Who Inspires Me

Of course, each of my family members inspires me in some way.  Whether it be my mom's organization, my dad's knowledge, my brother's motivation, or my grandparent's compassion, everyone in my family has had a positive impact on me as an individual.  But someone who is not family who has greatly inspired me would be my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Coppola. 

Mrs. Coppola was an excellent teacher who truly cared about each individual student, and the time and effort she put into the classroom proved this.  I still remember so much from this class, even though I was only five years old at the time.  She not only taught us the academics like how to write, but she taught us how important it was to love others, leading by example.  I still remember the "warm fuzzys" we would collect.  It was just a colorful cotton ball that she would pass out to students when they did something nice for someone else, but to us at the time it was the greatest thing.  She printed out a little story that told the story of the warm fuzzys and how it was important to love other people.  Once we collected a jar full of them, we got to sit on the classroom pony, which was literally a pony from a carrousel ride.  She also did very thoughtful things with us students.  She would mail us letters throughout the year saying how she was proud of us and excited to learn more with us, she even sent some over the summer and always signed it "I love you".  Recently, I came across the letters I had saved from her and I realized how thoughtful and caring that was.  She also taught us the importance of being proud of ourselves and had us build a "Journal of Self-Esteem" with all our classwork and some pictures, which I still have to this day.

Mrs. Coppola is a sweet and loving woman with the most beautiful personality.  She is currently retired from teaching but is pursuing another passion of hers, art.  She is a very talented artist and offers painting lessons to aspiring artists.  This is one of her paintings:

"That's One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind"

My favorite moment in history has to be when Neil Armstrong was the first to walk on the moon in 1969.  This was a great moment in history because it showed someone who wasn't afraid to try something that no one had ever done.  He challenged himself to do something that most people believed to be impossible.  He chased his dream and followed his heart despite the risks and challenges involved.  We only get one life and have one chance to live how we want, and I think it is amazing and so inspirational that he was able to accomplish something so great.  Life is too short to sit back; everyone deserves happiness and everyone should at least try to go after what they want.  We literally have nothing to lose by chasing our dreams, no matter how big they are.  Neil Armstrong's moon landing proved this and he must have felt an incredible sense of accomplishment.  He was able to die a happy man knowing he went after what he truly wanted and got it too.

 

"I believe every human has a finite number of heartbeats.  I don't intend to waste any of mine."

                                                              -Neil Armstrong

Conflict in the Lives of Adolescents

One word can be used to sum up adolescence...Awkward!

Adolescents are still trying to figure out who they are as individuals.  They may be trying to find a balance between doing what their parents expect of them and doing what they want to do.  For these reasons, this is often a time of low self-esteem and low confidence.  Adolescence is generally very difficult because people of this age face peer pressures and are often unable to cope with those pressures or make reasonable decisions.  They may also be trying to find a balance between not quite being a child yet not quite being an adult and this will confuse them, making it hard for them to make decisions.  Adolescents wish to be more independent and are starting to think about their futures.  In trying to figure out who they are, they may change friend groups often or try to become part of an established friend group.  Basically, adolescence is a time of great physical and emotional disruption. I think all adolescents feel stressed, confused, and a little lost, realizing they are a single individual living in a big world, unsure of whom they should become.   

"What Fictional Hero Did You Look Up To?"

As a child, I looked up to Princess Jasmine from my favorite Disney movie, Aladdin.  She was someone to look up to because she saw everyone as equal, and fell in love with Aladdin because of who he was as a person, not for what he had.  Although she was raised to be snobby and higher up, she never felt as if she was better than anyone else or acted in that way.  She was adventurous, independent, and not afraid to speak her mind.  She was a free-spirit who didn't stand for the confinement and restrictions she felt, yet was very empathetic.  She didn't care about her title or being rich and she didn't care about what other people thought of her.  She did what she wanted to do and what she felt in her heart was the right thing, despite the judgment she would face for her decisions.  She liked to sing and live in the moment, highlighting the importance of personal happiness and confidence.

"What and Why Do You Read?"

The most important thing I learned from my health class this semester was to fill your mind with things that are healthy for you, including healthy reading.  I really enjoy reading motivational stories that highlight important values and life lessons as well as stories that motivate me to be the nicest, most peaceful person I can be.  Whether it is books of motivational quotes or yoga books that teach morals, I enjoy reading things that promote happiness and personal growth.  As a child, I always loved mystery books, such as Nancy Drew, but now that I'm older and don't have as much time to read novels, I enjoy reading short stories and quotes that pertain to life today.  Reading is so important because it opens your mind to the world and helps you to see things differently.