What do you see when you look at a stranger?

What do you see when you look at a stranger? Does it even register that they are a fellow human being that matters to someone out there in the world? I ask you this because I work in retail, for the moment. As a sales associate, I am required to greet everyone who walks through the door. Think about that for a moment. Put yourself in my shoes. If you had to say “Hello, how are you?” or “Good morning!” to every person who walked through the door, would you be able to say it with enthusiasm every time? It isn’t easy—I can tell you that, but

Advertisements

From Solitude to Gratitude

I miss my wall; that beautiful stone wall

in summer; overlooking

the clover field; corn field

swaying and shushing behind me

woodchucks’ fuzzy brown heads

would always pop up from the doors

of their underground homes

I miss my wall; with the pasture on the left

with spotted cows; black and white

one by one they’d look up

and dare to glare as I would stare

if I say boo! Would they jump?

I miss my wall of solitude

I remember it with gratitude

---

photo credit: Michel_Rathwell <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/93922433@N02/26263708638″>Groundhogs</a&gt; via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a&gt; <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/”>(license)</a&gt;

photo credit: darrenleno <a href=”http://www.flickr.com/photos/38767031@N00/9232638702″>2013-07-07_18-44-49_257</a&gt; via <a href=”http://photopin.com”>photopin</a&gt; <a href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/”>(license)</a&gt;

On the Road to What’s Next

 

The road to “What’s Next”

 

Graduation from college is an accomplishment for anyone who has hopes for a better future. No matter what your age is, graduation is a milestone. What happens after graduation remains to be seen. This is the moment when the real work begins. What will one do with this so-called higher education? I suppose it depends on why you went to college, to begin with.

Today

Today, like every day is your day–seize it. Make the most of it. Be optimistic in everything you do. We learn from every moment, and we can find joy in life.

Chappie “Bone” Dorset: The Anti-hero

Exploring Chappie, the protagonist, and his life as an anti-hero

A hero is typically admired for their integrity, strengths, and ability to do good. However, Chappie is admired for his weaknesses. Though he is not an ill-mannered teenager, he is definitely sitting on the fence, or walking the line of criminal activity at the age of fourteen. Chappie’s father left him when he was very young, and his mother eventually remarried. It is hinted early on in the novel that Ken, Chappie’s stepfather molested him when he was younger. This initial loss of innocence is what propelled him into a world of chaos and criminal activity.