What we are Taught

           We never stop learning; every day we learn, taking in new knowledge, and new experiences. It is part of human nature to be intrigued - even obliged- to find the truth in everything that surrounds us. As infants we begin to learn on our own; parents are lucky to witness the first time we speak or walk; are they even sure that it is our first time doing these things? Can they be there for everything important we do in our lives? I am skeptical of others reactions to growing older, if they keep learning? But Even though I am not in the prime of my life, or close to my end, I am sure I will always learn something new for one reason: the world is always changing.

            Walking outside, you see differences in the weather, the lawn; maybe the street has a new layer of asphalt. These little things that surround you, you see, but others may not. They don’t have to be big or small, but they still impact you in a way that keeps you tuned into your environment. Store them away in your mind and take mental notes when you come into contact with these things later on.

            Being taught by your heart is not easy, the first and last to teach us is ourselves. We know these things best of all because we believe in them completely. We learn best when we experience them for ourselves, not by hearing about them. But to go out and search for what we are passionate about. They turn into guidelines for us to follow in our life and keep us on the straight and narrow, using these things not only for ourselves, but a code for friends or loved ones. To tell someone you know it by heart means you believe it to its fullest, this is one way we all learn.

            Growing up, I didn’t really know empathy, sympathy, or compassion for that matter. I was a bit of a terror, running around my neighborhood covered in mud from head to toe. My brothers would be far ahead of me as I would scoop handfuls of mud off me to throw at them. At the end of the battle there would be lots of yelling from our mother as she sprayed the mud off, but after a few times of this we would start to leave the conversation with a few jokes and laughter; not to end the battle or repress the memory, but to learn from it. That is one way I learned what is right and wrong, how to feel compassion, sympathy, and empathy for that other person.

            As we approach death I can’t say if we learn from past events or what we need to know before we go. Which makes me wonder about ghosts: If they don’t pass on, is it because they didn’t learn from the past? How would we learn something at the end of our lives when we think we know everything there is? Certainly not everything in the world, but all the wisdom we need, or think we need. I can’t tell you from experience if it is true that we learn in the midst of death, but in stories we do.

Jack Nicholson said it best in a movie called, “Bucket List.” “The minute that you're not learning I believe you're dead.” Throughout the movie, Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson both learn from the things they’re most scared of; death. But Jack’s huge wealth shows Morgan that money wasn’t what he always wanted or needed, and Jack learns that running from your family and past doesn’t solve anything. The movie shows that, at the end of our lives, when the curtains are about to close and things seem darker than ever, we can still learn what we need to know.

911 Essay Revised

Explosions in each tower leave hundreds helpless inside; many more scream from the ground as the cloudless September sky fills with a gray mist of debris. Up above, people look down towards the pavement as the ever embracing thoughts fill their minds, pulling them closer to the edge, each thought getting louder and louder. There is nothing we can do; nothing can stop this horrible attack. We are forced to watch on the sideline and capture each smell, sound, and sight that hits us: The crunching and breaking of bones as bodies begin raining from the skies; the smell of the disintegrating towers and burning flesh. The concrete and steel pillars begin to collapse, on the entire frame; massive amounts of power and weight build behind them, as they turn into a horror by themselves. Causing people to run and flee, to get out unharmed, but some are unlucky enough to move out of its path only to be crushed by rubble falling onto onlookers below.

This day marks a hole in many people’s hearts. We didn’t ask for this; we didn’t even suspect it. There was an attack made on the towers. In 1993, there was a car bomb in the basement of one of the towers, which was later found out to be caused by Al-Qaeda. But how could we ever predict such a catastrophic attack as this?

The answer lies not only on our armed forces and spies, but with our government. Our security depends on a network of allies and other countries established by years of amity and bloodshed. In our eyes, the World Trade Center was causing no harm, but good. To the newly-blacklisted terrorists called Al-Qaeda, it was a problem. It went against their beliefs, their ideology; even their religion called it an abomination. So why to this day do we still have people calling this attack on such a prodigious building a hoax?

                The media began explaining the attacks almost immediately, but like a newly-formed virus, people began to think up their own ideas. At first, few would believe their rants; their newly-built websites spilling out their babble of a world full of crime and anarchy in America would not attract many to their side. But in America, we have the power of free speech; we can use these tactics as vise grips to get what we want. Even sending a phony complaint letter to a company will get us free things.

                But a rant and rave about the government staging a plot to destroy the Twin Towers: what would that achieve? They certainly wouldn’t get free money from them; in retrospect, shouldn’t they be called a heretic, even stamped as an anarchist?

                The internet is plastered with websites claiming to uncover hoaxes, corruption, and crime.  Most are portraying something that is not there, something that just one man sees. It seems harmless.

But in the time of need that man pulls our eyes from the truth, and shows us blasphemy. How can anyone know the truth? In a world full of liars, do-gooders, and con-men, how do we know what’s right and wrong? It's simple; we don't.

                We perceive what is right and wrong by our beliefs; we stand up for what we believe is right, and we most certainly don’t change our beliefs; we worship them. We put our own ideas down as facts, rather than opinion. We insist that the Towers were taken down by our own leaders, the leaders who are put there to defend us, to honor their people, and to show no sign of weakness in the face of danger. It just seems wrong. You don’t demoralize your own country to get fame, let alone boost your reputation.

                Conspiracy theorists must have evidence backing up their findings-not just suspicions, but real documentation of a government scandal. I understand everyone has a right to free speech, but when those lines start to merge, and the adverse effects of these ideas cause more harm than good, shouldn’t there be a boundary? Life is a fragile thing; we lose someone dear to us and we never forget them. We store our memories, ideas, even our love for them in our hearts; like a burden, we carry this for the rest of our lives. Should one person or small group be allowed to change everything, turning this tidal wave of doubt against a nation that has already experienced enough pain?

                The theories that spilled out of this disaster, begin with inside traders knowing about attacks before they happened, going so far as to say that Bin Laden was trying to not only destroy the twin towers, but to make money off it, too: a kill two birds with one stone scenario. Another theory that sprung up was a picture of the towers stating that the plane isn’t causing the explosion, but the huge mass of fire underneath it was a bomb. If that were the cause, wouldn’t that mean our country’s leaders planned this all along? How could so many government officials keep this secret?

                The hundreds of pictures and theories that spring from any major catastrophe doesn’t really show anything but that maybe our imaginations can come up with great ideas. Take the theories that came from Princess Diana’s death; they didn’t even come up for years after, and it never brought any explanation to the surface.

                To go through life breaking barriers and pushing people further away is not a future foreseen by our founding fathers. To state that our government is at fault for the death of your husband, wife, or even your children won’t bring the people together; it won’t solve anything. These accusations need to end before they tear America apart. Eric Allenbaugh stated it perfectly when he said, “Painful as it may be, a significant emotional event can be the catalyst for choosing a direction that serves us - and those around us - more effectively. Look for the learning.” We need to stop pointing fingers and accept that this disaster happened. It isn’t anyone’s fault, and no one could have prevented it.

"Almighty Dollar"

          It has more importance than just paper, it is not just an art piece, but at one point it had gold behind it, turning it into a solid piece of currency. If time could speak, it would tell the world that this little piece of paper has a virtue, a second meaning, and that everyone who has ever lived with it, has been searching for it. We pray on it, we use our time to get it, and we lose more money in hopes to buy it; the lottery, which odds are, you won’t win.

            We strive for it, but at what costs? There are no costs, because it is the way we live, without it we are nothing, and with it we are still nothing. It is paper, no greater than any other piece of paper, and no more important than the dirt on the ground. But when we add a system behind it, put our belief into it, and follow a code; it is not just paper, but how we live.

            You know it is more than just paper when people fight over it; they rob businesses, people, and anyone with it to stay alive. We are most vulnerable when we have nothing else to live for; this piece of paper has become more important than you, and me. One fifth of the nation’s children under 18 are living in poverty. That could be a friend, a loved one, a child like you see everyday, but never take the time to know.
             It shows up in movies, take platoon for instance, "Everybody know the poor are always being f***** over by the rich. Always have, always will." –Junior. It shows the importance of our military, their sacrifices for their country, how they will take the greatest risk of all for the greater good; even if that means they will be poor and used. They will hold the weight on them. Another war movie that shows its true emotion towards a soldiers life is First Blood, "Back there I could fly a gunship, I could drive a tank, I was in charge of million dollar equipment, back here I can't even hold a job PARKING CARS!" –John Rambo. They get important missions, objectives, equipment has no price tag to them, but in America, life is ultimately cut short to their old ways. They soon have to rely on new tactics, which is no easy thing to anyone, especially a combat soldier.   

Can't we all just get along?

            Our countries super rich, less than 0.001% control more than 150 million people combined. Meaning, 400 people have more money than that many people, an absurd number, what can they do with that amount of money by themselves? Why don’t they make some charitable donations to needy facilities, or families struggling?

            It’s simple question, when you grow up in a tight knit family that has everything it needs to prosper and grow, you don’t realize the people below you fighting for survival. Yes, this might not be true of every super rich person, there are sympathetic and loving people, Bill Gates showed his compassion by giving off most of his money. But these people don’t realize the significance of their wealth because they’ve had it all their life. They don’t see it as a large desire; it’s a normal thing, like having running water in your house, or enough money for groceries. If one person could enlighten their view, not show numbers on a graph, or even pictures on a billboard, but to throw them in the situation where they see it eye to eye.

            I envy that show, “Secret Millionaire.” It is a genius idea and it really does have an impact, even if the difference is small; a difference is a difference, no matter how big or small. They really show the rich what is happening behind closed doors, it enlightens them to a life secret to them, and rarely scene. But in the most basic of ideas, money is the biggest thing we fight for, it is easy to make, but hard to get. If I could wish for one thing, it would be the distribution of wealth, but it wouldn’t make America what it is today; a melting pot of many cultures and nationalities. It is a fighting arena, but when you are at the top, you make the decisions; you get the limitless power that everyone envies, and eventually strives for.