Growing Up: Another Reflection

It is, in fact, universally true: growing up is both painful and exciting. This strange blend of emotions results from many things happening to us during the period of adolescence, both inside and outside of our bodies. Outside of ourselves in the world around us, there are constantly so many forces at work which alter our states of mind and our lives as we are in the process of becoming an adult. There are the commonly spoken of influential factors, such as peer pressures to alter our life courses and steer them into unfavourable directions. And there are also, simply put; the comings and goings and happenings of others in our communities and the bigger world that will most definitley have some sway over how we choose to, or will come to; materialise ourselves as adults. These experiances can be painful to go through, such as the death of a loved one for instance; or terribly exciting, such as excelling in a passionate hobby or practice. We of course cannot possibly choose to be in a country currently at war with another nation, but it will most definitley affect us in some way, both in the short and long term schemes of things. We can, however, choose to be the best that we can be (not to be mundane), to strive toward that which makes us happiest, and to choose how we will make our mark upon this uneven earth.

Common Sense: A Reflection

From reading this excerpt of Common Sense, the pamphlet by journalist Thomas Paine that helped to shape the Revolution, I have learned many things about life during that era. Primarily, that American existance was an ambivalent one, as Americans' hearts were constantly being tugged in opposing ways toward either independance, or the decision to stay a state of Great Britain's. It was also a passionate one, in my opinion, because of the aforementioned mental battle that faced the peoples of the New World. This inner war very quickly turned into countless physical battles that in the end finally won us our independance and helped to shape the nation as it remains today.

Honestly, what surprised me most about what I read was just simply the eloquence in which the document itself was forged. It was not only a bold statement of facts urging Americans to open their eyes and realise that we would be better off as an independant country, but also a magnificent piece of poetry that was clearly written with a lot of hope in mind for the American people and the future that Thomas Paine envisioned for us and urged us to fight towards.