Created on March 31, 2015

Written on April 24, 2015

“Mom!” Ana shouts, “I hate you!” – spoken words of teenagers at one point to a parent in our family life. We have disrespected ourselves, our parents, best friends, even strangers we’ve never met. Respect for other people is important because it allows us to treat others equally and build a lasting relationship that will last a lifetime.

Treating people with the same respect is essential in life because it can lead the human race to seeing an individual as a worthy person to be around. For example, when Ana is screaming in her mother’s face, her mother feels the pain inside her as she hears “I hate you”, spoken from her one and only daughter. Ana lost respect for her mother, and her mother lost respect to her daughter because they disconnected, making the respect for each other unequal. In addition, when I was younger, I remember my older brother, Justice, always talking back to my dad, storming, stomping away when he didn’t get his way, slamming doors when he received information he didn’t want to hear. The respect my brother gave to my father was weak and horrifying to watch, I told myself all the time I would never be that disrespectful to, not only my parents, but every person I come across in my path of life. Too often, parents are disrespected by their children; respect for other people is important because it allows us to treat each other equally and fairly.

A long lasting relationship begins with respect, from yourself, and to others. For example, when a person introduces himself, he has respect for the man because this person has given him no reason to be disrespected by him. Many people don’t want to hang around a person that is rude, disrespectful, or ungrateful. In addition, while friends could have a relationship for 20 plus years, once the moment either of them lose respect, the friendship would end and communication would be gone forever. The friendship down the drain, unable to be visible ever again. For many of us, making a friend and building a relation begins with respect from within ourselves.

Much like Ana yelling at her mother, respect in both, our family life, and in our real world life, respect is important because it allows us to treat each other equally, and help build lasting relationships.

Written on February 10, 2015

Ten years ago, families sat together, telling each other about their day, but now children and adults talk, text, tweet, snap, on their iPhones while they eat their food at all meals of the day. Will this ever stop? When did teenagers and adults stop the world’s tradition of talking to each other face to face? Have cell phones changed mankind forever? Cell phones have affected people’s lives greatly by having quick information to everything at a touch of a screen, and poorly by being a distraction from others.

51% of people living in the United states have a smartphone of some kind to use for just about anything, like to watch the news, celebrity information, and most often used for social media. For example, before I jump out of bed to start my day, I reply to all my good morning text, I check my social media accounts, and plan out my day, all before I’m even out of bed. With smartphones, I am able to do all of these things in less than ten minutes. In addition, people now use apps to learn the latest updates of disastrous weather, world denomination, and even to know what is occurring on the other side of the globe. Fifty years ago, people couldn’t have done this, people once looked at the clouds to know the weather, and read the local newspaper to discover what was happening in Vietnam. Therefore, cell phones now given us the information we need at anytime of the day for all our needs.

 Cell phones are great, and have affected our lives dramatically, yet these simple devices can be a large distraction. For example, when my dad is cruising down highway 80 on his way to take me to school, he likes to think that he always needs to check his phone when he hears the “ding” that iPhones make. When he does check his phone, he is risking not only his life, but the people in the car and their lives also. In addition, cell phones are also a distraction from from friends and family. For example, while mom, dad, Alex, and Lexi are bowling, having a great time with each other, Stephenie is over in corner sitting alone with her phone six inches away from her face. They’re having a great time without her, while the most important thing in her life in Twitter and Instagram. Therefore, cell phones are a huge distraction from the people we have in our lives and can sometimes cause a great catastrophe.

In conclusion, since 2002, the elevation of cell phones have been changed dramatically. People still don’t even talk to each other at the table while eating, and nobody knows if that will ever change. People now receive notifications, emails, and much more, yet cell phones are a distraction and may even distant people from others.

Written on February 15, 2015

Imagine a man raging in the center of the mall because he discovered that his favorite pair of jeans were not on sale anymore. “Man I hate this place. I just wanted to buy one more pair.” Why is this man acting this way? others may say. Where has his anger came from? How could he do such a thing in a public place where people are watching? Isn’t he embarrassed? The two most important characteristics of dealing with extreme emotions are realising that everybody is a role model when least expected, whether they like it or not, and everybody has control of their emotions even if they think they don’t.

To think of extreme emotions raging out of any person at any given time, remember that people are role models to other people. Mother to daughter, father to son, older brother to younger sister. For example, in our homes, most of us have a father that we look up to. If he goes on a rampage of anger and frustration, his children are watching close by and learning by his mistakes, good and bad. Our fathers are great role models compared to other people because he gives us a special feeling that is indescribable, a feeling mom can’t even give us. One day his son will be a dad just like him, and his daughter is his little princess that she trusts even in the darkest moments. In addition, the importance of dealing with extreme emotion as a student can be difficult. High school students have up to eight classes a day plus all of the homework each teacher gives them and ends up going to bed stressed, overwhelmed,  if they even get to bed at all because of how so many assignments they have due the next day. High school can be hard at times, but the importance of dealing with that extreme emotion of stress can be brutal and our little brothers and sisters wonder why their big brother is always tired and rude to them in the mornings at the breakfast table. Regardless, it is very important to remember that everybody is a role model and that everybody has extreme emotions that are being watched.

From emotions to everyday activities, we all need control in our life. For example, I was at my old school and this kid named Jacob just wouldn’t leave me alone. So one day he tripped me when I was walking down the hall and I just yelled at him because I was simply tired of him in my presence and him always messing with me, always rude to me, I didn’t need that. I needed self-control. Self-control is something that everybody has, but always can’t seem to find when it’s needed most. In addition, the teachers of a high school see 15 to 25 kids in each class, several times a day. These teachers deal with complaints about too much homework, the temptation of wanting to slap a kid in the face because he asked a question that has already  been answered, and the frustration of having to teach the same topic at least all day. Regardless, teachers, like normal people, have self-control that can prevent the extreme emotions some people have.

In conclusion, whether there is a man raging in the middle of the mall, a father filled with frustration, or teacher at school, we are all role models to other people and we all have self-control.

Written on April 23, 2015

You might think I’m just

a skinny fifteen-year-old boy

with medium brown hair

and ocean blue eyes

but I think I am more

no, I know I am more

Not a shark or crocodile that kills

not a sloth or mammoth that seems unnoticed

I am RAIN

a slow drizzle that some may not want

when my clouds begin to cry

I fall to the ground

when I do my best to help

people take me for granted

I am RAIN, afraid

pouring out

sinking into the ground

But there is a greatness to why I am here

my thoughts begin to fade away

where people are happy I am gone

I move on

free roaming the sky looking for happiness

I soon find where I belong

where I am accepted

I fall down

down

down

to the ground where I am needed

this skinny, blue eyed, brown hair boy

is RAIN, I am RAIN

a fast, wet, unpredictable substance.