Different, but the Same

     "Shooting Dad" by Sarah Vowell was all about the major differences and surprising similarities between Vowell and her dad. You would think that a gun-loving Republican and an art-loving Democrat would have no similarities, and that is what Vowell assumed, too. She spent most of her life arguing with her dad, so she was convinced that they would never have anything in common. It wasn't until she made an effort to appreciate her dad's differences and put herself in his shoes that she found how much alike they actually were. They are both "smart-alecky loners with goofy projects and weird equipment," but they just have different types of projects and equipment. This relationship proves that two completely different people can be essentially the same. The essay assures people that there is the possiblility of finding a similarity in one of their own incompatible relationships.
     When reading this essay, it reminded me of the movie, The Parent Trap, in which a pair of twins who were separated at birth reunite at summer camp. Hallie and Annie have completely different personalities, live across the world from each other, and have different interests. They even dislike each other at first and try to get under each others' skin, just like Vowell and her dad. Eventually, Hallie and Annie get to know each other and decide to switch places when they go back home. It wasn't until they put themselves in each others' shoes and make an effort to learn more about each other that they get along with each other and find how similar they are. Therefore, if one ever finds himself in a relationship where everything clashes, it is important to step in the other's place, because there is assuredly a similarity that can be found.

Appreciation

     Reading "Arm Wrestling with My Father" by Brad Manning, it really got me thinking about how important it is to appreciate family relationships. As a kid, Manning never really understood the way that his father showed his love to him. When he was finally strong enough to beat his dad in the arm wrestling match, he realized that he didn't want to see his dad lose because that would mean he's getting old and losing strength. That was the moment he fully realized how much his father has done for him, such as carry him upstairs when he had mono, and, at that moment, he found how much appreciation he had for his father.
     As everyone's lives get busier and busier, it becomes harder to always remember to appreciate everything your parents do for you. I am so fortunate to have such caring and supportive parents, but not everyone is, and I've realized that I take them for granted a lot of times. Even if they get mad at me or I get frustrated with them, I've learned how important it is to give them my full appreciation because everyone shows love in different ways. Manning's father showed his love in a more physical manner, whereas one of the ways my parents show their love is by being very concerned about my future. There is not one way to love, so I know it is crucial to appreciate every version of love my parents show me.

Your Culture is Forever

     While reading "Fish Cheeks" by Amy Tan, I found myself relating her story to my life. I have never had an experience exactly like Tan's, but I have been in situations where my culture or family came in contact with other aspects of my life. What "Fish Cheeks" teaches people is that one's culture is more important than anything else in life. Amy was embarrassed by her family and her Asian foods and traditions; she was focusing on what negative thoughts people would have about them. It is crucial to remember that your culture and family are basically the only things that will be with you your whole life.

     There are constantly oppurtunities in my life when I must choose to either be ashamed of my family or culture or to take pride in them. For example, my mom might do something embarrassing in public, but instead of getting mad or feeling humiliated about it, I simply don't mind. I always try to remember that everyone in that public area is very temporary in my lifetime, but my mom will always be my mom and will be with me the rest of my life. If you love and accept your culture and family, then you'll find that others' approval of it won't matter. At the time, Tan didn't realize that Robert and his family would only be in a short part of her life, unlike her Asian culture and her family, so it wasn't necessary to try to please them over taking pride in her roots. Therefore, in choosing how to act in situations, everyone should remind themselves of what is truly important and will be a part of them their whole lives-- family and culture.

Nothing is Guaranteed

     Last week, we read "Champion of the World" by Maya Angelou, which depicts a childhood memory of Joe Louis winning the championship match. Although Louis became the champion and proved that African Americans were the "strongest people in the world," they didn't automatically gain equality and safety. This has further opened my eyes to the fact that life is all about taking one step at a time. This was a huge step for African Americans because it proved that they were at least, and even more, capable of the same things that whites were capable of. Just because they proved this, that didn't mean that the white population would quickly decide to accept them and treat them equally. They needed to take it step by step, which they did, and they gained their equality.

     This idea is found everywhere in everyday life. For example, getting a perfect score on a test in a class doesn't automatically guarantee an A for that semester. You have to keep working for that grade and pass each test and project one at a time. As I was watching the Superbowl, I noticed this concept occurring. Although the Baltimore Ravens scored the first touchdown, they needed to keep working and take it play by play, because their win wasn't certain until the last second of the game. No one is assured of anything in life, so it's important to keep in mind that one small victory doesn't guarantee complete victory, but it can be achieved through taking one step at a time.

How to keep a family from falling apart

     As we read A Raisin in the Sun this week, my thoughts kept jumping back to the fact that this whole book wouldn't be anything without the death of Big Walter. Because of all of the work Big Walter did while he was alive, his family members got $10,000 to spend as they wanted once he died. It wasn't until the end of the book that the family even brings up how grateful they should be towards all the work their father did for them. This frustrates me because all Big Walter did was work for his family, and once he died, it seemed to me that all they cared about was the money and how to spend it, rather than taking time to appreciate the man who earned the money for his family that he loved. Because of the money, the family seemed to be falling apart more and more; most of the book consisted of arguments between family members.
     This reminds me a little bit of what's going on in my family. My grandpa died a couple years ago and my dad and his sisters had to divide up all of his belongings. There were a lot of times when my aunts would get in fights over who would get what stuff. It never got too bad, but they were arguing nonetheless and this is definitely not something my grandpa would've wanted to happen because of his death. He would've wanted his death to, if anything, bring his kids closer together, rather than make them argue over how his money and belongings would be split up. Relating my family's situation to the Younger's situation, I've realized that what's important is, not the money and material items, but keeping the memories, stories, and morals of the one who died alive. Focusing on these ideas will bring a family closer together instead of tearing it apart.

A Dried Up Dream

     During this past week, I've really thought in depth about dreams. In Langston Hughes' poem, "Harlem", he refers to the dreams of African Americans and what happens if dreams are put aside. He compares this to a raisin drying up in the sun-- it festers, stinks, crusts over, sags, and could even explode. When one forgets, loses, or puts off a dream, it will have a torturing effect like a raisin that dries up and "[stinks] like rotten meat." Although it may seem easier to just give up on a dream, the poem suggests that this action would be a burden on you by saying "it just sags like a heavy load." To some people it may not make sense that a dream that is out of your way is actually quite a burden, but it in fact is because this forgotten dream is holding you back from complete happiness. The last line of the poem says that the deferred dream could explode. This suggests that not pursuing your dreams could negatively affect not only yourself, but many people, just like an explosion. For example, if your dream is to put an end to poverty and you don't even give it a chance, then you're letting down everyone who is in poverty. A dream that isn't pursued makes you one step further from your idea of a perfect life.
     So, is it better to set off a dream and let laziness take over or go after your dreams at risk that they may not end the way you planned? After reading this poem, I am positive the best action to take regarding your dreams is to chase them. If you put off a dream because of the fear that it will end in disappointment, you're not giving your life the chance it deserves. It's important to at least try to achieve your dreams, because you never know where it could lead you.

We are people who we aren't

     In our critical world, it is very rare to find someone who is always true to his/her real self. It sounds cliche, but it is true that the majority of people make most decisions based on what would please others. This happens so much to the point that it takes over our lives; most of our lives are spent working to convince others that we are someone we aren't. We see this happen in The Great Gatsby through Gatsby's character.
     In Gatsby's case, he worked his whole post-war life to be wanted and loved by Daisy. All he wanted in life was to be with her, so he went to extremes to get her. Gatsby was a poor young man with no connections to wealthy people when he met and fell in love with Daisy, who was rich. After coming back from war and learning that she was married, Gatsby illegally sold alcohol to earn all his wealth, bought a glamorous mansion across the water from Daisy, and held huge parties in order to be the man that Daisy wanted. In the end, his closer connections with Daisy killed him, which shows how changing who you are is not worth it. In today's society, we see people changing to be accepted by others all the time. Whether it's by wearing certain clothes, listening to certain music, saying certain things, or doing certain actions, everyone seems to be a little fake.


     It escapes me why people think that the only way to be happy is changing themselves to be accepted. We don't owe anything to people who are going to only accept us if we fit their standards of living, so why try to please them? On the other hand, we owe everything to ourselves; the least we can do for ourselves is stay true to who we are so our lives don't go to waste.