What is kindness?

Creative Piece

Author's Note: The other day, I was having trouble trying to figure out what to write. Then something came to me. What is kindness? I looked through Google Images and found this picture that gave the answer to me. 

Kindness.

It is a word that no one really thinks about.

Kindness.

What does it really mean?

Kindness.

Do people really understand what it is?

To me, people don’t really know what kindness is. They may think that they are being nice, but they could be hurting someone in the process. You could laugh at someone because you may think that they are telling a joke, but it could actually be happening to them and it could hurt them because no one wants to be laughed at. But people make many mistakes in their life time.

Kindness can come in many different ways. It could be as simple as a smile that you give to someone as you are walking down the street. You could offer to help someone out at school, and you could thank someone that has helped you. Just by listening to a classmate or teacher you would be showing them kindness.

You may not know when someone is feeling down. But just by giving them a smile, you could make their day. Kindness is something that is very easy to do, you just got to know when to do it.

Kindness.

Is something that will lift you up when you are down.

Kindness.

Is something that everyone can do.

Kindness.

Is something that everyone needs...

Sorce for Pic: http://goodneighborstories.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/random-acts-of-kindness.jpg

Life Is Like A Bridge

Creative Piece

Author’s Note: I thought of this piece when I looked at a quote on the board. It said, “The meaning of life is to have a life of meaning.” That made me think. Then later on in class, I was looking through my saved pictures. Two pictures stood out. They are of a bridge. One a mangled, broken bridge; the other a sturdy bridge. It made me think of the quote again. I think that bridges are like life. It will fall apart at times, but with help, the bridge may lead you anywhere.

Life... It’s like a bridge.

It can be long. It can be short. It can even go to places that you can never expect.

Everyone has their own bridge, their own road to tread upon. We can be hurt. We can be broken; so can a bridge. You can fall. I can fall; so can a bridge.

As soon as your bridge starts to fall, you shall fall with it.Keep strong, so your bridge shall not fall because once a bridge is broken, it will be hard to mend it back together. If someone hurts you, your bridge will start to break little by little. But it can be fixed. Slowly but surely, it will be like a sturdy bridge again, but the scar will still be there: just like the scar will still be there in your heart. Days will go by where you can feel this scar along the way, but trust me. This scar, no matter how wide to deep it may be, will help you along the way.

As everyone knows, life must stop at some point, just like a bridge. But this bridge doesn’t have to stop just yet. Keep on building your bridge. Make it like a ladder. Have it go as far as you need it to go, because your bridge will stop as soon as it has reached it’s destination. The farther you go, the more worn your bridge will be. Trails of your past will linger in the wood.

But for now... Let your bridge carry you home.

Spring

Creative Piece

Author's Note: When I looked out the window in the L.A. room, I started thinking about how I really wanted spring to come. I used a lot of describing words in this piece so then the readers could try to get a feel of being in this wonderful world. I also tried to use more colons and semi-colons to help with my goals.

Sweet smells of spring dance through the air. Delicate flowers sway in the wind; the green grass dries from the midnight dew. Butterflies hover above your head, while little bees picnic in the tulips. A tabby cat lies on a freshly painted porch, bathing in the sunlight. Children and their canine friends prance in the parks, celebrating the beautiful spring day.

You can hear music in the air as a car drives by with its windows rolled down. Friendly gardeners tend to their crops: tomatoes, carrots, and so many more. A family dashes by on their bikes as if they are in a race. Little humming birds sing their happy tune to the budding trees, while squirrels play in their branches.

People gather around a fire enjoying the peaceful night, while children play tag with their little flashlights. Animals of the night scurry around, exploring the darkened landscape. Crickets start to chirp in the grass, singing their song of joy. Children drag their sleepy feet as their parents call them to bed.

Spring may feel oh so far away, but just you wait. It will be here to welcome you into a beautiful new world.

Sorce for pic: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJrgfk28It5VjKWHka2enJX6zoWfVCe5KSokhel5AiFBwrM-hZEoykUMmclJjJzxQkDe0cb6AifzWfTHJa8TKgb_8RqjFxPRJ9UWjoutFoZ1mY-RmWSwdBXOb9dwvJMPO1ID3RyM3y1Y/s320/_3170076.jpg

Behind Closed Doors - Chapter 1

Creative Piece

Author's Note: This is a story that I started a while ago. When I was writing it, I was going to use it for like a vent piece, but add some fictional things to it. In this piece, I put some descriptive wording to try to help the reader get in the story. :)

Chapter 1

Just another day at school

The cold wind nips at my face as I walk into Riverwood Junior High. I slowly climbed the stairs, not wanting to see the herd of wild dogs on the second floor.

"Hay June!" a friendly voice came from behind me. I turned around and smiled. It was my best friends. We had been BFFs since like 2nd grade. She ran up to me and hugged me. "OMG! I can't believe that it's a Monday!" she squealed. I just playfully rolled my eyes as we started walking down the hall to my locker.

"Ugh! I don't want to go to gym! I hate having it first hour!" I moaned, kicking my locker as I struggled to get it open.

"June! Stop moping!" my friend Ivy groaned. "You're such a moper.." I tried to ignore her, but for some reason I couldn't.

RING!!!

"Oh... We should be going to our classes," I said, starting to walk down the hall. Ivy nodded and started to run down the stairs to her Social Studies class.

❇❇❇

I sat down on the cold gym floor as I listened to the morning announcements. I strained my ears, trying to hear the kid who was fumbling over words.

“Yuck! Do they have to have Mac & Cheese for lunch today?" I groaned starting to stand up. The 7th grade girl next to me nodded. She was one of Ivy's friends. I didn't know her well, so gym has been a little awkward.

"I wish that they had better food." I nodded, agreeing with her. Both of our heads lifted up when we heard the ear piercing sound of our gym teacher’s whistle cry from over by the water fountains.

"Okay everyone!" she yelled, even though everyone was silent. "We are going to be playing Badminton!" Some people groaned, but I was actually happy, yet I kept my feelings to myself. Soon the teacher started putting people into teams.

"I hope we're on the same team," the 7th grade girl said, smiling.

"Okay! Morgan! Please go with Tom and June, go with Emily," The gym teacher yelled, staring at us.

"Seriously! I have to be with Tom?" Morgan moaned, dragging her feet over by the short 8th grade boy. He was the most annoying kid in the world! I'm not just saying this to be mean, but he is! Everyone in the school didn't really like him. Even some of the teachers don't like him. Sometimes I felt bad for Tom, but I just wasn't sure how to feel about him anymore.

"Well, at least I'm with Emily." She was one of my friends I guess. Emily was a nice girl, and she always tried her best. Morgan and I exchanged one last glance before heading to our team mates.

"Okay everyone! If you are on this court at the end of the class," the gym teacher, Mrs. William said pointing at the court next to her. "If you are at this court, you win. But if you are at this court," Mrs. William pointed at the court on the opposite side of the gym. "This court is where the people who lost most of their games will go to." As she explained the rules, everyone was like drooling over their rackets, praying for her to shut up so they could start playing.

"Each game will be five minutes long. If your team wins after the five minutes are up, then you go to the court to your left. If you lose, then you go to the court to your right. Got it!" Everyone nodded and ran to a court. Emily and I started off on court one, the court that the winners would be on at the end of class.

"We are totally going to win all of our games!" Emily said cheerfully. I nodded, waiting for Mrs. William to blow her whistle.

❇❇❇

We were about half way through gym class and Emily and I were on the third court.

"Times up!" Mrs. William yelled and everyone changed courts.

"Yes!" Emily and I yelled at the same time. We then ran to the second court, ready for battle. I started bouncing up and down on my toes as I waited for our opponents to get their butts over to the court.

"Oh great!" Emily whispered to me. "We have to play Jenna and Karin!" She rolled her eyes and make a little gagging noise. I giggled a little, hoping that Jenna and Karin didn't hear.

"Um... Are you going to start?" Jenna said in a snotty voice and then Karin giggled like something was funny.

"I seriously think that there is something wrong with them...," Emily whispered. I nodded.

Then I turned to the two snotty girls. "We're ready, are you?" They just glared at me, waiting for me to mess up. I through the birdie up into the air and whacked it as hard as I could. Karin dogged over and whacked it back. We kept doing this for a while until I missed. I fell on the floor as I tried so hard to hit the birdie.

"No!" I wailed to myself as me and the birdie hit the floor. Jenna giggled,  high fiving Karin as they celebrated their victory.

"Oh my gosh!" Emily screamed. "Are you okay?!" I nodded, almost not noticing that I was having trouble breathing. I looked around to see that everyone had stopped playing and where looking right at me. Their mouths were moving, but I couldn't hear them. Suddenly Mrs. William appeared and started talking to Emily, Jenna and Karin. I started gasping for breath, hoping that they didn't notice. I must of  gotten the wind knocked out of me when I hit the floor. I thought to myself as I struggled to stand.

"Ahh!" I moaned as I fell back down to the floor. Everyone was talking now, but I couldn't hear them over the screaming pain coming from my left knee. Mrs. William slowly pulled me up to my feet. She started talking to me but the pain seemed to clog my ears.

"It hurts," I managed to say. Mrs. William looked at me funny and I soon realized that what I said wasn't the answer to her question. "My knee. It...," I cringed, flinging my hand over to my leg.

"What have you done!" I heard Emily scream. I slowly turned my head to see her lashing out at Jenna and Karin. I didn't understand why she was so mad at them. I was the one who missed the birdie.

"We didn't do anything!" Jenna screeched back. Mrs. William looked red with fury. She stood up and left me on the floor.

The crowd of kids was slowly making their way over to the cat fight that Mrs. William was just about to stop.

"Girls! There is no need for a fist fight!" she hollered at them. All three of them froze. "She is just fine!" Mrs. William glared at them. I don't feel fine... I thought as I struggled to stand again.

"Um... Can go and take her to the nurse?" Emily asked, looking down in shame.

Mrs. William nodded and then said, "I want to see all three of you girls after class." They all nodded. As Emily ran over to help me up, I saw Jenna stick her tongue out at me.

"Do you really think that she meant to do that?" I asked, still struggling to stand even with Emily's help.

"Well duh! She is just a little brat who wants attention." She rolled her eyes as she hoisted me up.

"Ow..," I moaned. "Well, she is a brat so it makes sense." We both smiled slowly started walking to the nurse.

❇❇❇

"So how did this happen again?" Miss. Davis asked, as I sat on the little bed that was pushed up against the wall. I started to explain everything, but she looked at me like I wasn't making any sense. Miss. Davis just nodded and wrote everything down.

    “You can go now Emily,” Miss. Davis said with a smile. I looked up at the clock. It was almost 2nd hour!  I wish I could go... I thought to myself as I lay on the little sanitary bed in the corner, my knee still aching.

   Miss. Davis stood up and walked over to the phone. Then she looked at me. “I’m going to go call your parents.” She started typing in a phone number. I just moaned. I’m just fine! I kept telling myself, but I knew I wasn’t.

Falling

Creative Writing

Author's Note: I came across this picture while looking in my flash drive. When I looked at it, it started to make me think. This poem is about how we can sometimes fall, but we have to pick ourselves back up again. 

Falling,

It’s like living a never-ending dream.

Falling,

It’s like being trapped between worlds.

Falling,

It’s like having everything you have ever loved disappear.

Rain falls,

Leaves fall,

People fall.

We fall because of heartache,

We fall because we think we are failures,

We fall because we believe we don’t belong.

But we can stop falling,

No matter how high the drop may be.

So grab the outstretched hand,

That is there to help you back up.

Believe in yourself,

Trust in yourself,

Accept yourself for who you are.

Stop falling into the depts.

Spread out your wings; soar!

Fly back to the top of that mountain,

Were you may never fall again.

We all fall at times,

Just know that there is always a way back up.

Source For pic:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5Uyl8cOyltI-LnG39zb44ORlPCc0S1BExoEMZvEHR2zRB4zChsoPcZ1rit7WB8yhF06x9VkTKz-vKO1T2lvVy1amyjH3WDUQ_1v7Hezz5iyboAWsdAZfFXQ0-eAe0aLOV-74JmIAI3g/s320/L%C3%B6nnl%C3%B6v+p%C3%A5+tr%C3%A5d_9878.jpg 

But Winter Isn't Always Like This...

Creative Piece

Author’s Note: People can think of winter in many different ways. They could think of the good or they could think of the bad. I thought of both. In this piece, you will see that I used a lot of commas and descriptive language. When you read this I hope that you will be able to see everything as clearly as I could as I wrote this.

The icy weather nipped at my skin. The snow crunched under my feet. The wind bore through my clothes. Children play outside, enjoying what they can of this frigid day. Parents hack at the heavy snow, trying to get their cars out of the snowy trap. Little animals huddle for warmth underbrush while people lounge on the couch, watching the fire dance.

The ponds and lakes have iced over, leaving fish stuck in the darkness of the water. Hills are full of the laughter of children as they spend the day playing with their sleds. As I looked around, I saw the beautiful white trees,  frosted with powdered sugar.  But winter isn't always like this.

I slide across the icy sidewalk, hoping I don’t break a bone. Cars swerve on the icy tundra, trying to not hit any cars. Families are glued to their T.V.s, watching the path of this massive snow hurricane. Some T.V.s are starting to go out because of this weather.

Snow starts to pile up on tree limbs and roofs of houses. The snow seemed to weigh almost one thousand pounds as it sits up there. Soon they will give way and will crush everything in its path. Lives could be at stake here!

            A mountain of cars are piled up all along the highway because of the thick, slippery snow. Even plows are having trouble getting to some streets, so now people are stuck in their own home like a jail cell, praying that someone will come save them. People that can get out of their homes are slaving away, trying to clear the heavy snow. Snow blowers are failing to move the snow. It is just too heavy. It is like they are fighting a battle they will never win. But winter isn't always like this.

Do You Really Know Me?

Creative Piece

Letter

Author’s Note: I thought of this when I was lying on my bed one night. I was feeling very down, sad and angry about everything. When I started writing this, I almost started blaming myself for everything I was saying. I know that it isn’t right to try to put myself down. I am having troubles in life just like any other person, and I just needed to let it out. Not on someone, but on paper.
In this piece, I tried to put commas in here to show my feelings and I also tried to use some describing words to help let my troubles out.




To the people who think that they know everything about me,

Some people think that they can connect; feel the same pain that I do. But do they really?  They think, “Oh, this has happened to me before. It will be alright.” Yet how do they really know. I cry sometimes, but not just because I’m stupid and weak. I don’t make a big deal about everything just because I like to mope. You just don’t feel the same pain I do
...
I cry in my pillow some nights, wishing that everything would come back to the way it was. Sometimes it feels like I cry for so long I can’t any more. I know that the crying won’t help anything, but what else I can do...  I just seem so helpless in this lonely world.
I feel other pain as well. You make fun of my clothes sometimes, not knowing that you’re hurting me. You give me random nicknames that make me feel self conscious. I know that you don’t mean to hurt me, but I think you are. People say things without thinking, without knowing what it could do to another person. I know that is what happens to you when you say and do the things you do, so I still trust you. I believe that one day you will finally think, think about that you are doing to me and I will keep on thinking this until it happens.
At home I even feel lonely, like something in the shadows. I know that my family loves me, that they care for me, that they don’t want me to get hurt. I just don’t know why I feel so alone. I lost someone once. Someone who was always by my side. Maybe that is why I feel like a ghost, an eerie shadow in the mist. I miss her and I know I always will; I just wish I could tell other people how hurt I really feel. I know that I shouldn’t blame it on her; that I should just keep on fighting and that I will see her someday...
I know that things will get better, and I just got to keep trudging through the deep snow. I will make it to the end someday, the day when everything becomes right again. I just hope you understand...

Sincerely,
Another misunderstood soul in this crumbling world

"Little Talks"

Authors Note: This is a song that some people might of heard at some point, but they probably never thought what the song really meant. The song "Little Talks" by Monsters and Men is a song that is about love and loss. In this song, there are two people singing. I wrote this piece in the guys point of view. The lyrics are in Italics and what I wrote my interpretation underneath each section of the song.

Hey! Hey! Hey!

I don't like walking around this old and empty house

So hold my hand, I'll walk with you, my dear

The stairs creak as I sleep, it's keeping me awake

It's the house telling you to close your eyes

Whenever I see you my dear, you don’t seem to know who I am. All I want to do is help, but I know there is nothing I can do. I will just sit by your side. I will guide, watch, follow you to wherever you may wish to go.

Some days I can't even trust myself

It's killing me to see you this way

'Cause though the truth may vary

This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore

Hey! Hey! Hey!

There's an old voice in my head that's holding me back

Well tell her that I miss our little talks

Soon it will be over and buried with our past

We used to play outside when we were young

And full of life and full of love.

It’s killing me to see you this way, my darling; to see the glimmer disappear in your eyes. When you talked to yourself, I worried for you. You saw things that weren't there. I kept telling you that your mind was playing tricks on you, but I never knew if you believed me. You say that there is a voice holding you back, but listen to that voice my love. It will show you the way.

Some days I feel like I'm wrong when I'm right

Your mind is playing tricks on you, my dear

'Cause though the truth may vary

This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore

Hey!

Don't listen to a word I say

Hey!

The screams all sound the same

Hey!

Though the truth may vary

This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore

Hey!

Hey!

You're gone, gone, gone away

I watched you disappear

All that's left is the ghost of you.

Now we're torn, torn, torn apart,

There's nothing we can do

Just let me go we'll meet again soon

Now wait, wait, wait for me

Please hang around

I'll see you when I fall asleep

I sat by your bedside; I watched you disappear. We are now torn apart, and there is nothing I can do to bring you back to me my sweet. But please wait for me! I never wanted you to go! I hope you understand that I’ve always loved you.

Hey!

Don't listen to a word I say

Hey!

The screams all sound the same

Hey!

Though the truth may vary

This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore

Don't listen to a word I say

Hey!

The screams all sound the same

Hey!

Though the truth may vary

This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore

Though the truth may vary

This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore

Though the truth may vary

This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore

All life will end one way or another, but until then my darling, wait for me because we will see each other some day...

Compare and Contrast

Compare and contrast

Matt	Same	Maria
©     Clone     ©     Quiet     ©     Smart     ©     Can play music     ©     Worried a lot	©      About the same age    ©     Live in the Big House    ©     Both live in Mexico	©     Person     ©     Talks a lot     ©     Not that smart     ©     Scared about everything     ©     Likes animals

We just don't fight to fight

S.S. Revolutionary War Essay

Author’s Note: The Revolutionary War was a time of pain and suffering, but it turned out okay. In the movie The Patriot and the book Cast Two Shadows almost talk about the same things. This essay will show you that even two different stories can have the same meaning.

Movies and books can have many different things in common. They could be set in the same time period, they could be set in the same place, or they could even be about the same thing. That is what the movie The Patriot and the book that I read called Cast Two Shadows by Ann Rinaldi. This book and this movie both have to do with family, slaves, and rebels.

Caroline Whitaker’s father is in prison; her brother is off fighting for the Loyalists; and she, her mother, and her sister are confined to one room as a British colonel occupies their plantation house. She will do anything to fight for her family, just like Benjamin Martin in The Patriot. Caroline’s fight starts with going to help her brother who is injured. In The Patriot, Benjamin’s fight starts by helping his son try to win the war. I think that these two situations are alike because they both have to do with their families. Real people in the Revolutionary War had to cope with family situations. They didn’t really know if their love ones would ever come back to them. Some people though as their slaves as part of their family, but they also had to deal with knowing that they might have to go to war and never come back.

Slaves had to do with both The Patriot and Cast Two Shadows. In the movie, the slaves of Benjamin are like family to him. When the British come to take them away, Benjamin and his family feel like they are taking their most beloved relatives. In the book, Caroline had a special connection with one of the slaves at her family's plantation, because one of the slaves is actually Caroline’s grandmother! To make sure her grandmother, Miz. Melindy, won’t be taken away; like the slaves from The Patriot, Miz. Melindy had to pretend that she had marle fever. In both the book and the movie, the portray slaves as family, I know I would. But fighting for slaves wasn’t the only thing; some people fought and rebels.

Rebels were people who rose in a armed resistance against an established government or ruler. That is that Benjamin was. He made a armed resistance to go after the Red Coats. He was fighting for his freedom; just like Caroline’s father did. Caroline’s father was put into jail because of him being a rebel. Caroline and her family really wanted him back, but being a rebel was in their blood. Afterwards, Caroline because a rebel, but she fought in a different way than Benjamin. She fought to protect her family; to make them free in their own home again, and to also get her father back. I know that some people in the Revolutionary War did both of these things. All they wanted was to be free to do what they wanted to do; to not be ruled by a selfish king.

In the Revolutionary War, people had to deal with family, slaves, and rebels; just like The Patriot and Cast Two Shadows. They fought and fought till they couldn’t no more. But in the end, all of this fighting was worth it. Not we are free people, and that is all they ever wanted.

Sources:

Rinaldi, Ann. Cast two shadows: the American revolution in the South. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1998. Print.
The Patriot. Dir. Roland Emmerich. Perf. Mell Gipson. Columbia ;, 2000. Film.
Id('toggle_td_2_rev').style.display=(ById('toggle_td_2').style.display=='none'?'':'none'). "Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary." Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Jan. 2013. <http://www.thefreedictionary.com>.

Living Through Loss

Theme Analysis

Author's Note: Everyone has to experience loss at some point in their life. I know I have. In the book Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver, Lena experiences loss but she copes with it differently than I thought she would.

At sometime in our lives, we will have to deal with loss. Loss is something that is hard to prepare for, because you will never know when it will happen. Losing someone close to you can be a difficult thing to cope with. In the book Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver, Lena is dealing with loss by struggling through the sadness, accepting the loss, and finding out the surprise loss can bring.

Loss can be a overwhelming thing. At the end of the book Delirium by Lauren Oliver, Lena’s love was shot as they tried to escape Portland, Maine. That was the last time Lena ever saw him. He was the only person she really trusted in her life. After a few days of finally realizing that her was truly gone, Lena became depressed. She was in the middle of the woods, all alone; she felt alone. I knew the same feeling three months ago when my cat died. To Lena, Alex was a beloved and trusted friend. I felt the same way about my cat. When I began to read this book, I longed to help her because at some point, you have to accept that they are never coming back.

Accepting death can be a hard thing to do. When Lena had to go back into Portland, she met a boy named Julian. Julian is an important figure in Portland because of his fathers strong belief of the procedure. Lena had spent some time with him and was starting to feel more comfortable around him because they had been captured together. Lena didn’t have enough time to think about Alex, just about keeping Julian and herself alive, knowing that all of Portland would be devastated if something happened to him. After a while of being with him, Lena had this strange feeling that she was falling for him. When I read this I was outraged. How could she get over Alex that quickly? He was her first love! It seems like she fell in love with Alex; she thinks he dies; then she falls in love with another boy! But I just read on, knowing that there would be more surprises to come.

Even the deepest wounds can heal at some point, but I didn’t know that Lena’s could heal that quickly. At the end of the book, Julian falls for Lena but then Alex comes and she finds out that he really isn’t dead. This wasn’t a surprise for me because I knew he was never dead and I knew that he had to come back. This came to Lena as a shock because the boy of her dreams had come back from the dead, or as so she thought. 

By struggling through the sadness, accepting the loss, and finding out the surprise loss can bring, Lauren Oliver explained through the story the struggle loss can bring. When I was reading, I wanted to convert Lena because i felt with loss too, but everyone deals with loss at some point in their lifetime.