Three Things I Believe

I believe:

1. Friends are a necessity in life

2. We only live our lives once, so we need to live them to the fullest

3. Karma

Poem

Dreams

by Langston Hughes

www.Poets.org

Hold fast to dreams 

For if dreams die

Life is a broken-winged bird

That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go

Life is a barren field

Frozen with snow.

I like this poem because he is a very famous poet and the poem is telling people to never give up on dreams or what they truly want.

"It is different to get the news from poetry, yet men die miserably every day for lack of what is found there." - William Carlos Williams

I feel the author is trying to say that some people need more than just the "facts" in life. People need to take the time to really look into the poem and understand what the author is trying to say. There is more to just the words that are read, then what they actually mean.

What is Success

Looking back, I can say I have had a very successful life. I am married to a lovely husband and have three healthy children that are growing up way too fast. We live in a large home in Bergen County and have a cat and two dogs. I am about to retire from my hard working job after 30 years in the workforce. Throughout the years I have met many people who can honestly say that I have "left a footprints in their hearts." Whether it be a neighbor, coworkers, or friend; I have helped them achieve their goals or even just warmed up their day. To me, my life is the definition of a true success.

Describe this

This small rectangle sits quietly on a desk or shelf, never moving or making a sound. Although it only holds a flimsy piece of paper, what is of this carries all the excitement and tells thousands of stories of the past . When someone glances at this object, they remember maybe their family sitting by the ocean that glistened under the sun or maybe their friends climbing trees that reached the sky. But once the pass by, everything is all forgotten until they look at the object once again.

Response to "Cathedral" and "Every Day Use"

Both the short stories, "Cathedral" and "Every Day Use", share many similarities within their two different plot lines.  "Cathedral" is about a blind man who comes to visit a couple. The husband learns to understand the viewpoint of the blind man and how he feels. "Every Day Use" is about a mother and her two daughters, Dee and Matty. Dee, the materialistic one who does not respect her families belongings, leaves the family and comes back with a husband and suddenly "likes" her families belongings. First, both stories include a protagonist who views two other different characters in the story. In "Cathedral", the main character is the husband, and he comments about his wife and the blind man. Similarly, in "Every Day Use", the viewpoint of the story is through the mother's eyes and she describes her two different daughters. Both stories are based on relationships between characters and how people act different in front of others. The wife in "Cathedral" changes her personality and acts a lot nicer when the blind man returns. In "Every Day Use" the daughter comes back with a new husband and acts as if she actually does respect her family.

 After reading both stories, I enjoyed reading "Cathedral" over the other short story. I feel the author of this short story created a better plot line and more interesting characters. Although the author of "Every Day Use" uses better imagery and figurative language, the suspense in the "Cathedral" kept me more interested in the story. 

Inauguration

I think today's Inauguration is a very important part in our history but I feel there will be a lot of criticism toward the future president. Many people do not like him because of his ideas, race, or beliefs.  This is the first time the U.S. is inaugurated an African America president so it will bring about mix feelings. However, I hope it all turns out well and people will soon believe that he actually is a great person and helps our country tremendously. Because it is such a special inauguration, it is being broadcasted on all new stations and students in school, like me, will be able to watch it.