"The Children's Story"

After I read this story, I was filled with anger.  It made me realize what it would've been like if the Nazis had won the war.  Although it was a fictional story, it was terrifying.  In just twenty minutes, a Nazi teacher had brainwashed a room full of seven year-old children.  She manipulated them so easily, just like she had trained for.  She made the children think that the American Flag was so important that they should cut it up and each have a little piece (that's a big no-no).  She also made them think that they should pray to "Our Leader", instead of God.  In addition to that, she made them think that they should lie to their parents. When I think of the possibility that this could happen in real life, it's quite scary. 

Defining Courage

  "Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all."

 - The Princess Diaries

         This quote explains how I feel about courage. To me, the essence of courage is being strong, having the ability to say no, saying goodbye to people who only bring you down and accomplishing your greatest fears. It's walking into your first day of middle school and having all the self confidence in the world. It's experiencing your first heartbreak, but smiling to let them know that it didn't break you- nothing can break you. It's growing up and living the life you always dreamed you'd have, even then knowing all the obstacles that you would have to face. All of these things sum up of what I believe to be the essence of courage.  

         I see courage in my home everyday, so this is what I've grown to think of what it looks like. I see my dad going to work with a smile on his face, even when business is slow.  My mom, always waking up cheerful and happy- even though the burden of her alcoholic father lays heavy on her shoulders.  Courage can even be in the simplest forms, like my fourteen year old Bassett Hound still trying to make it up the steps to my house, even when her arthritis is painful. 

         One of the best examples that I can give you though, was mustering up enough courage from deep within my soul to follow a new direction in my life, by stopping band. This took a great amount of courage because I knew that I would let my band teacher down, as well as others.  It came to the point though, that I was going to have to do to what made ME happy and not worry about anyone else. Although the decision I made was hard, I was so relieved. This was a very important life lesson to me though. I learned that you can't make everyone happy, it's impossible. There are going to be times when you have to do what's best for you and not what's best for everyone else. I also learned that people will talk about you behind your back, even your closest friends. But there again, it takes courage to forgive and forget and keep living life. 

 All of these things explain what I believe to be the perfect definition of courage. 

- My mom and dad are probably the best people in my life that demonstrate courage. Even in this picture, you can see how happy they are even when their life isn't perfect.

 - This is my dog, Annabelle. Most people wouldn't understand how an animal could show courage, but my dog really does show courage everyday. Annabelle, has four torn ACL's in each of her legs, but she still tries makes it up our steps into the house. We give her medication, but sometime's it doesn't take away the pain. However, there is never a moment where she isn't wagging her tail and making my family smile.

- This picture is showing how sometimes courage is even getting up out of the bed and starting a new day. Many people have difficulty doing this, while some jump out of bed, excited to having another day to live.