"Life's a climb, but the view is great"

Author's Note: I chose to write a personal narrative because that's one type of writing that I need to work on. I also tried to connect the beginning and end sentences of each paragraph so the piece would flow better. This story gives you a glimpse of how life can be hard in certain points of time.

Some people say, "You never know what you got till it's gone". Except in reality, you always knew what you had, you just never thought you'd lose it. Whether its a big thing like losing a family member or a tiny thing like losing your favorite childhood toy, everyone in this world had to leave something important to them behind. Life isn’t meant to be easy, the hurdles in life are what makes you a stronger person.

Being a strong, independent human being takes a lot of effort. I am very fortunate to have such a tight bond with my siblings. They’re always there for me when I need them the most. Back in the day when I was younger, we went on so many family trips that it’s close to impossible to count them all. I used to think time would just pause right where I was, and I could play it back when I wanted to. Obviously life isn’t like that: instead time goes on. There were a lot of events that I had to overcome, but I had barely blinked before Nathan, my brother had proposed to his girlfriend and became engaged.

I remember the day my brother became a husband clear as can be. I walked down the aisle hooking arms with my future brother-in-law while the church medley played its cheerful tune. I saw my brother standing on the church steps looking sharp in his new white tux. He had series of emotions on his face, but I couldn’t wait to look at his expression when Shannon, his soon-to-be-bride, came down the aisle. I stood next to all the other bridesmaids waiting for the ushers to open the doors. Everything just paused for the slightest second, but then the doors burst open and Shannon came descending down the aisle in her beautiful, satin wedding dress. Nathan was full-out beaming, I could tell he was blown away.  He had tears of happiness flowing down his face. The whole bridal party started to choke up due to Nathan’s tears. “She looks gorgeous!” I said sniffling to Kristine, one of the bridesmaids. “I know!!” She answered with a smile on her face. They said their “I do”’s and soon the pastor said “You may now kiss the bride.” Nathan took Shannon in his hands and kissed her passionately. There were “awe”’s throughout the whole crowd of family members. Everyone thought they were the happiest two newly weds I had ever seen.

Besides when Nathan cried , it didn’t really hit me until the end of the wedding when Bethany and I sat down by him. He gave us a big bear hug and said “You are my sisters, and even know that things are going to be a lot different now that I’m married, I want you guys to know that I love you.” After he said that, we all just lost it and starting bawling together. Under my breath I said “I love you too, Nathan.” I couldn’t believe this was actually happening. This day had actually come. Nathan would be moving out to Arizona now, so nothing would ever be the same.
 
Even though I knew nothing would ever be the same again, I remember a saying Hannah Montana said: life’s a climb, but the view’s great.This saying represents how Nathan and Shannon’s wedding was the view of the rose in a field of dandelions. However, him moving to Arizona right after his honeymoon was the ultimate climb. That day I learned that everything happens for a reason. There’s always an upside in every situation. You just have to look in between the lines.

Colorado

 Author's Note: This piece is for my writing circle group. We wrote about the 3 facts and a fiction, and I picked the fact about how I have a pet salamander.

  I was bored out of my mind as I sat in my packed van. My Dad was driving, staring off towards the traffic while my mother read a book that seemed to entertain her. My sister was in a deep sleep, occasionally mumbling random words that made no sense. She was probably sleep-talking. So that left me, stuck solving word searches and playing cards by myself. We were about 30 minutes from our destination. This had been a long and tiresome, 24 hour drive.

 I decided to look out the window to pass the time. I became mesmerized by the pitter-patter of the rain drops. It was consistent: never taking a break as it fell down. It almost seemed like the background music to a lullaby. As I day-dreamed, I fell into a calm sleep. Before I knew it, we had arrived, and I became very excited! We had finally made it to Colorado!

 I jumped out of the van faster than anyone imagined me capable of. I sprinted towards my brother and his girlfriend with my family slightly behind. We had this long group hug and there was silence for only a moment. But then, we all rambled on about the drive and how their experience has been down there before we arrived. It was all small-talk until my brother brought up this one story about something him and his girlfriend had found in the pool that they life-guarded for. They began explaining how one they were life-guarding, this guy said he thought he saw something unusual in the water. Some brave souls decided to take a closer look. They braced themselves for the worst, but it ended up being a small, harmless salamander! A tiger salamander to be exact. Nathan and Shannon decided to take the little fellow in. They rambled on about how they finally were allowed to keep it. Shannon had told us that the guy who originally found it named him Walter. The guy didn't want to keep it and wasn't able to take him home, so Shannon and Nathan took over. They didn't change his name because they felt the name suited him perfectly well.

They ended up showing us the salamander, and fed it moths. It was very vicious when it came to food. Although, it didn't hurt when he bit you because he doesn't have any teeth.

Nathan and Shannon wanted to take him home, but they couldn't because they were leaders at the camp in Colorado. So we ended up taking Walter home and put him in a fish aquarium. Now he has a brand new reptile aquarium and everything. We now feed him dry crickets and occasionally the wild moth if there's one around. He sometimes even eats pinky mice which we feed him on special occasions. He isn't very active during the day, his usual day is just burrowing in the soil. Other than that, he's a great pet and eats when he's fed!

Great America

 Author's Note: I wrote this piece in my writing circle. My writing topic was Great America. I worked on expanding my word choice.

I was happy that I got in line early because it was getting longer by the minute. I was terrified: the ride looked so scary and I couldn’t move my feet. It was like they were glued to the ground. I didn’t want to move, but the aggravated people tried to slide past me. As I neared the front of the line, I took a large gulp. I could see the first loop not too far away from me. It wasn’t long before I got in my seat ready for the ride. I was so distracted by the roller coaster, that I had forgotten to put my seat-belt on! The worker told me I had to fasten it, so I did as I was told. Before I knew it, we were on our way. I closed my eyes for a split second before realizing that this wasn’t so bad! We were just going up and up and up. All of sudden I remembered a saying my grandpa had told me, “If a hill goes up, it always goes down.” This was definitely something that related to that. I opened my eyes and took in the view that was overlooking the park: it was breathtaking. I had no idea something could be so high up! Barely after three seconds, my heart had skipped a beat. We were headed straight towards the ground. I couldn’t help myself, I screamed as loud as I was capable of. I noticed some others screaming along with me. We headed towards the second loop, and I saw some people putting their hands up in the air to make the ride more fun. I decided to try it. It felt like I was a bird, flying through the sky! A few moments later, and we were back to the station where the roller coaster had started. The ride had been so much fun that I hadn’t even noticed that it was over! I felt very accomplished. I had just ridden the tallest ride at Six Flags, Great America.

Semantic Devices

http://www.authorstream.com/Presentation/aSGuest134079-1409033-semantic-devices/

Symbolism: All Summer in a Day

Tragedy: Storms- In this short story, there was a lot of thunder and rain storms. Clouds and rain make people feel groggy. To me, this usually means that something sad is going to happen. "It rained. It had been raining for seven years; thousands upon thousands of days compounded and filled from one end to the other with rain, with the drum and gush of water, with the sweet crystal fall of showers and the concussion of storms so heavy they were tidal waves come over the islands."(p.1)

Tragedy: Overgrown garden- Since there's rain for seven years straight, there's an overgrown garden on Venus. This makes the people feel like they're trapped in where they live. "They stopped running and stood in the great jungle that covered Venus, that grew and never stopped growing, tumultuously, even as you watched it. It was a nest of octopi, clustering up great arms of flesh-like weed, wavering, flowering in this brief spring." (p. 3)

Romance: Colors- There's a lot of lighter colors in the jungle because there is no sun to make the willow trees green. This makes people feel like they have no life because they are stuck inside. "It was the color of rubber and ash, this jungle, from the many years without sun. It was the color of stones and white cheeses and ink, and it was the color of the moon." (p. 3)

Tragedy: Beneath stairs- The people on Venus have a home underground. They feel like they're trapped because they only get to see the sun once every 7 years. "The sun faded behind a stir of mist. A wind blew cold around them. They turned and started to walk back toward the underground house, their hands at their sides, their smiles vanishing away." (p. 4)

Tragedy: Lightning- There's a lot of storms and thunder on Venus. Lightning also occurs along with these. This makes people feel scared, because they have a chance of getting struck by lightning. "A boom of thunder startled them and like leaves before a new hurricane, they tumbled upon each other and ran. Lightning struck ten miles away, five miles away, a mile, a half mile." (p.4)

Tragedy: Closet- Margot was stuck in a closet while the sun was out. She felt alone, and forgotten. It was also dark which makes her feel sad. "They surged about her, caught her up and bore her, protesting, and then pleading, and then crying, back into a tunnel, a room, a closet, where they slammed and locked the door." (p. 3)

Tragedy: Colors- Colors can determine everybody's mood. When the sun came out, the sun made them feel happy! But when the sun disappeared, they became very sad. "The children pressed to each other like so many roses, so many weeds, intermixed, peering out for a look at the hidden sun." (p. 1)

Tragedy: Darkness- Darkness makes you lonely. It also makes you feel sad. The people in this story have to deal with darkness for all of their life. "The sky darkened into midnight in a flash. They stood in the doorway of the underground for a moment until it was raining hard." (p.4)

Honesty is the key

Authors Note: In this piece, I talk about the main characters, Jason, Catherine, and David, who learn  be honest and accept people for who they are. I worked on A B Transitions, restating what I was writing about in the last paragraph in the first part of the second. I did this by looking at the fusion page for help when I got stuck. 

Guilt, complicated, hidden, and weak are all signs of difficult encounters. It is important to overlook the “bad” outcomes and focus on the “good” outcomes. In the book Rules by Cynthia Lord, Catherine has a family that revolves around her brother, David, who has autism. She just wants to have a normal life, but that’s near to impossible when you have a brother with a disability. Over time, she learned to look beyond the negatives and focus on what the good outcomes are. Friendship grasps the characters in this story, allowing honesty and acceptance to take over.

Friendships aren’t planned, but they seem to happen over time. David went to OT (Occupational therapy) every week for speech lessons and physical exercise. His mom took him there and Catherine tagged along as well, bringing all of her coloring supplies. As she was waiting for David to be done, she decided to start a sketch. A boy named Jason Morehouse noticed the picture she was drawing and asked to see more of her pictures. To do this, they communicated through picture cards since Jason was unable to speak. “If you ever want me to make you more words,” I say, “just ask.” “Thank you,” Mrs. Morehouse says. adjusting her earring. “But there’s no need. These cards are part of a speech program we use, and it comes with a whole book of words. I can copy whatever he needs from there.” Jason shoots his mother a what? look. Yes. More. Picture. (pg. 47) Catherine and Jason could understand eachother, which lead them to being great friends.

Being good friends with someone requires a key component to maintain a healthy friendship, honesty. “I didn’t tell Kristi everything about you. I didn’t tell her about your wheelchair or your communication book. I didn’t know how she’d react. I should’ve because your my friend, but it just got harder and harder.” (pg.195) Catherine was afraid of what Kristi’s reaction would be when she told her that Jason has a disability. Catherine doesn’t want this to be a barrier in their friendship, so she avoids spilling the news to Kristi. She finally decided to tell her the day of the dance that Kristi invited her to.

In order to be accepted, honesty is the first step towards achievement. Before Catherine could accept Jason for who he is, she had to realize that there is nothing he can do about the condition he has. In fact, by the time I’m done, Together. has to go on the final page of his communication book. It sits by itself, a picture of the bench with two people sitting on it. Where? Wheelchair. Jason pulls his brows together. “I imagined you without it. Like in your dream where you can run. Want. Wheelchair. In. Picture. “I just thought ---” Take. It. Out. Jason looks away, frowning. (pg. 166) Catherine drew series of words for his card book, but the one picture on the word card seemed to upset him because only in a dream, could he run. Although, in real life, he got around using his wheelchair.

Honesty and acceptance are the two key qualities to a healthy friendship. Catherine was honest when she told Jason how she felt about Kristi and that she was scared to tell her the truth, which made Jason realize that Catherine was a truthful and loyal friend. Catherine told Kristi about Jason, along with excepting him for who he was, wheelchair or not. In the end, everyone learned an important lesson: you know when you have a true friend if they’re honest and accepting for who you are.

Use courage to overcome your fears

 Author's Note: In this piece, I talk about how the main characters, Edward and Bella, take courage to overcome their fears. I worked on sentence fluency and A B transitions. To do this, I looked at the transitions on the school fusion page.

Vicious, blood sucking, predator are all signs of an enemy, yet these characteristics cannot hold back the feelings of love. In the book Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, Bella Swan falls in love with a guy that is dangerous to her kind: a vampire. Vampires hunt humans and can easily kill them within seconds. Although this would usually draw people away, Bella was attracted to the uniqueness of Edward Cullen. Edward had a different side to him which instantly caught Bella’s attention. Bella had enough courage to investigate who Edward was and why he acted so odd around her. As well, she had an occasional fear of him while being able to tell his emotions by the color of his eyes and experiencing some of his extreme and shocking outbreaks. Fear controls the actions of many people, but those who have courage and an unconditional love can express their feelings in any way that they desire.

Beauty and the Beast resemble the relationship between Edward and Bella. A vampire and human falling in love doesn’t necessarily sound like a perfect match. This unusual romance with a vampire loving a human may seem dangerous, but Edward does everything he can to protect Bella. When there was a group of males that were attacking Bella in Port Angeles, Edward quickly came to her rescue and saved her from them. (pg. 160) There was another incident when the evil vampire, James, was about to kill Bella and Edward shielded her from the sight of James by helping her escape him. (pg. 379) Edward and Bella know that their relationship will be difficult just like it says in the book, “’And so the lion fell in love with the lamb...,’ he murmured. I looked away, hiding my eyes as I thrilled to the word. ‘What a stupid lamb.’ I sighed. ‘What a sick, masochistic lion’” (pg. 274) Their love for each other could only get stronger as time goes on, knowing that they were destined to be together.

In the midst of their relationship, Bella has enough courage to make it through. She takes many leaps of faith, sometimes knowing that her decision isn’t always right. For instance, Bella met James at a ballet studio she had danced at when she was younger, bringing nobody with her. Turns out James did not have her mother held captive; contradicting the tale he had told her over the phone, ultimately, this lead to trouble. (pg. 444) Bella also took the nerve to go to Edward’s house and meet his family. Not knowing what to expect from a house full of vampires. (pg. 322) As a result, the first time Edward’s family and Bella met, it went very well and they all seemed to like her.

Edward and Bella had to face their fears, just like Bella was afraid to meet a house full of vampires. They both have to overcome worries that tend to grasp them, but they try their best to push it aside. For example, there are times when Bella is afraid of Edward. Instead, she forces herself to believe her instincts that Edward will do no such harm to her. In addition, Edward is afraid that something will happen to Bella, even when he is present. However, Edward’s fear subsides because the love he has for Bella is inescapable. Yet, there is still one fear that both Edward and Bella share which is the thought of losing each other. That would be very challenging for both of them, especially knowing that Bella won’t live forever. Even though Bella wanted Edward to change her so they could live together forever, Edward still claimed he could never do such a thing.

Bella and Edward’s relationship is complicated at points but they still make it through the rough patches no matter what it takes. They overthrow their fears with the love they have for one another. It takes courage to be in a relationship like theirs. In conclusion, people can express their feelings in any way that they want to. As long as they have the courage and unconditional love, they can conquer the fears that control their actions.