Ocean Breeze

Comfort and maturity levels differentiate between individuals depending on their personal life experiences. A response of one individual in a situation could be completely opposite from the response of another. Family, friends, and peers all influence decisions and reactions. I have come to realize that the times that friends have acted stupid and immaturely in situations was because their personal comfort level is gone and their response reflects their insecurity. Laughter in a time in which seriousness is expected is a response proving insecurity and inexperience.

I personally have grown up with an extremely open family in which I have been exposed to situations and ideas that others my age have not. My parents have challenged my beliefs, and I can honestly say I am growing up open-minded and ready for all what life brings my way. I remember just the other day a friend and I were talking about some of our beliefs on life and afterlife. I understand that my beliefs are not that of a traditional Catholic and it can be hard to open up to my ideas. I could tell he was struggling with my beliefs though he said he believed me. I do not wish to change the beliefs and thoughts of my friends but only to open minds to new possibilities. I honestly do consider myself as an open minded individual but what surprised me was my initial reaction to my friends’ beliefs. When he would state ideas in which I do not agree with, my first thought was to tell him he was wrong. As I listened I realized it was not my place to tell him what to believe in and instead of arguing I just listened trying to maintain that open mind. Discussing life with other individuals helps youth develop into more of a unique individual and creates maturity. I have learned that asking questions is not a weakness but strength.

Spontaneous laughter in times in which seriousness is expected has been occurring throughout all my years of schooling. The way I see the actions made by my peers is completely different then the way that same individual sees himself. There was a time in class when the teacher said the word “duties” and students began to laugh hysterically. These students see themselves as cool and popular if other students laugh with them. These students are looking at the situation as “cool” while others will be looking at that same individual as an idiot. Opinions differ amongst certain individuals. The way I see myself is not the same as how others look at me.

Spontaneous laughter in a time of seriousness can also be a result of misunderstandings. When I am in a large group I find it incredibly difficult to fully grasp all the conversations going on at once. I personally find it extremely embarrassing when I misunderstand a conversation and the others look at me like I am stupid.  There was one specific circumstance where I completely misunderstood a conversation because I started listening halfway into the conversation.  In the middle the story I burst out laughing in hysterics. I truly thought the story was a joke but it was a serious story. The individual telling the story was majorly offended. I have always assumed laughter in a time of seriousness was based on immaturity but it can in fact be just a case of misunderstandings.

I have always reacted negatively to laughter in a time of seriousness but now I understand the numerous reasons and points of view on the issue. Fear, insecurity or even just a simple misunderstanding causes this form of laughter. I also have now realized that my perspective of an issue being rude may not have even crossed that individuals mind as rude. How I respond to my life experience and see myself will never be that same as another’s opinion of me.

Laughter in a time of seriousness involves individuals feeling out of place and insecure the majority of the time. In order to keep their feeling inside, laughter is used. I understand that times occur where laughter helps me get through pain because being serious constantly is depressing. I can honestly say that I have judged others and personally laughed when I was suppose to be serious. One reason of why laughter occurs during serious times does not exist.  Reasons change for the choice of laughter and I have chosen not to judge a reaction of another because I don’t know what is going on inside.

Throughout our world cultures, religions, and lives differ amongst individuals. One of the main parts of life that is shared with all human beings is money. In our world money is needed to purchase our needs like food and shelter. An income from a job is an important aspect of human survival in today’s world. Survival of human beings seems to require an income and every individual has the right to work in safe, reasonable work environments.

In our world today individuals need to work and receive an income in order to survive in our economy. As human beings I find that individuals spend their lives dwelling on money and work. I can honestly say that I have not lived to learn or see enough to understand the depth and complications in human lives in different parts of the world. I am a Canadian citizen and Canada is an extremely economically stable country. My perspective on the importance of money is probably extremely different from those in other counties like third world countries. Personally, because an income is so necessary in our world, the dignity of work and rights of workers is particularly important to me. In the past few years I have worked numerous jobs including catering, babysitting, as a hostess and in retail. My experiences involving work have always been positive and I have never worried about my safety or rights as an employee. I remember telling my potential employer of my conflicts with dance which she happily agreed to work around. All the days I was unavailable because of extra curricular activities my employer gave me off work. In my work experiences employers have always tried to accommodate to my personal schedule to the best of their ability. I cannot even imagine or comprehend the fact that places in the world currently do not treat employees fairly and leave them in unsafe work places. When I look at my life I see freedom, happiness, equality, and respect all of which I take for granted. Not one individual no matter where they call home deserves to work in conditions of abuse, disrespect, or danger.

When I hear of unfair working conditions I automatically relate the conditions to slavery. Slavery is a major part of history in our world and is still a problem in certain parts of the world.  One area of major slave trade was Africa involving the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Africa, Europe, Brazil, the Caribbean and North America were all involved in the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Millions of individuals were forced to be slaves traveling to different countries, receiving numerous different kinds of abuse. Slaves also would struggle from malnutrition and diseases during their travels. Slaves in my opinion were treated as though they were not human and were violated of their human rights. In history human beings have made mistakes but have learned and corrected these mistakes. Slavery and unfair working conditions have not completely been corrected. Currently in China there is a Taiwanese-owned factory employing thousands of employees. This factory is run like a prison labor camp. In this factory they are paid minimum wage, work 72 hours a week and if the required hours of work are not fulfilled, overtime must be had with no pay. Women can be fired for pregnancy or for refusing to work overtime. This work environment is occurring today and I find this unbelievable. There is also said to be child labor in Pakistan in the making of Nike shoes. I own Nike shoes and it makes me feel sick to my stomach knowing the working conditions involved in the making of the shoes.  Our world needs to put a stop to unfair working conditions and pursue in achieving rights for all employees. 

I have talked to friends who stated that individuals couldn’t control how employers in other countries treat their employees. A friend once said that it was not our problem whether workers in other countries had rights and was unimportant. I completely disagree and actually countries like Canada are trying to help put a stop to unfair working conditions. Sanctions have been discussed in order to stop child labor in countries like Pakistan. Putting up sanctions would not allow countries to trade goods unless they agree to stop using child labor to make these goods. Canada and other countries putting up sanctions would force Pakistan to rethink their strategies and put an end to unfair labor. In the world there is also the Workers Compensation Act. This act is a form of insurance that provides money to those injured at work. This act to me shows that workers are important and deserve to be treated fairly. In Canada we also have laws and standards involving workplaces and employees. Employment standards include that minimum wage is the lowest wage that can be given, workers have to right to annual vacation with pay and other standards that insure the rights of workers. When worker rights are fulfilled I personally assume that the work being done will be of greater value. When individuals are not being forced unfairly to do a job the motivation to do a good job would decline. Making Employee standards and Acts leads to workers feeling important and respected, creating a positive and more effective workplace. 

Work takes up a massive amount of time in the lives of individuals and the importance of dignity of work and worker rights needs to be considered and acknowledged now. The importance of worker rights does not only affect those workers treated unfairly but our world as a whole. I cringe at the fact that areas in the world are running workplaces like a prison labor camp. I find it extremely important for the world today to put a stop to all workplaces violating worker rights.

Beliefs, religions and judgments are a reality in our world that causes conflicts amongst different groups. Personally I am raised as a catholic but I have also been taught about other religions throughout the world. Groups of individuals tend to stick together when they share common beliefs and judge every other belief that does not match their own.  Different beliefs, and religions is a part of being a human being, a part of finding out who we are as individuals. I react strongly to when individuals are so narrow minded and judgmental to any other form of belief. I remember when I was talking to a friend and I started expressing some of my beliefs to her. She looked at me like I was mental and told me that I was wrong to believe such thoughts and how much she could not understand why I felt this way. Honestly beliefs are personal and I really try to be open minded and understanding to individuals who express different beliefs from mine.

Conflict based on different beliefs is portrayed in the story Pharisees and Jesus. The Pharisees were a Jewish group that had strong beliefs and any individual who did not follow the Pharisees rules were considered unworthy. Jesus considered every human being equal and welcomed even the individuals considered unworthy in the Pharisees eyes. In this story conflict would have occurred between Jesus and the Pharisees because of their different views on faith. Jesus was an extraordinary man who is a major role model in my life today. Jesus did not judge others based on their religions or whether they followed the rules of his faith. The Pharisees did not like the fact that Jesus welcomed the unworthy and unclean individuals, which then caused tension and conflict between them and Jesus.

When I read stories like the Pharisees and Jesus I try and consider what I would do in that situation. I cannot actually know for a fact what I would do in these situations but I hope I would be like Jesus. Beliefs and religions do distinguish human beings as specific different individuals but that does not make any individual or belief better then the other. Jesus loved the Pharisees but he also loved those who were considered unworthy to the Pharisees. This story is as simple as comparing to high school. There are cliques and groups throughout high school and individuals ignore and are rude to those who are not in their clique. Human beings are created equal and we should help others whether they have the same beliefs and values as us or not. 

As I have grown up and matured there have been questions that have answers that vary or do not exist. I have been taught ever since birth that God is the only one that can help me understand myself. God created every individual and made each one of us unique and special. The flaws that humans see in themselves and in others disappear in the eyes of God. I know personally that humans get ideas of how to look, act, and live our lives. Weaknesses and flaws are frowned upon and focused on even though they are so insignificant. In God’s eyes we are all perfect even when we make mistakes and may choose the wrong paths.

As an individual when I look at myself I see my looks, interests, and achievements. I am passionate about music, I played piano for 10 years, have been dancing for 8 years, love singing and just listening to music. Music is a major part of who I am as an individual. I have other interests that I could list for hours but when I look at my passions and myself I automatically think of music. When my uncle died I didn’t want to socialize or do much. I spent hours and hours lying in my bed listening to music because music helped me personally deal with his death. Grief is a hard fact in life and music was my relief from reality. Music is extremely powerful for me and is what I turn to when I am angry, upset, stressed, or just really happy. When I look at myself as an individual I see my passions and my achievements. I have achieved honors in all my classes, have received dance awards and my grade 6 royal conservatory and grade 1 theory. These are only a short list of achievements that I am proud of in my life. I have always been told to be the best individual possible and when I look at myself I want to look at the positive parts of my life and hope that God also sees those positive.

            When I look at myself I also see my flaws and weaknesses. When I look in the mirror I not only see my physical flaws but my weakness as a human being. I personally find myself judging and comparing myself to others on their appearances and attitudes before I get to know them. Appearances are the smallest part of a human being but I always find myself focusing on appearances. I am really trying to get to know individuals personally and stop judging and comparing. I cannot change the way I look and neither can any others so my goal right now is to change that weakness in my life. Comparing myself to others is just as bad as judging others. I always find myself thinking thoughts like they are prettier then me, I’m not good enough or they are so much smarter. I understand that thoughts of comparison are useless and are a huge weakness of mine. Weaknesses and flaws are not hard to find when I analyze myself but I am trying to change and become the individual my family, friends and God want me to be.

Throughout my life I have gotten insults, advice, and compliments. Individuals tend to not listen to what others have to say because it causes the feeling of insecurity or confusion. The way I look at myself is probably completely different from how my family, friends and God see me. Advice, insults and compliments I have decided to take into consideration for my life. How others see me may help me change into a better person. I know I overlook factors in my life and personality and want to be told. One time I called my sister a name that I did not think to be offensive but she told me how much it hurt her feelings. If she hadn’t have told me then I may not have every realized the pain I was inflicting. As human beings we need to help each other grow as individuals and become the human beings that God created.

            I know I have thousands of strengths and weaknesses that I personally can only control. By using my feelings, others and God I really feel as if I can grow up into the person I can only dream of becoming. I am still maturing and finding out who I am but I now that by finding my strengths and weakness I can change what I dislike. God will always love every human being on this planet. To me I do not think that God cares about our strengths and weakness but cares about how we use those strengths and weakness to become the person he created.

Who a human being is as a person is not necessarily distinguished at birth but is developed over time and maturity. Individuals around the world all have a different personality and are their own individual person. I am only seventeen years old so technically I have not been living a very long time and do not understand life enough to understand myself. I have traveled with my family to Mexico, California, Quebec, Montreal, Ottawa, British Columbia and the Maritime provinces. Just through the few places in the world I have seen has helped me see the different cultures in our world and look past the small portion of life I have lived. Who I am becoming as a person is changing with not only my age but with every experience. My personality is only a small portion of the person I am and my decisions and journeys are what is creating the person I am.

The key characteristics of individuals I respect are compassion, love, integrity, and honesty. Honestly, if I respect these qualities in others why wouldn’t I try and develop these characteristics myself? The person an individual becomes is influenced greatly by those around them, loved ones and friends. Role models are those individuals I want to be like and those that influence my decisions. I have a happy family and good friends that have influenced my decisions as a youth and helped me become an individual that I am not ashamed of. I have learned from other human beings and I learn from their mistakes and my own. I remember one time I judged another individual on their looks and was not kind to them. I understand that this is just a petty teenage situation but when I judged this individual who is just another regular human being I realized that I did not want to be that kind of person. These simple realizations and mistakes are what shapes the person an individual becomes.

Currently at this point in my life I feel as if I am headed in the right direction as to who I wish to become. Who I wish to become may differ from day to day, and from experience to experience. Though decisions and choices change there will always be certain characteristics I always want to have. As an individual I always want my parents to be proud of me, I want respect and trust. When I am an old women looking back on my life I do not want any regrets. I only have one life to live so why would I want regret, hate, and anger. The person I want to become has happiness and love.

Characteristics and emotions are not the only thoughts that enter my mind when I think of the person I want to become. The person I want to become also involves achievements. Currently I am going to high school and maintaining honors in all my classes, I also take dance classes and have my grade 6 Royal Conservatory and grade 1 theory piano. These are only some accomplishments in my life that I have achieved. The person I want to become is an individual who works hard to achieve goals. I want to have a degree in a career choice that I love, I want to have a family filled with love and happiness. I would have to say that the person I want to become is an individual who is proud of their accomplishments and is not ashamed of their life but proud.

An individual is distinguished through experiences, goals and decisions. I honestly do not know the person who I will become but I can only aim for the person I currently want to be. Right now at seventeen years old I can only answer the question of who I wish to become from my experiences so far in my life. I know I still have lots to learn and maturity to gain but I know that I want to be a happy person who has love, integrity, and true happiness.

Seventeen years of life is an extremely short period of time but in my lifetime I have come to the conclusion that as human beings appearances are a major factor. Appearances are what are seen from only our eyes, the outside of an individual. I cannot believe how physical appearances distinguish numerous aspects of human life. Judgment based on looks is so cruel and unnecessary but I honestly admit I have judged a stranger based on their appearance. As teenagers we tend to be even more critical on appearances. The pressure received as youth to be slender, popular and beautiful is unreal. In order to be accepted others look at beauty. When I am around teenagers I witness attractive males and females and see that they only talk to one another. I admit that the first stranger I would go up and talk to is an attractive one. I do not bully or make an individual feel ugly and when I witness bullying based on looks it really troubles me. I have heard girls talk about flaws like eyes being to far apart or chubby cheeks. Facial features are a part of an individual that cannot be changed and to judge others based on these features is unreasonable and horrible.

I completely understand why the youth is so focused on beauty because look at our media. Magazine covers, television, movies and models are all based on appearances. The individuals on television or on magazine covers look a Barbie. Photo shop takes away any flaws and makes models into the most beautiful individuals imaginable. Those images are put into the heads of humans as reality and that is what we look for in strangers. Beauty in the outside is far from the most important part in life. In my personal experiences the less physically beautiful friends I have are the truer friends. I need to stop judging others by their appearances and just get to know who they are in the inside. Appearances are probably the smallest portion of who an individual is. The important parts of an individual are qualities like kindness, compassion, and love that differ amongst humans but combine to create love, and relationships.

If the world stopped focusing on beauty, there would be more happiness amongst humans. I know couples that are model gorgeous but they do not have a happy marriage because their marriage was based on looks. My parents married for love and not beauty and have been happily married for years. Personalities and connections in interests is what creates strong relationships. Individuals forget to look past the physical and miss out on life. I understand that talking about not judging on looks is easy for me to say and I am not saying I won’t ever judge on looks again or not care about my looks. My parents always told me that you learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others. Judgment of strangers based on appearances is a mistake and I am choosing to learn from this mistake and not make the same mistake myself.

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Radio Announcer: Tonight on Health Matters we will be interviewing Emma Taylor who will be sharing with us her life changing story.

Interviewer: We are hear with Emma Taylor who has made a miracle recovery from what was later discovered to be a super-bug. So Emma how did you find the strength to fight through this 2 year struggle?

Emma:There is one person I owe my life to, I remember the first time she walked, will kinda skipped into my hospital room.
Past Events

Brianna:Hey Emma!! My name is Brianna, I seen your name on the door, you must be new here! I have been here for 2 years but thats okay because last weekend I went to the zoo with my mom. Have you ever been to the zoo? We can go together sometime, the monkeys are so cute!…

Emma: Are you actually sick? YOu don’t seem like it?Brianna: Actually, I ahve terminal brain cancer…. Dr Ben says I ahve 6 months to live…. Have you ever heard the saying, “Today is a gift, that’s why it’s called the present”? Did you know some babies never get a chance to live? It’s called a miscarriage. At least I got to live all these 11 years I guess, and just between us, I don’t want to be a cranky, unhappy old lady.

Emma: How are you so happy when you know you’re going to die soon?

Brianna: Well, I was when I was first put in the hospital, but then I thought, “Whats the point”? I began to make lots of friends with other kids in the hospital and making them laugh made me happy. YOu just gotta have fun no matter what!

Back Present

Emma: Bri really made me see my life differently, she was always so happy and bubbly! Even though she was dying. For the months she had left, we were insperable, and I ahve never laughed so much! And we did make that trip to the zoo. She taught me life is what you make it, and you don’t have to grow old to have a lifetime of happiness.

Interviewer: Well, that is definately a lesson for everyone out there, sounds like we could all use a Brianna in our lives. Sometimes the cure to the worst illnesses is not a science, but your outlook on life, especially in your case.

Emma:Bri was and always will be my best friend. She pushed me to fight harder against the illness. I have made it one of my goals in life to inspire others as Bri inspired me. I have made trips to many schools and hospitals trying to change negative outlooks on life. I want to make a difference in as many people as I can, just like Brianna did for me.

Interviewer: Well, we would like to thank you for sharing this experience with us. I really do hope your dreams become a reality for you and best of luck. Thanks again.

Radio Announcer: Thats all for tonight, stay classy Canada!

Script: written by Chantal and Kaitlyn
Voices: Chantal, Jason, and Kaitlyn

Personally music to me can cure any mood, and inspire me in everyday life. Whenever I am upset or angry, I put on my favorite song and I instantly feel more relaxed. Musicians are talented individuals who are trying to inspire the world with their beliefs and opinions. I met a girl once that told me about a song she heard in a time of grief. That song was so inspirational to her personally and related to her to the extent that the music changed her life. She was able to grieve and get past her pain because of a piece of music. Music is more then just notes and instruments but is also powerful when looking deeply into the lyrics, and if the lyrics inspire you, they can change your life.

I honestly find the song “If Today Was Your Last Day” by Nickelback an extremely inspirational and powerful song. This song is talking about living each moment of your life like your last. There is a line in this song that says, “If today was your last day, If tomorrow was too late, Could you say goodbye to yesterday”. Our lives are full of decisions and choices that can change our paths in life. Right now, I am at a point in my life where I don’t truly know where I am going from high school, or who I am as an individual. There are decisions after decisions that I need to make and now they seem tremendously important. I have watched friends get into drugs and make wrong choices in their lives. I understand that life is hard but those choices will affect who they become, where they go from high school and how they are remembered. Other friends don’t try in classes because they say they have the rest of their lives to work hard. As much as I wish to believe that as seventeen year olds we have years and years to find ourselves that is not for curtain. Accidents happen and lives are taken and then what? This song by Nickelback is saying that everyday that we live in our human lives we should not take for granted. If we died we should not regret the last day we lived but be proud of who we were while living.

This song reminds me of the quote, life is a journey not a destination. As a human we are not aiming to reach a goal but we are experiencing life and happiness every second. Whether we live to be fifteen, thirty, sixty, or one hundred and five our life was our journey that we created. In this song another lyric that really inspired me personally was, “each days a gift and not a given right, leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind”. In my life I want to have experiences that I can share with the ones I love and live with true happiness. I don’t want to think negatively or go against my morals because of peer pressure. Drugs, alcohol, sex, and looks are such a major factor as a teenager. The decisions made by youth may change with age and maturity but who you are even in youth is how you will be remembered. When I am an old woman I want to look back at my life see who I had become and have no regret.

As inspirational music is for me, movies can also be powerful. The movie A Walk To Remember is about a girl who is dying from leukemia. She is seventeen years old and instead of feeling sorry for herself she makes a list for herself about all the experiences she wants to achieve. Throughout the movie she checks off her list and lives a happier life then thousands of other human beings who live to be an old age. This movie is portraying a visual example of what I feel this song is trying to portray. Hundreds of movies and songs are trying to inspire human beings to truly live life to the fullest every second. When I hear this song and others I realize how I need to forget fears, pressure, and doubt and live happily for as long as I have here on earth. The amount of years that an individual lives is not important, it is the experiences and happiness that you create that is truly being alive, no matter what age you reach.

Every individual’s values differ depending on beliefs, family, and morals. I respect the values and decisions of all human beings but what I sincerely do not understand is war, hatred, and poverty. Love and happiness need to be focused on and when this happens the world as we know today will change. Every individual needs the chance to live a happy life, our consciences and equality are what matter most.

I personally have always been curious about where our world today would be if equality and happiness were the focus of all human beings. I remember in junior high there was a student in my class who had an extremely low self-esteem and seemed unhappy. Her family experienced violence and drugs and she was not given the chance to grow up in a loving, happy environment. Instead of judging her like numerous of my friends, I treated her equally. She opened up to me and for years began to make good choices and actually had a smile on her face. She deserves to live a happy life and giving her that chance meant the world to me. I personally do not know what it is like to grow up in a home with violence and drugs. I do know that if her parents had listened to their consciences, and focused on their happiness, their lives would be different. I was raised in an amazing home filled with laughter and love. My parents always told me that all human beings were equal and I should never treat another like I was better then them. If we stopped trying to be better then one another, trying to gain more power, and realized that our enemies are exactly the same as us, the world would change drastically. When I help a friend or a stranger and a smile appears on their face, I know that a happy life is what matters most. I am only seventeen years old so I realize that my knowledge of the world is small and when others argue with me about why I feel happiness and equality are most important I always tell them a story. In grade ten I was talking to a girl who was into drugs, sex, and drinking. While we were talking she told me that she wished she were never born. She did not care what choices she made because her life was not even worth living in her mind. This statement really hit me hard because no sixteen year old should give up on happiness. From that moment, I realized that finding happiness in my life was most important along with all other individuals. There is a quote by Denis Waitley, which says, “Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude”. I love this quote because individuals look for happiness through places and power but you have to find happiness in yourself and through loved ones. There is not one human being on this earth that does not deserve the chance to find happiness in their lives. Our human lives are too short to focus only on power, greed and acceptance. When I look back on my life I will not care whether I was prom queen, or lived in a mansion since all that matters is whether I was happy.

Shakespeare’s play “Macbeth” gives situations where our consciences, equality, and happiness matter greatly in our lives. In the beginning of the play Macbeth was an extremely loyal warrior and a kind husband. Lady Macbeth would receive letters from Macbeth while he was in battle taking time to tell her about his days. This to me showed that Macbeth and Lady Macbeth had a loving, honest marriage. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth were happy and listened to their consciences leading to respect from the king and thanes of Scotland. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth had a happy life in the beginning of the play until they chose to gain power and ignore their conscience. When a human being is given the chance for happiness why would you want to change your life? Macbeth and Lady Macbeth murder the king, which changed their lives and created unhappiness. When Macbeth becomes king his entire character changed. He no longer followed his conscience. Macbeth considered himself at a higher level then all others and turned evil. All the citizens of Scotland turned against Macbeth. The guilt of murderer and secrecy caused Lady Macbeth to commit suicide. The Macbeths had a chance for happiness in their lives but it is not just happiness but equality and our conscience that matter most. The Macbeths ignore their conscience and the equality of humans, which created great unhappiness, hatred and guilt in their lives. The play Macbeth is a situation that proves that a chance for happiness, equality and our consciences are all equally important parts of life. All three matter to me tremendously and a good life comes from them all, all interconnecting.

My friends have argued with me about the fact that every individual deserves a chance for a happy life. One time a friend of mine argued that a serial killer did not deserve a chance to live a happy life. I am not saying that murder is fine but my argument is if a serial killer had happiness in their life, would they have committed the murder in the first place? Charles Manson is a famous killer who carried out his murders through a group of people known as the Manson family. Manson instructed others to commit murders under his instruction. It makes me feel sick to my stomach knowing that a human being can slaughter another human being. My first question when I learned of Charles Manson was what his childhood was like. As I began to research I found out that his mother was an alcoholic and one time she sold him to a childless waitress for beer. He moved from his aunt and uncles back to his mom’s, moving from one old hotel room to another. His mother tried to put him in a foster home but when none were available he was sent to Gibault School for Boys. Manson ran away back to his mother but she rejected him. This is a perfect example of why happiness, conscience and equality are what matter most in life. Charles Manson grew up in an environment where his mom did not show love to Manson and that rejection led to resentment, and unhappiness. I understand that killers are unhappy and no longer have a conscience but they were not given the chance to be happy. Charles Manson was not given the chance to be happy. That chance matters most because when an individual is not given the chance to be happy it leads to anger, war, and murder. I would be willing to bet money that Manson was never treated equally, has never witnessed true happiness, nor was he shown right from wrong. There are millions of stories in the world about crimes committed. When I watch the news all I hear is about the evil crimes committed amongst human beings. I personally know individuals who say that you cannot just make yourself happy when you are dealing with horrible situations. I completely disagree and the new book called The Secret explains why. The Secret is a book that talks about the law of attraction. My dad has been teaching me for years about the law of attraction in which he believes strongly in. The law of attraction states that our thoughts, conscious or not, controls the reality of our lives. The law of attraction is saying that if we believe and focus strongly on what we want in life it will become our reality. The book tells a story about the law of attraction that was extremely powerful. A man had a box of what he wanted in his life, one of which was a picture of his dream house. Years later the man was unpacking his boxes because he had just moved to a new home. As he opened the boxes he found the box of his life dreams and as he looked at the picture of his dream home he started crying. The picture of the home he chose years ago was the house he was moving into. He put that house out into the universe as his reality and years later it became his reality. There are hundreds of stories about happiness humans created for themselves using the law of attraction. All individuals can change their reality and all of us can create happiness in our lives.

Our conscience, equality, and a chance for happiness are what matter most in human life. I completely understand that the choices made by human beings depend on their values and what matter most to them personally. Though values differ not one human being on this planet could honestly say that happiness, equality and consciences do not matter. The lives we choose to pursue are our journeys and our decisions but decisions are also based on others. The chance for happiness needs to be shown to every individual and then their chosen path in life is their own.