Supernatural Aid Reflection

Finding  the qualities I needed for my hero journey via mystery supernatural aids is not as easy as it may sound. It was difficult to discern the qualities I needed for my hero journey, but I did due to a combination of which qualities were easy to find and which ones I lacked or would like to develop. The five I narrowed it down to were: compassion, joy, patience, humility, and insight.

Compassion is an important quality to have. Often, it is difficult to have compassion for others due to the selfish drives all of us are consumed by every day. I honestly believe compassion is one of my best qualities, but, like everyone else, many times my selfishness overcomes me, so in my search for qualities I most needed on my hero journey, compassion made the cut. I found compassion in the religion office, in a box sitting under a Buddha head. Mr. King had me guess where in the office compassion was, giving me hints leading to Buddha. When I finally figured it out, I realized that under the symbol of Buddha was a perfect place to hide compassion, seeing that it fits Buddha perfectly.

One quality that goes hand in hand with compassion is humility. One cannot be compassionate towards others if their humility is not strong enough to get over their vanity. I would not consider myself a cocky person. However, often times my pride gets in the way of what I really want to accomplish selflessly. Humility was in the learning center, which was not difficult to get from the hint.

One quality I really could use some work on is patience, which I found in the admissions office. Impatience is pretty characteristic for me. I need to learn to take things one step at a time, and without patience, nothing really gets accomplished. Patience was found in the admissions office, where Brebeuf staff patiently helps the new students get adjusted and gets them started on their journey through high school. Patience is key to be a good member of the admissions office staff.

Joy is a quality that I often radiate, but it is something everyone could use some more of. In addition to being joyful myself, it is important I share my joy with other people. So what more appropriate place to find joy than the community service office? This really hits home for me because I am going to New Orleans on a service trip over spring break to help repair the damaged city after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. In order to make it the amazing experience I know it will be, it is important to be positive about it and let my positivity show to everyone I encounter during my time there.

Last, I found insight in our English classroom, and how appropriate that to find insight one just had to look “within” the classroom? Often I get lost in worrying what others think or even just find that I am sometimes insecure. In order to take on the hero journey with confidence, it is important that I look within myself and don’t lose sight of what I see. I am proud of who I am becoming every day, and I must use insight in order to not lose sight of this person.

I think that, with these five qualities, I am much more prepared for the road ahead, and I will take on the rest of the hero journey with my head high!

Where has the time gone?

Is it just me or does it seem like just yesterday was the first day of junior year? Better yet, it seems like yesterday was my first day of high school! I cannot believe it’s already March. That means that in a little over two months, we will officially be on SUMMER VACATION! WOW! I never thought junior year would end, with all the stress and the increased workload, and SAT’s to think about, but in all actuality, it went by so fast I can hardly believe it. What am I going to do this summer without yearbook deadlines to meet, AP bio 5-chapter tests to study for, English portfolio pieces to write, etc.? BREATHE! That’s what. Looking forward to a great summer and an AWESOME senior year.

regionals!

This saturday is regionals for dance team at Westfield High School! It’s hard to believe the dance season has gone by so quickly! The only competition after regionals is state. Dance team will be competing in solo for two girls, large ensemble, jazz, and hip-hop. If you can, everyone should try to go to regionals. Hip hop team dances at 3:30, but that’s the only time I know! Hope to see you there! It’s a lot of fun

SENIOR YEAR

so last week, i filled out my course requests for next year. aside from ap calc and honors anatomy / physiology, all my classes are gonna be SO EASY!! I cannot WAIT! this year has been a good year outside of school, but my classes have been killing me! even hon atat / phys will be a piece of cake compared to ap bio this year! it’s killer. if i didn’t sell my books back, i’d burn my ap bio book. but not really cause it would be a waste of wood. all 28975928357 pages of it. grr. i’m looking forward to a relaxing year compared to my SAT, AP-bio, hard classes, most important year of high school junior year. WHEW!

Diary

Last night I was flipping through an old notebook looking for a blank page to write myself a reminder on. However, I found a lot more than a blank page. I had pages upon pages of notes I had written to friends, crushes, and diary entries I’d written. I couldn’t help but to laugh out loud at how my scrawny, awkwardly shaped, glasses / braces-wearing sixth grade look matched my personality at the time perfectly. I was embarrassed to admit that it was me who had written these things. I called my friend immediately, and we were rolling on the floor laughing at the ridiculous things I said. The best part was how I found notes I had written to sixth grade crushes who I actually hang out with now. It would be really embarrassing if they found that! My how things have changed. If you want a good laugh, just dig out an old diary you wrote in at the peak of your awkward phase!

Sleeeeeep

This week in health class we were supposed to make a health goal. Mine was to get at least eight hours of sleep a night. Between school, work, and dance, this proved impossible, and I ended getting a maximum of a whopping 6 hours of sleep on school nights. Last night I only slept for four. I feel like this year my life is becoming an endless cycle of caffeine boosts and power naps. Unfortunately, sometimes I have no time to take these power naps other than in class. In school I find myself thinking about nothing other than how badly I want to float on a cloud of sleep for a good 12 hours. It’s torture. If anyone has any time mangagement advice or helpful tips regarding sleep deprivation, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! Thanks!

snow =(

so i know everyone’s super stoked about the snow, and i hate to rain (or snow… haha) on everyone’s parade, but i don’t see what’s so great about it! maybe it’s that i have an abnormally low tolerance for cold weather, or maybe it’s the fact that i don’t see the fun in not being able to drive or having to drive 20 miles per hour. getting up a half hour early to scrape off my car in the freezing weather then inch my way to brebeuf, a ride that takes me at least 20 minutes on a normal day, is just not my idea of fun. plus, i have a fear of slipping in the snow and hitting my head or something, because i’m pretty clumsy. i just can’t wait til spring! i love those first few days where it’s beautiful outside and warm and everyone is happy and wants to do outdoor activities! i’m just gonna stick the rest of winter out and bundle up! everyone drive safely

The Birth of the Hero: Destiny Journal

STEP 1:

More so than an escape from the often drab reality, dreaming is a way to better myself and aspire to be all I can be. It is silly to be afraid to dream when dreaming is something we always know we can do. Dreams are limitless, letting us be whoever we want and do whatever we want. If I dare to dream, I can set goals for myself and work towards these goals. Whether or not I fully accomplish them is not so much the issue. The fact that I put my heart and my mind into it is what really counts, the fact that I gave it my all, whether I came out on top as I had dreamed I would or not. Great journeys can begin with a simple dream. Dreams may often seem silly or impossible, but we can do anything in a dream, and I like that feeling and treasure the fact that I can aspire to be something more than I thought possible.

It is hard to believe in destiny and free will, but somehow I manage to juggle the two and come out with a somewhat clear picture of what the rest of why I am here. Let me explain. I believe in destiny in the sense that I believe everything happens for a reason. I am not one to dwell on mistakes or live in the past. I take each mistake or shortcoming in stride, knowing that I was put in that situation for a reason and that I will do better next time. I like to think that God has a plan in the end and will always be there when I feel like I can’t deal with something on my own. However, I still think that God lets me choose my path. I believe I am given freedom of choice, but each choice I made was one I made for a reason. I like this theory because it is comforting to know that I can live my own life while still being watched by God, who has a plan in the end. It makes me think that everything will work out the way it should.

I certainly believe that I have been given life for a purpose. Whether or not I act on that purpose and make my mark is my choice. I would like to make a great difference in the world, and I know that I can, but I have to work at it. I am here for a reason, and all I have to do is make the conscious decision to live the life I’ve been given to its fullest and make the difference I’m here to make.

STEP 2:

While I certainly am curious, I chose not to open my destiny until I had to, seeing as how if offered the chance in real life I would not discover my destiny. The reason being, if I knew what was in store for the rest of my life right now, it would give me nothing  to work for. I already know what’s to become of me, so what would I be doing working towards some higher goal of my own? Seeing my destiny prematurely takes away my free will and therefor destroys my idea of destiny and freewill coexisting. I would rather live life to its fullest and work to the best of my ability than work towards a predetermined goal. I feel like it would set me back. In addition, if my destiny were one that carried a lot of weight with it, it would stress me out or perhaps even depress me. I want to work towards tomorrow, not already know what tomorrow brings.

STEP 3:

According to my destiny, I will transform the world, bring hope, life, and peace to millions. However, I will not live past age 33 if I do so. My first reaction was that this was a very uplifting destiny. Even if I do not have a long life, I certainly have a fulfilling one, and if I do this much good for the world, my example is sure to live on and do good for others in future generations. My fear has never been death so much as dying before I have done what I wish to in this world. I really would like to see my impact change the world for the better, even if it is only a small part of the world. I do not yet know how exactly I will go about making my mark, but I fully intend to do so. However, if I were to die unexpectedly tomorrow, I will not be satisfied with my life if I were given the opportunity to reflect on it. I just want to live to my fullest, and if that costs me my life at age 33, so be it.

If this were really my destiny, I would have a harsh realization that I do not have much time in this world and that every day counts. Thirty three years is not long to live, and so I have to fulfill my destiny in a short amount of time. This destiny would probably make me appreciate life more and learn that I am only guaranteed today, so I’d better make the best of it. However, knowing that I have the power to transform the world so positively on such a large scale would also uplift me and make me grateful that I have been chosen to do so much good.

Mandala Reflection

Being a very unartistic person, I was a little skeptical about whether or not I would like this mandala activity. It looked like a lot of fun, but I figured mine would turn out to be a disaster, like most pieces of art that I attempt. However, this proved to be something that was enjoyable, and even I could do it! While mine may not have been the neatest or the most creative, I was proud of my work, and I had a good time making it. Once I fully understood what we were doing, I had a good time with the activity. The hardest part was getting started with all of the tools and circles and technical stuff. Once I started actually creating ever, I found that I had the ability to do more with my imagination than I thought when it came to art. The fact that we were going to destroy the mandalas after we were done made it easier to relax and just let loose while making them.

My mandala consisted of blue, off-white / tan, gold, maroon, and purple. There were no specific symbols or any particular pattern I was trying to create. I just let my imagination lead me. I used a great deal of this white color in my mandala, which symbolizes “purity, virginity, and spirituality; daylight, clarity, and order,” and it may symbolize a spiritual awakening or a newfound awareness of some kind. While I may not be the most spiritual and organized person in the world, I would not doubt that these values symbolized by the white color do have a lot to do with who I am. I am someone who is always seeking answers, or “clarity” in matters, and I have recently come to realize that the only way I am going to truly understand who I am and how lucky I am to be me is to work with the underprivileged and look war and poverty in the face. This seems to be a spiritual awakening, and I have acted on this by being a leader of the Invisible Children Club to learn about the hardships of living in Uganda today. Next, the blue in my mandala is supposed to symbolize “calmness, serenity and peace; relaxation” as well as be religious and show loyalty and compassion. While it is often hard for me to be completely at peace or calm, seeing as I am an anxious, adventure-seeking girl, I do try to be a peaceful and serene person. I take yoga, which helps calm me down. I am certainly a loyal and compassionate friend, seeing as I try to put others before myself as much as possible. I value being compassionate and loyal, seeing as that is how I like others to treat me. Next is the yellow / gold. This color symbolizes “light, warmth, light-giving power of the sun.” It symbolizes actualization and intuition. This, like the white, describes my realization at how lucky I am and how I can put my talents to good use. Finally, the purple is a sign of liveliness and intimacy, as well as the tendency to attract attention. This liveliness and high spirit is something that characterizes me very will. I am a very loving, happy, open person, and even people who don’t know me can tell.

I am not sure how my mandala shows numbers, but it is very symmetrical, so I am going to say that it has the number 2 associated with it, seeing as, for the most part, there is two of every shape. Two is described as representing differentiation or the resolution to a clash between opposites. Perhaps this has to do with the fact that I am very open to different opinions and enjoy engaging in friendly debates or hearing the other side of things. I like to step out of my comfort zone sometimes to find out what’s on the other side.

The shapes present in my mandala are the circle, the triangle, and the eye shape. The circle is a symbol of enclosing something that is “protected, strengthened, and delimited” and a symbol of eternity. This coincides with my tendency to be the “mom” of the group sometimes, always looking out for my friends in a motherly fashion. The “eternity” part of it reminds me of how I believe that everything happens for a reason and that there is always a larger plan; my life and my gifts that I leave will not go to waste. The triangle is a sign of being dynamic, which goes along with my interest and openness in differing opinions and lifestyles. The eye shape represents the ability to see, both literally and figuratively, more specifically see God and his presence in our lives. I am interested in learning about other cultures and other ways of life, as I mentioned earlier, and I would like to see first-hand some of the suffering that goes on in other countries because I am very aware it exists. I want to use what I have to ease this suffering, and I turn to God when I need help doing this.

All of the aspects that were symbolically portrayed in my mandala describe my character in some way, whether it is on the surface or hard to see. I enjoyed doing this activity and learning a little more about myself in the process!

Technology

I like that it is so easy to access information nowadays. If we need to find a random fact, we can just google it. Everything seems so organized when it comes to the internet, and it is so easy to communicate with one another. However, this whole blog thing is hard to get used to! There is such an expansive amount of things we can do online and so many rules and precautions we have to remember that it makes it hard to use technology at times. I can deal with the simple technology, like AIM, email, google, etc., but this is going to be hard to get used to. I hope this will get easier throughout the year!