January 18

Influences

Alymohamed Jetha

Lit Exploration

October,23,2018

Title: Influences

Prompt:  What is your opinion of the idea that our beliefs are influenced by the actions of others

Beliefs are what we believe in and what we think is the right thing to do in a situation. It is up to you to make a good decision based off of what you think is right; if you are influenced in to making your decision then you should think if it the right thing or not. You can choose whether to be influenced in to making a decision or you can make your own decisions yourself, it can turn out to be good or bad either way you choose to go.

In the movie A River Runs Through It  by Norman MaClean it shows this through Norms life because he is influenced by his little brother Paul on more than one occasion and it ends up being bad for him because he just gets in trouble every time. He lets Paul influence him because he is being his brothers keeper and he is not going to let him get hurt or in trouble alone at least at the beginning of the movie. One particular example is when they go over the water falls in a boat  they “borrowed” from someone. All of their friends said let’s do it but when they got there they said no and didn’t go; Paul however was still going to do it anyways and Norm had no other option but to do it with him. He was first influenced by his friends and then by his brother, knowing if anything happens to him then his parents would be very made with him.

Paul is not as easily influenced into doing things like his brother but he can still be influenced. He got a job writing for the papers and through that he started to drink and gamble more which ended badly for him. He was usually the one who influenced others like his brother. He would make his own decisions despite what other people said like when they went to the back street bar together with their girlfriends and Paul had a first nations girl with him the person who ran the bar said she wasn’t allowed but he still brought her in and after they had there drinks they started to dance in front of everyone in a way that made them stand out more from everybody else just so that he could prove a point that he does what he wants. Paul didn’t let the fact that first nations were not allowed in the bar stop him from dating one and going out with her. This shows that there are lots of types of people in this world.

I am the type of person that is in the middle I make my own decisions most of the time and sometimes I let others influence me to make a decision I would not otherwise make. I mainly influence my friend into doing things they don’t necessarily want to do, but it is never anything they can get into big trouble for. I don’t let people who I know are bad, influence my decisions, when I am influenced I know the risk and what can happen if I do it.  I don’t like to follow people because the last time I did I got in a lot of trouble doing something kind of bad.

In the end it is up to the person making the decision if they want to listen to someone else, or if they want to do what they believe is right and play it safe.

Category: Aly, Sept 2018 | LEAVE A COMMENT
January 18

Irony

Aly Jetha

Visual response #3

Irony

War brings out many feelings and situations where one does not know how to act. It can bring out the best in people or the worst in people and it really show a lot about a person when you see how they act in many difficult situations. Even after the was is done and the individual goes back home they can act different due to what they have experienced.

In the photograph given it shows a soldier feeding an orphaned kitten. I find it ironic how he is in a war killing people, but he is also giving life by helping this kitten stay alive. He is in a very stressful situation and has a lot to worry about but he takes this kitten in as well so he can raise it and give i it the help it needs until it can support itself. He sees that the kitten doesn’t have its mother to help it, but on the other hand he doesn’t see that by killing people he could be taking someone else’s mother or father and that kid could end up like the kitten at the mercy of a stranger’s hands. This happens a lot because some people get married and have kids but have to go to war and don’t have a choice and sometimes they don’t get to go back to see their kids because they were killed. For the lucky one that make it out alive some are not the same – they come home with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and they are physically there but not mentally. The kitten is lucky because it won’t remember much about its younger months and it will make it thanks to this soldier. The kittens mother was probably killed because of the war and that left the kitten alone to fend for itself. This could happen to the child of one of the people fighting the war if they are killed the child will be alone and have to find their own way in the world which is not easy to do at a young age.Society is not forgiving and especially for a child that has nothing or nobody.

A example of this from my life is my mother she grow grew up in India and when she was about ten-years-old her dad died leaving her mom to take care of her and her three siblings. They all got jobs at a very young age so that they could support themselves and get a decent education. Her dad did not die in a war, but it is relatable because the rest of her family was left not knowing what to do. Luckily her family pulled together and worked  hard so that they could get to where they are now. They had to work hard to get the basic necessities and if the rest of her family gave up then I probably would not be here today. Some people are not as lucky to have a family that can do that.

War shows a bad side of some people and in this case it was different because it showed that some people still care and have a heart. It is a hard choice to make to kill people when you look at it this way. It looks like a person is heartless when they are at war but they have to choose to protect their family by going to war or to let someone potentially hurt your family if your country losses. It is ironic though because you are affecting someone else’s family by killing people in the war but that is a choice you have to make.

Category: Aly, Sept 2018 | LEAVE A COMMENT
January 18

Lit Exploration- hope

What is your opinion on the idea that hope is an important quality?

Hope is an emotion that we hold onto during difficult times, it allows us to move and grow as people it makes people believe in something that is not really there sometimes it’s for the best and sometimes for the worse. The theme of hope is shown through Jeannette Walls when she is exposed to the idea of the glass castle by her dad, Rex Walls. She sees the best in him and in the idea which results in her to realize the truth. A innocent individual who is given something to hold onto during difficult times results in the reality of what is best for them.

As a innocent individual comes across hope, they will make it a intentional choice of recognizing and taking it as a feeling that will be mistake for reality. It allows them to see the good in everyone and everything. In the memoir of Jeannette Walls we see this when Jeannette is first shown the blueprints of the Glass Castle by her father. Having the blueprints shown to her has allowed her to see the best in her father in that he is trying to provide some sort of stability in there situation of not having a stable home.This means that her father is creating an ideal home so that Jeannette is able to hope for a better future. This is important it shows how Jeannette is innocent and vunrable and this allows herself and her father to be each others hope for a better more stable future. She believes her father is the light in dark times. As we see this we see that hope is something that individuals hold on to in order to help move on in our lives even at difficult times and also allows us to believe that there is always going to be someone or something that will be there for us. Sometimes this can lead to the beginning something new as an attachment to an emotion that helps us believe in all things.

When individuals are exposed to something new that could help them and try to do things in order for new changes it sometimes can be an influential aspect to realize what’s actually there which allows us to see hope as an escape into something that we want to believe will be there in the end of our stuggles. We see this through Jeannette when they move into a new house and start building the foundation for the Glass Castle but as they finish the foundation it is slowly filled with trash. This shows us for the hope we belive in is quickly brought back up and allows for her trust and belief in her fathers abilities to resurface again and see the best in him, but also be taken away because of the fact that it is something that she can see the truth in. This means that as quickly as hope is brought up by the foundation it can be broken by the truth of what the foundation turns out to be, a pile of trash. This is important to Jennette because it is when she first realizes the truth of her situation of homelessness but also that hope is something that for her is not ideal and she should move on from the idea of that hope that is going to save her from her difficult times. When an individual allows for the start of something new it can be finished by the reality and truth that hope brings. It allows us to see the truth of our situations and the things we thought would help us during these times.

As individual develop and grow, it can cause to see the reality what is actually there verses what is not. It allows us to see that hope is just a feeling we use as a defensive mechanism to help us to go through things that need actions that we are willing to take to be able to see change. This can result in the individual to take reality of there situation and change it it into something they know will benefit them in the future they see themselves. We can see this when Jeannette is leaving to go to New York and Rex brings up the idea of the the Glass Castle and Jeannette talks about how it was just a promise that has always been there but never fulfilled. When she talks to her dad she realized that she has let go of the hope she had kept the whole way through and is now realizing the potential she has of doing something that will help herself. This is important to Jeannette because is shows that she is developing the idea thof the truth that is best for her and this allows her to change her reality of the situation she is in. As individuals realize the truth they had not seen realized when they were younger, allowed them to take action for what they believe will help and be a new part of them.

When we hold onto hope for the betterment of the people and things around us can result in the realization of the truth that is right for ourselves. Hope can change an individual into seeing the good in everything else, but can also change that good into something that we can take for the benefit of ourselves. First we see how hope allows us to have as we are innocent but as we grow and mature we see the reality of hope and use that to our advantage and step up for ourselves.

Category: Rukhsana, Sept 2018, Uncategorized | LEAVE A COMMENT
January 18

There is beauty in the struggle

Love Yours

Artist: J cole

Album: 2014 Forest Hills Drive

Released: 2014

Genre: Hip hop/rap

J cole released a song called ” Love Yours” in his 2014 Forest Hills Drive album. He talks about how individuals all across the world struggle in their own way.

If I asked you right now, “What do you love?” How long would it take for you to respond with “myself”.

Why we feel like we are not good enough? How do society’s standards and people’s judgment alter out thinking to believe that we are no good.

I remember scrolling down on facebook to see this post that read, ” There’s only good and bad people in this world.” That left to think how we become bad. And I don’t think I have found an answer yet, but what I know is everyone is capable of bring goodness into this world. Every one of us have the power to inflict positive change, to test society’s standards and question people’s judgement.

There’s only one semester left in our last year of high school. And no matter where we all end up in a few months for now…

I hope failure doesn’t make you give up on your goal

I hope loving someone with your heart and soul doesn’t end up hurting you.

I hope you find your dreams and chase them.

I hope you find strength in your bones.

I hope you live your life the way you want, no what others expect of you.

I hope you allow yourself to be free to the good and bad.

“There’s a lot of roller coaster’s life will try to put you on, and I pray you realize you don’t have to get on one single up and down ride, you don’t have to listen to anybody or the tricks they try. Your intuition is always enough to get you by.” – Clayton Jennings

” I hope you live sold out and push life to the limit.” – Clayton Jennings

“People throw rocks at things that shine, don’t let negative nobodies purchase property in your mind.” – Clayton Jennings

“People throw rocks at things that shine, don’t let negative nobodies purchase property in your mind.” – Clayton Jennings

“Stay care free and dance through life like freedom is your middle name.” – Clayton Jennings

 

 

Category: Sept 2017, Simran | LEAVE A COMMENT
January 14

I still wonder….. (Free Choice)

Dear Diary,

It was a dark sunny day today. I was trying to cross a double road on a highway. Yeah, I know what you are thinking, it has been just been a few weeks since I came back to India and I’m already breaking all the rules but I was in a hurry to help the man with a young child across the road, who was about one year younger than Sparsh I believe, who just turned 5 in October. It took me approximately ten minutes to reach the opposite side because it was a highway and rush hour, so everyone was trying to get home to their families.I guess it was then that it hit me what a cruel world we live in. About a 100 cars should have passed from the time I noticed those two people and no one even tried to help them. Who knows how many hours, days or weeks, they had been sitting there. I had some snacks in one hand and water bottles in the other hand.

I gave it to that man as soon as I got through the traffic I will never forget the smile on that man’s face. He thanked me and told me I would live a beautiful life. There was only one question in my mind all the way back home, Why didn’t anyone just stop and help that man? Why is everyone so wound up in their own worlds and are so selfish that they couldn’t even spend 30 rupees on some snacks and water bottles. If nothing, they would have made them smile and gained well-wishes of an innocent man and his child. It broke my heart when I saw that young boy, he didn’t deserve that life.

When I finally reached home my grandma could see I was in despair and agony, I went straight to my room and laid down on my back just thinking. She came in with my lunch and asked me everything was okay, I told asked her the same question that was on my mind. Why didn’t anyone stop to help that man? She had no answer for that either. She said, “My father always used to tell me a story that his mom told him.” “Do you remember everytime we go to our village and I see people outside the temple and I offer them everything I have in my hand and in my purse.” I said, “yeah, you did that when I was young, even though we didn’t have enough to eat back home, you would never say no to those in need.” She then told me the reason behind it, “If that man in the uniform who was fighting against us, protecting his country had not given my granddad the water bottle I can’t image how he would have survived in that hell hole.”

At that time my dad was only 2 or 3 years old, I can’t remember now but my grandfather told me when we got the water bottle from the man in that uniform, my granddad respected him more than he ever respected anyone. Because that man in that uniform was the only one who saw my dad as a human in need and not as the enemy. Many men walked by without acknowledging them but he stopped and offered them the bottle of water. It wasn´t a lot but it was more than enough. My dad also told me that the water wasn’t for himself or for mom it was for the children that were with him. “Genes I guess.” They weren’t his own but he saw that they were in need and didn’t think twice about it and offered it to those children.

Everytime I heard this story from my dad it would compel me to help more and more people. I had never seen my grandma in tears in a long time. That was first when she was talking about her granddad. As she looked up at me, she could see I had tears running down both my eyes, I still remember those soft fragile hands that wiped my tears and said “Look Chinni, (my nickname) we can’t control how other people handle things and how they react to it, maybe there are helping in other ways, ways we are not aware of. Only thing is that we can’t control anything. It is how we react when we see someone in need that’s what really matters. “Are you gonna be the soldier who offered my granddad water bottle or are you going to be those who didn’t acknowledge they were there.”

She looked up at me and as she wiped her own tears and said to me “I am proud of you Suhaani for helping that man and his child out in ways you could. Now come on eat something.” As my grandma was feeding me, I thought about how absolutely lucky I was to have a meal 3 times a day and have water whenever I needed and that man and his child- no one cared how long it had been since they had their last meal or even seen a meal in days.

I went back again after eating my lunch to take them to a decent place and buy them a meal. But by the time I reached, they were gone… That young child had done nothing wrong to be living that way. I may never seem them again but all I hope is that the young boy gets everything in this world everything he deserves and wants.

Category: Sept 2017, Suhaani, Uncategorized | 1 Comment on I still wonder….. (Free Choice)
January 3

Illusions

 

Image result for broken dreams

       

       It is very important for an individual to recognize danger in people they surround themselves by in order to live a life they know they are worthy of.  Illusions represent what is recognized in a way that is different from the way it is in reality. Often times we get conflicted whether to believe words or the actions of others.The words of others are a symbol of who they want to be and how they want to act. Words can also be saying something someone desires to hear for the sake of keeping faith in you. Whereas actions, represent who they truly are. It is in our nature to keep the hope we have for one another because we know of their potential and their capability of goodness.This is strongly depicted in the novel, Glass Castle, where Jeanette’s development from childhood to adulthood slowly made her realize that the blueprints and the floor plan for the Glass Castle, that  her father constantly talked about was nothing more than a dream based on her own illusions about her father.  Throughout the book Jeanette thought of illusions as just illusions then, to see how thing really are and finally to disillusionment.

 

       On the constant move to finding home, Jeanette begins to hint signs of a ‘well caring family’ when she is brought to the hospital from catching on fire while making hot dogs at an early age. Rex takes her daughter out of the hospital against medical advice worrying about hospital bills and believing that he could take care of her. Jeanette’s father takes out the blueprint time to time, promising Jeanette and her siblings that he will one day make it for him. The glass castle is a representation of how Rex wants to live- self sufficiently. So when Rosemary and Rex are dependable anymore, Jeanette is left taking up the parent role for the younger siblings. Due to Jeanette being exposed to the action of skedalling and leaving a place when things tend to not make sense, Jeanette finds herself leaving her home in New York and leaving her husband because she did not feel comfortable with her environment- a reflection of her parents actions. Being caught up in the love she has for her father, Jeanette was put into vulnerable situations where she had to learn for herself when enough is enough.

       Jeanette’s illusion of the Glass Castle is broken when her father asks her to put the garbage in the lot they cut out for the Glass Castle. Keeping in mind, Jeanette  has a soft spot in her heart for her father. So, when Rex Walls- the father asks for money that Jeanette had been saving for food, she gives it to him knowing he will spend in on alcohol.  She does this because Rex told her to “always believe in her ol’ man”. Along with telling her that the hope she has for him to mend his ways will help him get better. Rex puts Jeanette in a vulnerable situation knowing she will pick him over and over again. Her father tried to keep the hope she had for him by pulling out the blueprint of the Glass Castle and promising to one day build it for her. That is when she realizes how things really are. He gave her false hope which slowly, made Jeanette realizes the difference between an individual’s  words and actions. Jeanette takes her siblings and moves to New York but her relationship with her parents remains ambivalent. Realization cannot be measured using time, an individual who was constantly fed lies and false hope, will, soon than later, realize the difference between the words and actions when actions become visible through constant disappointments.

 

       After building a life in New York for herself, Jeanette steps down when her university class questions what she knows about struggle. Also, when Jeanette was in a taxi driving to a party she sees her home going through the garbage, making Jeanette go back home because both of these signs remind her of her past. An individual’s past affects them because they in fear of their past haunting them, especially if that individual tried to escape it and is now, all of a sudden struck by it. Also, by this time, Jennette can appreciate the fire incident because she can think about it on a more intellect level. Also, after living in poverty to creating a new life for herself, she can proudly and confidently say that possession does not stop anyone from living a good quality life. The actions of her parents forced her to move away and look out for her own well being for personal security. After a meet up before Rex passes away from cancer, Jeanette is not filled with hate towards her parents. She remains calm, and still decides to help out. Maybe that is the reason why Rex always made sure the family felt connected by giving them something to look forward to and maybe that is the reason Jeanette turned out the way she did. Indirectly, Rex showed he, through the representation of the Glass Castle  that there is goodness waiting for her, which I believe was the most important factor in her running away.

 

       It is easily to be fooled between people’s actions and words, but by time we realize and learn from people’s actions. Sooner or later we realize and learn from giving people chances, from that we make the decision to hold on longer or leave. Jeanette would not have ended up the way she is if her parents did not act the way they did- without facing disbelif, Jeanette would not be able to handle her hardships in a sensible manner. Jeanette has great strength to have gone through her parents chaos, and turn all her problems into blessings- influencing her to take a stand for herself. 

 

 

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Category: Sept 2017, Simran | LEAVE A COMMENT
December 29

I am a Sunflower

     

Image result for time the sun and her flowers

 

 

From the book ‘The Sun and her Flowers’ by Rupi Kaur

       The well-known writer, Rupi Kaur, published her book, ‘the sun and her flowers’ again, spreading awareness of how self-love and the importance of investing time in ourselves for human growth and development. For Rupi, writing is a way where she can take a moment to listen to her soul and voice and respond in a kindly way, assuring her that it is not only her who may, at some point, feel a kind of way. Through her adolescence experiences, she was able to inspire people including myself to find our voice. Her words have touched many young individuals who are left feeling isolated from the world due to their misunderstanding of how to cope with reality.

 

       This poem depicts a strong representation of how life will go on no matter what is going on around you, even if all you want at that moment is for life to pause and be alone to thoroughly understand what has happened and how to react to it. We shouldn’t limit ourselves to how much we can endure, in fear of not making it to the end; because as life pushes us we become stronger and if you are able to push yourself- you will survive. At the end, things might work out for us and even if they don’t- through the hustle of trying to get a grip of ourselves, life will give us a new perspective on the way we think about a particular experience. Once we overcome uncomfortable experiences we come back stronger than ever with more knowledge and strength integrated into us. After an individual is struck by reality, self abandonment is the key to heal and grow resulting in an individual to realize that they will never reach their fullest potential; their potential will keep on evolving.

 

       Young flowerheads are most likely facing the sun, when they bloom, they face east. I like to think of myself as a young sunflower. I haven’t completely lost my innocence that I always had as a young child but I do believe that some of my innocence has been replaced with fear. Fear of being alone, left behind, not cared for and most importantly denial. I know a lot of people including myself who don’t take denial well. Denial as in feeling like i’m not enough and I have qualities that I lack. That is what I am scared of, giving my all to people who can replace me without any hesitation. Because the people that allow you to be so happy are the same people who are preparing to take something from you. I am scared of giving it my all, seeing the potential of who they can be and sticking by them through better or worse even if that means putting myself out their and unknowingly giving them the permission to take my love and my spirit for granted.

 

       And once you realize that, why is that not a good enough reason to leave them? Why does it feel like everything you have ever believed in is not true? How do you differentiate between real and fake. Why did this happen so soon? What happened all of a sudden?

What signs did I not recognize? What qualities do I lack?

 

       How come I couldn’t make you happy? What don’t I have that she has?

 

       And at that moment I convinced myself that each and everything in my world was you, nothing else mattered.

 

       I was wrong for that- wrong for believing that everything that happened between us was because of me. I don’t compare myself with her anymore because one year of isolation, one year of forcing myself to get up each morning- struggling to keep breathing was hard and I believe after a couple months I had adjusted to that lifestyle with no hope in myself to get back on my feet and see anything worth of my existence.

       But I kept pushing myself no matter how badly I wanted life to pause so I wouldn’t have to feel alone in my thoughts or how badly I wanted time to stop so I can thoroughly understand my feelings in order to overcome them.

 

       And I am thankful for not settling with that kind of mindset because I have learnt so much about love, support and what it really means when people say that you will get through rough moments. I am thankful that there was no pause in my life because of you. Having life go on forced me, whether or not I liked it, to keep pushing. And with patience and time I realized my worth and began learning that there is a reason behind everything and that even though peoples reasoning may hurt us, we must not limit ourselves. Most importantly, I realized that along with me, there are similar people in the world who don’t have the love they need, making them act in a way that may hurt others around them. And with time I realized that, that is okay. I allowed time to guide me through the process of forgiveness.

 

       You did not hurt me because I let you take me for granted. You hurt me because it was you who didn’t know how to love. And maybe you’ve never experienced something so real, which made you so afraid of commitment. So I hope one day you do love something with so much passion because even if it doesn’t work out in the end, you will experience the gift of wanting more for someone than they want for themselves. Being loved comes and goes in life but having the first hand experience of loving is only for the few of us.

 

       We don’t have the slightest clue of how strong we are and what we are capable of. We will get through life without reaching our fullest potential because there’s no limit to our greatness. And that is why we should never limit ourselves to the amount of happiness, sadness, love or hate we can endure. When we are left with the only option of remaining strong, we fight and maybe we never really stop fighting in our lifetime but there is beauty in our fight.

       Because our comeback from hitting rock bottom outweighs the negative influence.

      And I believe that even a small amount of happiness can outweigh any amount of sadness because the only thing that can save us, when we can’t save ourselves, is love.

 

       I don’t stop here. I will bloom and even when it is dark outside I will continue to find the sunlight.

 

Category: Sept 2017, Simran | LEAVE A COMMENT
November 9

All I could do was breathe…

      Related image

         I remember coming home that night to my entire family sitting in the living room; accusing and blaming one another. I did not plan on coming home but I had nowhere to go. I stood in the cold without any socks or shoes on- blank, feeling incapable of noticing my feelings and feeling them. I don’t know if it was the fact that my father had kicked me out- not worried about where I would go or what state of mind I was in or if it was just me finally accepting that I hold no place in his heart. When I came home no one noticed me but I carefully analyzed everyone who was in the living room. My dad’s rage and my mom’s silence.

           I remember the first words that came out of my father’s mouth. From that day on I accepted reality so I would not have to go through what I have been going through for years and years.

         I remember thinking about whether I should leave for good or stay here and try to change the way my father looked upon women, like we are nothing other than the ones to feed and take care of men. But I had lost all hope from goodness in the eyes of the father who walked out of his own family, a old looking male who considers himself a man.

         I could not do it. I could not get a hold of my feelings, I felt angry but I was silent. I had all sorts of things running in and out of my mind- confused I thought. Am I angry? Am I hurt? Why am I numb?

         I go into the shower and kept the water running so I could cry without anyone hearing my screams. I felt like I had no control over myself, that even though at the moment I was safe, locked in the bathroom, I needed to seek permission to feel how I felt. I was trapped in my own mind- my mind that didn’t allow me the permission to feel and understand how I am.

         As I rested my head on the wall the only thing I knew what I had to do was breathe. I knew no one could change what has happened; I couldn’t. I had given up on trying to integrate wisdom into a brain of a fifty-three year old who thinks of himself as a well respected and fair father and husband. I could feel my anxiety kicking in because every deep breath I took in reminded me of damaged men in my life have brought upon me- my hands and feet started to tingle.

        So I took a breath.

         That is all I could do. I felt the words that came out of his mouth drowning my heart. I felt suffocated. It became hard to breathe I inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly trying to get control of my breathing. And at that moment breathing was the only thing that made sense to me. And that is when I realized that maybe for some of us no place in this world will ever be our home.  

 

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Category: Sept 2017, Simran, Uncategorized | LEAVE A COMMENT
October 5

Polished Visual – Innocence

Journal Entry 47,

Today I went on an expedition through the slums of Iraq; I saw children playing soccer in their nearby park which was filled with rocks, dirt and broken concrete from the damaged buildings surrounding their play place. They were being watched by what seemed to be a police officer with a large weapon. I was concerned, at first, but realized the two boys took no regard to the officer’s presence as it must be a normal thing for them.

The two children appear to come from a poorer family due to their absence of footwear. On this rough terrain their bare feet must be bruised badly at the end of the day but it seems they are numbed to any pain. The gripless ball reinforces the idea they come from poverty but to them that ball is just as good as any other. The smile on their faces represents how even in an area of violence and destruction light may still shine down on them.

Through all this the police officer remains there with an expressionless face. This is when I realized that through his face it was nothing but concern for those children as he recognizes that at any moment an imminent threat may make its way into their lives. Through this it was brought to my attention that not even during the day are these kids truly safe and that even in light there is darkness.

It was this experience that truly made me feel fortunate for everything I have. But it was through the fear and uncertainty of others that made me realize how diverse each end of the world is. This made me feel uneasy as in my own home people see these people as threats and not as human beings. And personally, I felt ashamed as I spend money on things I don’t need while there are people who have nothing. But what I now realize is it is the duty of every fortunate person to help the people in need, as they may be incapable of helping themselves. Through these children I realized that through my own hardships I need to remain happy as their are people that have it worst than myself.

Category: Kamal | 2 Comments on Polished Visual – Innocence
October 4

Certainty of Happiness

The Certainty of Happiness

                    The only certainty in our life is the act of birth and the guarantee of death, everything else in between is uncertain, it is our job to fill these spots with what we desire. It is our job to live a life worth living, feeling emotions worth sharing, and making decisions worth exploring. Many humans often go through life yearning for happiness, wasting their life away hoping they run into it. It is often uncertain to them that it is essential for us to create our own happiness. This is due to the idea that internal happiness is our most permanent commitment. This photograph is centered on two children playing soccer even when surrounded by poverty and war. The message being portrayed is that even during times of hardships, children have a tendency to create happiness within themselves.

It is uncertain what circumstances we might be put under, but if we have hope in our hearts, we are able to face them all. The focal point of this photograph lies on a man holding a gun in his hand. The man portrays possession of wealth and security, this is indicated by the watch upon his wrist and the cleanliness of his shoes. This rifle is often used to strike fear upon others while also symbolizing signs of war and dictatorship. The mans right leg is firmly placed on the higher end of the cement, asserting ideas of power and domination. Contrasting with the man’s elegance, the background displays broken buildings and trash on the streets. Easily juxtaposing the impeccable condition of the streets and buildings on the opposing side, near the man. This indicates the class differences and their heights within a society. Another striking detail is the broken slipper on the street, it is symbolizing abandonment as it lies in the middle of nowhere. Being left alone can lead to despair and unhappiness, but feeling this despair and unhappiness does not lead to being secure. Poverty is the main theme displayed by these signs as there is inadequate amounts of filth lying around the streets. These dusty buildings and filthy streets set up a mood of depression and longing.

The one certainty to adopt throughout challenges is that, life runs not according to our hardships, but rather the mindset we face them with. The background of this photograph consists of the two boys playing soccer with a dusty old net while one runs of after the ball. The boy holds an expression of joy and absolute bliss, much like sacred prayer for which there are no words. This form of joy is eternal and contagious for the people who are fortunate enough to witness it. This boy is oblivious towards his circumstances, as if he does not see the world crumbling around him. His strength lifts up the broken walls and in that moment the only thing he feels, the only thing he is able to become is ecstatic. Maybe somewhere in his heart he is aware of the danger that lies upon him, aware of the poorly established lifestyle he has inherited. Yet this boy dismisses feelings of pity and instead forces light to brighten up his dark path. Pity is a funny thing you see, you either stray from it’s grasp or it completely engulfs you, either way the choice is ultimately ours. The boy makes a wise choice, he chooses to not wait around for someone to come rescue him in his time of need, his happiness is self-dependent. Therefore, he has control over how long it will last as he did not need anyone else to offer it to him.

If you are going to be certain of one thing, make it be the idea of inspiring others through the strength you display, especially when you lack it the most. Colours have a powerful way of setting the mood of the given scenario. The colours in this photograph are overpowered by dull shades, such as brown ,green, and black. These shades represent a sense of melancholy, easily associating with the idea of death. Death of emotions, hopes and dreams are the worst form of death, as it is a type of pain we endure internally. Although in this photo the only exception to this solemn theme is the boy, as he is dressed in a bright red shirt. Even turmoil cannot wipe away the innocence that sparks and radiates within him. His bright red shirt matches the color of poppies that grew after rough times. He is symbolizing light and hope, he is our heart in human form. He is light that shines among others, that inspires and helps others recognize it as well.

There is no certainty of an easy lifestyle, but it is certain that in order to life a worth living, we must create pleasure within ourselves. We must mend ourselves and nourish our souls with optimistic thoughts, even when surrounded by hopelessness. If both our hands are chained to the ground, it is up to us to pray from our hearts. Happiness is an act that is best experienced when created rather than found. Happiness that is found is often temporary and we do not hold the power to make it stay. If we wait around for it we might be waiting forever. Forever is a fearful risk that is not worth taking. Finding happiness during hard times is a difficult task, but sometimes that is all we are able to do.

Category: Eesha, Sept 2017 | 5 Comments on Certainty of Happiness