A Letter of Gratitude

     In an assembly today, we were shown a video by 'SoulPancake' on Youtube entitled "The Science of Happiness- An Experiment in Gratitude". The video showed several individuals being asked to write a letter to someone very influential to them. After writing this letter, they were then asked to call up their influential person and read their letter aloud to them. The people in the video got emotional as well as who they were expressing their gratitude to.
     After seeing this, it was clear that telling other people how much you appreciate them doesn't just impact them positively, but also yourself. Back in the classroom, we were challenged to write a letter of gratitude to someone that has affected us in a positive way. For me, this task was easy. The most influential person in my life is easily my mom. Here's my letter to the most amazing mother anyone could ever ask for:
      "Dear 'The Mother', 
Through all the ups and downs, and all the grey hair I seem to be giving you, you are still always there for me. I know it's never easy. Not just because I can sometimes be a brat, or the fact that you have to drive me thirty minutes to school everyday, and then come pick me up. It isn't the fact that I complain about eating rice a billion times a week, or when I get so moody and emotional that I'm either crying or screaming. It isn't a struggle because you're a cook, chauffeur, story teller, or expert fashion critic (obviously to make sure I look fab at all times) but because of all the challenges you face every single day. Being on disability is a battle you have been facing even before I was born. This means you wake up every single day in pain, but your first thought is always of your family. Our financial issues definitely have been stressing you out beyond belief, but you're always thinking of us when you see something in the store you think we might like. You are the most selfless, determined, and beautiful person I have ever met- inside and out. You're the glue that is holding our family together. When I have a problem, you're the one I can always go running to. Since I was little, you were my nurse, my shoulder to cry on, and my best friend. However, as amazing as you are, you're not perfect. Far from it (sorry mommy). Just like you wake up everyday in pain, I wake up wondering if my best friend will be well enough to do all the things you want to do as a mom. Some days it gets harder for both of us, but my mother isn't the kind of mom to back down from a fight. She will kick, and scream, and survive. That's what I need you to keep on doing for the rest of forever. Thank-you mom for always being the brighest smile and loudest laugh in my day. I will never be able to express how much I love and appreciate you, but here's me trying.. I will always love you - forever and always, 
      Your favourite daughter (not just favourite because I'm your only daughter), Bridgette"

'Banned Books Week: 13 Authors Speak Out'

      After watching and clearly analyzing what the Authors have to say, it becomes obvious that banning books is widely unaccepted. Just because a book is banned doesn't mean that the content isn't any good, or that the writing is bad. Everyone has their own thoughts and opinions on a topic and some might find it more sensitive than others. 

     I personally believe that banning someone's book is discouraging to the Authors writing and could possibly silence them. It is taking away their creative license and freedom of speech. 

     Similarly to banning books, in schools there is censored learning put into place. These rules are to try an avoid violent situations to arise. In class, we learned about a boy who was arrested for writing about killing his neighbours pet dinosaur. I think this shows how sensitive people can be, but also how certain rules can be taken too far. A creative writing assignment should not be limited of ideas as long as the well being of someone else is not in danger. The line that everyone is worried about getting crossed, only gets crossed when someone is threatened. If you are purposely targeting someone in your story, then it becomes a problem. This could endanger someone else's well being. 

     As long as people aren't in danger, creativity should be expressed, not bound by the fear of being banned. 

The Key to Success?

Grit; courage and resolve; strength of character.

     In the "Angela Lee Duckworth: The key to success? Grit" video posted by a channel on Youtube called 'TED', Angela talks about what she firmly believes to be the Key to Success. Grit. She describes grit to be passion and perseverance for very long term goals. Angela analyzed every aspect of human life to determine who had grit and how they displayed it. She states that just because you're talented, doesn't mean you're going to follow through on your commitments or long term goals. Just because you're talented doesn't mean you have grit, and when you have grit, you're not always talented. Grit is determined by your growth mind set. It is the determination you have for yourself, under any circumstance. It appears that students aren't reaching their full potential based on their test scores, but that it doesn't mean that this is a fixed mind set that can't be changed. Youth can learn to be inspired and committed. 
     I strongly agree with what Angela has to say on her views of success. In order to inspire future generations, we must be willing to persevere when we fail. We can't give up after every failure, but instead to learn from it. To reach for those long terms goals when they seem so out of reach. In my personal life I have seen the lack of motivation far too often. There just doesn't seem to be much grit in students I interact with on a day-to-day basis, and often in myself. This isn't that say that we're not gifted; just often unwilling. With no motivation to reach their goals, youth today seem to be stuck in a phase of not knowing where they want to go because they've failed one too many times. How do we get out of this state and learn to be gritty? Believing that failure isn't permanent, as stated by Angela Lee Duckworth. 

An Open Book ; Who Am I?

Well. That's the question, isn't it? Who exactly am I? To start with, my name is Bridgette Kemeny. A seventeen year old girl attending Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic High School. I love listening to all kinds of music, engaging myself in art and writing, and I'm a hard worker. Although, I must admit that Dairy Queen isn't the hardest job. I'm an open book. People describe me as predictable and quiet but I often find that I surprise myself. Tattoos, creative classes and the social arrangements I often find myself in isn't what I pictured my life to be when I first started High School. Throughout the years I've realized I changed quite dramatically. Change can be scary. In the effort to find out who I really am, I've lost many of those people I used to call friends but I've also gained new ones. These are now people who support my passions and my creative drive and determination to finally make something of myself, and to be who I really want. The truth is though, I'm still trying to figure out who I am and where I want to go. I haven't had a chance to get out and see the world, and let it impact me and help me grow. I'm still on this journey called life. I won't let my struggles with health, family, and financial problems determine who I am. Even though all those experiences help shape who you are, I don't believe it makes you. I'm still trying to piece all these experiences, feelings, and passions together in an attempt to find out who I am. I don't have it all figured out, but this is me for now. A mystery. 

I'm an open book; you just have to be willing to read.