Sophomores: Final 2nd Marking Period Journal (post before Jan. 6--turn in Jan. 7)
I'm driving 65 mph on I-495, cars whizzing by me like I'm
standing still (yeah, that's me in the picture above).
Two guys are darting in and out of traffic like it's some video
game chase--I can only imagine how fast they're going. I'm on the gas just to
keep up with the flow, the left foot covering the pedal (yeah, that's
old-school bi-pedal technique), just in case . . . momentarily reverting to
what Mr. Shaw instructed back in my tenth grade driver's education class.
Then comes the inevitable question from the backseat driver, who actually occupies the other seat in the front. You know what I mean? (remember, a backseat driver is a common metaphor for someone who gives you unwanted directions when you are driving or even NOT driving).
"Are you using cruise control?"
"No," I answer curtly.
"Why not? Doesn't your foot get tired?" the passenger harps.
It is at that point that I begin my rant on the dangers of cruise control.
Clicking on the cruise control does prevent tired, cramping feet. However, it has its problems, too. For one, it lulls you into a false sense of security, and the feet usually get further and further away for both the gas AND the brake pedals. At that point, how much control do I really have?
Like my car, I don't like to put my life in "cruise control."
I want to be the one in charge as much as I
can be, without being a "control freak." I'm no risk-taker, so most
of the time I travel the "road more taken." And that's OK with me. I
like to know where I'm going, traveling at my own speed. I haven't driven
further north than Saratoga Springs, NY, or more south than Augusta, GA, but
that doesn't mean I've led a boring, provincial life, either. I can make a
Saturday night trip to Bed, Bath, and Beyond an exciting adventure by taking some of the back
roads to see the Belted Galloway cows on Center Meeting Road (click to enjoy) in Centreville.
How are you "driving" yourself through life?
Do you gas up first, and then check the oil, wipers, and air pressure before a big trip?
How are you "driving" yourself through life?
Do you gas up first, and then check the oil, wipers, and air pressure before a big trip?
Do you have the "pedal to the metal" or are you driving more cautiously with "both hands on the wheel at 10 before 2?"
Do you prefer major roadways like the Kirkwood Highway or would you rather take the more scenic route?
When you drive, are you easily lured into the local McDonald's at the sight of the golden arches, or can you get from point A to point B without making a single stop?
Do you use your cell phone while driving, chatting and texting away instead of paying attention to the road? It's against the law, you know.
Obviously, all of these driving situations can be applied metaphorically to situations in our lives.
For instance, the guy who gases up and checks out his car before a trip is the man who begins all his endeavors in life with preparation and a plan.
The "pedal to the metal" driver travels recklessly through life, hell bent on getting things done in a hurry without concern for safety for himself or anyone else.
The guy who stops at McDonald's, well, he needs a little bit
more self-control, doesn't he? Can't he wait a few minutes to get home to snack
on last night's leftovers?
Hopefully, you have the idea of what makes a ANALOGY, an elaborate COMPARISON between two things that are essentially unalike. I compared the way I drive my car to the way I live my life.
Hopefully, you have the idea of what makes a ANALOGY, an elaborate COMPARISON between two things that are essentially unalike. I compared the way I drive my car to the way I live my life.
So now it's your turn to write an analogy.
To make it more interesting, maybe think of an area in which you have some knowledge and expertise. Maybe it's a hobby (reading) or activity (playing a sport, dancing, fishing etc.).
Compare you area of expertise to something else.
For instance, reading a new fiction book might be like developing a strong friendship.
How might reading a book be like finding or choosing a new friend? You examine the book’s cover, its prologue, the reviews on the cover, right? How might this be similar to entering into a friendship? You can go on from here, and talk about opening the book the first time, feeling the stiffness of the book's bindings, maybe reading a few uneventful pages and then putting it down. How might this be like the beginning of a friendship, too?
To make it more interesting, maybe think of an area in which you have some knowledge and expertise. Maybe it's a hobby (reading) or activity (playing a sport, dancing, fishing etc.).
Compare you area of expertise to something else.
For instance, reading a new fiction book might be like developing a strong friendship.
How might reading a book be like finding or choosing a new friend? You examine the book’s cover, its prologue, the reviews on the cover, right? How might this be similar to entering into a friendship? You can go on from here, and talk about opening the book the first time, feeling the stiffness of the book's bindings, maybe reading a few uneventful pages and then putting it down. How might this be like the beginning of a friendship, too?
Continue this thoughtful comparison and write a minimum of 250
words on this assignment.
Choose between one of these two assignments:
1.Write an analogy comparing two dissimilar but similar processes, like reading a book and making a friend.
Choose between one of these two assignments:
1.Write an analogy comparing two dissimilar but similar processes, like reading a book and making a friend.
2. Tell me what your LIFE is like. Let's avoid the commonly used
"roller coaster" or "box of chocolates" metaphors. Even my
"highway" metaphor has been done before, but not as good as mine, of course.
AVOID COMPARISONS THAT ARE TOO EASY TO UNDERSTAND because they
are too similar.
For either choice, make sure you extend your general comparison
with at least SIX specific comparisons. You'll probably find yourself doing
many more. Remember to write a minimum of 250 words. This journal assingment will be worth 20 points!
Check out this link for some suggestions (scroll to the bottom of the page) or go to this link to read some examples from previous years. Andrea Ludman's first entry is particulary good!
posted by JTF @ 8:51 AM
83 comments
83 Comments:
An extremely challenging swim practice is like air plane seats. When approaching a swim practice that I know is going to be difficult I always choose the "A-lane", or the lane with the hardest workout. Although it may be the harder choice, the feeling that I get after the more difficult practice is worth all of the hard work. Over this past Christmas break I traveled to Australia with my family. We first flew down to Dallas, instead of going straight to Sydney. The flight from Dallas to Sydney was around 16 hours long. When we were walking to our seats to begin the long endeavor, we kept on going further and further back into the plane. For every step we took, we knew that the seats were getting less and less comfortable and spacious. It turned out that the flight wasn't really all that bad, and the seats in the very back of the plane did just fine. While walking off of the double-decker plane I was thanking God that we didn't pay the extra money to sit in first class, which wouldn't have made any significant difference. Before something that I know is going to be difficult, whether a difficult swim practice or the choice of air plane seats, the anticipation can sometimes alter your decision. However, I almost always choose the harder choice. I do this because I know that in the end, I won't regret my choice of the "road more taken".
A beautiful outing with your family to a local park, and behold you find the prettiest winding river you have ever seen in this small state. Your sister whispers in your ear, "look how far this winding river travels." Some may think life is like a winding river. Free-flowing, no rush, calming, but at times the water may be off set when in contact with a big rock, almost seeming out of place. The water in the river symbolizes everyone of us. Sometimes unfamiliar with where we want to end up and having to adjust to "hiccups" life can often throw at us. When the rushing water approaches a rock that seems out of place, the water does not stop moving or even take a moment to "rethink" it's path. This rock is like problems or situations that arouse from our life without much notice, almost coming from "nowhere." We don't rethink our goals after a problem arouses, but instead push even harder to conquer them. The momentum from the river's current is like a coach telling you good job after a hard workout or when you receive a good grade on a paper you took a lot of time on. Our path is not always clear to us, and the path of the river is definitely not clear to the water or the beholder. We can see the starting point but often loose sight of the end. Sometimes in life we must first start and eventually we may see a light towards the finish. There will always be rocks in our way, sometimes small and sometimes big, but we must always know that we have the momentum and willpower to continue on our journey in life. It may not always be as easy as it seems because life is definitely a winding adventure, but when we accept the beauty of life and everything it has to offer, just like a beautiful winding river, true happiness can be found.
Several dissimilar things can be perceived and looked at to a certain extent to be seen as similar. Two things that are very different but are also very similar are going to school, and running a marathon. Nobody at the end of August is banging on the school doors begging the school to let them in. This isn't because school is bad, but who would want to sacrifice their precious time to sit in a classroom for 8 hours a day. People probably ask themselves the same thing about marathon runners. Why would somebody voluntarily run 26.2 miles just for the hell of it? Either way, people go to school and people run marathons on a day to day basis. In the beginning of both, it's all smiles and happiness. In the beginning of a marathon, people are waving and smiling, talking to their fellow runners. Similar to the beginning of a school year, people are smiling, having a good time. No homework or big tests to worry about yet and things are going pretty good. Then you hit the 6 mile mark which is probably equivalent to mid to late October. Both the student and the runner in this part start feeling tired or fatigued. Days are getting shorter, homework is adding up, and the road to run on keeps getting longer. At about halfway around 12-13 miles is the stretch period where focus is key. It is very easy in both situations to get distracted. With the holidays and the craziness of the world it is easy to stray from the importance of school. As a runner, it seems as though it may never end and thoughts of regret begin to emerge. Around 20 miles, which would be the spring time, is the time of hope and rejoice. It is getting warmer outside, the colors of nature are coming out, you can anticipate the coming of the end. Similar to the marathon runner, who at 20 miles, only has 6 more to go and can see the hope of finishing. At the end of the school year a student feels relieved and satisfied as it is over and there was a lot accomplished. A runner probably feels the exact same about themselves after they run.
I woke up too early for a Saturday and drove over an hour to be here. It is only forty degrees outside but my uniform proves to be sleeveless and my spandex leave my bare legs chilly. Despite this, I smile and greet my teammates as they enter the building. The courts are soon to be filled with girls and the bleachers soon to be filled with parents. Life is a game of volleyball. Your teammates are your sisters. You have no way to choose them but you must at least tolerate them, though it is much easier on everyone if you love them. Your teammates will always be there, whether they are covering you from a blocker or saving a ball you just embarrassingly shanked. Similar to the way family has your back when a friend is being unkind or the way your siblings will always support you even after you make a mistake. Your coach is simultaneously your mother and father. Coach yells at you on the court when you make a mistake, but only because she has told you over and over again to snap your wrist. Just like how your dad yells at you for not cleaning your room even though he has told you more than once to clean it. After the game, Coach will apologize to you for yelling because all she wants is for you to keep improving. Just like your mom when she tells you that she just wants the best for you, even if it does not seem like it at the moment. In volleyball, you have specific position on the court. You know how to play it because you have practiced it until it becomes second nature. I have been a student in school my entire life and I know how to study and do homework. I know how to walk in a crowded school hallway and how to raise my hand so a teacher calls on me. Sometimes, you must play a position you are not used to. Instead of hitting outside, I am playing back row. I am still on the court and I am still playing volleyball, just a different position. Going from eighth grade to ninth grade is like this. You are still a student and you know the basics but you are no longer the the oldest kid. You must learn a new position of being the youngest at school. Constantly jumping up and down increases the risk of injury, and sometimes ankles are sprained. You could of been playing the best game of your life but you just happen to sprain your ankle. In life, you get hurt. It can seem unfair and you can get angry but that will not heal your ankle any faster. You have deal with what has happened and let it make you stronger. Volleyball is unpredictable. No matter how much you practice, in a game you do not where the ball will go. You have to learn to adapt and go with the flow. You cannot control life. It is unpredictable and despite your best efforts it can be messy and you must take it how it is. In volleyball, no matter how hard you play and how much you want it, there will be times when you lose. You can let it bring you down or you can use it as a reason to try harder, to practice harder. In life, failure is inevitable. You must accept that, and you must use it to grow and to give your best effort in everything that you do.
Life is like waking up in the morning. You're dreaming, warm under the blankets and pillows, when a screeching siren goes off inches away from your head. Involuntarily, you reach over and hit the familiar button that makes the noise stop. After pushing it off as late as you possibly can, you finally slump out of bed. The cold hits your body like snow falling off a tree and down the back of your jacket. Eyes closed, you habitually shuffle to the bathroom. You splash water on your face and grab your toothbrush from the counter before tasting an overload of mint. Returning to your room, you grab the overfamiliar green collared shirt and slip it over your head. Life is very routine. The Bible says, "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun." I think life is repetitive and somewhat of a formula. There will always be happy times and sad times, good sensations and bad sensations, but it is how you choose to tackle obstacles that present themselves to you that determines what kind of life you want to live. Life is predictable, but your outlook on life is not.
I think that life is like a bag of potato chips. One reason is that everyone has a different way that they prefer to eat them. I like to dip them in ketchup. My mom likes to put them on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (right in between the peanut butter and the jelly). My dad usually prefers to just eat them as they are. Everyone enjoys their life in their own way and has the power to chose which way they want to enjoy it. Another reason that life is like a bag of potato chips is that they're either a side to a meal, or an entire snack. You're the center of your own life, but the "side dish" in many other people's lives.
I think one of the biggest reasons that life is like a bag of chips would be the chips themselves. Potato chips are pretty neutral, it's hard to find a person (even a picky eater like me) that doesn't like potato chips. Even of you don't love potato chips, you can usually tolerate them. If you're like me you think to yourself while eating them, "I should really have these more often." But you may reach a bag of chips that are just too salty. Some times you reach a point in your life where things seem a bit salty or bitter. At that point you need to decide weather you want to throw away the bag of chips (the situation you're in), or make it better. You have the power to decide how you want to enjoy your potato chips, and you have the power to decide what you want to do with your life.
I think that life is like a bag of potato chips. One reason is that everyone has a different way that they prefer to eat them. I like to dip them in ketchup. My mom likes to put them on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (right in between the peanut butter and the jelly). My dad usually prefers to just eat them as they are. Everyone enjoys their life in their own way and has the power to chose which way they want to enjoy it. Another reason that life is like a bag of potato chips is that they're either a side to a meal, or an entire snack. You're the center of your own life, but the "side dish" in many other people's lives.
I think one of the biggest reasons that life is like a bag of chips would be the chips themselves. Potato chips are pretty neutral, it's hard to find a person (even a picky eater like me) that doesn't like potato chips. Even of you don't love potato chips, you can usually tolerate them. If you're like me you think to yourself while eating them, "I should really have these more often." But you may reach a bag of chips that are just too salty. Some times you reach a point in your life where things seem a bit salty or bitter. At that point you need to decide weather you want to throw away the bag of chips (the situation you're in), or make it better. You have the power to decide how you want to enjoy your potato chips, and you have the power to decide what you want to do with your life.
Learning karate is like learning a new language in school. For example, if you were to learn a karate technique, you first have know each "part" or move and how each "part" is connected to the next. Secondly, you have to use form and accuracy to complete and know where each move is targeted on the opponent. Then you have to build in speed (for the fast-pace moves) and power (for the powerful moves). Sometimes, putting all the qualities (form, accuracy, speed, and power) into the technique can be hard. But my instructors have a good way of helping me make the technique better. They tell me to take the technique apart and focus on doing the moves just with one of the qualities. That way, you do concentrate on one quality at a time and when you are done, you have practiced all four qualities individually, making each one better, and leading to a better technique all together. Similarly, as mentioned above, learning karate is like learning a new language at school. For instance, I am currently taking Spanish as my language. My teacher likes to take sentences apart and learn each word and their meaning individually. As we learn the words for their particular meaning and use in the sentence, we can then put them back into the sentence and have a better understanding of the sentence. Not only is that good, but each part of the sentence is used to build on the next lesson. By having that kind of learning structure, we can then comprehend the work more easily. As you can see, I think these two subjects are closely related, can be compared easily, and can help you in the future by applying that kind of structure to whatever the situation is.
"Finding out someone's true self is like eating a chocolate chip cookie, but finding out it's raisins."
--
We ran around the track again, the cool November wind whistling in our ears. i joined my usual group of three freshmen on the second lap of warmups. we were the slower distance runners and faster sprinters, the outcasts but also who everyone would look to for a good joke.
As I ran up, I heard one of the girls talking about her most recent issue, a boy.
"He completely changed after we started dating. He went from the nicest guy i ever met to someone i don't even recognize anymore," she said, using her arms to gesture around.
We kept running sash told her story. This boy seemed to be the epitome of a two-faced person. He started off as a really nice guy, complimenting her on how she looked and letting her trust him with secrets only she knew. She told us he would randomly look at her and smile like she was the only girl in the world. He'd stay up late, well after he could've gone to bed, and wait for her to be done with her homework just so he could talk to her. She talked of the many nights she spent talking to him until her phone died.
"We were best friends, and our feelings ruined that friendship," she told us.
Once he asked her out, the first few days were the same except he would call her "beautiful" or "princess". He'd make small gestures to just see her smile, and he would always smile when she was happy.
"After the first week though, he started to become more distant," she explained as we started our last warmup lap. "I never thought he could do anything hurtful until i asked to borrow his phone to text my mom. when i opened up the app though, it was already open to texts between him and an old friend of mine from middle school. She's his neighbor and they were talking about going on a date and stuff. He had been talking to both of us at the same time."
We had just stopped to stretch and the three of us listening turned to console her. No one deserved being treated that way.
We murmured of all the crazy things we'd do to him, trying to make her laugh. One of us finally said said we should turn him into Two-Face, a villain from the Batman comics and she started to giggle.
Pixie, nicknamed that because of her signature haircut, sat quietly, contemplating everything she heard. I turned to her and asked, "What's on your mind Pix?"
She turned to our giggling friend and asked, "What's your favorite cookie?"
"Chocolate chip of course'" she answered, all of us mumbling in agreement.
Pixie nodded and started to stretch again. I piped in to break the silence. "It's heartbreaking that a guy that sweet turned out to be so rude."
"Inexcusable," someone added.
"A disappointment."
"Like biting into a chocolate chip cookie, only to find out it's raisins."
We all turned to Pixie who seemed to hit the problem right on the nose.
Our brokenhearted friend just whispered, "Exactly..."
--
Are you the broken one or the one breaking others?
You shouldn't be the person doing through life using bait and switch, swindling people out of what they're looking for in a product, person, area, ect. Be the chocolate chips, and not the raisins pretending to be better than what they are.
Friends and family are like elevators. They can either take you up or bring you down. For family, whether you go up or down on the elevator depends on how your family nurtures you from a child to an adult. It also depends on where you were raised. If all your members of your family are abusers of drugs and crime it may cause you to press the button on the elevator that take you down. If you have a family that are well mannered and teach you good examples that may help you choose the right button that makes you go up. It may seem as if you have no affect on how you are raised up, but you do. Some people are able to over come how and where they were raised and still become successful by moving up the elevator. Friends also have a great influence on whether you move up or down the elevator. The one thing people have a choice over is who their friends are. Having friends that do bad things such as stealing, fighting, drinking, and so on will have a bad affect on you and cause to press the elevator to go down. Friends can also be good examples for people. People who may not have good family may have good friends that lead them well. Those types of friends’ help people press the buttons on the elevator that make them go up in life. Those friends help them become successful in life when their family has failed them. In the end friends and family lift you up to success or drag you down in failure.
One of the most popular analogies used amongst athletes, especially basketball players, is "ball is life." I’ve used the phrase many times but never really thought too much about it. The only way to get better at basketball is to practice, which is true for everything in life. The only way to learn your lines for a show is to practice them, the only way to be a better student is to study more and so on. Athletes most likely will be injured at least once while playing a sport, which would be a setback, just like how there are setbacks in life such as loving someone close to you, being fired from a job, etc. No words can describe the feeling of when you drain a three pointer or steal the ball, make a fast break, and dunk at your basket (or make the layup because some of us are 4'11" and can't reach the net). These are some of the best moments of your life that you will remember forever. And there are the upsetting moments like when you lose in double over time, or the ball is stole from you. However these are mistakes that we learn from and will use it to help us improve in the future. This is why I think 'ball is life" is a great analogy that relates to basketball the sport and life itself.
If a person were to really think about it, taking a walk is like doing homework. At first look there do not seem to be many similarities between the two, but these activities are very similar when they are compared. Walking and doing homework are both forms of exercise. Walking exercises the body, and homework exercises the mind. New knowledge is also gained both by doing homework and walking around outside. During a walk, a person is able to learn about the natural world. Homework teaches previously researched knowledge about the world. Walking for a long time and trying to complete homework can both be tiring, but this hard work can be used to push far beyond normal limits and provide a feeling of accomplishment. Both activities are journeys, one of physical distance and the other of knowledge gained. Observations made by both actions provide knowledge. A person observing the leaves falling from the trees in autumn, can also see why they fall by looking in a science book. Both activities give a fresh outlook on the world. Taking a walk and doing homework are reminders of the beauty of nature and the beauty of new ideas. New people can be met by walking and working on homework. While doing homework, help is sometimes needed from others. People can make new friends by helping each other out with difficult assignments. While going for a walk, interesting strangers can quickly become new friends. Both of these actions give people common points to talk about. Groups of friends can go on nature walks and talk about their experiences with each other. Homework also is a common talking point that people can discuss. While talking, they can find out if they have similar areas of interest. Working on homework and walking outside can both be done at one's own pace. A person can walk or even run as fast as they want and someone doing homework can work slower if they need more time. All of these examples show the many similarities between taking a walk and doing homework. Despite being vastly different on the surface, these two dissimilar processes are very similar to one another.
Life is like a hot flame. Before it is lit, there has to be something else to feed it light, poetically saying, a spark of life is needed. The wick is fed the light and then finally starts burning. The wick is then lighted and gradually grows to something bigger. The flame retains its composure and starts to thrive in the air. During the flame's burning "life" it is steady at times, and weakening or diminishing at other times. After a few more moments, when it is around time for the burning process to be over, the flame goes out and the light is gone. This flame could be used like a symbol of life. When the wick is first lit, it is like a mother giving birth to a young child. After this, the flame then begins growing into a bigger and hotter flame. This shows the process of maturing over time from a child to an adult. Throughout time the flame grows and shrinks while it is lit. This is just like a person's mentality throughout life. At times, they go through hardships and things make them feel like they are losing control. But, at other times the flame is steady and they are experiencing great things in their life. The flame is just like this. Soon the flame starts to permanently weaken and then loses control and goes out. Just like death, the light in our bodies and souls go out and we are left with no more light in our world.
Doing homework is like jumping out of a plane. When you first get ready to take that step out of the plane you are scared for what is going to happen. This relates to doing homework because when you first take out the work you are going to have to do, you are scared for what awaits. You finally jump out of the plane and know that there is no turning back. Much like when you start your homework you know that you need to finish it. The journey to the ground from the plane is terrifying and makes you nervous, just like how doing homework gives you similar feelings. Pulling the parachute when you are close to the ground gives you a sense of security and you know that you are going to make it. When you are doing your last subject of homework you know that you will be able to finish it and you are also given a sense of security. When you finally hit the ground you are happy and you know that you are safe, you are probably also glad that you had this experience. When you finish homework you are relieved and the pressure is off, you are probably also glad that you did your homework so you wouldn't have to do it later.
Painting a picture and baking a cake are two dissimilar processes, although the components of each can be compared closely to the other. Ingredients or supplies are both needed for these two actions and they are put together to create a work of art that the maker can be proud of. A definitive vision of the final product is required for both of these processes, and the perseverance to carry out this vision helps to make these processes enjoyable. For the end vision to come true, the colors, or ingredients, must blend well together. They must work together in harmony, and this includes colors that look good together and ingredients that mix well and make the perfect combination. These tasks take careful planning - you can't bake a cake without eggs, as you can't paint a picture without paint. You must have enough time to complete these tasks, or they will be left unfinished. Painting a picture and baking a cake both use the mind in a creative way. You must be able to figure out what to do when you don't have an ingredient, and decorating the cake can be a fun, artsy way to finish up the project. Paintings require the ability to use your brain to see something that' snot there. Without creative thinking, cakes or paintings would be incomplete. Painting a picture and baking a cake have many things in common, and so do many other every day tasks that we don't even take the time to think about.
An easy way to understand the parts of a cell is to compare it to a high school. One of the many ways a cell is like a high school is the cell membrane. The cell membrane keeps things in and lets things out like the walls and doors of the school. A cell is like a high school because of the mitochondria acting like a school cafeteria because it makes food for the cell. The nucleus is like the main or principal’s office because it is the control center of the cell. Another way a cell is like a high school is the rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum. The rough and smooth ER are like hallways in a school because they are a passageway that sends and delivers proteins throughout the cell. Another comparison between the two is the golgi apparatus is like the school’s mailroom because it packages and transports proteins out of the cell to other cells. The vacuole in the cell is very much like a storage room in a school because it stores water, food, and protein. The lysosomes in a cell are like a trashcan because it gets rid of old, worn out parts of the cell. You might have never thought the makeup of a cell and the makeup of a high school have so much in common. This analogy makes learning the parts of the cell a lot easier.
Do you remember your first day of freshman year of high school? You may have been experiencing trepidation, nervousness, and maybe even a little excitement. Tentatively you push open the doors for the first time and you see hundreds of students, as nervous as you are, wandering the halls trying to find their homeroom. With a sigh of relief you sit down in your desk and your teacher gives you all the rules of his or her room and what he or she expects out of you for the year. The weeks roll by and you finally get settled into school; you learn the location of all your classes, you meet new friends, and you try out for the different clubs and sports. Before you know it, the last day of school has arrived and a huge wave of accomplishment rushes over you when you realize that at last your freshman year is over.
Now imagine all those same feelings again when you start driving for the first time. Before you sit in the driver's seat, you recall all the rules of the road and mentally prepare yourself. When you get in the car, you check all the mirrors and gauges to make sure everything is situated so you can drive. As you first pull onto the road, all the sights and sounds overwhelm you: the flashing lights, the beep of a horn, and someone revving their engine behind you. More and more as you get the feel of driving, it almost becomes second nature to you; you can drive further, interact with more drivers, and take the big highway more than you when you first started driving. Again, another sense of triumph fills you knowing that now you can drive yourself anywhere you desire. As Colin Powell once said, “Always focus on the front windshield and not the review mirror.” This is true not only behind the wheel, but in life as well.
The game of chess and the lives of everyone in the real world may seem to have no relation but there are many hidden connections. First, the smallest chess piece, the pawn, can usually only move one space at a time. These small movements parallel the small "baby steps" of an infant or toddler. Although pawns and babies are very small they can grow into something much larger. A baby does this as it grows into a child, teen, and then adult. A pawn, upon reaching the end of the board, can become a more superior piece such as a knight, or a queen. The chess piece known as the king can often be compared to an older adult for it is known for its power and it's limited mobility. Another way chess relates to our life is by a higher power. Our higher power, God, or even the Holy Spirit, guides us through our journey like a chess player guides his or her chess pieces. Sometimes in our journey conflicts occur between ourselves and other people. These conflicts can be solved by walking away or moving a chess piece, but sometimes these conflicts end in death or the elimination of a chess piece. Larger conflicts in our world lead to war. These wars are often between different races. The war on the chess board happens to be between one set of colored chess pieces and another set of different colored chess pieces. Although one is a game and the other our lives there are many similarities we are not generally aware of.
As I sit in Paschal Mystery, day dreaming and heavy eyed, my teacher announces that it's Lollipop Friday. The person to my right passes me the container filled with what I thought would contain my all time favorite flavor and the one that I choose every time, cream soda. As I grab the container I realize that all that is left are my least favorite lollipops, the mystery flavors. I hesitantly grab one, nervous of the flavor or flavors that will either spark or disgust my tastebuds. Placing the lollipop in my mouth I discover that it is a mixture of cherry and blue raspberry, two of my other preferred flavors. I am relieved. As I sit in class enjoying my lollipop I think about how the mystery lollipops are like taking chances in life. I think about how there are times in life where I have taken a chance and the outcome has turned out sour and regrettable. For example, buying clothes without having tried them on in the store. You pray that when you get home they will fit you just the way you want them to but soon discover that you purchased two sizes too small. Aside from the negative outcomes that could possibly be presented to you, you may also be presented with an unbelievably delightful outcome. For example, taking a chance with a person. I would never have met some of my best friends without taking the chance to introduce myself. Coming from somebody that is shy, it isn't easy to introduce yourself to someone you're unfamiliar with and have never met before. Taking chances in life is like choosing a mystery flavored lollipop. You never know what flavor you're going to receive.
The stands are packed with people on the busy Friday night. The teams are warming up for the competition. The shoes are tied and the shirts tucked in. Coach says her pregame speech and we're ready to take the court. Its game time! It's a scramble when the ref throws up the ball and the game has started. Playing as a team, defense, and executing fundamentals is the basis of the game. You love the rush of adrenaline you get while playing and pushing yourself past limits you never thought you could conquer. It's a team sport, the better you are together the better you play. You have worked hard for this; day in and day out practicing. It's an exhilarating feeling when you win a game and there is no other feeling like it. Life is much like the game of basketball. Your love for the game is the reason you play and the reason you push yourself. Like in life if you learn to love it then you will work your hardest to make it great. To be great at the game you have to learn how to play it to be the best you can be. In life you have to learn, to get an education that can teach you the ways to make it remarkable. Your team is like your family, the more you know each other and love each other the better you play together. You play against opponents much like in life how you compete with others. The passion you have for the game and the desire you have to be your best is the same enthusiasm you carry into your career. Life, like basketball, is a thrilling game that one strives to play the fullest. Are you ready to play?
Taking a practically hard test is like a track race. You do a lot of preparation in order to run fast or get an A on the test in the form of hard studying and workouts at practice. Leading up to both events, you can be anxious about your performance and have doubts about your readiness. When your teacher hands out the tests, that is like the gun going off to announce the start of the race. At first, you can start off fast and the race and test can seem easy. As you keep going and hit the middle of the race, you must try hard to maintain your pace so you finish with a good time or under the time limit. You also get more tired and possibly discouraged, and it is harder to continue. You may run into obstacles like an untied shoe, being passed, an unforeseen injury, or questions you cannot answer. You have to keep going and stay positive and not let your doubts hurt your performances in both cases. The last leg of a race can be compared to the last part of the test, such as a practically difficult essay. You know it's the last thing you have to do before you can rest or relax, but it seems impossible that you can keep going or succeed. You legs hurt like the cramps you can get in your hands from writing so much, but you still continue and try to go even faster.The last one hundred meters of a race can be compared to the last minutes available in a test. You give your all into finishing well and focus like a laser to get to the end. When you finally cross the finish line or finish the test, you get the same feeling of relief and happiness that you have prevailed.
I'm comparing anxiety to an anchor attached to a boat. Anxiety comes in many forms and is caused by many things. No one really ever knows how to describe it except for the fact that you tense up and get nervous in a way that is much more intense than actually just being nervous. Trying to move a boat with an anchor in the sand is almost impossible. Your ability to move farther than the length of the rope attached to the anchor isn't possible. The anchor is holding you back from doing things you want to do and seeing things you want to see. You know so much more is out there for you to see and learn but the anxiety is holding you back. It's weighing you down. My main cause of anxiety is most definitely homework and school work all together. I know it's just a part of life, having to go through the struggles of school. But in reality it is the main cause of my stress and the main cause of my anxiety. Since I'm on the topic of anxiety another example would be, being underwater and starting to run out of breath. You know you're exceeding your limit and you start to get that panicky feeling inside. Your heartbeat starts to increase be because you know you need air but at the moment you can't get that kind of release. When you have anxiety you know what you need to do to get rid of it, but the solution to your problem just isn't that easy.
Down by one, bottom of the ninth, bases loaded, and you step into the batters box. You have two choices: give up and lose the game or get a hit and live your dream. It is your chance to fulfill your childhood dream and prove that your hardworking was worth something.
This and so many more situations are why the sport of baseball relates to life itself. Both of these require a lot of hard work and time. In life, you need to work hard in order to succeed spend time in school learning and not just going through the motions. In baseball, you need to put in the work to get better. Baseball and life relate to each other for the fact that both require tons of preparation and dedication. Working during school is like practicing with your team. Doing homework at home relates to practicing by yourself when no one is watching. You have to do this to be prepared for the test or the big game. Your team or parents are counting on you to get the big hit or get an A. In baseball, you have to strive to be the best which requires perseverance. A baseball player has to do whatever it takes to improve and get better. In life, you have to strive to be the best in order to be successful and get the job that you want. Baseball and life are similar for the reason that communication is key. In baseball, you always have to talk with your teammates so there is no miscommunication and so that no one gets hurt. In life, it is the same thing, you have to communicate with your teachers or coworkers to your job done, but more importantly getting the job done right. Baseball and life have their ups and downs whether it being your in a slump or you just got laid off from work, you just have to deal with it and keep moving forward.
Riding a roller coaster is like going to school for the first time. The first time you ride a roller coaster is like your first day at school because you are nervous and scared of what will happen once you are on. Once you are strapped in you can't leave, much like school because of the doors and teachers roaming the halls. As you go up to the top of the roller coaster is like getting assigned homework for the first time because you don't know what you got yourself into and regret ever signing up for that class. The drop or flip of a roller coaster is like failing your first test because you are scared out of your mind and wish you would have studied more. The roller coaster slowing down is like getting an A on a test because you're glad you did it and want to do it again. When the belts on you release and you are free to go is like the end of the day when you go home because you feel free and like you can do anything now. Remembering your first roller coaster is like looking back on the first day of school because you remember how scared you were in the beginning but as the day came to end, you realize how much fun you had. Getting ready to ride your next roller coaster is like getting ready for another school year because you are excited and can't wait for a new experience.
In life, there are many comparisons made. The character Forrest Gump spoke one well-known comparison. In the movie he repeated was his mama told him, “Life is like a box of chocolates.” Like this comparison, there is another one that particularly relates to my life. This comparison is “Lax is life.” Lax is short for lacrosse. Usually when I say this I am talking about how much time lacrosse occupies duding my life, but it means more. I often find myself saying, “lax is life,” because it relates to many things.
The first relation between lacrosse and life is success. I may win a game, make a shot, get a defense stop, or maybe I fought for a loose ground ball and came up with it. All of these things compare to what I have accomplished and achieved in life.
On the contrary of the previous topic, the second comparison made between lacrosse and life is failure. In the game of “lax” I may lose the game, have a foul called against me, miss a shot, or have an opponent blow past me and score. All of these things are a common part of life. For example, I might not get an A on the test, but that does not mean that it is impossible for me to do.
In the game of lacrosse and in life, there is always a right and wrong thing to do; this is the third comparison made between lacrosse and life. While playing I may talk back to a referee, make an illegal check, or even act with misconduct. These are all fouls that may result in a yellow card, or a penalty. The point is that, as a player, I have the choice to talk back, check the opponent in a certain way, or act poorly. Just like lacrosse, in life I have similar circumstances. I have the choice to talk bad about someone behind his or her back, cheat on a test, steal, or even commit crimes. As a player and as a person, I choose to make the right decision or receive the consequences.
Next, there are positions in “lax”. You may be a good shooter, so they put you on attack. Other people may be amazing on defense, so they position them as defensemen. As for me, some people may be able to win the draw, so you may be the center midfielder. In lacrosse there is a position for everyone. This relates to life to a special way. It tells me that maybe some things may not be apart of God’s plan for me, but at least I know that there is somewhere I belong that is apart of His plan.
Friends are the fifth component that is a part of lacrosse and life. On the field, there are twelve players on the field (including a goalie). All of these players that I have gotten to know are my teammates. Just like life, they are also my friends. When I practice and play with them, I get to know their styles of play. In life I have friends who know my personality and who love me.
The last comparison between lacrosse and life are my parents. Along with a team, there comes a coach. A coach knows what is best for his/her team and will not give up on their team. Similarly, a parent is a coach. My mom and dad do everything for my wellbeing. Both my coach and my parents push me to be the best player, athlete, and person that I can be in life.
Life is like the ocean. It can be calm and still, or rough and rigid, but in the end it is always beautiful. I believe this metaphor explains life perfectly. Through out life, there are many great times that can change bad instantly. Just like as if you were on the beach sun bathing, relaxing and absorbing the beautiful atmosphere and all of sudden a storm creeps in on the beach and you have to sprint back to you car before you get soaked from the pouring rain. In one day, there can be a lot of good and bad. One minute you are head over heals and next minute you have tears trickling down your face. This is a lot like the tides that occur everyday within every ocean. Tides rise and fall constantly every day. Every once in a while, a rainbow will cast over the beautiful ocean after a horrible thunder storm and it brightens your day instantaneously. I believe this relates to life in the sense that in all bad there will always be beauty no matter how bad life can get at one particular moment or devastating hurricane that wipes out all of the sea life.
I think time, if compared to anything, is like a circus. I believe this because time is constantly moving and you can not do anything to stop it. This is just like a circus: once the clowns and musicians and acrobats are finished their show, they pack up and move along to a different town or city where a new boy or girl watches the show in amazement. Time seems almost endless, especially when you are young. Just like a circus show when it first starts, you have the feeling that it will never end. It seems like it will last an eternity, but when it slows down and comes to an end you suddenly realize how fast it went by. This parallels to when you get older and you realize how insanely quick the past years have gone by. You eventually start to realize that your time living a beautiful life on this seemingly magical planet is almost gone, and that no matter what you try to do you can never get it back. Typically, once you get older all that you realize is just how precious time is. Time should never be wasted because you can not just go to the store and buy time. This is like a circus because when the show is packing and getting ready to move on, you do not want to regret just staying and watching the acrobats the whole time when you could have seen the clowns or the animals. Time and the circus, although different at a glance, are similar in many ways.
The seats are almost full, the lights are dimming, and you're in the wings praying that you don't forget anything. Even though you've rehearsed the show so many times there's still a vague feeling of uncertainty. As surprising as it might sound, the opening night of a play is a lot like trying something for the very first time. Before trying something new, people typically think through every aspect and possibility of what they're trying. Rehearsal for a play and the time before the show are very similar to this. Actors must be sure they know their lines, and I know I mentally practice for what might go wrong. Also similarly to the opening night, trying something for the first time is usually very difficult to start, but once you get past the fear of starting it becomes much easier to continue. In both cases, you must also be willing and able to accept mistakes and know how to work with them. At the end of the day though, most mistakes can be corrected or just wont be noticed. Of course there will be some problems that you cannot easily fix, but you must not let those problems ruin the show.
This lacrosse game started like all the others. The players are set up in the usual lineup. Three offenders, three midfielders, three defenders, and the last player is the goalie. After both goalies are asked if they're ready, the game starts with a draw. The ball goes up into the air and an offender from the home team catches it. The ball is passed between the midfielders and offenders. As the ball is getting closer to the opposing team's goal, the defenders start to get antsy. Once the ball is close to the goal and a play is being ran, the crowd is making out the shouts, "I got ball, I got ball! Watch her, she's open!" The crowd is cheering as the goalie lets out a shout, "Crash, Crash!" Everyone is holding their breath. The offender shoots, then the home team lets out a cheer as the ball goes past the goalie and into the net. Both teams line up to take the draw again. At the end of the game, the score is 6-2 home team. As the teams are walking off the field for the final huddle, the fans are cheering for both teams and telling them they had a great game. After the final huddle, each team does a cheer, "Good game Sanford, thank you officials, way to go St. Mark's!" They then line up to shake hands and tell the other team they had a great game.
In the end this game is like life. Life is like the opposing team, they stand as a challenge that we are all trying to beat. The main goal is to take the challenges life gives us and score with them. All the players are important and they each have characteristics that are needed to get through life. The offenders are team players and willing to pass the ball to the open girl. In life we have to be willing to pass opportunities onto others. The offenders also have to be able to adapt to different situations around goal, like in our day to day lives we have to be able to adapt to different situations that get thrown at us. The midfielders are able to play every field position and are always there for help whether someone to pass to while going to goal or someone to help protect their goal. In other words midfielders are very versatile and are able to help different people in different positions and in life we have to be very versatile and we need to have the ability to support different people. Defenders protect their goal and goalie from being shot on but sometimes they cause penalty shots, this is like a normal person who is very protective of the things they care about but there can be consequences for making the wrong move while trying to protect it. The goalie is the last player on the field and the last resort to protect the goal. The goalie is fearless, willing to block a hard object with their body just to protect the goal. In order to be like the goalie we have to be fearless and willing to jump in front of the challenges that life throws at us trying to make us fail. The fans and coaches are also important in the game, they are the people who support you even if something goes wrong. There will always be someone who will be there to support you even if you make a mistake.
Today you are getting ready to climb a mountain. You start by getting all your gear packed up and prepare to make your journey. As you start up the mountain it's easygoing at first. But as you keep climbing you realize every step is smaller and harder for you to stay on the mountain, not fall, and continue on your journey. Life is like climbing a mountain. You begin your climb when you are born and take your first steps. But as you get older life gets more difficult so your climb gets rockier and harder. Some days you want to give up and just stop right where you are. Other days are easy and you easily climb up that section. Like climbing a mountain, life has its difficulties. People, objects, and other things get in our way and cause us stress and anger. But when you are stuck on a ledge on a mountain or have bad footing you work to find a way around it. In life you have to work hard in order to obtain the so called impossible and conquer the problem. Being victorious over your obstacles in life is like a sugar rush, you feel energetic, you feel good, but most of all you feel in a way unstoppable. When you are close to the middle of your life mountain, you are at the pinnacle of your lifetime, your best years and your best physical and mental abilities. And as you continue going up, you advance in years until you eventually reach the top and that is where you have completed your life journey.
Paint this picture in your mind: you are a small child facing a pool for the first time. As a child, seeing this water fills you with many emotions; fear, excitement, nervousness. Finally, younger you decides to run and dive into that water. Those emotions that you felt have disappeared and have been replaced by more positive emotions. The idea of you as a child jumping into the water for the first time is like starting a new chapter in your life such as beginning at a new school or starting a new job. When you go to a new school, you get the same type of emotions. You walk in the first day and all around you are new faces and you feel the fear coursing through you. That fear is conflicted by the excitement because you're starting a new chapter. Then the nervousness hits because you're starting a whole new page in your life. This all happens in a matter of seconds. You feel those emotions as you walk into your first class and you sit down and you make a friends and all of those bad emotions fly out of your mind and are replaced by positive emotions. Another scene to set: you meet a pretty girl and you find yourself liking her. You talk for hours at a time and you feels those emotions. The fear runs through you because you are scared to mess things up or to get denied. You are excited and happy because you are into this girl and she makes you happy. You are nervous to ask her out because of your fear. Finally, you decide to make the leap into the water and do it and the new chapter begins. Skip to the next chapter: school is going great and you are happy, now it is time to get a job. You are interviewed and you get the job. It's your first day and those emotions come back. You get excited that it's your first job and you are growing up. Then the realization of fear kicks in that you're growing up. Once you've gotten through your fear and excitement you begin to get nervous. You begin to get nervous that you will mess up on your first day but you decide to dive in anyway. The next chapter begins and you are now a senior in high school and you are now graduating. The day you receive your diploma is the happiest day of your life but also the scariest. You are excited you have now completed four years of high school and that you finally did it. You are fearful that everything is changing after the past four years. You begin to be nervous about what the next chapter will be. The final chapter: it's your first day of college and you feel the same way you did a little over four years ago as you began high school. The same emotions course through you but you dive in anyway. Along with the overall analogy of this story, there is an even bigger one: life is all just one book where we go from chapter to chapter. Like an intense novel that you are flying through the pages to find out what happens next, that's how life is, just another page.
I often find myself drifting off in thought, thinking about my life and my future. Among other analogies, I see life simply as a good book. Just like novels whisk me away to another world where I can experience the characters' adventures, my life is also a grand story. Just as a book starts with an exposition, I sense that my infancy and childhood is my life's prelude. I barely remember my early years, but the memories captured in photos, videos, and in my parents' minds act like a beginning or explanation of who I am, and what I will be, as time surges forward. I am still young, but I'm sure my life has a plot. I'm on this earth during this time in its long existence, and I'm certain it is my duty to make my presence here worthwhile. I think life is a challenge to find purpose, like the rising action leads to a book's plot. However, not all of life is a great adventure, and sometimes I face internal and external adversities. These conflicts teach me from my mistakes and help me grow as a person. This idea compares to the way problems in a book develop the characters and the plot itself. Additionally, as time goes on and life moves swiftly forward, pieces of it stay imprinted in my memories forever. Those special and important memories, lessons, and values seem like the aspects of imagery found in books. The vivid impressions left in my mind from my life experiences relate to an author's beautiful ability to use imagery for painting scenes in his or her book. Most importantly, I believe my life has a climactic event. Whether it's an achievement, a feeling, or simply a life-altering moment, I think that there will come a day in my life when I feel complete and have spent my time well. The peak of my own life parallels with the climax of a book, which is the single and most important event to which the whole story leads up. Lastly, I believe my life will have an epilogue. In a book's epilogue, the narrator often explains what happens to the characters after the story has ended. After the journey through my own story, full of rough or simple conflicts, impactful imagery, a foundational exposition, a complex plot, and the ultimate climax event, hopefully there will be one last bit of a story for me. Whether there is life after death, simply oblivion, or something else unthought of and unexplored, I believe that my life will ultimately have one last section, similar to an epilogue. After all, according to J.K. Rowling, "To the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure."
Riding a bike is a process that is not easily learned at your first attempt. You try, and then fail. But because you want to learn how to ride that bike so badly, you keep trying, and you keep failing until you finally get it right. This can be compared to life in many ways. Let's start at the beginning; when someone begins to learn how to ride a bike, they start out with training wheels. The training wheels can be compared to someone's childhood. They are just starting to grasp the concept of how everything in life works but the still need help. That help would be their parents. The parents are like the training wheels; they help you through the beginning of life while at the same time letting you figure out some stuff on your own. Once the training wheels are off, you have learned what to do, but now you must have to master balancing on the bike. This can be related to someone's teenage years. They've just gotten out of their childhood, so they might not need the guidance of their parents 100% of the time. But when someone firsts removes the training wheels, they still need the parents to help them learn to balance also. This part can be compared to life because teenagers start to not need the help all of the time as they are starting to show much more independence. Once some one has learned the complicated part of balancing, they no longer need help from someone or the training wheels. This part can be compared to a high school student who maybe just got their driver's license. The student has earned a level of freedom in being able to drive and now no longer depends on their parents to drive them everywhere. Another part of riding a bike would be falling. Every time someone is learning to ride a bike, they will fall down. But after that fall, they will have to learn how to pick themselves back up and try again. This can be compared to any failure throughout someone's life; it could be related to someone crashing their car or someone failing out of a class in high school or college. But it doesn't matter, once it has happened, the person will have to learn how to rebound from it. Another part of learning how to ride a bike that can be related to life is preparing for a big trip. When biking, people will take everything they have learned so far and put it to use in a long and very challenging trek. This can be related to someone going on to graduate school to prepare themselves for the long journey ahead which is their career as what they want to be. And finally the dealing with the great bike trek and every difficult part that comes about it. A person has to be ready to deal with any complications that come up during their lifetime just like a biker would have to be prepared during their journey for anything that may be unaccounted for.
Meaghan Kane
4 January 2016
Honors American Literature Green
Mr. Fiorelli
Meeting Someone New is Like Traveling Somewhere New
When meeting a person for the first time you come across many characteristics or traits you may not be accustomed to. Seeing the types of clothes or hairstyles someone is wearing is like going to a new store or salon for the first time. You see all of these new outfit ideas and hairstyle ideas you may have never thought of before. As you gradually learn more things about this new person you could encounter different experiences and life lessons that you haven't accomplished or even heard of before. All of the stories that this person has told you are like traveling to new places all over the world. Meeting someone new with an accent is like traveling to a different country and hearing how everyone talks so differently than you. Meeting a new individual could expose you to new foods and activities from that person's culture which is like being part of a culture different than your own. Some of the activities and food you get exposed to could become a big part of the rest of your life. If you get close enough to this person's family you may start to experience different family atmospheres and traditions during the holidays. This is like traveling to a different country and staying with a new family for Christmas. The different people who surround you make you who you are; all of the foods, activities, experiences, clothes, hairstyles, and accents. Everything about a person could expose you to a new aspect of the world which is like traveling all over the earth!
As a young child, I spent numerous hours practicing and perfecting my skills on the piano. To me life is like a piano. On the piano you have the white keys that represent the happiness and the up beat moments in life like getting good grades in school or finally finding that friend that you can share everything with no matter what. Then, you have the black keys that represent the sadness and hard times that you go through, like when you get fired from a job or finding out that someone has lied to you. However, even though life has those bad black keys in the end they still make music too. This shows that in life you can always find a positive side to every situation and there is always a lesson to be learned. Like, if you get fired from a job a better job may come along that pays better and makes you happier. Even finding out someone has lied to you can have a positive outcome because it teaches you that you have to get along with many different personalities in life and not just positive happy people. Life can also be like a piano because you can never be done improving your skills and perfecting a piece. In life, you are constantly making mistakes, when you do you learn from them and apply it to your life so that you can get better and not make the same mistakes again. I personally think that no matter how old you get you can always find room for improvement and find the positive things in every outcome or situation.
For me, my life is like the moment before you open a present and you sit there with it wrapped in your lap and wonder about what could be inside. You never know what could be in that box, but you know you're going to open it and find out. This relates to my life because I'm always excited about what's going to happen next. Each day is like a present and as you experience it you unwrap it and see what's inside. Sometimes it's a bad present, but other times it's the best present you've ever received. I think my view on life like this happened last year around this time when I was hospitalized for two weeks. Being stuck in one room and wondering if things will get better was the worst experience of my life. However, I am thankful for this experience because it made me realize how wonderful life is and that you should never take even a single day for granted because it could all be gone in a second. I feel like no matter what happens in your life, you should be thankful that you're living and experiencing that day. Life is also like a pool where you jump in without testing the water first. One day you might jump in and it might be a bad day, so the water is freezing and all you want to do it get out of that day, but you just have to wait to adjust to the temperature. On other days, however, you might jump in and the water would be pleasant and warm and you would never want to get out. That would be a good day. Either way, you should be thankful for the days that make up your life because you only get one. Enjoy the swim.
Life is like taking a blindfolded walk with a partner. I don't know if you have ever done this trust exercise but basically you are blindfolded and you get a partner. Your partner has to guide you through a walk helping you avoid obstacles, but your partner isn't allowed to talk to you. In a blindfolded walk you never know what's coming next. You might trip and fall but you pick yourself back up and you keep on going. Just like in life you might make a little mistake (like a trip) or you might make a huge mistake (like a fall). Even though it might take you awhile to pick yourself up from your fall, or awhile to fix your mistake, you get up and you keep going. Obstacles will come up in your blindfolded walk through life, but you have your partner to help you. The partner that you walk with is like God. You can't see or hear either of them, but your partner and God are both there to help guide you to the end of the walk. Even when you think everything is going perfectly fine, something can just as easily go wrong. You never know when that's going to happen however: your blindfolded. Uncertainties will always abound through your blind folded walk, but your partner will help you. Just like in life we all have uncertainties about things. What we need to do is put all of our trust in God though, because he can see the obstacles,trips, and falls that are coming up and he knows how to guide us through them.
You are on a soccer field and everyone is staring at you. Waiting for the referee to blow his whistle to mark the start of the game. You hear a loud, sharp noise from the distance and the game begins. From here you can go anywhere you want to go, just like starting a new life. Trying to figure out if you want to run down the field with the ball or pass it to one of your teammates. Get a job or find an apartment to rent first. There are many opportunities, but which one will get you that goal. If I run down the field with the ball, I might score a goal or lose the ball. If I find an apartment first, I would have a place to stay at, and might be stuck in debt because I do not have money to pay for rent. You probably have the need for a win, just like the way you want to succeed in your new life. You take the ball and start running; you can feel the wind rushing through your hair, your heart is speeding faster than a sports car. This could be the same feeling you are having when you are at your first job interview; nervous which is making your heart beat go through the roof. You shoot the ball with all the force that you can and it rips through the net. Maybe that is the same feeling you get when you get your first job. It is the end of the game, your body slows down, you are breathing heavily and you remember that your team has won the game. Being on a soccer field about to play a game, can be compared to starting a new life because you have many possibilities and many things that can happen at the end.
You woke up at six o'clock in the morning to get ready. Except today isn't an ordinary school day like you think it would be, it's Saturday. That means it's race day. You have to drive to school, but you're not going into the building. Here at school you'll be meeting your teammates to drive almost two hours to Killen's Pond. Everybody is laughing and goofing around on the bus. These are the girls who become your best friends. You're now at the starting line. It's early November, and every girl is freezing in their tiny spandex and singlets. You've trained all season for the State meet. You are in shape and you know that you're ready for this, but either way you're still shaking with nerves. This is like walking into your first day of freshman year thinking that you can't do this and you're not prepared. You're nervous that you won't make any friends. The gun just went off and all 300 hundred girls are racing for their life. It's only three miles, you've done this so many times. You're hitting the mile and a half mark and you're starting to get tired. You want to slow down but you remember your best friends are running with you. The girls that you never knew you would make friends with freshman year. This is like in school when you get tired sometimes and you want to stop trying, but then you think about your life ahead of you. You know that you want to get into a good college so you get past it and keep studying. You push on and move past the two mile mark because all you can think about is what coach Deej told you. "All the girls on this cross-country team are your Wolf pack and you have to push through the pain and think about winning for all of the girls in your pack. You're in high school so of course you're going to experience drama, but just like your Wolf pack you know that you have your friends in school to stick by your side through it all to get you through the pain and tears.You start to here all of the people yelling and cheering,and that's when you see the finish line. You have 200 yards to go and you're sprinting for you're life. This happens to you all of the time when you're late to school and sprinting into homeroom seconds before the bell rings. You crossed the finish line. You just realized that this was your last cross-country race. You never knew how fast time flew. You still imagined that it was freshman instead of senior year. Now you have graduated high school and you notice that you really have crossed the finish line. In this sport of cross-country you experience pain, and struggle, but it's also one of the best moments of your life because you also feel happiness and accomplishment. You've spent countless hours of practice for this sport that you love just like you've spent hours studying. Now you have finally come to understand that even though it was hard, just like cross-country, you're years through school have made you the person that you are.
Life is like the ocean. The ocean is a good comparison to life, because there are calm parts, and there are the rough ones as well. Things could just be going along great, and then all of a sudden a huge wave could hit and change everything. In life, you are going to have days when it is sunny and the waves are calm, but also, you will have days where there's a storm and the waves are crashing around you. If you go to the beach a lot, you most likely have experienced the days with huge waves. Some people could let the big waves deter them from going into the ocean and still making the most of the day, where as others go in and try to beat the waves. I think this is the same in life. When the waves of life are calm, it is easy to go in and just enjoy. However, when the waves change to a rougher style, most people will just stay where it is safe and not keep pressing on. Some though, will still try their best to conquer what is coming their way. When it comes to life, you can not just back down, and give up because the tides change. One minute everything could seem okay, but the next could be a whole different story. Just because the waves get bigger and louder, does not mean you should walk away and be scared. It means that you need to take deep breath and run into whatever comes your way.
Love can be compared to numerous amounts of things. People can practically compare love to anything. Love is a powerful and risking act of life. God created humans to love and to be love. It is the basis of our existence. Yet, falling in love is even more fragile and precious. Falling in love is like skydiving. Scary, yet intriguing, adventurous yet risking. They both start off with knowing if your able and ready for the action. You have to be comfortable in yourself and with yourself in order to go for it. They then both emerge into the journey up. You take a helicopter up into the sky pondering if your making a good decision. Your with the boy, you laugh with him and love the way he looks at you. You cant wait to be with him later for your date. You've known each other for what seems like forever. Your up high in the sky, moving steady through the clouds as you approach your jumping point. Your sweating, your shaking, your terrified of what you're about to do. You've been together for a while now, still and steady. Yet the spark is still there, never fading never dying. Your connection is as strong as ever. The pilot instructs you to set up, "It's your time now," he says. You freeze, as you stare down trying to see anything but the cold, hard ground along with tree tops and roofs in which you will soon be falling to. Your hand in mine, we feel as one. Us against the world forever, you feel emotions when the other does, your heart skips a beat when you lay eyes on each other. "Im in love with you." You clear your mind, you take one step, and you jump. That's it your flying. Your soaring, your free. Your on top of the world. As both dive into the unknown, they experience the similar adrenaline, chills, breathtaking experience. And when they say it back, "I love you too." That parachute pops open like a net and swipes you off your feet/heart and your safe, you feel comfort. And that is the risk of a lifetime.
Drawing a picture and dancing can be very similar. When you're first learning a new dance, you move slowly and are hesitant in you movements. This can be compared to starting a new drawing. You sketch general shapes lightly on the paper. It can still be subject to change, just as in dancing, if you work slowly and are doing a step wrong, it can be changed and corrected more easily before you have it memorized the wrong way. When doing a dance faster for the first time, you probably will need you're instructor to do it with you so you have someone to look at if you forget the steps. This can be compared to looking at references when you are drawing. While you are in the process of learning a dance, it is difficult to know how to perform that dance. You might look to someone else to see what feelings or emotions you are trying to get across. This is similar to looking at other artists's drawing styles when drawing a picture of your own. There will come a time after being taught and practicing a dance that you will memorize the dance and will be able to do it without even thinking. The same is true with drawing. You will get better at drawing certain things after drawing them multiple times. Once you have learned a dance and no longer have to focus on the steps you are doing, you can focus on your performance of the dance; your facial expressions and how you carry yourself. You can put your own style of dance into this dance. This is like drawing in the way that once you have the basics of drawings pretty much down, you can develop your own style of drawing. You can draw certain things like faces, legs, or arms a certain way and people will be able to tell that you drew it. After dancing or drawing for a while you will become more confident in your movements, whether that be dance steps or pencil lines. I enjoy both dancing and drawing very much and that might be why I am able to find similarities in the two activities.
Growing up is like a pencil. You buy the pencil from the store new and it’s not sharpened but simply like all the others. A pencil has no purpose until you sharpen it and give it a point. When a newborn child is first brought home, she is very similar to most other newborns who are brought home. She cries, she sleeps, she eats, and she is dependent. Months pass and the baby girl starts to gain personality as she learns more and more. The first time a newly sharpened pencil writes, its point makes the perfect mark. The little girl can now talk and she is beginning to use words to express her feelings and make her mark in the world. Her parents are happy to see that she is gaining independence. However, the child grows older and starts to realize that messing up and making mistakes are a part of life. This is like the pencil’s point beginning to wear out and it’s mark is no longer bold and pure. As she grows up, mistakes are made and the pencil is no longer perfect. However these mistakes can be fixed with the eraser and the point can be sharpened again. The child figures out that making up for your mistakes and admitting them is very hard but important. The now teen is starting to wear out and wants to fit in with everyone else. The teen makes decisions quickly without thinking them through. The pencil is used more and with less care and therefore there are more unwanted marks. To be like it once was with a pure point, the pencil is sharpened, but this time it's sharpened too much and it breaks. This parallels to the girl getting her first boyfriend and she builds up confidence and love for life. However, she is in that state of life for only so long before life starts showing its faults. She got to the point where her heart was broken for the first time. But like a pencil, she tries sharpening her life back up again only with more care this time. She didn't break. She realized that she can always pick herself back up. Life goes on like this for many years. The pencil is sharpened, corrects mistakes, and makes a mark. Now the woman is very old and coming to the end, but she still manages to have a purpose. No matter how small a pencil gets, you can always get a point and you can make a mark with it.
The sport of golf isn't the easiest sport In the world. Anyone who plays it knows that. Even the best players in the world hit bad shots every once in a while. Golf is sport that can test your patience and challenge you mentally and physically. It's a sport where you battle yourself and that's why I have always loved it. I've always found that the sport of golf is related life itself. There are many times during golf where you hit a bad shot or make a bad decision, but you can't get down on yourself. Getting down on yourself hurts your game even more and it also affects the games of the ones around you. In life, there are many times when you have bad things and you can't let it affect you. Also during golf, there are many times when you have a bad day and score bad, but that doesn't mean the next time you play its gonna be bad. Something that always happens to me on the golf course is when everything is going well and I'm hitting good shots and making birdies and pars, I always end up hitting a bad shot that sometimes throws my rhythm off. The same thing goes with life, everything can be going well and there's always one little thing that can throw you off. I find that's it's the people that can take these bad shots and turn them around to pull off a par that end up well in life. Golf teaches me a lot of things about life such as perseverance and determination. That is one of the many reasons why I love the great game of golf.
To me life is like writing a story. When you first start, you may not know what exactly to write about. You may have gotten ideas or advice from other people, but this story will ultimately come from your own ideas and imagination. This to me is like when people tell you about life when you're young. You may hear some exciting and interesting things about growing up but you can also hear some things that make you anxious and not want to do; however, you are the only one who will figure out what your life holds. Writing a story also needs conflict or a purpose. In life there will always be low or hard points but they are necessary for the progression of the story. Stories also need times where there isn't a lot happening to build character personalities or just to take a break from the action. Life sometimes has to slow down even if we don't want it to. These parts of our life may seem boring but are important part in our own development. Characters can also come and go. Some characters will help the main character on their journey but sometimes there are character who turn into traitors and hinder the main character's progress. There are so many people that you will meet in your life with different personalities and goals and, just like in a story, not every character will be your favorite and there will be some that you wish were never included at all. A story also needs lots and lots of editing. If there is something that writer doesn't like then they can always change the way that their story progresses. The same as in life where you can always change how you act or where you are going: nothing is permanent. Finally, a story will ultimately need an ending. When it comes time to write an ending, all loose ends are tied up and the story should come out to be something that the author is proud of. Your life should end up being something that you are proud of and can look back on and still be entertained with, like re-reading a story.
Life is like a hockey game because sometimes things happen so quickly that if you are not watching closely you could miss out. Other times things could be slow enough that you have more time to take in what is going on around you. During a game someone could have the puck and be on the opposite side of the rink. If someone manages to get a break away and takes off for the other side of the rink, they could score in a matter of seconds. If you are not paying attention to what is going on you could miss the goal. Sometimes in life things happen so quickly that you barely have the time to stop and notice all the little things. Something could happen, whether it be bad or good, that could greatly impact your life in no time at all. Other times the game could be going a little slower. If the players are moving back and forth from each zone and not taking any shots, it could become monotonous to watch them go back and forth. This relates to the idea that if you do not take any risks then life could also become monotonous and you could end up living the same routine every day. At any point during the game a fight could instantaneously brake out. Similarly in life sometimes random events could occur in an instant and change things for better or for worse. When you do not take chances, and you do not take time to notice the things around you, you could end up missing out on most of your life. Although hockey games may only be a short period of time, the time you are given is unknown. You know when a hockey game will start and when it should be ending, but you do not know how long you will be able to live. If you do not take the time to notice the different ups and downs in life and pay attention to them, then you might miss out on the chance that you have.
As you age from a kid, to a teen, to an adult, you will walk into many rooms, and in those rooms, there will be many doors to choose from. If you choose a door you are not pleased with, you have the ability to change your future and to open up a different door, with a different outcome and problems. The phrase, “Life is like a room full of open doors,” means that as a child, you will want to be someone you look up to like a famous athlete, actor, or maybe even the president, or you will want to have a certain career like a baseball player, or a veterinarian. But as you grow up in life you start to enjoy other sports, or enjoy other careers like being a painter or being a poet, meaning that you would be opening another door, and closing the one behind you. As you grow and you age, you will be able to figure out exactly what you want to be, so you would practice and train hard, eventually being good enough to become the best to your abilities in what you want to be. You would be able to do what you enjoy, until you age into your elder years and you may not be able to do what you want to do, meaning retiring from you career, and thus opening another door till the end of your life. Many doors will be opened, and many more will be closed, but once you find that perfect door and that greatest possible life, you will always be struggling to get to that point.
Reading a new book is like falling in love
You pull the new book off your bookshelf and run your hand over the slick cover.
You have a crush on a boy and his voice is like a song you can't get out of your head.
You read over the cover and you can feel your excitement build to read what's inside.
You look at him in class wondering what he was like as a kid and what his hopes and dreams are.
On the next page the title is plastered in a large font for you to read over again.
You read your texts three times before you send them because you don't want to scare him off.
You begin the prologue, read the first words,and your ready to see the story begin.
You're on your first date with him and you're talking too much because your nerves got the best of you.
A few paragraphs in and you continue reading. You can't imagine ever stopping because the book already has you hooked.
During the date you hold his hand and you feel like it fits perfectly with yours like puzzle pieces. You can't imagine ever letting go.
You've finished three chapters already, where has the time gone.
For the next week you constantly text him. You always want to talk to him. cfxy bhun
It's almost like you can feel the characters feelings for everything.
He understands everything you do and could finish any sentence you start.
You flip through a couple more chapters and smile at their interactions.
When he smiles you smile, when you laugh he laughs. The two of you are perfectly in sync.
The characters have conflict and all you think about is how you would act if you were in the situation.
You have your first fight and all you can do is cry you don't know how to handle this.
The book is almost over but you don't want it's magic to go away.
Your relationship is a little rocky but you don't want it to end.
The book ends and you can't stop smiling, it was definitely your favorite.
Looking at him is like looking at the sunset on a beach. He is so beautiful and you have fallen hard.
Re reading the book still brings you the same happiness that will always be there.
You look at his texts to you and look at the pictures of the two of you. You couldn't live without him.
You reluctantly put the book back on the shelf.
You tell him you love him.
A cross country race is similar to school. In that first part, everyone is vigorous to get out and start a good pace where they can balance the physical workload without becoming exhausted too quickly. You pick out a comfortable speed so that you don't settle down, but you aren't losing motivation and your ability to move on. Once the packs have been set and the general groups have been separated after a while, you start to think about what you can do to do better and be as efficient as possible. You get to the mile marker, or past first quarter, and you think to yourself, "Yeah, I can do this, I can keep this pace." And once you see a couple people exceeding past you, you think of ways you can improve. One brute strategy would be to just go faster and work harder, hoping you don't get lazy and slow down. You see the pack going faster, you go faster, hoping they know what they are doing. You realize that your decision has consequences, you become sluggish and don't have motivation to keep moving forth. You finish the race, passing the line at a disappointing number that makes you feel bad about slowing down and choosing to be comfortable. At this point, you know, you should have chose differently. Going back in your mind, you realize what you could have done and what you should do next time, thinking of a second option. This is where you take time to really think of a strategy. You are back at the end of the first mile marker (first quarter) and you see others passing you. You decide not to stick with them, so you slowly increase the pace so that you don't wind up in a place of regret. You keep at this speed and the pack starts to slow down. You see that everyone around you is tired and starting to give up, but not you. You are still hurting and aching, but you put that aside for a moment and reach down to grab that little fire inside your heart that really shows what to do. Everyone around you is slowing, but you now have the energy to move past them and keep pushing. You keep going and going until you see the final marker. This is where you really show what you are made of. You pass the marker, and the finish line is in sight; you turn on the gas and work as hard as you can. You see countless people who would only drag you down and you choose not to stick with them. You cross the finish line (finals) and see a great number that you would have never thought you could have ever achieved. There is a little voice in your head saying, "See what happens when you work harder for just a little longer?"
Life is like playing the piano. I have the power to choose which song I am going to play and how I'm going to play it. Just like every day life, I have the power to choose, but my choices are limited to an extent. There are eighty-eight keys , some white and some black,on classic piano. Each key has a specific, unique sound. Each decision I make in life has a different outcome, but all are important in the long run. Before I play a song I have to learn what notes to play, what order to play them in, and what tempo play it at. Since there are many things I have to learn I take it measure by measure. All the measures put together make a cohesive piece of music. In a similar way , the steps I take in life help me reach my goals. Some songs are very complicated with quick key changes and using the pedals. Sometimes I play one section of a song about twenty times before I get it right, but in the end practice makes perfect. I think the most difficult thing about playing the piano is balancing the melody with the harmony when playing with both hands. Life needs to have balance and one of the hardest things to do in my life is keeping the balance. I experience many emotions while playing the piano. When I play certain songs my whole attitude is changed. For example, during the Christmas season I play everyone's favorite Christmas carols and it makes me so happy. Playing one of my favorite songs is like having a positive outlook in life, everything seems better. In life their are so many opportunities for greatness and greatness means different things for different people. Playing the piano is an opportunity to play something great
As weird as it may sound, no one can logically justify a fear of air. Specifically air alone, because while tornadoes and gale force winds can be quite frightening, those have other factor contributing to their creation. However, air alone has this almost poetic quality of just completely engulfing us. In an equally strange way, the same can be said about life.
As we dance, our footsteps fall on the carpeted floors of our bedrooms. The windows are open and the entire neighborhood can hear the music being blasted from new speakers. Suddenly a soft breeze blows in, disturbing the curtains, and rushes past our ears, there and gone in an instant. And we understand that while it was a fantastic sensation of cool for the time it lasted, single lives cannot outlast time. With that being said, it is statistically improbable that life has not existed since the absolute beginning of time, and will not last until the absolute end of time, even if those things don't and never have lived on Earth. Life is the one constant in the entire universe that can be speculated as a constant, just as air on our planet can also be one of the only things that can be speculated as a constant.
And yet, while it may last for as long as we know forever to be, air is unpredictable. Hot and cold, with wind their carrier, mix to make the arguably most dangerous natural phenomena that can occur. Charged with enough electricity, the sky contains spectacular white lights that harbor a large amount of destructive power. As mentioned in the beginning, the only thing that makes this air dangerous is the factors that lead to the creation of tornadoes and lightning. Life can only be feared when outside factors begin to create a terrifying mask for something that alone is absolutely wonderful.
Yet, while we cannot fear air, we can fear a lack of it. Gasping breaths, burning lungs, and blackening vision as a result of having none of mankind's most vital resource. Running out of air is synonymous with death. Being forgotten, regret for things yet to be and never been done, and facing the everlasting enigma that is what comes after a heart that stops beating. We fear no air and much as we fear no life.
Growing up is like baking a cake. The first ingredient in the bowl is softened butter. The butter represents a new born baby that has not experienced or encountered anything. The next ingredient that will hold the cake together is eggs. Eggs are like the baby’s parents. They provide stability and provide a smooth texture for the cake. This is similar to how parents tell you rules when you’re younger and your rights from wrongs so you’ll have a “smooth” life if you follow the rules. The eggs are an essential part of the cake. The next ingredient is sugar. Sugar represents your friends, and like sugar they add flavor to your life and make it sweet. After sugar, you need to have vanilla. Vanilla represents some mistakes made in life. Although they felt right in the beginning, when you followed through with them, you realized they were mistakes. You eventually learn from your mistakes so you eventually feel grateful you went through those experiences. It is like when you smell vanilla and it smells so intriguing that you have to take a little taste and you regret it deeply, but you still need it in the cake. Next is flour. Flour is like school because it isn’t the tastiest ingredient but it’s essential to make your cake a cake. Just like how school is essential when growing up in life. Baking soda represents going through puberty and maturing. Baking soda is what helps the cake rise, like how when we mature we grow up in a way. The last ingredient is salt. Salt helps the overall flavor of the cake. Salt is like activities or sports when growing up. It gives you personality and rounds you as a person. Now the cake is given everything its needed to be put in the oven. The oven is like college. It’s where you take everything you have been given and you put it to the test to see how you will come together. When the cake is done and cooled it’s like graduating college. Finally, it can be taken out of the pan. The bowl and pan have always been there for you they were the force field keeping you from everything. When you take the cake out of the pan, it’s like being set free on your own in life. You have gone through a lot and now it’s time to be free.
It was the evening of August 20, 2015. My amazing summer was coming to an end. Even though I wasn't ready for the stress of school, I was excited to see al of my friends. Then I received this email: "Dear Kate, The electives you requested don't fit your schedule. The only elective(s) you that does fit your schedule are public speaking or engineering and robotics. I placed you in public speaking but can change it if you want. Please let me know enjoy the rest of your summer!" What?! Public Speaking? Me? That thought is probably one my worst nightmare. MY biggest fear is standing up in front of a class giving a presentation. I feel sick to my stomach. How could I survive a semester of giving speeches? Public speaking is supposed to be a junior/senior class. I could feel anxiety overcoming me already and school was still in eleven days. I compare this fear or public speaking to skydiving. A skydiver must feel that same sweat-drenched anxiety I feel for right before that first jump. I prepare for my speech, and practice. I look in the mirror and make eye contact. I couldnt be more ready. A skydiver prepares for his jump by reviewing the safety rules, putting on his gear, checking and rechecking that everything is safe and secure. He is ready too. I look out into the theater and I see my friends trying to make me laugh, encouraging me silently. The skydiver has a buddy and experts on the plane with him. They are there to make sure the jumper is safe and calm. The anxiety I experience as I walk to the podium is like the anxiety of walking to the open door of the airplane. What if I stumble on my words or forget what to say? The diver must have thoughts of equipment failure and dying. Now is the time. I couldnt be any more ready to give this speech. I just need to jump. There is no turning back. With a silent countdown in my mind and a giant deep breath, I start speaking, just like the jumper who takes a deep breath and steps out into the infinite sky. I get into my groove and fl through my speech, start to feel at ease, knowing I will soon be landing at the end. I look out into the class and see my friends smiling, just as the jumper sees the beautiful sights below him. As I land, I smile. As I reach the end of the semester, I am proud that I overcame my fear and have landed safely on the ground. I have survived.
Moving can be very hard, especially if you are moving far away from your friends and family. Moving can be thought of like learning to ride a bike. Moving away from your friends and family can be very tough at first, you might not even know what to do after you move, like where to go, or how you are going to make friends, but after you move, you start to find new people and the process gets easier for you. You start to become more familiar with your surroundings ,almost like learning to ride a bike. Learning to ride a bike can be very difficult at first but once you start it gets easier. When you first start riding a bike it can be hard to do because it takes a long process. No one tells you how you have to keep pedaling or how you can't lean or your going to fall off the bike, but once you start the process of riding the bike it gets easier and you get used to it. This is just like moving the steps used may be different but it's all about the process of riding the bike and moving. It's a very difficult process to start and continue, but once you start riding or after you move it always gets easier.
It's seven in the morning. I am still half asleep. I subconsciously hear my parents saying, "Wake up. We are almost here." I open my eyes to we are pulling in to the soccer complex. There are numerous fields with many competitive girls competing for the same thing, first place. I become very nervous and start to worry. Thoughts racing through my head, "What if I don't play well? What if I make a mistake that will cost my team the game?" I get out of the car and start to walk to the field. Along the way I see some teammates. Immediately I feel better. Just by having my teammates there helped build my confidence. We start to joke around and the nervous feelings leave my body. I realize that even if I do make a mistake, my team will always be there to back me up. This can be related to my life and it can be a metaphor of my life. In life I get worried and nervous about big tests. I worry about making a mistakes on a daily basis. Worrying about missing a goal applies to my life because I worry about missing opportunities. Great opportunities don't always come around often so when they do you have to seize them, and I worry that I won't be able to seize these opportunities. My friends and family are always there to help me when I get nervous or worry. They have my back in life just like my teammates have my back during games. No matter what happens on the field or in my life I know that my family, friends, and teammates will always be there to pick me up and help me.
"We're almost there!" my mother yells into the backseat. Bleary-eyed and half asleep I look out the window and see that we are turning onto Succotash Road. Immediately I'm wide awake with butterflies in my stomach, here we are minutes away from my favorite place on earth. As we pull into the driveway of the tiny beach cottage I see kids jumping off the tiny Potter's Pond Bridge into the clear water below. I smile to myself and remember the first time I jumped off that bridge. Ever since I was four years old, I said I would never jump off the bridge. As I grew older I watched my friends, Matt and Scott jump off the bridge time after time and whenever I got the urge to jump I would remember that I vowed to never to do it. Years passed and I never jumped. One day when I was fourteen, Scott pulled up to the house in his Jeep and asked me if I wanted to go jump off the bridge with him. My mind was racing, this was a huge decision, what could I do? Spontaneously I said "Sure I would love to!" and I ran up stairs to change into my bathing suit. Scott and I began walking down the driveway making casual conversation. As we walked I began questioning my decision. What if I fell and hit a passing boat, what about the rocks? Scott jumped first, showing me how to do it. After he swam out of the way, I tentatively stepped over the railing with my bare feet on the cool metal bridge. I was terrified, but in a spurt of courage I leaped into the water. When I surfaced I burst out laughing, that was the most fun thing I had ever done. Scott helped me climb up the rocks and we walked back to the bridge. My jumps became more confident until I began doing flips. After hours of swimming and jumping we became so tired that instead of walking home we allowed the current to carry us back to the dock. When I look back on this day I realize that it can be used as a metaphor for life. In life you tell yourself you can't do things, but how do you know if you have never tried? Sometimes in life it takes a little push for you to do something you've never done before. I never knew I would be able to jump off the bridge until I was given the opportunity. I was also scared. A lot of times fear prevents us from doing things we really want to to do. When I jumped I was terrified but I mustered the courage to do something I really didn't want to do. If you have courage you can accomplish anything in life. I also think faith played a huge role in my experience. I had faith in Scott because I trusted him, and I literally took a leap of faith. I also had faith in God, I knew he would keep me safe. I took a risk and it paid off. If you don't take risks in life, you stay in your comfort zone your entire life and what fun is life when it's comfortable, life should be filled with adventure. I think the most important thing that I learned from that experience was to never commit yourself to something based on a prejudgment. In life I think it's important to go into things with an open mind so that you can formulate your own opinion. Instead of approaching a situation with hesitation people should keep their hearts and minds open to the opportunities they're being presented with. Life is like jumping off a bridge, it takes courage, you have to be willing to take risks, and just have fun and enjoy the ride.
The first semester of sophomore year is almost over. It's hard to believe that after this year, we'll already be halfway through high school. Thinking back to freshman year makes me realize that beginning high school is like learning how to ride a bike. Our parents were with us holding the back of the bike getting ready to give us a little push to go by ourselves. That's like what they did with us going from middle school to high school. They took off the training wheels and let us go. The beginning of freshman year is the hardest. Trying to adjust and make new friends in a new school is hard. It could be like when you're riding a bike and you get a flat tire. It can be a little rough patch on your journey, but everything turns out to be okay. When you're first learning to ride a bike you might not feel very confident and a little scared. Walking in the new school, not knowing a lot of people is scary. It takes time to get used to people and how to get to class. That's how it is with learning to ride a bike for the first time. You're scared to take the training wheels off and go. Everyone knows that going into high school is big adjustment. That's why we need a little push from our parents, then when we get used to it we're off.
Life is like the ocean it has its ups and downs. Throughout life we experience great times and we have hardships but altogether it's a beautiful thing. Like the ocean, life is also filled with mysteries that we will uncover as we dive deeper.
Life is like the four seasons of the year. It's constantly changing in ways we have adapt to. In life we go through environmental changes that shape who we are and who we become. Some changes caused up bloom and benefit, but some cause us to wither and die.
Life is like a musical instrument. How the final piece turns out depends on how you play it. The choices we make throughout life and how we choose to live determines the masterpiece that is our life. Our life depends on whether or not we choose to take time to learn from our lessons.
Life is like a blank canvas and we are the artist. Everyday we add another stroke of paint to the overall picture. In life how we choose to live each and everyday contributes to how our life is pictured. Every choice leads to how we in the end turn out.
Life is like a book written by ourselves. We choose the people we experience life with much like an author chooses characters for their books. Each decision adds to the ending chapter. The journey through the pages we write eventually result in a wonderful story.
Life is a sports game, we can't play it alone. To win a football game or a soccer match it requires everyone to work together towards a common goal. In life everyone is working towards success and happiness and none of us would be able to achieve it without one another.
To me, life is like a roundhouse kick to the face. Now this might sound a little odd but stay with me because it will make sense soon enough. First a roundhouse kick can target many different places of the body. The legs, chest, or in my example the face. The face is what I used because by the time you realize, if you realize, that the kick is coming to your head, it's to late to do anything about it. You might have a brief moment when you realize it's about happen, but you know it is going to connect. Similarly, life is constantly hitting you sometimes by surprise and sometimes you know something is about to happen in it, something you can't prevent. But with a roundhouse kick to the face if you know it is coming soon enough you can move out of the way, like in life how you can prevent things with enough notice. Second a roundhouse kick can hit you in multiple ways. If watched the Holly Holms vs. Ronda Rousey fight, you already know how devastating a roundhouse kick can be. But roundhouse kicks, aren't always so powerful when hitting to the face. For some to kick at face level requires some form of flexibility in the striker and is easy enough to do with some training. But the higher your kick goes the less powerful it becomes. Just like this life might hit you and beat you down, but sometimes those hits are just small taps. For example I might fail a test or quiz this coming quarter. That is a minor set back or a weak roundhouse kick. But if I were to fail a midterm exam I would consider that to be a pretty strong roundhouse kick. And just like the higher you go when you kick, the longer you experience life and what is has to throw at you, the less likely you are to let it affect you. Lastly, a roundhouse kick, no matter where it is kicking or whether it is powerful or weak, happens in a specific way. That might be slightly confusing so let me explain. A roundhouse kick has a few specific characteristics to it that make it a round house kick change one of these it might be incorrect or worse than it could be. But change enough of its characteristics and you are throwing a completely different kick(or just flailing your leg in the air). Life might switch up and change paths, but in the end it should have a specific flow. Ten years from now I will probably be doing something that doesn't seem anything like what I do normally now. But I will always be me. I might change outlooks on something like a roundhouse kick might change its target, but I will still have the same personality.
Life is like a river
Life is like a river. It's constantly moving forward but sometimes obstacles will occur like rocks in a river. Obstacles will get in the way of the river, but the river will flow around them in order to keep flowing. Something may happen in our life, loved one dies, friends are not talking to us, finding it hard to keeping up with school work. All of these are obstacles we have to overcome in our own lives to continue moving forward. Sometimes the river will come to an end, and which that may seem like it is the end but it isn't. That is an end of times that you shared with people, and a beginning for new memory's to start. The water will keep flowing but back the way it came to reach another channel water stream. At times we may feel uncomfortable doing something or may not know how to do something, so retracing our steps will help get us back on the foot. Eventually a river will often flow into another a river and makes its way to the ocean. The River will become a greater faster flowing river on its way down to a peaceful ocean. I see this as marriage, when two people come together in matrimony they take the other person in there life by their side forever. The two people will be live their lives together, but at the end of their young age they will come to peaceful stop of rest and memory. Which they will build a family, and that family can look at the memory's that'll their rivers had to get where they are today.
Life can be compared to painting a picture. Like life painting a picture is full of many hard decisions. When painting, the choices you make will decide what the painting looks like. Your life is run by the choices you make. When people look at a painting, they judge it on how it looks just like in life people are judged on their appearances. Before judging a painting people should know what it is about and the story behind it just like in life someone shouldn't judge them on what's on the outside but what is on the inside. When painting, the colors that are choosen will set the mood. When people see a painting with bright and warm colors they think of it as happy and when they see a painting with dark and cold colors they think of it as sad. In everyday life you decide how you want to be. If someone is happy, others will see them smiling and know that they are happy just like the colors determine how people perceive the mood of a painting. When painting, the painter decides everything about it just like how people run their own lives. Someone can't tell others how to live their lives just like others can't tell a painter how to paint. Paintings have layers of paint, each one with a different meaning or story behind them. In life, there are many different sides to one person. Someone can act happy and cheerful while at the same time be suffering and sad. A painter is her own biggest critic, just like in life. Life is made up of many hard decisions just like a painting.
For me, high school is like watching a movie. When you first start watching it, you don't know what to expect, but you can tell if it is going to be scary or funny. On the first day of high school, I was scared, but I knew that I was going to have a good time along the way. A movie builds up to the ending; the best part, just like high school builds you up for college and the real world, which hold the best times of your life. In many movies, there is a main character. You are the main character in your life, and you get to choose how your life continues. In many movies, the main character has a best friend and a problem, which is like most high schoolers' lives today. In a movie, there will most likely be a plot twist or a sad part, which happens everyday in high school, for instance when your teacher announces you will be taking a pop quiz or you receive a test score back and you failed. But, in the end, there will most likely be a happy ending. There can always be a happy ending to every story and life.
We all try to find the meaning in our lives by comparing it to what we do and do not have. We compare our life to something that is inanimate because we may not enjoy the occurring events in our lives at the moment. Many say that life is like a box of chocolates because you never know what you are going to get. Yes, we do not always know what we are getting in life, but if you look on the box of chocolates it usually has a key to decipher the chocolate you are about to place in your mouth. I find this comparison to life to be a false statement because most chocolate boxes have guides and life does not. Although, I do find my life to be like an operating factory. Factories have many different components to make a final product, and how we live our lives will make the final product that we offer up to God. There are many employees that work in a factory, it shows how we have to interact with others in our lives to keep things running smoothly. Different parts of the factory make different components for the final product, meaning there are different processes to go through in life. Some of those "processes" are childhood, schooling, jobs, retirement and more! It is those processes that will allow us to find what it is that makes us live a happy life. Every factory makes defected products which shows that in life we have some failures. When failures occur, we may have to restart multiple times to get it right. It only matters that we continue to try to get it right and to not give up. The machines in the factories break and they aren't always fixable. What if the manufacturers of the machine do not make the model anymore? The machine cannot work any further and you can't replace it. It is similar to a loss of a loved one. You have to accept the loss and eventually move on so your life can go on once again. One of the major reasons my life is like a factory because factories are created for efficiency and I try to live my life with as much efficiency as possible.
We all try to find the meaning in our lives by comparing it to what we do and do not have. We compare our life to something that is inanimate because we may not enjoy the occurring events in our lives at the moment. Many say that life is like a box of chocolates because you never know what you are going to get. Yes, we do not always know what we are getting in life, but if you look on the box of chocolates it usually has a key to decipher the chocolate you are about to place in your mouth. I find this comparison to life to be a false statement because most chocolate boxes have guides and life does not. Although, I do find my life to be like an operating factory. Factories have many different components to make a final product, and how we live our lives will make the final product that we offer up to God. There are many employees that work in a factory, it shows how we have to interact with others in our lives to keep things running smoothly. Different parts of the factory make different components for the final product, meaning there are different processes to go through in life. Some of those "processes" are childhood, schooling, jobs, retirement and more! It is those processes that will allow us to find what it is that makes us live a happy life. Every factory makes defected products which shows that in life we have some failures. When failures occur, we may have to restart multiple times to get it right. It only matters that we continue to try to get it right and to not give up. The machines in the factories break and they aren't always fixable. What if the manufacturers of the machine do not make the model anymore? The machine cannot work any further and you can't replace it. It is similar to a loss of a loved one. You have to accept the loss and eventually move on so your life can go on once again. One of the major reasons my life is like a factory because factories are created for efficiency and I try to live my life with as much efficiency as possible.
The day has come. It's finally arrived. You marked it down on the calendar three weeks in advance. You can't really concentrate on school the whole day. Your stomach occasionally drops with the knowledge of what's to come when school is over. You've been excited for this the whole year and before you know it the last bell is ringing. You might try to crack a few jokes with your friends before finally heading to the theatre. You tell yourself to calm down after all you're as prepared as you ever will be. You head inside and you might see a few people you know. Your nerves are pumping wildly by now. At first it's all casual and you think why was I so nervous. But then, you split off into groups and you have to wait anticipating how it will go. Your friend who is also the try's to calm you down but you know it's all in your head. Then finally it's your groups turn. You enter the theatre and your heart drops to your feet. Each person goes before you and then finally it's your turn. All you can do is hope not to mess up. You sing your chosen song with such finesse your almost jumping with excitement and then the monologue goes absolutely great. You think this was the best experience, piece of cake. As you walk out the director smiles at you and says great job, your in!
I believe that going into an audition, the whole day leading up to it and the actual experience is like life in a way. It is an extremely obtuse comparison yes but, it makes sense. If you think about it all of what you feel and what happens during the whole day/actual audition. Life throws a lot at you let's just say that but, all the ways you feel and how your day could go any which way. The excitement you feel, the butterflies in your stomach, the occasional terror. Let's be real whenever public speaking or auditioning or anything like that your usually nervous. In a way that's the same way felt about life, a new adventure and life should be an adventure, don't you agree.
Life is like a boxing match. Some might question how life and boxing could be alike. Yet, when you really think about it, they are extremely similar. Your opponent is every struggle you will go through. No fight is ever easy or given to you, you must fight for everything you get. Sometimes your opponent will be really tough. He'll beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let him. Like Rocky says:" You, me, or nobody will hit as hard as life. But it's not about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward, how much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done." I try modeling my life after these words and so should everyone. Because life will without a doubt knock you down, and they only person that controls what happens after that is yourself. There will be wins and there will be losses but your success depends on how hard someone works to win the fight. If I work for this opportunity as much as I want to breathe, my success will come. The fight is between you and you, no one else. If the reader has the right mindset and the right attitude about anything in life that's when you will be successful, that is how you win the fight.
Making a new friend is like opening gifts on Christmas morning. At first this may seem like an odd thing to say, but if you think more about it you will understand that the analogy has has more depth is than first implied. We've all made news friends and we know just how very fun that can be, just as opening gifts on Christmas morning is no bore. Some of you gifts you may have asked for because whatever it is appeals to you, just like some of your friends you may have made an effort to befriend them because something about them appealed to you whether it be the way they act, look, or something you heard about them. In contrast, some of our most beloved Christmas presents could have been a complete surprise. This is like when a friendship sparks with someone you never would have expected, often somewhere you never would have expected either, but it could become one of your most beloved friendships. On Christmas morning as you divulge deeper and deeper into your presents each box brings a new surprise, which is just like when you get to know your friend better and better and you find out new, exciting things about them that makes you love them even more. We all know there can always be those presents that someone buys for you that you really don't like, but it's the thought that counts so you put on a big smile and maybe even learn to love it. We also all know that none of our friends are perfect, sometimes they can be down right irritating, but through their imperfections we learn to love them more. And last but not least, the most important part of Christmas morning is that comforting happiness you feel only once a year opening presents with your family and just enjoying yourself. This is also how a good friendship feels in those indescribable moments when are are both laughing at absolutely nothing or just providing a sense of comfort and reassurance for each other when it's needed most.
Life is like a high school experience. It is exciting yet challenging. You never know what to expect at certain times, and things can completely change in a matter of seconds. Each class period is like a different stage of life, with different friends, and learning different things. Lunch time, when you get to sit with your closest friends and talk, is most similar to those moments in life where you feel happy, peaceful, and excited. Yet, each morning bell is a reminder that you will soon face new challenges, and have a chance to rise up and improve yourself. Early morning tests are equivalent to the times you struggle in life, whether it involves your friends, boyfriends, or family. Early tests or classes represent the younger you, and how that younger you might feel. Afternoon tests or classes represent the older you, and how you might feel. Everyone in school is going through the same thing, whether they are in different classes or in different friend groups, and that is exactly how life is. When you graduate from high school, you realize who you are and what you have become. You also realize everything turned out okay, and that you are ready to move into the next chapter in life. Once you get older, that is how you feel. There is less problems to deal with and more reasons to be thankful for what you have.
Life is like sitting in a bathtub. At first it's very warm and cozy and fells very good. Then after awhile it because chiller and you start to want to get out. Life seems very complicated to some. And sometimes it does to me too. I just try to think of it with faith in mind. There is a beginning but there is no end. There are ups and downs but we will be rewarded in heaven. When you are growing up normally it's fun and full of laughter, just like the start of a warm bubble bath. When you first get in the steaming water it relaxes you and the bubbles make you full of joy. As a child you have no worries just like at the start of a bubble bath. Your teenage years is when the water begins to cool and the bubbles die down. You start becoming stressed and thinking about things you need to accomplish. Schools and friends get in the way and you start to feel less joy. Then your adult life is when you are starting to get cold and bored and the bubble bath is no longer as fun. You can't do as many things as before and it feels like there are more yesterdays then tomorrows. And finally in your elder years is when you get out of the bath tub and dry off. This is bitter sweet. Although, you are leaving your once warm bubble bath, it is no longer comforting and cozy. It is your time to move one but it is not over. Heaven awaits.
There are many things, objects, etc. that could be compared to my life, but only one thing captures the entire picture. My life is just like a fire in more ways than one. A fire is started by a very small spark, much like life itself. But after the spark goes off, the fire begins to feed on the nutrients that is wood, sticks, leaves, etc. It grows and burns constantly from the nourishment much like my body. Occasionally, the fire will get bigger and warmer and sometimes, it will begin to die down and eliminate some heat. This is compared to the constant "ups and downs" that happen throughout my life. Most would agree that fires are beautiful works of art that give off vibrant and unique colors, which is the same as my outlook on my life. I was put here to give off my unique and amazing attitude and live my beautiful life. Fire provides warmth and helps others by sharing that warmth with them. As a faithful christian, I try do what I can for others and share my knowledge and services with them. On the contrary, a fire can often get out of hand if not kept secure and safe. It can even be destructive at times, but there is always going to be the fire that is not safe. It is our choice whether or not we want to stay away from it. Unfortunately, all fires end up burning out leaving a pile of black ash that awaits the next set of fresh wood. I understand that at some point my life will end, but I'm choosing to keep my fire burning beautiful colors and giving off warmth and joy for as long as I can. My life is a fire.
Wrestling can be compared to the roller coaster we call life. For instance we practice everyday for two hours a day, in what is the hardest practices of any sport. Like any thing in life you have to put in work, time, and pain to do something well in life. If you ask any wrestler the worst part of their day is practice. If you ask anybody except the few who are doing their dream job their work is the worst part of their day. Also cutting weight is like overtime in a job. When other people are home eating pizza and other great foods you are just sitting there waiting for weigh ins so you can eat for the first time in days. Like cutting weight you are the at work busting your butt to make the extra money to help you pay for something to make you happy. The little victories in life can be be compared to a takedown. Every time you get a take down you know you are closer to winning. Just like in life when you have small goals for yourself and you achieve them. An escape can be prepared to when something doesn't go our way and we get up and keep going. An escape is when you get taken down by the other person and you get out of their control and get up. And finally we can compare winning a match to anything you have completed in your life. Winning a match shows the day in and day out practice has paid off. Which is the same kind of feeling as graduating. You know that all those years of studying have paid off.
Waist deep in pristine, flowing water, I land my dry fly just up stream of a large flat rock. As the fly slowly passes around the rock, a large brooke trout rises just under the surface, stops, then proceeds to hit the surface and take the fly. In hopes of setting the hook I rise tip of my rod fast, the line is ripped out of the water as it gets taut. I frantically start stripping line trough my fingers so as to not loose the fish. I get the trout within a few feet of me and my rod tip bends as I slowly pull it’s head out of the water. I take my net from my waist and and snatch the fish. I bend over, pick up the trout, remove the hook, and release it back into the water. It swims away almost as if nothing had happened.
My father introduced me to fishing at a very young age. As I got older I got very good at it, and I tried to find ways to make it more sporting. I decided to take up fly fishing, which make everything from casting to bait selection more complex.
Life is like a day of fly fishing. Before you even start fishing you have to be able to find where the fish are in the river. This is just like finding new and exciting opportunities throughout life. Almost as soon as you get on site you need to decide which type of lure and what species of nymph you will fish with. As you try to find fish it is always a good idea to search the banks of the creek to see what they might be feeding on. Once you have done this you can match your lure with species you have selected. To be Aware of your surroundings and being able to act upon it is a great gift that everyone should have. Once you can find a few fish you have to be able to cast out your fly. If you cast to fast and too soon your fly can actually go faster than speed of sound and destroy the knot on your lure. Every time this happens to me it reminds me to slow down and take my time. This mind set can be encompassed in everyday life. People always say that patience is a virtue and this statement can not be more evident in any other sport. Many times I find myself loosing a fish and getting quite mad. This often affects the quality of my fishing and ultimately the results. Being able to calm down in a stressful or inconvenient situation is a good quality to have regardless to what you are doing. The most important fact to remember is when fishing, no matter how good you are, the fish can just not bite and that the fate of your success lies completely in the discretion of the fish. This equated to life. You can always try your best but life can give you something unexpected; you just have to be able to adapt to what life trows at you.
Life is like the art of drawing without an eraser. This analogy especially speaks to me because I love drawing, sketching, and painting. Since I draw all of the time, I know how necessary an eraser is. If you sketch an uneven line or make the nose of a person too big, it's okay because you can just erase it and perfect it once the problem is gone. I think life is like the art of drawing without an eraser because everyday we face ups and downs that may set us back from the perfect life picture we all dream of. It is important to be able to try and fix your problems without completely cutting them out of the drawing of your life. Our errors and flaws are what makes us who we are, and without them, we would all be robots with no uniqueness. When I paint a picture or sketch a drawing in my notebook, I always notice things I can do to make it better, but I can't spend all of my time on one drawing. I need to move on to the next one and accept that I did the best I could. The small uneven lines or unperfected circles don't matter in the end picture. Life is exactly like that because we can't dwell on our small flaws that only we notice. We need to move on and create new pictures of our life.
Lacrosse is the fastest game on two feet and can be compared to the journey of life. In life there will be many different situations and events that you will face. Although you can't always control the situation that your in, you do the best you can to prepare for it. In lacrosse you can't control the weather or the teams you play, but you train hard so that when the time comes to face the situation you are prepared for whatever may occur. At times life can be cruel and unusual. There may be other people who will steal you work and receive credit as there own.There will be many circumstances that will be unfair to you and you can't do very much to fix it. When playing a game of lacrosse the referees may make a bad and unfair call. This call can affect the entire game as now the other team can capitalize and score a goal since a player is in the penalty box.Life is full of challenges. During the journey of life you will face countless adversities and in life you must rise to the challenge. In any sport, you will face tough opponents. In lacrosse you may face teams with more players, bigger players and better players. Despite the advantages the other team may have, you must accept the challenge at hand and do the best you can to help win the game. In life there will be events you do not expect. If a loved one comes down with cancer or any other terrible disease it can be detrimental to a family. There is nothing you can do to prepare for something like this. On a lacrosse team there is no way to plan or prepare for the injury of a player. You do your best to recover after a injury but it won't be the same as before. How hard you are willing to work in life decides how your life will be lived. A majority of those that work hard in life will reap the benefits of there dedication. Those who don't work hard will not have the freedom and benefits of those who works hard. If you are dedicated to a lacrosse team and can preform at a high level, it can open doors to many different opportunities. It can allow you to get into a college that you might not have gotten into without lacrosse and even get you money off your college tuition.Finally, life is like a buzzer beater shot to win the game. Life can be intense and there will be moments of greatness, such as when two people get married and have kids. There is an immense joy and happiness involved. The same intensity and happiness carries over to when your team scores the buzzer beater goal to win the game. There is no better feeling then the feeling of working so hard and coming out on top.Throughout journey of the life there are adversities, illnesses, hard work, dedication, lows and highs. In both lacrosse and life we must find a way to rise to the challenge and over come whatever obstacles we face.
The start of any foot race is like the beginning of life, and race is whatever you do in life. You're so eager to get out and start that you're kicking and shoving to get a good place in the race. You may find yourself at the back of the pack or leading the race, but the mindset is the same, win, and win so gracefully that everyone will remeber you. During the race you may encounter some detours that you'll have to go around but you'll end up back on the race course again. You may encounter the occasional water hazard and get your shoes wet, but soon you'll forget all about that and keep moving on. And all throughout the race you're constantly comparing yourself to the other runners, am I going out to slow? Do I need to pick up the pace? Should I run on the side of the road instead of in it like the other runners? But the most important thing is to just run your race, because your race is the only one that matters. You won't get any extra points if you ran next to this one guy at one point, but then fell back because he was going too fast. They are only going to remeber when you speed up, when you slow down, when you stumble and get back up, and when you win or lose. So while racing make sure to always keep the leader in your eyesight, if you are the leader don't let anyone catch you. And, the most important thing is to always watch the clock for your time.
Analogy to life
There are many things in this world life is similar to. Personally, I believe that life is like a marathon. First, when you start a marathon you are very excited stubborn just like when you are a child. As you grow older, or get further into the marathon it starts to get harder and less simple. In both a marathon and life you have support from your family throughout the whole thing.Throughout your life life gets harder and you have more responsibilities. Once you start getting through the first portion of a marathon you realize it is not going to be as easy as you think. When some people get to middle age people think life is to hard and consider giving up. You usually get the same feeling at the middle of the marathon. For both of these occasions you just have to push through and keep going. Once you start getting towards the end of a marathon you know you are close to the finish but it feels as if you are so far away. This is te same feeling you have towards the end of your life. Also towards the very end of a race just like the very end of life your body has aches and pains. Lastly once you finish a marathon it is all worth it because you know you did it. Life is like this because if you work hard your whole life it will all be worth it at the end
There are meant different analogies that can be used about your life. The one I prefer is that life is like pitching in a baseball game. This is like life because when you are pitching you have to go one choice at a time like when you are pitching. As well as how life sometimes lets you throw a curveball. This is like when you hurt yourself in life by procrastinating, or in baseball you can hurt yourself by pitching a walk. As well as when you get a strikeout in baseball you did everything right. While in life if you get an A on a test or a project that is the same feeling. Also there is when you get the third out in a inning which is like the relief of finishing a hard test or an exam. Also there is when you close a game and you get the final out. This is like when you finish all your homework on a long vacation or when you finish a school year. Those were some of the many reasons why pitching in baseball is like your life.
When people are asked to make an analogy about their life, they usually say that life is a "box of chocolates." Now that's a very general analogy, and almost everyone knows what that means. If I were asked to make analogy about life, I would say that life is like an at bat, you do not know what to expect. You could strike out, get hit with a pitch, or hit a home run. It could even get more specific than that, down to the pitch itself. Most hitting coaches told me to think fastball, but always expect a curveball. That relates to real life in ways where you expect one thing to happen, but always have to be ready for something unexpected. Going back to the at bat itself, what you do in that at bat is based on what you do, and what you can do, as well as what other people around you do. Your life depends on your own abilities and will to do things. If you want to do something in your life, you go and do it, no matter the circumstances. A home run can be compared to when you accomplish one of these things you want to do in life, and a strikeout can be compared to when you don't carry out your goals, or when you fail to do something in life. But like any other at bat, you always have to bounce back for the next at bat, the next test in your life. People have these tests throughout their lives, deciding which college they want to go to, what career they want to pursue. It all comes back to the talents you have, and the self awareness that you and your peers have around you. That is why I always compare life to an at bat.
Listening to a new music artist for the first time is like becoming friends with a stranger. I hear the first notes of the first song I choose and I am listening to a new story. I am being introduced to the artist's thoughts and expressions. I am listening to the stranger's voice: the way they pronounce things; the way their voice rises and falls. I listen to their story and then search for more. I keep searching and listening, learning more about the person. They become an acquaintance and I invite them over to chat. I listen to their stories over and over, as I am their friend now. I find myself knowing the person now, having a collection of their stories all in my head and I think of them to find comfort and familiarity. The stories are the songs. The songs that I adore and wrap myself in, using them like a warm blanket. But the stories become redundant and even though they hold a special place in my heart, they just simply don't interest me as much anymore. Once I have known them for so long, I meet new strangers with new stories and voices and personalities. I met them along the way while talking with my newly found friend and I stop by to talk with them once again. I strike up conversation and begin to listen to their stories. I start the cycle of becoming friends with a stranger once again. I listen to the music and find interest in the beat. I meet the stranger for coffee or brunch and listen.
Falling in love is like finding a new favorite song. When you first meet a person and you fall head over heels in love, it is much like the first time you hear a new song. It's like when you hear it for the first time and you instantly know it'll be one of your favorite songs. Then you start to listen to the song more and learn the words. You start to understand the message being sung and the meaning behind the song. This is like getting to know someone and understanding who they are and what they're about. Pretty soon you'll start playing the song on repeat, nonstop, kinda like being with someone all the time, almost 24/7. Just like a song played too much, you'll likely get tired of the person and want to find a new person to be with, like a new song to listen to. The key to finding a love that lasts is too find a person you'll never get tired of being with, just like a song you'll never want to stop listening to. A favorite song is one you'll memorize all the words to, one you'll understand and can relate to, and one you'll never tire of listening to. When you find your true love, they should be just like your favorite song. You should know them by heart, understand then and how they feel, and most importantly, never tire of being with them.
Many people say life is a growing experience, but somehow even in the midst of growing we end up exactly where we started. This may not be true for everyone, but life is like a calendar. A calendar begins in January and ends in December, before repeating itself again in January, just like life does. When you are born and your life is just beginning, you are young and obviously dependent on other people. When your old and have completed your life cycle and your life is about to end, you are also dependent on other people. When your a baby, your mother puts you in diapers, just as when you are older you may also be put in diapers. As young children most parents will send their kids to camps or daycares where they do many different activities including arts and crafts, puzzles, and learning games. My Grandmom is in a nursing home and even though she is not a child anymore, she is doing arts and crafts, puzzles, and other games, just as she did when she was a kid. Throughout the calendar there are four different seasons. Each season the weather changes, just like life does. Spring is like the beginning of life. Everything is fresh and new. Flowers begin to bloom, grass gets green, and new birds and animals are born. Summer is like the prime of your life. The flowers are fully bloomed, the birds fully grown and people are outside enjoying themselves. Fall is like middle age, where things begin to slow down. Leaves start to change color and the weather starts getting colder. And finally winter when its snowing and your life cycle is almost over you encounter many obstacles, just as we do when its snowing.
Have you ever seen the movie "National Lampoon's Vacation?" We enjoy that movie because of the funny moments and how we can relate it to our own lives. They're very similar concepts and that's why a road trip in a car is like our life. When you are own a road trip, you always have a destination which may be close or far away and you stride towards it. We see this in life when we set a goal and hope to find yourself accomplishing it. After a few hours (or maybe days) cramped in a car you might get to the point when you question if continuing on is worth it. In life at times you have the question of if the effort you are putting in is ultimately equal to what you are gaining. As we all know, during a road trip we hope that we aren't lost on our way. When we travel through life, we go through periods of time when we are lost and need to find ourselves. When we get back on track and go towards our destination sometimes we find hindering obstacles. In our lives, we can be bullied or mocked and that can be our obstacle course. When we start to get close and we get a little excited we find our car getting smashed up in an accident. I know for myself, I am often getting a little too excited and finding myself with an injury, slowing my process down. As we meet our destination we figure out it was all worth it and we celebrate our challenges and memories, which is the same as what we do as we end our lives. We see the worthiness and all the memories of our pasts.
Stock characters give a humorous touch to making a comedy, but this character never takes justice comically. Superman is, in my opinion, one of the best examples of a stock character. This is because Superman is the one who will always be the one who saves the day and brings light to a place that was once dark. His skin is impenetrable to everything except one thing, kryptonite. This also shows that he is a stock character by being the one who has the courage to fight crime, like other super heroes. Superman is almost always showing his abilities when he is fighting crime, especially when he uses his extreme strength to move vehicles, pick up large land masses, even crushing a diamond in his hand. One of his signature powers is his superhuman reflexes and speed. Superman can grab bullets in mid-air, but if he doesn't catch them, they will just bounce off of his impenetrable skin. Superman is a stereotyped and commonly used character portrayal whether the person who portrays Superman is a superhero or not. One who usually portrays Superman is someone who saves the day, or does some heroic deed without taking much recognition for it. This is why I think Superman is a great example of a stock character.
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