Our protectors

Why our parents stay with us, I do not know? We are obnoxious, loud and annoying. We come out as babies whose shriek is so loud it could kill a man. As babies, we eat, poop, cry, and sleep. A baby takes what it needs selfishly, and gives nothing back. Lucky enough though, babies are cute and can somehow with pooping on the floor. But as we age, we reach the "awkward stage," also know as the ugly stage. It's the stage where you are just about to hit puberty, when all your teeth are falling off and you seem to be unable to move your body normally. Yet, our parents still love us. They think that we are the most beautiful and handsome boys and girls they have ever seen. We are little angels that fell from heaven and into their lives. Ugly angels, but still angels. Shortly after our awkward stage, we arrive to the infamous teenage stage. In this stage, kids are developing into young adults and hormones are raging. Many of these teenagers have decided that they are independent and don't need no parents (although parents pay for everything they do). They think they are more intelligent and far superior in every way imaginable. Symptoms include talking back, binge eating, fits of rage, and many emotional breakdowns. But once again, parents give all their love to their children. These demon children do almost everything and anything to be little brats, but parents still love them. They have some kind of superpower to endure all the torture that teenagers bestow upon them. Why do they do this? They must be on some pretty powerful stuff (if you know what I mean). Parents see the best in their children; Parents see themselves in their children, and know that they are only human and will make mistakes. Mom and Dad know that children need a hero, a person to be by their side no matter what. Someone they can wrestle with, or someone who can give a them simple hug. Our parents are our knights in shining armor.

'Murica

A man sits in his orange scooter, wheezing as he speedily bursts from one of the many greasy McDonald's that is only a mere 5 minutes away. He takes another deep breath, but begins to hack profusely. Once he has gathered his noxious breath, he begins to continue his strenuous ride home. As he rides faster and faster, the American flag ripples just like his belly fat. His elastic sweat pants have expanded to its max and about to tear. He wears a elegant trucker's cap and underneath it lies a barren head with no hair in sight, except for the pathetic smear of hair below his nose that he calls a mustache. The wheels begin to cringe under the pressure of all the cardboard-like cheeseburgers and oily fries he has inhaled over his long 28 year life. He has a breast cancer sticker on his scooter to show that deep inside, below all that thick, chunky fat lies a caring heart, yet he does not know what cancer is nor shows any other signs of intelligence on the topic. Mounted on top of his scooter is a rather large machine gun. He fires off warning shots to his friendly neighbors as a sign of superiority, although unnecessary since he has such a formidable look. When he arrives home, he will be greeted by his loving wife that only nags at him 24/7. This time, he is spared from a heated argument, because he brought home some "fresh" food from Wal-Mart. He tries to get out of his seat, yet finds himself locked in. He begins to panic, but then realizes that he has all that he needs right beside him.

Roses

White roses and red roses are more expensive than pink roses. To get one dozen of pink roses cost a person around 40 dollars whereas a dozen of red roses cost around 50. Red and white roses are rarer than pink roses because pink roses are a mixture of white and red roses. It's harder for the grower to make sure that the red roses stay with the red roses and same with the white. These roses are so much rarer and are more valuable. How come it's so different in society. Everyone wants to be normal, and to be part of society. Personality theorist Alfred Adler says that human beings have the "urge to community." It's part of nature to want to belong, and feel wanted. In Alexi's piece, his father wanted to belong. His fathers close attachment to Jimi Hendrix is a prime example of this. Because of the way Hendrix plays the "Star-Spangled Banner" in such a distorted way makes Alexi's father feel that they are similar. That they can understand each other and what they been through. This feeling of being different from society is how his father has made him lonely leading to alcohol abuse and to failing relationships. But why does he want so badly to conform to society? He is a red rose, he is unique and special. Why does anyone want to be a pink flower? Being pink flower creates a false sense of closeness and love from others. This is a lie that every person who tries to conform is telling themselves. People don't love others because of how close they can match to society's standards. People love each other for how different each and every individual is. If everyone one was the same, then he would be easily replaced. Being different is what makes one valuable and important in this world. By being a red rose, you make a difference in the world.

Keep on going

The world will keep on going, no matter what happens. Whether you had the best day of your life or the worst day of your life, eventually that moment will be over. When people think about moving on, they often feel that it will be impossible and that they are stuck in a hole, with no escape. It's hard to see in a bright future when you feel like crap. At the end of “Champion of the World” by Maya Angelou, She says, "It wouldn't be fit for a Black man and his family to be caught on a lonely country road." She writes this to hint to the hardships that lay ahead; that there will be discrimination and hatred put upon them in the years to come. But just like how Joe Louis won his match, she will persevere through racism and finally feel equal. Each and every one of us face this too. Our daily lives are struggles. We have to wake up early to go to school or work to make money so we can feed ourselves and put a roof over our heads and go keep relations with the family and friends and ignore all the annoying, weird, and awful people around us and find somebody to start a family with and have kids and raise them right and see them grow up and see yourself grow old and sooner of later will die. All this seems daunting and as a teenager, and it's hard to stay motivated. But it is not about where you end, it is about the journey that takes you there. You shouldn't think about the problems that you will have to endure throughout your life, but think of how you will push on and motivate yourself to keep on going. Bruce lee once said, "Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one." Life will go on no matter what happens, will you stay on for the crazy ride?