaming anyone and everything but themselves. The type of person I’m describing is one who is used to getting anything they want; everything is handed to them. 

Three years ago this girl (lets call her Trisha) decided to run for class president. What you need to know is Trisha had this wonderful self-impression that she was the best thing that happened in our town…the most wonderful person God ever created. She was one of those people who walked around like she owned the place and belittled anyone who got in her way. One voting day, everyone voted and to everyone's surprise, things didn't turn out for Trisha as expected -- for once in her “perfect” life, she didn't get what she wanted. The next few days following the election she complained to her parents as well as teachers and anyone else who would listen how unfair the voting was and she didn't believe that everyone's votes were counted. She was relentless – her parents called the school and she kept pushing until she felt she got what she was owed.  For the first time, the school had Co-Presidents. So the girl who won the election had to share her presidential responsibilities. What Trisha should have done was swallow her pride, congratulate the winner, and run again next year if she still wanted that position. People can be so absorbed in themselves that they don’t take the time to step back and look at the big picture. 

Life isn’t about always getting what you want. If we did, life would be boring...we wouldn’t learn anything and we wouldn’t grow as a person. It’s important for people to realize that life doesn’t just hand itself to you on a silver platter. Sometimes you have to fight for what you want. That doesn’t mean punching, pulling hair, scratching to get the job or spot on the varsity team but taking the time to build skills needed. It’s not about taking the easy way out because in the long run it makes you a weaker person. For example, during my brother’s freshman year of high school he tried out for the hockey team. La Salle gave him one tryout whereas the other guys were granted the opportunity to tryout multiple times. The more tryouts you have, the better chance you have of making the team. There was one spot left on one of the teams and through hard work and endless hours practicing, he made the team. He didn’t "buy" his way onto the team – he fought his way on fair and square.  He had a huge sense of self satisfaction at the end of the season when he was the only defender from his team to make the All-Star Team that year.

To Those Who Have Never Been on the Outside Looking In

Diversity comes in many shapes and sizes and oftentimes what you see in
a person is not always what you get. It was not just about the color of
a person's skin or ethnic background, but it also about acceptance of
differences that go beyond the surface of ones skin color. 

During my sophomore year of high school I decided to go to a private
school ten minutes from where I lived. Throughout my first year I was
welcomed with open arms as everyone crowded me in flurry excitement. I
was the new girl and in a school of 350 students I was a treat. People
seemed nice and caring with no intentions of being confrontational like
many students at my old school. I was going through a culture shock of
sorts and I was blind to what was really happening by a black veil.  It
was't until my junior year that the veil finally lifted. For the first
time I could see everyone clearly. It was as if the summer away from my
friends cleared my mind. I went back to drama, teachers pets and
two-faced lying students.  I was guilty of stereotyping.  Because I was
attending a mennonite school, my expectation was that the students would
be different and I expected them to kind, caring and honest.  In reality
-- they were no different than the rest of us. 

For the first time I realized that in order to fit in you had to play a
game and you had to play it well. The rules were simple: gain
information of those around you and use it. Do what you have to do to
stay on top including lie and cheat. It was like a jungle and it was a
game I had no intention of playing. Because of this I was an outcast and
people who I thought were my friends turned their backs on me. This was
all because I didn't share their beliefs. I wasn't mennonite, I didn't
possess all the ins and outs of the inner circle that were partially
required to survive.  In their eyes, I wasn't normal. In a school so
small everyone knew everyone else's business and problems. The students
of the school were all related.  I was way too trusting and learned the
hard way that confiding in one person was like a death sentence in their
social heirarchy.  

I have to admit that my peers did do a good job of saving face and
pretending like they cared. In my opinion, it was common practice for
the students to make fun of anyone or anything that was different from
their own ideas.  The irony is that mennonites are taught to love, care,
and respect one another no matter the diffferences that seperates us and
they used the term "community" to describe their school. I was so
disgusted from hearing it so much that I thought I would scream and
voice my opinion on the matter. This place wasn't a community it was
hell. 

But my experience attending the school  wasn't all bad. In fact, I
learned something very important during my two years of torture...no one
is perfect and everyone is different. I learned to accept people for who
and what they are disabilities and all. People can relate and understand
someone if they have a visible problem like a broken bone. Instead of
being scared they are understanding and sympathetic.

You're left labeled and friendless with no one who really understands.
You're forced to walk around with a weight that drags you down because
no one is willing to help you carry that weight except for family.
People are scared of what they can't see becasue they don't understand
it. 

Everyone should be aware that words cut deeper than a knife. 


Thank you.

Ten Years Later...

Ten years ago today, the sense of security was stripped from the United States Government as well as the civilians residing in the United States who were old enough to remember the tragic day. Thousands of people lost their lives that day leaving behind sons, daughters, parents, and significant others. I can clearly remember that day as if it happened yesterday. I was in fourth grade when my principal's worried voice came over the loud speaker causing the room to fall into a sullen silence. We were ushered outside into the small yard where our flag hung high and proud. It was the backdrop of a warm, sunny, beautiful day. Even though I was too young to grasp the gravity of the situation dealt suddenly into our hands I was, however, able to notice the panic stricken expressions plastered onto our teachers faces. The rest of the day passed in a blur of fuzzy confusion. From that moment on I, personally, felt as if I had to always be on my guard; as if my own home and school would burst into flames claiming more lives. I was too scared to set foot on a plane making what should have been fun trips to Disney World a battle I inevitably lost.


As the years passed and understanding enlightened me I realized how much we have taken for granted. Before 9/11 happened everyone went about their business, hopping onto flights and taking the smallest things for granted.  We, as Americans, had freedom that some countries could only dream  about but many of us were blind to the anger and range and jealousy emanating from our neighbors. Seemingly overnight homeland security took charge and planted high quality security systems in malls, airports, and other populated areas. Rules became more stringent and the ability to walk happily through airports without going through security was ripped out from under us. Now we are forced to stand in line as we are herded through the security checkpoint. Phones are now being tapped ensuring that the US is safe from yet another terrorist attack. Even though the government is doing all this to make sure we are safe our standards of what privacy is has been forced to change. Some people believe this to be an inconvenience, but we have to understand that it's a price we now have to pay to ensure our safety. 

In listening to the news and other multimedia sources the theme seems to stay constant: that people should live life to its fullest, take nothing for granted, and let those you love know how much you appreciate them. Life is like a burning flame, inevitably to be snuffed out. 9/11 proved that much to us as thousands of people lost their lives.