Because It's My Dream

Everything starts out as a dream - a smoldering passion begging to be pursued. There are those who are brave enough to grasp it, and there are those who surrender to the fear of failure.

Melissa: It's funny how people laugh and claim something is unattainable, that it's just a silly dream or wishful thinking. Dreams come true. Success has to begin somewhere. That's how great things are started - someone believed in their dream and decided to chase it. If you're willing to work hard, if you believe you can do it, and if you never abandon that dream, then nothing will stop you.

Ally: When you are vocal about you're goals there will always be someone who, knowingly or unknowingly, aims to tear them down. Of course, those challengers are necessary to success. The people who have doubt in you are, in a way, testing you. These tests are to see if you really are dedicated to your dreams. If you stand by your wishes even through the storm of negativity and challenges, achievement is something you not only deserve, but can allow yourself to expect.

(Ally finds this incredibly creepy)

If there is something you truly want to do, something you are truly passionate about, then go after it! Some people spend their entire lives searching but not finding their life's purpose. If you find it, there's no reason to hesitate! You only get one shot, and it's always better to take the shot and miss than not take it at all. Restrictions and limitations - you are the one that chooses what they are.

Melissa: What was I meant to do? What is my purpose? I want to find that one day, the reason I was born and the reason I am alive. Living a bleak desolate life, I think that's really sad. Isn't it better to live life endlessly chasing a beautiful dream than a life spent in a gray reality without meaning? Can you truly say that you are happy to be alive? Can you truly say that you don't regret giving up on your dreams just because Reality said it was a no go? Because you don't have to be special in order to pursue your dream. Dreams are given to you for a reason. Dream big. Dream unrealistically. And then turn those foolish, unrealistic dreams into a fantastic reality.

Ally: Wanting your life to turn out as planned is a far-fetched desire. Something that as hard for me to accept was that, maybe it's best to not have a plan. I stand by "If you fail to plan, you plan to fail", but I've also come to realize that if you have you route set to one destination, you miss all the glorious stops along the way. So keep an open mind, and maybe you'll discover your life goal along the road.

Dreams are nature's greatest gifts to the world. They are powerful things; a dream can change the heart of man and the entire world with it. As long as dreams continue to exist, mankind will never perish.

Chance of Success: One in a Million

 The world. Our country. Our state. Our town. Our home. Ourselves....

            A "resolution" can be made involving any one of those topics; however, what difference does a resolution make? It can be defined as a decision to do something, to make something happen, but it is just a decision. Can a decision lead to change? Can we change the world? The chances are one in a million. Can we try?  Well..

One in a million does happen sometimes after all.

            Ally: Deciding, planning, making a goal. All of those phrases appear to be quite weak when you delve deeper into their meaning. Nothing really is happening, just a mere thought buzzing in one's brain to possibly try a way to cause a reaction, an occurrence. But those ideas are always the very first step. One may suggest the most important. How ironic? The frivolous task of goal making is the foundation of all development, so without a resolution, without an idea, nothing would ever change at all.

            Melissa: It all depends on you. Your thoughts. The suffering in our world today...can it be helped? If the world made it their resolution - if we came together and decided to trust each other and to cease this unceasing conflict, maybe it can. Is it likely? No. I don't like to say it, but our trust in one another is weak. We are too separated from each other. Even though it would save thousands, we will still stubbornly continue to ignore the fact that we are all fellow humans.

But let's just say "What if." What if we could? What would we change in this world? What do we want to see?

           
              Ally: I once asked someone out of curiosity, "Do I have the power to, let's say, end all wars?"To my dismay they replied, "Yes, of course you do." I shook my head and argued, "I am just one person, one little girl, and you are saying I have the power to establish world peace?"
The person smiled and explained to me that anybody, no matter how much influence they have, can make a change. That change can lead to another, and another, and one more change that affects something so largely different from the roots of that chain reaction that a young, small town person may realize they've just changed the world.

              Ally: The conversation went on to include many other examples that further proved to me the domino effect of one minute change. I began this post with a long rant about how one person could not change the world, but I have discovered It is possible. I believe that the extinguishing of disgraceful conflicts such as racism and war is achievable, but not with just one idea. One has the power to inspire, the power to include others in their ideas. . . but ignoring the fact that people are most powerful together is fatal. One step at a time, we can see the change we want in the world - if we all decide it shall be so.

              Melissa: I hope that in the future, near or far, the entire world will finally learn to trust and understand each other. I wouldn't call it world peace, but mutual understanding - a world where people from all around can look eye to eye without holding a dagger behind their back. It's hard, I know - I'm working at it myself. So for now, this 2016, I hope to see more people take small steps toward that mutual respect - respect for others' opinions, ideals, cultures, religions, lifestyle, passions, appearance, race, gender - everything.

             Melissa: There was a time I thought peace was impossible, that humanity was filled with darkness, that we have not changed from our bloodstained history, that our future holds only more destruction, and that the evil in man's heart is infinite (okay, that might have been a bit melodramatic, but you get the point). And then - I was proven wrong. I was so focused on all the darkness that I never noticed that there was light. And now, seeing so much compassion and friendship in this world, I realized: Humanity is good. We have begun to take steps toward one another. So, I plead, show me more of humanity's heart.

Hello. It's Us.

Our unannounced, year-long break has finally come to an end. In other words, we're back and starting fresh. It's good to be back. Change is a constant in life; it's unavoidable, so it is best to realize that sometimes it's good to refresh ourselves.

-

Time to rewind a bit. 2014: a year of great change for us both. We were in the middle of everything. The middle year of middle school, standing in the middle of two crowds, torn between paths - in the middle of yes and no. 

Melissa: I didn't exactly fit in everywhere. Yet, it wasn't like I didn't exactly not fit in everywhere. Stereotypes and "groups" are common in most middle schools. And I guess, I had just enough of each in me so that I could be approached by everyone. But yet, I couldn't find a place that truly felt like home. I might have talked to everyone, but I talked very little. I only felt comfortable in my own company.

Ally:  I found this year start to rapidly pick up it's pace. It seemed sixth grade had lasted a lifetime and seventh grade was a race that I kept missing because of a blink. But despite that, I had so many memorable moments that year. As for groups, I came to a realization. It doesn't matter who you talk to. It doesn't matter where you sit at lunch. What matters truly is that if the friends you have are true friends. Crowds aside, I realized the friends I had, the close ones, the old ones, and the new ones all made me who I was.

Then, it was evolution. A level up. A "breaking out of our shell" time. Eighth Grade. This year. It was time. Time to choose ourselves. 

Melissa: We both knew that things would change this year. I finally found people whom I could call my "friends." I know it sounds cheesy and sappy, but it honestly made me happy. Humans...we weren't meant to live alone. Desperately wanting to fit in, to share our feelings with people, to share a kinship, a bond, with others - that's what makes us human. I'm kind of hard to "get to know." Like I said, I don't talk much. But I found people who understand me without me speaking, people willing to help me without me asking. And I took their outstretched hands, and I let them guide me to a path filled with confident sunlight.

Ally: Some of the many words I tend to live by are, "The two constants in life are change and growth". And I know that even as hard it is to accept it, things will inevitably change. I know this like the back of my hand and yet it's still difficult to feel okay with change. And that's alright. My friends have stuck by my side, and through trial and error I have made more friends, strengthened old friendships, and peacefully parted ways with some friends. However, I still feel like I could be more socially skilled, It's crucial to realize you are who you are and even though some people may not be pleased by the charisma techniques you have, it's important to be okay with them yourself.

So, you see, we changed. But it wasn't the end.

Friendship is an everlasting bond; it isn't a string - like some say - that can be tugged, broken, or retied. The connection between two friends isn't as pathetic or as weak as a piece of string. Friendship is like a gold rod. To have a friend is to exchange hearts - you exchange a piece of your heart for a piece of theirs under an oath that you'd guard and protect their heart with everything you have. Unless one fails to guard the other's heart or if the heart is thrown away or betrayed, the friendship between the two companions will last until death.

So, the overall meaning of this post is even as we drift in and out of different groups, our kinship as fellow writers, as fellow students, as fellow humans, and as friends will not vanish. Undoubtedly, our paths will always cross. Because we have exchanged a piece of our hearts. Because we have sworn an oath to support each other and to stand by each other until the end of time.

Make Your Own Footsteps

Society influences people. We all know it. It influences people a lot whether in a good way or a bad way. We've noticed a lot of people trying to be like everyone else while their real self slowly erodes away. Society killed the teenager - but in some ways, it could help us.

They get confused on who they really are. It’s usually more common with teenagers and young children probably because they don’t know how to act yet. They just want to be accepted into the crowd. The want to be involved and part of the group. But does being accepted really matter all that much?

There’s this one quote that we've heard. It was said by Bernard M. Baruch (picture of him above). This is what he said. “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

Be yourself because you are irreplaceable. Not a single soul on Earth can take your place and you should take pride in it, don’t hide it. Even if others may seem like they have it all, you are you, and that is special. Living a life that isn't yours isn't living a life - it’s living a lie. You can certainly look up to someone like your parents or your favorite celebrities but come up with your own designer fashion. Come up with your own thing. Your own style.

And don’t worry about liking someone else’s ideas but not being able to use them, because you must be original. Everything you present to the world has your own special touch to it. If you like it, but you don’t want to copy, make it yours.

It’s okay not to like yourself sometimes and it’s okay to have your doubts - it’s good to have confidence but no one likes a conceited jerk. But when you have your doubts, let them go quickly because you are you and you are imperfectly perfect. And that is what really matters. That you are okay with yourself.

The Gifts of Giving

"Being rich isn't about how much you have, it's about how much you give. And when you give, you'll be happier."


Hot Soup One Nation

My mother smiles I dream of a day

Her eyes smile That the world will remember

as if to encourage her mouth It is not several

a little more Independent nations

But several nations

Joined together

She wants to To form

Encourage me One Nation

You are doing good It needs hands

She says, Hands that will give

We are doing good, Hands that will share

good that others will greatly appreciate But what the world really needs

Is a heart

I force a smile A heart that will love

The park is waiting…. And love will bind us together

No matter what color

waiting for what? What religion or race, we shall

for me to do what? Become friends.

good?

If only the world

Could open its eyes

I don't care And look to see

for helping others

I want to play, play, play This totally imperfect world

Could be imperfectly perfect

By my mother says If people are willing to

giving is a good quality Give love freely and join hands

To not be afraid of

Some change

So here I am Maybe then

outside the homeless shelter This dream of mine

                                                                                              Will cease to only be a dream                                                                                              Of some naive, little girl  

My greedy breath

fogging in front of me

staining the air And so I hold my heart out to you

                                                                                                In these hands of mine

the cold winter clouds My heart that yearns for unity

roll into the sky And the first step to it

as if a wave was dawning to Accept it and try to understand it

crash When the world understands

                                                                                             Each other's hearts will connect

The hot soup

in my hand Let's shake this world

reminding me

that this bowl

one of many

will serve a purpose

as will I

in helping people.