Accepting the Future as it Comes

       As a grade 12, graduating student, the time has now come to start applying to university, and in a sense applying for my future. The years have quickly gone by, and now more then ever I often wonder about where I will end up. I have plans, but there is no way to tell how or if they will succeed.

       The quotation I chose is "the future is as bright as your faith," said by Thomas S. Monson American religious leader, author, and the sixteenth and current President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I think that this quote really applies to my life and where I am at right now planning my future. I think that this quote can be perceived in more ways than just one, especially in my life. 

    For me my faith and religion are important, and I feel that with that faith comes a certain amount of relief and calmness. Believing in a creator who is in control of my life and my future, brings me peace as I know God has my best interests in mind, and has a plan for my life.

I believe that this quotation has many meanings beyond just faith in a religion though. For me this quote also has to do with faith in myself. In order to succeed I truly feel that believing in yourself is just as important as believing in a religion or creator. When you have faith in yourself it opens door and gives you motivation. 

Having faith in yourself is not easy to come by though, it takes many times of failing and self blame before coming to the realization that you are in control and you can change your own future. You also need to understand that there are times that you are going to fail but you have to believe that failing is not the end, it just means you need to try harder or change your approach. For me having that mind set changes everything, I am more open to reaching higher even though I may fail I know that I have to have faith in myself and try. 

The best thing to do at this point is not stress, but not forget about what needs to be completed in order to secure my future. It is an obvious fact that the future will not be easy but I know that with plans, faith, and faith in my plans I can achieve greatness and have a bright future. 

Remembering Those Who Shaped Our World

      As another Remembrance Day ceremony comes to a close, questions arise as to the full importance of remembering such a horrible time in world history. Being a proud advocator of peace, I do not condone glorifying war. I strongly believe though, that Remembrance Day is not for glorifying war, it is for remembering those who lost their lives in war, as well as the horrible times that people faced. It is a chance for people to remember the past in hopes that we learn from it and refuse to repeat it. Canada has mostly been seen as peace makers in war, and I believe that those who served deserve full respect, not only on this day of remembrance, but also every single day of their lives, and even after their lives. 

         Our school is incredibly lucky to have had General Romeo Dallaire come speak, and receive our leadership award. Having seen the movie "Shake Hands With the Devil", based on his peacekeeping efforts in Rwanda, I have so much respect for him and what he has done for the world. He is an inspiration to us all, and I hope that everyone at the assembly will take his words to heart and follow in his footsteps to make a change in the world that we all share.

         On a sadder note of a war veteran, my grandmothers next-door-neighbour, Frank Taylor, who served in the second world war, recently, for the fourth time, had his house broken into. War documents and even his birth certificate were stolen from a safe in his home. In having met him on multiple occasions, I know how much the war and what he fought for fully mean to him. The fact the someone would break into a senior's home at all makes me sick, but stealing war documents takes it to a whole new level of disrespect. I pray that the culprit will be caught, and that all of Frank's belongings will be returned to him.

       Remembrance Day is an amazing time to fully be grateful that we live in such an amazing country. It is also a time to teach and learn from the past. This day is a day that should always be commemorated so that people can truly be thankful for all those who served to make this wold a better place. Not just for us in Canada, but also for places like Rwanda, Germany and so many other country's that overcame war with the help of Canadian peacekeepers and troops. These are important events that we need to remember in order to fully appreciate the lives that we have today. I will always remember and respect those who served, and I hope that peace will prevail across the whole world.

This is Halloween

       During my childhood my family did not celebrate Halloween. We would spend our Halloween nights at a family fun night at our church. As I got older the church event became childish and boring, and often times I would sneak out with my friends and we would trick-or-treat around the block. When the church event stopped, due to lack of interest, my mom very reluctantly let me trick-or-treat twice in my life with friends in grade eight and grade nine. 

       To my family Halloween is seen as a day that people use to celebrate the devil and demons. If you look back on its origins, you may find just that, as well as many different traditions such as All Hallow's Eve. I know many Christians that celebrate Halloween, so it's not fair to classify it as just a chance for people to "worship demons". I believe that if you are going out to trick-or-treat there is nothing wrong with that. But I would also agree that simply trick-or-treating is not only thing that occurs on Halloween. 
       Many people involved in witchcraft and other things, use Halloween as a time to celebrate their beliefs. In my opinion people should be allowed to practice their beliefs freely, and I think that Halloween is a time for people practicing witchcraft to have a chance to have more of a celebration. Although I do not agree with the practice of witchcraft and demon worshiping, as long as their practices do not harm or hurt people I have no problem with them using Halloween for their celebration day. 

         As people get older Halloween becomes more of a time to party and dress up in slutty costumes for attention. Costume companies use Halloween as a time to sell people inappropriate costumes to young women, and every year it gets harder and harder to find a costume that does not prove provocative or degrading. I remember being shocked when one of my friends wanted to dress up as a Playboy bunny at age 13. Now it has become so normal though. But it is not just "slutty" costumes that are the problem, many people in general are dressing up in racially offensive costumes. It may seem like a funny joke, but it can be taken the wrong way, and it can show your character. People who dress up as if they have no respect for themselves or others will gain no respect from their peers in the long run. 

       Another side of Halloween is one that the Spanish practice on the first and second of November and it is called "Dia de los Muertos" which is the day of the dead. People in Mexico use this time to celebrate those who have died, maybe recently in their families, or just in general. The holiday mainly focuses on the gathering of family and friends to pray for and remember friends and family members who have dies. Being half Mexican I know a lot about this tradition, and although my direct family does not celebrate it, many of my family members in Mexico partake in this holiday. 

       So however you choose to partake in Halloween, or if you choose not to participate, it is up to you. There are many different types of people who celebrate it in their own ways. whether it is used for simple family fun, cultic worshiping, or celebrating those who have walked the earth before us, it is up to you to figure out what it means to you. For me Halloween is a chance for people to express themselves in a pressure free way, and of course receive free candy!