Final Reflection

During this class, I have seen my writing go from purely opinions back with little evidence to opinions and facts supported by a lot of evidence. I feel like I am better at taking my ideas, and finding ways to support them. One patter in consistently saw in my writing is my strategy of planning before writing. I always sat down and wrote out all of my thoughts before writing so that I could organize them, and see which would fit and which wouldn't fit into my paper. I feel like my writing has gone from being just the typical five paragraph essay to being detailed and unique. I really dove into every topic, and I think it reflected in a lot of my writing. One thing I would still like to see change is my topic sentences. It took me a long time to remember to add topic sentences, but they really do make a difference.

One thing that I learned to do during this course is look at every angle of an idea and see how it was a possibility. I never really traveled out of my comfort zone when it came to viewing opposing views, but this class taught me that it is okay to do that. I think that the paper that best reflects my personal growth is the last paper, the persuasive paper, that I just wrote, because it shows how my writing has changed over the course of this semester.

I feel like I learned how to incorporate logos, pathos, and ethos into my writing to make it better and more appealing to all types of readers. I started each paper by figuring out who my audience is outside of my classmates so that I was more effective in my papers. I also learned how to shape my tone so that it matched the subject matter of my paper, and all of these things combined really helped me create good papers that met all of the criteria.

The most important thing that I have learned from this course is how to take an idea, turn it into a question or topic, look at all angles of the idea, incorporate all viewpoints into my writing, and put it all together to make a strong point. I like how open the class was for discussion. I felt like you created an environment that had room for all kinds of view points. I originally came into the class hating group discussions and peer reviews, but after this semester, I learned how important teamwork is, and how it can help shape your views and writing style. I really enjoyed this class, and I'm sad it had to end.

Persuasive Paper Reflection

Through the process of writing the persuasive paper, I learned a lot of strategies to help me read and identify credible sources that would aid me in my research. I learned how to organize my thoughts and make them flow together in a logical way so that every point that I wanted to make was hit. One thing that I learned about myself as a writer is that if I break the paper down into paragraphs and do a paragraph a day, my paper comes out more organized, and I pay closer attention to details. As a student, this paper helped me learn how to prioritize my time better, and I learned how to organize my writing in a logical way.

During this assignment, I struggled with portraying all that I wanted to say without going into a lot of unnecessary details. I had so much that I wanted to say, and it was hard for me to break it down into simpler terms and pick out the main points from each idea. When I caught myself going into too much unnecessary detail, I allowed myself to write the paragraph how I would say it if I were telling it to a classmate or family member. Then I went back and cut out the "fluff", highlighted the main points, and summarized them in a shorter, more condensed version. This helped me get all of my thoughts out on papers so that I didn't feel like I was missing something.

Through this writing process, I really dug deep into the facts and opinions that I found through my research, and I tied them into my own feelings and beliefs, so that I could strengthen my credibility with the quotes and facts from other people. I looked into other questions along the way that popped into my head, and I think that it helped me come to a better solution in my mind than I had originally started out with. When I found a source, I analyzed it, and found how it would help my argument, and then I incorporated it into my evidence as persuasion. I felt like I had a harder time when it came to picking a side, because I went into this knowing what my personal thoughts were, but the opposing views were very convincing, and they all made sense. In the end, I had to ask myself, "What would you do in this particular situation to address the problem?" In other words, would I let my adopted child meet their biological parents or not? By doing this, I was able to look at it from a personal level, while also keeping the opposing views in the back of my mind. I really enjoyed this assignment, and persuasive writing is one of my favorite types of writing now.

Synthesis Essay Reflection

After writing the synthesis essay, I felt like I was able to take two things and compare their points of view to come to a clear conclusion of my opinion on a topic. I learned how to take the main points of two articles and find out where they agree or disagree so that I could compare the two articles and summarize the arguments and then compare them to one another with strong evidence that shows where they differ. After completing the assignment, I realized how hard it is for me to take a topic that I am passionate about, and summarize it in just a handful of paragraphs. I had so much to say, but I knew that I needed to cut some of it down and focus on the important parts rather than the whole picture. As a student, I learned that I work better when I plan my writing out piece by piece, and take it one chunk at a time rather that doing the whole thing at once. This allows my ideas to develop even more, and allows me to put it all together at the end.

During the writing process, I struggled with developing my point of view. There were points in each source that I used that were strong, and they both challenged me to view the question differently. I had a hard time especially when I agreed with two points that contradicted each other. To solve this problem, I started to look for solutions to the problem rather than choosing one side. I looked for a middle ground that would satisfy both sides, and from there, I was able to come to my own conclusion based on the two sources.

In my writing process, I had many moments where I thought "Oh yeah, that makes sense too." I saw how both sides made a valid point, but in the end, I was able to come to my own conclusion based on the information that I had. I also had moment where it was clear to me which view point I agreed with, and this helped drive my ability to generate my own ideas about the issue. I would say that each article had its fair share of "Aha" moments, and those moments helped me grow my opinions into something worthwhile for my paper. I realized that once I was able to see the whole picture coming together, I became more and more confident in the work that I had done, and as I started to read over it, I started to see my voice come out and take control of the paper. The moment when my passion for the topic grew was on the best feelings that I had during the whole experience.

Analysis of Exploratory Blog Articles

               The article “ Should Adopted Children be Able to Seek Their Biological Parents” was written by a law student studying family law. Though their name is never given, the website that the essay was retrieved from is centered around providing law students with the opportunity to reach out to families through their writing. The essay was written by this particular student as a way to reach out to potential adopters and current adoptive parents, and inform them of the benefits that of biological family contact. The language of the essay is very formal, informative, and to the point. The writer gets their points across clearly, and their use of language shows that they are knowledgeable about the topic. One example of their use of language to show their credibility comes when the author writes “Adopted children have their right like any other child who is not adopted. There should be a free flow of information and personal right to engage in any activity as long as one can make sound and dependable judgment. For instance, when an adopted child attains the age of majority or is a grown up, he or she can make his or her own judgment. They can no longer be tethered in one place by their foster parents through denial of crucial information necessary for biological parents search” (“Should Adopted Children be Able to Seek Their Biological Parents). By describing the rights of every adopted child, the reader can clearly see that they are aware of the legal side of adoption, and have enough knowledge to write about such a controversial topic.  The writer never said that one side of the argument was better than the other, they simply presented the facts, and allowed the reader to formulate their own opinion upon reading the essay. One way that the author aids that reader in making their decision, is by giving examples of how contact with biological parents would benefit the child. The author gives you the facts, and then ties it all together with an example before moving on to the next points so that the reader has a clear idea of what the author is trying to say. The writer appeals to logos throughout the essay as they present facts and show logical thinking with those facts. They don’t try to appeal emotions very much, but I think that was good idea on their part, because they want the reader to be connected with the fact rather than emotional stories. After reading the article, I feel like I am well informed to make my own decision about the topic. This essay helped me see the important facts of birthparent contact, and I wasn’t lost in any personal stories that tried to persuade me one way or the other. Since it is a family law essay, the information presented was clean cut, and to the point, allowing the reader to get the information they wanted, and continue their research from there. The omission of personal stories is the most important part of this essay, because it made the main points stick out and guide the reader in their own thinking.

               The article “Adoption: When Problems Occur with Birthparents” was posted on a family education website that has article written by child psychologists, doctors, and family advisors. Due to the wide variety of authors, and the expertise that each other possesses, I thought that this would be a reliable source to gather more information from. The website reaches out to families of all types, and tries to answer some of the most common questions that parents have. This article in particular was written specifically to reach out to adoptive parents who are in the process of contacting the biological parents. It gives helpful information about how to reach out the birthparents, and explains the risks that are associated with contacting the birthparents. The article has a very objective view on the subject, although, it tends to be written more persuasively that the previous article. The language suggests that the author leans more toward the side of not allowing an adopted child to contact their parents, while also leaving it up the reader to make that decision for themselves. The author includes examples of ways that contact could go wrong that appeal to the reader’s emotions. They also present their information in a logical way that takes areas of common sense that the reader has, and applies them to the issue. Though they never present the other side’s views, they present their facts in a way so that the reader can predict what the other side would say about the issue. They also leave room for the reader to make their own decision without feeling like they have to agree with what the author has to say. I think that by not presenting the other side, they emphasized their points so much more. If they had include the other side, the reader would have been lost in all of the information, and the main points of the article wouldn’t have stuck out as much. As I read through the article, I started to see the other side of the argument, and I was able to compare it to the facts that were presented in the other article. There were points in both article that I agreed and disagreed with, and I think they both make strong points. 

Summary of two articles form Exploratory Blog

In the article titled “Should Adopted Children be Allowed to Seek Their Biological Parents”, the author argues why biological family contact is beneficial. The author starts off by explaining how having contact with the biological parents can help the child better understand why they were put up for adoption, and create a sense of closure. It is often easier for an adopted child to accept the situation they are in when they understand the reasons for their adoption, and why it benefits them. In the article, the author also argues that the biological parents can play a key role when it comes to raising the child. The author gives the example that the biological parents may have been financially unstable at the time of adoption, but they may have great parenting skills that are crucial to the child’s development. Just because they put their child up for adoption doesn’t necessarily mean they are bad parents, sometimes certain circumstances decide what it best for a child. If they are capable of parenting, then there is no reason why they shouldn’t be able to be a part of their child’s life, and in most cases, the child will benefit from their wisdom.

In the article “Adoption: When Problems Occur with Birthparents” , the author outlines the potential problems that may arise after contacting and meeting the biological family. The first thing that the author suggests is “No matter how well you get along with the birthparents before the adoption, it's a good idea to put your expectations and plans in writing” (“Adoption: When Problems Occur with Birthparents”). The author suggests this because it creates a guideline for parents so that they know where their boundaries are, and they have a clear understanding of their responsibility in the child’s life. One of things that is described in the article is that when birthparents are introduced into the family, they can either be needy and demanding of the adoptive parents, or they can pull away and lose contact with their child. Both of these things can cause tension. If the biological parents are demanding of the adoptive parents, they may violate their rights, and invade the privacy of the child and their adoptive parents. This can cause conflict and in the long run, ruining the relationship. However, if the biological parents pull away from the child, this can leave both families feeling like they did something wrong, and make ruin the communication line between families. The author of this article describes the reasons why some biological parents lose contact with their child. Loss of communication is often due to the fact that the biological parents are trying to get on with their lives, or they are simply too sad or angry at themselves since they had to put their child up for adoption. It is a common problem that arises in many adoptions. The article also explains that over time, life moves on for both families, and things change in the family dynamic, making it hard to keep in touch, and this often causes tension and problems for both parties.

Exploratory Essay

Should Adopted Children be Able to Meet Their Biological Family?

The question I am researching is “Should adopted children be able to meet their biological family?” I am interested in this question is because I have heard personal stories that argue both sides of the question. In my opinion, I think it is helpful for the adopted child to meet their parents so that they know where they come from, and so that they don’t feel like they are missing a part of who they are. However, I wonder if there are any drawbacks to meeting biological families, and if it causes any issues for the adopted child. I think this is a significant question because adoption is something that will never go away, and by weighing the pros and cons of biological family contact, I can come to a better understanding of why some people opt to let their child meet their parents, and why some people choose not to have any contact with the biological family.

            I wanted to start my research first by weighing the pros and cons of biological family contact. I found and article titled “Should Adopted Children Be Allowed To Seek Their Biological Parents” that argues both sides of the question. In the article, the argument against biological family contact states that children should not be able to seek out their biological families because it “may create a stigmatization environment where the child feels not appreciated in the society” ("Should Adopted Children Be Allowed to Seek Their Biological Parents?"). The article argues that if a child was given up for adoption due to the fact that the parents didn’t want the burden of having a child, this may cause the child to feel like they aren’t good enough, and that they are a burden to everyone. It also may make the child feel like they need to get revenge on their biological parents for giving them up for adoption. The child may be angry and have a hidden agenda when it comes to meeting their biological parents.  On the other hand, they also argue why biological family contact is beneficial. The author explains how having contact with the biological parents can help the child better understand why they were put up for adoption, and create a sense of closure. The article also argues that the biological parents can play a key role when it comes to raising the child. They may have been financially unstable at the time of adoption, but they may have great parenting skills that are crucial to the child’s development. There are pros and cons to reuniting with the biological parents, and after reading the article, I wanted to find out more about success in meeting the biological family.

I searched for personal stories from adopted children and adoptive families about their experience connecting the biological family. An interesting internet article came up titled “The Benefits of Birth Family Contact”, and as I was reading through the article, I found a testimony from the adoptive mother of a teenage boy. She and her son sought out his biological family so that he could see where he came from, and so that he could meet his biological brothers and sisters. After meeting with the family, his adoptive mother said "When you see children interact with their birth family, relatives and siblings, you begin to see their true personality and understand who they are. The birth family can help you bring out the child and blend all of the lives together" ("The Benefits of Birth Family Contact”). This is interesting, because by meeting his real parents, he opened up and found a new identity. This made me wonder if there has ever been a case where a child developed identity issues after meeting their biological family.

            In my search to find information about adopted child identity, I found a book titled “Family Identity: Ties, Symbols, and Transitions”, written by Vittorio Cigoli, and Scalini Eugenia. The reason why this book stood out to me was because of the word “identity” in the title. The questions  that I had at the beginning of reading this book was “How does a child’s identity change after meeting their biological family, and what affect does this have on the family dynamic?”  As I was reading through the book, I found a passage where the author wrote “…it appears that foster children want to belong to both their biological and their foster families. The questionnaire shows that foster parents want to respect the child’s ties with it biological family.” (Cigoli, Eugenia 127). The author later says that due to the fact that the adopted child wants to have both families in their life, they often struggle to decide who they belong to, and what kind of person they are. The author also rights that if biological family contact is going to work, the adoptive family needs to provide a clear understanding of where their biological family and adoptive family stand in the child’s life. It is important for the child to understand the difference between who they belong to legally, and who they belong to biologically so that there is no confusion when the child is trying to figure out their family dynamic.  After reading this passage from the book, I started to wonder what issues arise if the meeting with the biological family doesn’t go well, and if problems can develop after contacting the family.

            I searched for more information on why adopted children shouldn’t meet their biological parents, and an article titled “Adoption: When Problems Occur with Birthparents” came up. In the article, the author outlines the potential problems that may arise after contacting and meeting the biological family. The first thing that the author suggests is “No matter how well you get along with the birthparents before the adoption, it's a good idea to put your expectations and plans in writing” (“Adoption: When Problems Occur with Birthparents”). The author suggests this, because it creates a guideline for parents so that they know where their boundaries are, and they have a clear understanding of their responsibility in the child’s life. One of things that is described in the article is that when birthparents are introduced into the family, they can either be needy and demanding of the adoptive parents, or they can pull away and lose contact with their child. Both of these things can cause tension. If the biological parents are demanding of the adoptive parents, they may violate their rights, and invade the privacy of the child and their adoptive parents. This can cause conflict and in the long run, ruin the relationship. However, if the biological parents pull away from the child, this can leave both families feeling like they did something wrong, and make ruin the communication line between families. The author if this article describes the reasons why some biological parents lose contact with their child. Loss of communication is often due to the fact that the biological parents are trying to get on with their lives, or they are simply too sad or angry at themselves since they had to put their child up for adoption. It is a common problem that arises in many adoptions. The article also explains that over time, life moves on for both families, and things change in the family dynamic, making it hard to keep in touch, and this often causes tension and problems for both parties.

            After viewing articles on both points of view, I wanted to find statistics on the success and failure rate of biological family contact. I came across a study conducted by Frances Pacheco and Robert Eme titled “An Outcome Study of the Reunion between Adoptees and Biological Parents” on and online database. In the study, they surveyed seventy-two families that had been reunited, and administered a questionnaire after their reunion to determine how many people had success, and how many people still stay in contact with their families. The in the questionnaire, they asked how many people felt that the experience was positive. Eighty-six percent of people agreed that their experience was positive; ten percent disagreed, saying that their experience was negative, and four percent were unsure. Over all, the reunions were a positive experience for the adopted children. They also asked how many people felt like their identity has improved since meeting their biological families, and eighty-five percent agreed, seven percent disagreed, and eight percent were uncertain. This shows that after meeting their families, they had a better understanding of who they are, and they feel like they are have a better sense of completeness when it comes to their family life. At the end of the survey, they asked how many people would seek further contact with their families. The results came back that sixty-nine percent of people would seek further contact, eighteen percent wouldn’t seek further contact, and eight percent were undecided. Overall, the experience for these seventy-two surveyed individuals was positive, and the majority of them would like to seek further contact with their biological families.

            After conducting my research, I feel like I have a better perspective of the other side of the argument. Going into this research process, I was very one sided in my opinion, but now I can see how biological family contact could be a bad thing in the long run. I hope to hone in on my opinion in the persuasive paper, and come to a clear opinion and perspective on the issue of biological family contact.

Works Cited

"The Benefits of Birth Family Contact." Adoption Information Center of Illinois. N.p., n.d. Web.

        12 Oct. 2015.

Cigoli, Vittorio, and Eugenia Scabini. Family Identity: Ties, Symbols, and Transitions. New     

          York, NY: Psychology, 2014. Print.

"Should Adopted Children Be Allowed to Seek Their Biological Parents?"Law Teacher.

N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.

Pacheco, Frances, and Robert Eme. "An Outcome Study Of The Reunion Between Adoptees

And Biological Parents." Child Welfare 72.1 (1993): 53-64. Academic Search Premier.

Web. 14 Oct. 2015.

“Adoption:When Problems Occur with Birthparents.”-Family Education.com. N.p.,n.d. Web. 24      

Oct. 2015

Research Paper Bibliography

My question that I am researching is: Should adopted children be allowed to meet their birth parents?

Works Cited

"The Benefits of Birth Family Contact." Adoption Information Center of Illinois. N.p., n.d. Web.

        12 Oct. 2015.

Boynton Noyce, Alison. "Meeting My Birthfather." Web log post. They're All My Own. N.p., 16

         Jan. 2011. Web. 13 Oct. 2015.

Cigoli, Vittorio, and Eugenia Scabini. Family Identity: Ties, Symbols, and Transitions. New     

          York, NY: Psychology, 2014. Print.

Holden, Lori, and Crystal Hass. The Open-Hearted Way to Open Adoption: Helping Your Child          Grow Up Whole. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2013. Print.

"Should Adopted Children Be Allowed to Seek Their Biological Parents?"Law Teacher.

 N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2015.

Pacheco, Frances, and Robert Eme. "An Outcome Study Of The Reunion Between Adoptees

And Biological Parents." Child Welfare 72.1 (1993): 53-64. Academic Search Premier.

Web. 14 Oct. 2015.

Summary and Response Reflection

When writing the summary and response paper, I learned how to summarize an article without including every single detail. I always had trouble finding the details that really mattered, but through this process, I learned how to cut out the information that wasn't important, and include information that helped prove my point, and the point of the article. When I was reading the article, I found myself stopping and asking questions more frequently than I normally do I noticed myself thinking about the article rhetorically, and focusing on the structure of the article and the rhetorical elements before I focused on the actual content. This helped me better interpret the meaning behind the piece, and what the author was trying to prove. I learned that I am pretty good at putting things in my own words, but still portraying what the author was trying to say. I thought this would be hard, but the way I went about doing this was by saying it out loud as if I was telling a friend or family member about what the sentence was saying. That helped me write it down on paper, and synthesize it into meaningful terms. As a student, I found that if I place myself in a quiet room where I can focus on my thoughts, the paper comes out clearly, and I don't get distracted by little things that get me off track.

One thing I struggled with during this assignment was relating the article back to myself. I found little details that I agreed with, but it was hard to put it together in a big picture, and show how it related to my life, and the lives of others. The way that I chose to handle this, was by taking each of the author's points, and thinking of a time in my life when I felt the same way, or did the same thing. This challenged me to look beyond the text, and find how the author was trying to connect with my beliefs and life experiences. Next time I write a response to an article. I am going to sit down and do this before I even begin the writing process, that way I am not trying to add in personal stories after the piece is finished.

Norman Maclean pretty much sums up my annotation and thinking process during this assignment. When Norman Maclean says " all there is to thinking...is seeing something noticeable, which makes you see something you weren't noticing, which makes you see something which isn't even visible", I can relate to each of those points.When I read through the article the first time, I saw the facts and details he presented, but I didn't really see the meaning. That was what Maclean describes as seeing something noticeable.  As I read it a second time, I annotated the article, and started to see what his meaning and purpose were for including those details. I started to see what he was trying to tell the reader, and why it was important to the point he was trying to prove. That, as Maclean describes was seeing something that I didn't notice. Then as I started to analyze the text closely, and analyze the meaning behind the details he included, I started to make personal connections that weren't even included in the article. That is my idea of seeing something that isn't even visible. This writing process taught me a lot about how to read, find and interpret details as well as analyze the details, and connect them back to my own life. I feel like I am better prepared to read and understand the next assignments, and I have a firm foundation on how to take better notes on the reading.

Response to Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point"

In "The Tipping Point", Malcolm Galdwell says that small events and changes can spark a much larger change than we had expected. In this piece, he provides so many relatable examples that capture the reader's attention, and pull them into the story. As I was reading, I connected with every example that he gave. One example in particular made me feel like I was part of the story. He explained how yawning sparks a whole revolution of yawning. If you think about it, when someone yawns, anyone around them who saw them yawn will yawn too. Even as I'm writing the word yawn, I am yawning. It is such a small act, just a simple yawn, but it creates a long trail of yawn after yawn after yawn, until the whole building has yawned. What he was trying to say by giving this example, is that we often don't know what the outcome is going to be from our decisions, and it is out of our control as to how much of an impact we will have. I want to challenge this, because I feel like there are some situations where we do have control over the outcome. He says that everything is pretty much left up to chance, but I believe that there are also some events that we have total control over. His purpose for writing this piece is good though. He wants the reader to look back on their actions and their lives, and see how their small daily activities created something bigger than they ever imagined. As I was reading "The Tipping Point", I had so many memories flash back in my mind, and many of them, I would say, turned out unexpectedly. Gladwell made a valid point when he said "little changes [have] big effects" (page 678). Now, every choice I make stops me and makes me think about the impact that it will have on my life. Gladwell made a powerful statement.

Malcom Gladwell's "The Tipping Point" Summary

The word that best describes "The Tipping Point" is relatable. Malcom Gladwell gives examples of real life situations that everyone has experienced in some capacity to support his main point. The fact that he gives such common examples of everyday things makes it easier to relate to what he is saying, and draw your own ideas about his topic out of this writing piece. His main point is that sometimes little things can have a huge impact on society. His best example is yawning, and how it spreads so quickly from one person to another. By using such a simple example, he draw the reader in, and make it easy to relate to what he is saying.

In "The Tipping Point" Malcolm Gladwell argues that sometimes little things have an enormous impact on society, and that something small can often start a major change. He uses three examples to support his main idea. The first example he uses is Hush Puppy shoes. He explains that these shoes had been out of style for a long time, until people all over downtown Manhattan started to wear them again. Once the news spread that these shoes were becoming more popular, fashion stylists started to incorporate them into their designs, and soon, the company that sold the shoes started to produce more and more to meet the demand for the shoes. His second example involves crime in New York. Gladwell describes "There was a time not very long ago in the desperately poor New York City neighborhoods of Brownsville and East New York, when the streets would turn into ghost towns at dusk" (676). Gladwell says that this was all due to the crimes that were committed in the streets of New York at night. Then one day, seemingly out of nowhere, the crime rate started to decrease. Gladwell argues that as economical, and social conditions started to improve, crime started to decline in the streets of New York.  Gladwell says that something as little as a change in employment rates or an improvement in the police department led to the sudden improvement in the streets of New York. The third example he provides is yawning. Gladwell describes yawning as contagious. He says that when we yawn, there is a very strong chance that whoever is around us will also yawn. Gladwell says that just by simply writing the word yawn, he can "plant a feeling in your mind" (679). He also says that our ability to recognize contagions in society can help us determine what kind of change will come from certain events. Gladwell ultimately believes that something small can often have a larger outcome, and if we as humans can recognize those small acts or changes, we can predict what kind of "epidemic" will result from the events.

"I Tweet, Therefore I Am" Summary

In "I Tweet, Therefore I Am", Peggy Orenstein argues that it is hard to draw the line between person and persona, as well as public and private life. Orenstein says that people post details about their life on social media in hopes that people will view there life how the writer would like to be. As we post updates about our day, Orenstein believes that the line between what is private and what is public becomes blurred, and we don't really consider what we are saying or to who we are saying it to. She also argues that when we post things on social media, we shape ourselves, and change our identity to match the audience we are reaching out to. She believes that even when we are trying to be ourselves, our "psychology becomes a performance" (Paragraph 6). She thinks it is important to define the line between personal life and private life, as well as who we really are as opposed to who we make ourselves out to be on social media.

This I Believe

Finding the Good Things Through the Bad

               I believe that we appreciated good things in our lives so much more once we’ve experienced bad things.

That belief became clear to me during my last year of high school. The first day of school, I was expecting to be greeted by my friends, but I never saw them. I went about my boring day at school, and when lunch time came, I thought for sure they would find me. I sat down on a bench and waited for them to join me. That lunch break ended up being the longest and most humiliating lunch break of my entire life. No one showed up.

I started to think that maybe they couldn’t find me. Maybe they had something to do. Then I started to think, what if it’s me? What if I did something to upset them? I was soon to find out that someone I thought I could trust had hurt me in the most unimaginable way possible.

The previous year, there was a girl who had no friends. Her name was Taylor. She sat alone, worked alone, and she didn’t say much. I didn’t want her to go through the whole school year like that, because I know how hard it is to make friends. I decided I would introduce her to my friends, and try and boost her confidence. We hit it off pretty well, and before I knew it, she had joined my circle of friends. It was great for the time being.  However, my last year of high school was the year that I saw her true colors.

I eventually saw my friends in the hall, but they didn’t seem happy to see me. I asked them where they had been that day I ate lunch alone. They told me that they couldn’t find me. I was a little skeptical, I must admit. It wasn’t like them to just leave me behind, and not let me know what was going on. The next day, I saw them as I was walking into school. I told them where to meet me for lunch, and I thought for sure they would come. Well… they didn’t. I walked around the school trying to find them. I went out to the parking lot, and suddenly out of the corner of my eye, I saw a blue car driving by. It was them. They were leaving to go out to lunch, and guess who was in the front seat, Taylor. When they saw me, a couple of them ducked down, the driver sped up to pass me, and Taylor pointed at me and laughed. I was crushed. I knew exactly what was going on.

I had no one. I was alone, and I didn’t understand why.

What had she said to them to make them leave me? Had I done something wrong? Who else had heard the lies that she spread, and if they had, would they ever talk to me again?

I was so ashamed to go home and tell my mom. For a whole two weeks, I lied to her and told her that my friends were all doing great, and that I was having a pretty good year. I never told her that I sat alone in my car and ate lunch by myself.  She knew something was wrong though. She’s a mom. Moms always know best. I finally snapped, and told her everything that was going on, but instead of feeling ashamed, I felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I felt like someone finally understood how I felt, and I finally had someone to trust. I hadn’t been very close to my mom for a while, but honestly, she is the only reason I was able to finish off my last year of high school without feeling completely alone. She is my rock. She was always there for me, but I never saw it until the storm hit, and I needed shelter. Now we’re closer than ever.

The point of this story is this. When things are going wrong, we forget to notice all of the things that are going right. We need to remind ourselves that life happens, and things go wrong, but there is always a light on the other end. Though it may have its occasional bumps, life does get better. If we didn’t have bad days, struggles, and stress, we wouldn’t know how to appreciate the simple things in life that make us happy. We wouldn’t be able to see what was clearly in front of us all along, and good things wouldn’t seem so special to us if we didn’t have bad things in our lives.

Four Words

Four words I would use to describe myself are selfless, encouraging, strong, unique, and happy. First, let me explain how I am selfless. In my life, I have had many people come to me needing my help. I get a great satisfaction out of helping people. Giving of myself, and my time makes me feel like I have a purpose. Next, let me explain why I am encouraging. I try to encourage people as much as possible, because when others encourage me, I feel like I am on top of the world. That is a feeling that I want to share with everyone I come in contact with. My part time job working with kids has taught me many things about the power of encouragement. Children are always looking for acceptance, and for someone to build them up. By encouraging them, they become better people, and will hopefully grow up to encourage others. I would describe myself as strong, because I have been put in many situations where I could have given up, but I always push on ahead through the hard times. I know what it is like to not be accepted, liked, or included. There have been many times in my life when my confidence could have been thrown out of the window, but my strength is what kept it inside of me.  I am so thankful for my strength, because I couldn't survive without it. I think that everyone is unique, and that is why I included it in my list. I have many characteristics, likes, and personality traits that make me who I am. There is no one else exactly like me, and I think that is the most amazing thing. Lastly, I am happy. I am a firm believer that a smile can change anyone's day. Even if I'm not having the best day, I will always try and show my kindness and happiness to others, because happiness is contagious. There are very few things that can ruin my day, and that is all thanks to my happy attitude.

These character traits that I have will have a huge impact on the things that I write about, and the way that I write about them. I know for a fact that I will be one of those people who will write about issues that concern me. When there is something going on that sparks my interest, I have a tendency to jump right in and share my opinion on the topic. I also think that my writing will be very positive and uplifting to the reader. In the past, I have been told by teachers that my personality shows so much in my writing, and to me that is a good thing. You can pretty much guarantee that whatever I write about will show my personality in some way or another. I know for a fact that my writing will be unique. No essay, story, or research paper is exactly the same. That is one thing I like about writing, is that you can take a common topic or theme, and put your own twist on it. I am so excited to see what kind of things we write about in this class, and I can't wait to get my hands on the first writing assignment.

One Minute Revelation

When I woke up this morning realizing it was Friday, I was so relieved. I made it through my first week of school...and I came out alive. I felt so proud of myself for sticking with it, and taking the next step toward my education. Everything was new this week. I had new teachers, new classmates, a new campus to explore, and a new schedule. Now that I've figured this all out, I feel better prepared, and excited to make it through this first semester. This week, I've learned that I have more strength in me than I thought I had. I've been thrown into a new situation, and I figured out how to navigate through all of the twists and turns that it brought. It was a whirlwind of a week, but I did it.