Shaping The World

  This topic is really near and dear to my heart because I have a desire to serve others. I am not quite sure if this is a "talent" or "passion" but it is something I enjoy doing. Part of serving is getting to know people; whether it's the people you're serving or the people that you are working with. Often times, we shy away from meeting new people and going out of our way. I hate this mindset that we seem to possess and I want to break these constant limitations we give ourselves. I want to learn about others and build these bonds, this is what links us together and we all need someone to care and love us. I feel like people volunteer for themselves, which is so crazy considering the very point of volunteering is to give your time and efforts to other people. Many times, people do acts of service to get the recognition of what they have done, but not out of the goodness of their hearts.
  In a way, I feel like we all give and volunteer in different ways every day. We say hello to people in the halls everyday and smile at people we don't know. Even though these things are small gestures, we can impact other peoples' lives. Sometimes it's true that you never know what you've got till it's gone. I remember walking the halls and having this girl always say hello to me, and occasionally I got upset because it almost seemed like false humility. She was a senior and when she left, I felt like school wasn't as friendly. It's amazing that a smile or a hello that seemed so meaningless could have meant the world to you.
  We see stories in class of kids our age who have done amazing things that have impacted the world, but we don't recognize the people in our school who are making a difference right now. I think that we need to give these people some sort of recognition around school. Show that you can make an impact in someone's life without realizing. Building each other up in school can do nothing but good things, we need to knit Parkview closer with one another. You are making a statement and an impact, you just might not know it yet.

What's My Passion:

    For so long when I was asked that question I didn't know how to choose just one. Now, I know that I am not limited to one passion, but defined by all the passions that I do have. If I didn't have to worry about money, I think I would love to participate in something where I could make a difference and be somewhere where I can show the light of Christ to others around me. What I want is to be more Christ-like; He tells us that if we are followers of Him that our hopes and dreams should be what His are. I don't know what those are yet, but I am sure that one day I will know. Right now though, I feel like I am already doing something with my passion for kids. I get to tutor over at Mark Twain Elementary and help/serve youngsters all the time. I get to read with them, work on projects together, and just talk to them. In a way, I feel like I am already making a difference by being with them and helping to build them up; but more than that, I feel like they are changing me.

   Each day brings a new experience and a new challenge. Sometimes I have to be a detective and figure out who stole so-and-so's gummy worms. Other days I have to be a mom and let them cry on my shoulder. Most of all I have to love them everyday. Not everyone has things at home as nice as I do. I am starting to see that some of the kids have more strength in them than I ever will; even though the kid is as strong as steel, he/she is still oh so weak. The kids force me to be silly and show that they won't judge me for being crazy and fun; all they want to do is have fun with you too. My class inspires me everyday to have more patience and be a better me. If I didn't have this passion, I wouldn't strive to be better; I do have this passion and each day it teaches me something new about myself.

Reading Response: Divergent and Insurgent

  I began reading Divergent a few weeks ago and stole Ms. James book and read it within two days. The book is all about a girl who is dealing with choosing a faction when she turns 16. Everyone goes through a simulation when they turn 16 to see which faction will be best for their personality. What is a faction; it is divisions of the city that are grouped together by "rules" and expectations for everyone to follow. Tris, the main character gets her test results back from the simulation and the woman who delivered the news told her whispered it to her that her tesr results were inconclusive and she was a Divergent. This was secret information and Tris was supposed to never tell anyone; her test results were even altered so that no one could use it against her.
  The next day was the choosing ceremony where all the families would gather and the children would wait their turn to choose a faction. Caleb, Tris's brother chose Erudite, a faction of computes and knowledge. Tris was so shocked by her brother's betrayal and his choice that when she went up she wasn't completely sure of her choice still. When it came down to it, Tris choose to be in Dauntless which was the most extreme group of all the factions.
   Tris departs from her family and heads out on her new life as a part of Dauntless. She learns the customs of the group but never really feels like she truly fits in and can change her mindset like the rest of them do. Tris learns what strength really is and starts making it to the tops of the leader boards after training from the leaders. In the middle of the night, Tris is captured and a group tries to throw her over board into a gully. She struggles and she feels that it is the end, just when she is just about to be thrown over the edge, one of her leaders, Four saves her.

  From that point on in the story, a relationship between Tris and Four begins to blossom and they are better together, as many of us are. It is weird because in the book the relationship is so unexpected and Tris feels like she isn't capable of love. I feel like many of us feel like this; that we aren't capable of receiving love or giving it so often times we push away. Then, when we least expect it, a relationship blooms from out of nowhere. Relationships often times change you for the better, if you allow them. So often kids my age take relationships to the extreme. It seems as if no one in high school remotely knows what the concept of dating is. Instead we all jump head first into these relationships with tons of expectations and think that sexual things are meant to happen.

 We are called the Entitlement generation for a reason; we feel as if we deserve the things that are given to us, or we expect things to happen. In the book, I feel like Tris is a lot like me in the sense that she has no expectations for her relationship because she has never been in one before and all she has had as an example for a relationship are her parents who were very non-physical with things. We all need to look for these examples in our lives and try to live out a better life by them.
  So far I love this series and am seeking out the third book to read already! I am so excited by what's to come, but I am predicting death since the series stops after the third book. I would love to do a writing assignment on making an alternate ending or taking a different route in the book that we are reading. I feel like that would be challenging and fun!