This is the first chapter in the story after the prologue. Hopefully you guys will enjoy this too.
Chapter 1
It was dark when I woke up. Images clouded my mind. I could still see my mother, streams of black from her smeared mascara running down her cheeks. The phone crashing to the floor, my mother’s dazed look as she fumbled towards the living room. I closed my eyes trying to shut the memories of my dream away, but the pictures only became more vivid. I took a deep breath, sitting up, realizing that I was soaked. My fingers brushed against my pillow, damp. I knew I had been crying again. I looked over at the alarm clock on my night stand. 5:30, school didn’t start for three hours.
Slowly I dragged myself towards the bathroom, decided that it was impossible to go back to sleep. I turned on the faucet, grateful for the noise as I tried to shut out the sound in my head of my mother choking on open sobs. As I waited for the tub to fill I stared at myself in the mirror. My hair, plastered to my face, was practically standing on end in some spots and there were streaks of black around my eyes as I had forgotten to remove my makeup the night before.
I suddenly realized I was freezing. Every inch of my body was drenched from sweat. It was as if I had slept in a pool of water, but rather than feeling refreshed I felt grimy and sticky as if my whole body had been layered in syrup. With a shudder I walked over to the tub and stuck my hand in the water to make certain that it was hot. It was. It was like a current of electricity as the heat from the water ran from the tips of my fingers to every end of my body.
Pressing the play button on my CD player I let the sounds of rock and roll pervade my ears and remove all memories of the dream. I then shut the water off and removing my drenched and sticky PJ’s, sank with gratitude into the warm water, its welcoming embrace enveloping me.
I opened my eyes to the sound of someone knocking. With a jolt I realized I had dozed off while in the water.
“Emma? Are you in there?” I paused, realizing that it was my aunt calling me. What time was it? I wondered to myself. How long had I been in the bath?
“Just a second” I called back. I got up reaching for a towel.
“It’s almost seven thirty.” Seven thirty I thought. Two hours? I had been sitting in the tub for two hours. “I have breakfast ready. Just wanted to make sure you were up and going.”
“Yeah…I’ll be down in a second.” I ran the towel through my damp hair. I hadn’t even shampooed it yet. Oh well… too late for that. I had a half hour to get ready. Wrapping myself in the towel I went back to my room and rummaged through my drawers trying to find something suitable to wear. I settled on a pair of dark blue jeans and a brown sweater. I looked out the window; it was raining again. What a surprise? I thought to myself sarcastically. That was one of the many things I hated about living in the state of Washington. It was green and pretty yes, but it never stopped raining. I longed for the sun. I wanted to go home, California. That was where I belonged and that was where I knew I would go back some day. As soon as I hit 18, the age I would officially become my own guardian, I was out of there.
I pulled my still slightly damp hair into a messy bun and stared at my reflection. As always, this was as good as it was going to get. I hurried back to my room. 7:55, the bus would be here any minute.
“Emma?” I heard my aunt call up the stairs. “Emma. You are going to miss the bus if you don’t get down here right now.” I grabbed my school bag and ran to the stairs taking them two at a time. “There you are. Here… eat this bagel on the way out.” I grabbed the bagel and began stuffing my face. “Hurry, your cousins just walked out the door.”
“Thanks Aunt Joanie.” I said as I ran for the door. I opened the door and ran out into the on pour of rain, pulling my hood up over my head as I did so. I rounded the corner and saw my cousins ahead getting on the bus. I ran, reaching the bus just as the doors were beginning to close. They stopped, opening for me. I climbed on, at the same time getting a rather stern look from the bus driver.
“I keep my stops to exactly five minutes. Not a second longer. Got it?” I nodded and began to make my way down the aisle.
“What took you so long?” I looked over at my cousin, Britnee, the youngest of my aunt’s three daughters.
“She probably overslept…again.” The oldest, Sherice, was looking at a portable mirror, touching up her make up as she always did. Sherice was a tall blonde, quite popular among the guys at school, who delighted in dolling herself up. She always had a mirror and some extra make up with her wherever she went and had a habit of often checking herself in the mirror. She looked up for a moment, a slight smirk on her face, and then turned back, rubbing some extra blush into her cheeks.
Britnee, seeming satisfied at the answer given by her older sister, turned back to her other sister, Leanne, my Aunt Joanie’s second daughter, and began complaining about a math assignment she had forgotten to do the night previous. I continued walking and noticing my friend Alyssa waving from the back went and sat next to her.
“Hi” she said. Her brown curls bobbing slightly as she did so. “You don’t look so good. You feeling ok?”
“Hmm…? Oh yeah. I am fine, just had a long night.”
“It wasn’t another night mare was it?” I stared back at my friend wondering if I should tell her the truth. I decided against it.
“No, I just couldn’t sleep for some reason.” I knew that she was unconvinced but she turned towards the front anyway. I wanted to keep talking to her, to shut out the memories that haunted me, and yet I had no idea what to say. What could I say? I had never been strong in my ability to trust people, no matter who they were. I had learned at a very young age that people, in general, could not be trusted; eventually they would stab you in the back. Companionship had never been one of my strong suits either. I had always lived in constant fear that the people I grew close to would either disappear or do something to hurt me. Such had been the story of my life. Everyone I had ever cared about had been lost to me; and so I had stopped trusting and I had stopped caring, that is until I met Alyssa. She was my best friend in the whole world and the most likely person on the planet who could understand me or who wouldn’t be taken aback by my….gift. And yet I could not trust her, not completely…
I couldn’t think straight. It was just so loud. I put my hands up to my head trying to shut it all out. I hated being in a location with lots of people, I preferred to be on my own. I had always been that way, only at first I had never understood why.
“Are you sure you are ok?” I realized that I had been clenching my jaw, and my hands were pressing against the side of my head, my fingers moving in slow circular motions, massaging my temples. I stopped, relaxing my jaw.
“Just a slight head ache, I will be fine.” It was one of the many things I loved about my friend. Alyssa was one of the most calm, relaxed people I had ever known. I think that was what had drawn me to her in the first place. She didn’t give me a head ache the way other people did. With her I didn’t hear the buzzing, the constant rage in my head that always occurred when I was around a group of people. It was part of my “gift.” Or curse, depending on how you looked at it.
I was different, unlike any other person on the face of the whole earth; or at least as I far as I knew. I had often wondered if there were others like me. I remembered when I was little, how I had hoped, how I had dreamed that Alyssa might be another of my kind. She and only she had managed to understand me better than any other person. And so I had hoped…
But the fact is there are only about .01% of the entire world populations, people who are like me. That is if they are still alive.
“Hey, did you finish that paper for English yet?” Alyssa pulled me out of my silent reverie, the buzzing less prominent.
“No, not quite; when is it due again?”
“I think this Friday. I am not entirely sure, I hope it is Friday. I finished mine but it would be nice to have a few more days… just to tie up the loose ends.” I smiled, that was my friend Alyssa. She had always wanted to be a writer and she took every English assignment very seriously as if it were going to be published. Everything had to be perfect. She had the highest grade of anybody in English and was praised and admired by everyone in the department. I had often used her to help me on my own assignments and papers. She was the only reason I was even passing English.
“How far have you gotten on yours?” She asked innocently. We had arrived at the school. We got to our feet, some of the younger ones pushing and shoving to get to the front.
“I…uh…got a page?” I said tentatively. Another thing about Alyssa, she was very mature for her age. She acted as a mother to most, getting after us for not doing assignments or for forgetting to wash our hands before lunch or whatever else she thought we could do better. But she was a friend to everyone and people looked up to and trusted her, even some of the seniors would come to her for advice.
“A page? Come on Em. We both know you are better than that. Don’t make me come over tonight. You do realize that the assignment is due in a few days and you need at least three to four pages.” She said it as a statement not a question. I smiled at her gentle chastisement. Some would find it annoying. I enjoyed it; it was another thing to distract me from the chaos that enveloped everywhere else. She was my one chance to escape.
“Come on or we’ll be late.” I suddenly realized that I hadn’t moved. I stared at Alyssa a few feet ahead. “Are you coming?” she asked.
“Yeah, sorry I was just thinking about something.” I turned and followed, the quiet peace gone. I frowned as we headed down the hall to geometry. I hated geometry, I hated math in general but there was something about shapes and angles that made everything far worse. We entered the classroom just as the bell rang.
“Ladies, thank you for joining us. Please take your seats.” Mr. Turner gestured to the class motioning for us to sit. I walked to my seat, sitting next to Alyssa.
“Alright settle down, you’re under my watch now. Let’s not waste my time or yours, especially not mine.” It was the way Mr. Turner always began class. “Now if you will please take out your homework from yesterday.” It had begun; I laid my head down on the desk, trying to ignore the buzzing.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wisdom Teeth: Where's the Wisdom in that?
So there I was, waiting for my mouth to go numb and suddenly I had the sudden realization that I was not really in control of my situation anymore. I was afraid to move, almost afraid to even breathe for fear that I might swallow my own tongue. It was a very weird experience as I had not had my mouth numbed for quite some time. I couldn't help the thought that I wasn't the one in control anymore. There was no going back and I had no choice but to trust the dentist as he dug into my gums to retrieve the unwanted tooth. I had been worried all night before that something might go wrong. How did I know for sure that they weren't making a mistake and that the tooth was even in there? It had never bothered me before and I could feel nothing to signify that the tooth was even trying to come up. I started to doubt that it was there and I hoped and prayed that the dentist had been right and that I wouldn't have to undergo such an ordeal for no reason.
Such were my thoughts all that morning as I anticipated the inevitable. I told myself that it wouldn't be so bad, I only had one wisdom tooth and very soon it would all be over. It wasn't so bad at first, and I remember thinking after it was over, how fast it had been. I could hardly talk as half of my face was out of commission, but it was over! I bit onto the gauze as it soaked up the remains of the still oozing blood, hoping that I was biting onto that rather than my own cheek. How could I tell the difference? My cheek had no feeling.
Then the numbing started to wear off and I decided that, as annoying as it was to be numb, I would rather not feel anymore. That was when I first felt the pain of what I had just gone through and I wanted to cry. I took some medicine and held the ice pack to my cheek. How lucky I was to have only one wisdom tooth. Eventually the pain began to sooth and I was able to drink some orange juice through the left corner of my mouth.
Eventually I could actually start eating some food and I began to feel slightly better although it still hurt to move my mouth up and down. Hopefully I never have to go through that again. This will hopefully be the last time I have to tell this story...
I used to hate doctors, dentists, whatever. They were all associated with one thing, shots. Very unpleasant. I think a part of me hated going to the doctor or the dentist because I didn't really know or understand what they were going to do with me. It's just that when you do go to the doctor you sort of just have to trust that they know what they are doing. It's sort of like saying..."OK take care of me but please don't mess up. This is my body we are talking about."
Well, I am very pleased to say that everything is fine. There was definitely a tooth back there and it is now out. The dentist didn't mess up and I am great, despite a little trauma to the mouth. Or at least I hope so...
Such were my thoughts all that morning as I anticipated the inevitable. I told myself that it wouldn't be so bad, I only had one wisdom tooth and very soon it would all be over. It wasn't so bad at first, and I remember thinking after it was over, how fast it had been. I could hardly talk as half of my face was out of commission, but it was over! I bit onto the gauze as it soaked up the remains of the still oozing blood, hoping that I was biting onto that rather than my own cheek. How could I tell the difference? My cheek had no feeling.
Then the numbing started to wear off and I decided that, as annoying as it was to be numb, I would rather not feel anymore. That was when I first felt the pain of what I had just gone through and I wanted to cry. I took some medicine and held the ice pack to my cheek. How lucky I was to have only one wisdom tooth. Eventually the pain began to sooth and I was able to drink some orange juice through the left corner of my mouth.
Eventually I could actually start eating some food and I began to feel slightly better although it still hurt to move my mouth up and down. Hopefully I never have to go through that again. This will hopefully be the last time I have to tell this story...
I used to hate doctors, dentists, whatever. They were all associated with one thing, shots. Very unpleasant. I think a part of me hated going to the doctor or the dentist because I didn't really know or understand what they were going to do with me. It's just that when you do go to the doctor you sort of just have to trust that they know what they are doing. It's sort of like saying..."OK take care of me but please don't mess up. This is my body we are talking about."
Well, I am very pleased to say that everything is fine. There was definitely a tooth back there and it is now out. The dentist didn't mess up and I am great, despite a little trauma to the mouth. Or at least I hope so...
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Is this any good?
OK so I am working on starting a book, so far I have the prologue. I would appreciate any comments that you might have on whether or not it grabs the attention and if you felt like it was worth reading. Thanks :)
Prologue
The sun shone down, baking the city of Las Angeles with its heated rays. The hustle and bustle of the large city had quieted in the late, July afternoon, as the temperature had reached a scorching 115 degrees. A large granite building occupied a good portion of the street, its 100 foot walls towering to the sky, casting a large shadow in all directions. In front of the building lay a large square. In the exact center of the square was a fountain; the gurgling water the only sound that disrupted the still afternoon. A large arch encased the glass doors at the entrance. The label on the façade of the building, lining the arch, read in gold lettering: Harrington Enterprises.
A single man stood in front of the square. The man’s face was weather beaten and worn with age. He wore a dark blue suit, his shoes polished with care as if they were brand new. He turned his eyes, squinting, to look at the sun, mopping the back of his neck with a handkerchief as he did so. Sweat beaded down the man’s face in large drops as he anticipated the task ahead. He was used to the scorching heat having been born and raised in LA. On any other day he would hardly have noticed the temperature; but today was different, and he couldn’t help the nervous knot that was beginning to tie up his stomach. Pulling the handkerchief out once again he wiped his face and licked his dry lips turning to face the doors on the opposite end of the square. Taking a deep breath he walked toward the doors pulling from the back of his trousers a shiny revolver.
Prologue
The sun shone down, baking the city of Las Angeles with its heated rays. The hustle and bustle of the large city had quieted in the late, July afternoon, as the temperature had reached a scorching 115 degrees. A large granite building occupied a good portion of the street, its 100 foot walls towering to the sky, casting a large shadow in all directions. In front of the building lay a large square. In the exact center of the square was a fountain; the gurgling water the only sound that disrupted the still afternoon. A large arch encased the glass doors at the entrance. The label on the façade of the building, lining the arch, read in gold lettering: Harrington Enterprises.
A single man stood in front of the square. The man’s face was weather beaten and worn with age. He wore a dark blue suit, his shoes polished with care as if they were brand new. He turned his eyes, squinting, to look at the sun, mopping the back of his neck with a handkerchief as he did so. Sweat beaded down the man’s face in large drops as he anticipated the task ahead. He was used to the scorching heat having been born and raised in LA. On any other day he would hardly have noticed the temperature; but today was different, and he couldn’t help the nervous knot that was beginning to tie up his stomach. Pulling the handkerchief out once again he wiped his face and licked his dry lips turning to face the doors on the opposite end of the square. Taking a deep breath he walked toward the doors pulling from the back of his trousers a shiny revolver.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Is English just about Grammar?
An interesting point was brought up in a discussion that I read on face book. One individual seemed to think that English was all about grammar and vocabulary and nothing else. He basically said that it's ok to read books that are not grammatically correct as long as it's not for an English class. What?... Ok slow down and back up. Who says that literature that doesn't have perfect grammar and big words is not worth anything in the English classroom? What about the style of writing? Since when did English become all about structure? What happened to expressing yourself and learning to see the way others express themselves? In my English class, my senior year of high school we focused primarily on reading different pieces of literature and then analyzing those works. We did occasionally focus on expanding the vocabulary and learning the correct grammar because that part is just as important, but it is not all of it.
My favorite part about English is being able to write and express myself. Part of that love came from reading and seeing how other people expressed themselves. I know that writing is not for everyone but at least for me, it sparked something that made me want to be a writer. I had a voice and I wanted to share it. I am sharing it right now and nothing gives me greater pleasure.
I am not saying that grammar is useless and should be thrown at the window. I don't think it should. Grammar is essential to making a writer sound credible. However I don't feel that English should be all about grammar. If the only reason we read in English is to better our grammatical skills and anything else is out, then I think there is a slight problem. You can accomplish just as much for an English class with reading and analyzing a person's voice and opinion as you can memorizing rules and structure.
My favorite part about English is being able to write and express myself. Part of that love came from reading and seeing how other people expressed themselves. I know that writing is not for everyone but at least for me, it sparked something that made me want to be a writer. I had a voice and I wanted to share it. I am sharing it right now and nothing gives me greater pleasure.
I am not saying that grammar is useless and should be thrown at the window. I don't think it should. Grammar is essential to making a writer sound credible. However I don't feel that English should be all about grammar. If the only reason we read in English is to better our grammatical skills and anything else is out, then I think there is a slight problem. You can accomplish just as much for an English class with reading and analyzing a person's voice and opinion as you can memorizing rules and structure.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
I don't know what to write about
Well that's weird, I usually always have an idea of what I want to write on. Writing for me is a way to express what I feel inwardly. I usually write the best when I am the most sentimental about something, or at least when I feel the most on that specific subject. Right now I don't know what to say. This entire week has been one of those weeks where you feel so unproductive and so lazy. I feel like a movie junkie.
It's like I am sitting here waiting for my life to get started. When that will happen I have no idea. If you can't tell, I am being slightly sarcastic. I am very good at that. Ask any of my friends and they will tell you it's true. Actually they might just answer you back with sarcasm themselves. So that's where I get it. Hmm...
It's like my mom has always told me, vacations are good but eventually you have to get back on track. I want to get back on track, it's just a question of whether or not I choose to stop being lazy.
The problem is this, I often wait for circumstances to dictate whether or not I should work hard or just sit around. I keep telling myself that things will get better when I start work next week. Hmm... we'll see about that.
I have talked about this before. I just wrote a wonderful paper on how the mind can work to benefit the human body and that people have the ability to control and monitor the mind. I know very well that I can choose right now to get up off my butt and go do something. But will I? Why is it so hard for human beings to be happy? I mean that in the sense that we have such a hard time choosing to be happy and I will tell you right now that life was not meant to be absolute bliss. If we choose to let circumstance dictate our happiness then we are going to be miserable forever.
Sad as it is that's the way it will be. There's a reason God gave us free agency, the ability to choose. And there is a reason he gives us trials. Wouldn't you know it? Those things go hand in hand. Go figure. You can tie in everything if you really want to. He gives us trials so that we can choose to be happy.
There I have said it. I suppose that is the topic of what I am writing on today. Ok now to make myself feel slightly better, there will be hard times. There always are, but there are good times too and I think that when I remember the good and happy times I can be happy even when I am laying in bed wondering what to do with myself.
So maybe I will be more inventive next time. I know that this topic is the underlying theme in all of my blog posts so far. I would ask my readers to forgive me for that but know that maybe this is something I need to understand better.
It's like I am sitting here waiting for my life to get started. When that will happen I have no idea. If you can't tell, I am being slightly sarcastic. I am very good at that. Ask any of my friends and they will tell you it's true. Actually they might just answer you back with sarcasm themselves. So that's where I get it. Hmm...
It's like my mom has always told me, vacations are good but eventually you have to get back on track. I want to get back on track, it's just a question of whether or not I choose to stop being lazy.
The problem is this, I often wait for circumstances to dictate whether or not I should work hard or just sit around. I keep telling myself that things will get better when I start work next week. Hmm... we'll see about that.
I have talked about this before. I just wrote a wonderful paper on how the mind can work to benefit the human body and that people have the ability to control and monitor the mind. I know very well that I can choose right now to get up off my butt and go do something. But will I? Why is it so hard for human beings to be happy? I mean that in the sense that we have such a hard time choosing to be happy and I will tell you right now that life was not meant to be absolute bliss. If we choose to let circumstance dictate our happiness then we are going to be miserable forever.
Sad as it is that's the way it will be. There's a reason God gave us free agency, the ability to choose. And there is a reason he gives us trials. Wouldn't you know it? Those things go hand in hand. Go figure. You can tie in everything if you really want to. He gives us trials so that we can choose to be happy.
There I have said it. I suppose that is the topic of what I am writing on today. Ok now to make myself feel slightly better, there will be hard times. There always are, but there are good times too and I think that when I remember the good and happy times I can be happy even when I am laying in bed wondering what to do with myself.
So maybe I will be more inventive next time. I know that this topic is the underlying theme in all of my blog posts so far. I would ask my readers to forgive me for that but know that maybe this is something I need to understand better.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Positive Thinking- Actual facts to support what I have believed in all along.
Thinking Positive
Human beings have always had the ability and the need to work and be industrious. As a species they are naturally inclined to want to accomplish something of worth, not only because it says something about their character but also because it is necessary for them to succeed in this highly competitive world. Because human beings have a natural desire to live in good situations, it is necessary for them to be surrounded by those things that are positive and uplifting. Individuals have the ability to affect their mental and physical well being with the way they perceive and react to different circumstances, as well as through their natural ability to accomplish more good by harnessing the mind’s power to generate a positive attitude.
Recent studies on the brain have shown that the human body feels and responds in a way that relates with what the mind is thinking. Researchers at Wake Forest University have discovered that the mind has the power to relieve pain. A study was done in which the researchers observed ten volunteers, each having a heat simulator applied to their legs, at the same time having their brains scanned to visualize the brain activity of each individual. Each volunteer was taught to anticipate different amounts of pain, whether mild or severe based on a signal given before each stimulus of pain from the heat simulator. On some of the severe stimuli, incorrect signals were given so as to make the subjects anticipate less pain than they would actually receive. On these occasions, each of the ten volunteers said that the pain was less because they had expected less pain (Daily Good, Positive Thinking a Pain Reliever). Pain, like all other responses of the body comes from the brain. The brain sends a signal to the nervous system and the response is a feeling of pain. These reactions are simply the brain responding to an outside force. What many people do not fully understand is the extensive power of the mind to control how the body reacts to certain things; even the physical wellness of the human body can be affected by the thought process of the human brain.
Although some experts doubt the ability of the brain to affect the immune system directly, many studies have shown otherwise. Recent studies have proven that people who maintain a high level of stress or depression are more likely to be susceptible to heart disease and have a higher chance of getting a cold or the flu (Goode, “Positive Thinking may have a Health Benefit, Study Says”). Naturally when a person is stressed about something, they become focused on that one thing, allowing it to consume them. In effect, not only does their outlook on other aspects of their life turn negative but it also affects their physical wellness when they allow themselves to become so wrapped up in a single problem.
People, who choose to be happy with life and to focus on the positive things that surround them, are more likely to be healthy and less prone to illness. The same goes for people who are exposed to positive things. A study done at the University of Wisconsin showed that people who experience negative emotions demonstrate a weaker immune response. They asserted that the greater the electrical activity in the right prefrontal cortex of the brain the more weak a person’s immune response was going to be. On the other hand, activity in the left prefrontal cortex predicted a stronger immune response. Dr. Davidson, one of the researchers at the university had found in a previous study that the regions of the right prefrontal cortex are active during those times when a person feels emotions of anger, fear or sadness. The regions of the left were more active when associated with positive emotions, such as enthusiasm or excitement (Goode, Positive Thinking may have a health Benefit, Study Says).
Because positive thinking can lead to such positive results, it is important and necessary that the human race experience good things that uplift the mind to think in positive terms. When a human being experiences positive emotions it changes them inwardly. The results can be astounding when a human being experiences this change that comes from exposure to good and uplifting things.
Doctor Masaru Emoto demonstrates this by experimenting with water. In his experiment he took bottles of water and exposed them to different words or phrases as well as to different pieces of music. He then photographed the resulting crystals that were created when the water was frozen. His first experiment was with music. By placing a bottle of water between two stereo speakers Emoto was able to create various crystals, based on the type of music that the water was exposed to. He stated:
The results astounded us. Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, with its bright and clear tones, resulted in beautiful and well formed crystals. Mozart’s 40th symphony, a graceful prayer to beauty, created crystals that were delicate and elegant… All the classical music that we exposed the water to resulted in well formed crystals with distinct characteristics. In contrast, the water exposed to violent heavy metal music resulted in fragmented and malformed crystals at best. (Emoto xxiv)
Next, Emoto experimented with words by taping a piece of paper, with words written on it such as thank you or fool, around the bottle with the words facing inward. Of this experiment he wrote: “The results of the experiments didn’t disappoint us. Water exposed to “Thank you” formed beautiful hexagonal crystals, but water exposed to the word “Fool” produced crystals similar to the water exposed to heavy metal music, malformed and fragmented” (Emoto xxv).
From these experiments Emoto gathered that if water responds in such a positive way to good and uplifting things then why not a human respond in a similar way? He goes on to explain that the human body is made up of 70 % water and because of this the human body is just as much susceptible to reacting in the way that the bottles of water did, when exposed to different types of music and different words. Emoto states that throughout a human’s life they exist mostly as water, resulting in the fact that they are more likely to respond to an experiment of this nature, because it applies to each human being as they exist (Emoto xv). Emoto illustrates that the water in the human body physically changes when a person is exposed to positive and beautiful music, pictures, words or experiences. He asserts that people responded to his book with such enthusiasm because when they saw the pictures of the crystals, the water inside of them physically changed and responded to the photographs (Emoto 133).
The change in a person who chooses to respond to what life throws at them, in a positive way not only undergoes a change within themselves but they also experience a change on the outside. People notice the difference in someone who is happy vs. someone who is pessimistic in life. What people don’t realize is that they are seeing an actual physical, outward change. It’s not just in how the person acts or speaks, but there is a certain glow about them. When other people look at these types of individuals they, without realizing it, notice that there is certain brightness about those people who choose to perceive the world at its best.
Naturally the mind is a fascinating instrument that, if used properly and indefinitely, can accomplish anything. The mind is at the core of the body, and it has the power to control all of reality, within the mind sphere of an individual. People are what they believe themselves to be. If they believe that they are inferior and limited in their capabilities, then they are. If they believe they are limitless then it’s true, they can do anything.
A study done in 1989 on free throw shooting in basketball illustrated this concept. Various members of a basketball team were separated into three different groups. One of the groups was told to practice every day for twenty minutes, another group was told not to practice at all, while the final group was told to spend twenty minutes each day imagining themselves making every free throw. Of the three groups, the ones who did not practice didn’t improve at all, those who did practice improved their shots 24% while those who imagined themselves succeeding at each shot improved by 23% (Richardson 109).
This study shows the great power of the mind, in its ability to control how individuals perceive the reality that is around them. Because the players believed or imagined themselves succeeding at making every shot they improved by 23 %; simply because they imagined themselves being able to do it.
From personal experience, my parents have always stressed to me and my four younger siblings a vital truth, in that we as human beings are what we tell ourselves to be. I remember several occasions when I struggled to work on a math assignment, discouragement threatening to overwhelm me. My mother would sit at my side, encouraging me to move forward. I would reply in despair “I can’t do this.” My mother would always respond with a gentle but firm “if you tell yourself that you can’t, it’s true, you can’t do this assignment.”
I have since learned my capacity to accomplish anything that I set my mind to. Experiences such as running a race to the end or struggling with a specific fingering in a concerto that I am learning on my violin have all taught me to persevere. In the end I always find myself moving one step further as I accomplish task after task, simply by telling myself that I can, even when I feel as if I have no strength left to finish.
Author Jeff Gee suggests that a positive outlook on life is the basis for leading a successful life. He says: “If we have a great attitude about life, we can handle virtually anything that life throws at us… Sure life can be stressful… but if you decide that you are an amazing human being who can do anything, then the traffic, the weather, and your work won’t bother you (Gee qtd. in The Power of Positive Thought).
Having a positive outlook on life can enable a person to do anything that they want to do. As long as a person has the desire to succeed in life and has a positive attitude about it, they will find themselves with the ability to harness the mind’s power to create an existence in which they themselves are the ones who will determine their reality.
Works Cited
DailyGood. 5 September 2005. 10 December 2009.
Emoto, Masaur. The Hidden Messages in Water. Hillsboro: Beyond Words Publishing, 2004.
Goode, Erica. The New York Times. 2 September 2003. 9 December 2009.
Nealy, Michelle J. "Encylopedia Britannica." November 2006. Britannica. 10 December 2009.
Richardson, Brent. Working with Challenging Youth: Lessons Learned Along the Way. Philadelphia: Taylor & Francis, 2001.
Human beings have always had the ability and the need to work and be industrious. As a species they are naturally inclined to want to accomplish something of worth, not only because it says something about their character but also because it is necessary for them to succeed in this highly competitive world. Because human beings have a natural desire to live in good situations, it is necessary for them to be surrounded by those things that are positive and uplifting. Individuals have the ability to affect their mental and physical well being with the way they perceive and react to different circumstances, as well as through their natural ability to accomplish more good by harnessing the mind’s power to generate a positive attitude.
Recent studies on the brain have shown that the human body feels and responds in a way that relates with what the mind is thinking. Researchers at Wake Forest University have discovered that the mind has the power to relieve pain. A study was done in which the researchers observed ten volunteers, each having a heat simulator applied to their legs, at the same time having their brains scanned to visualize the brain activity of each individual. Each volunteer was taught to anticipate different amounts of pain, whether mild or severe based on a signal given before each stimulus of pain from the heat simulator. On some of the severe stimuli, incorrect signals were given so as to make the subjects anticipate less pain than they would actually receive. On these occasions, each of the ten volunteers said that the pain was less because they had expected less pain (Daily Good, Positive Thinking a Pain Reliever). Pain, like all other responses of the body comes from the brain. The brain sends a signal to the nervous system and the response is a feeling of pain. These reactions are simply the brain responding to an outside force. What many people do not fully understand is the extensive power of the mind to control how the body reacts to certain things; even the physical wellness of the human body can be affected by the thought process of the human brain.
Although some experts doubt the ability of the brain to affect the immune system directly, many studies have shown otherwise. Recent studies have proven that people who maintain a high level of stress or depression are more likely to be susceptible to heart disease and have a higher chance of getting a cold or the flu (Goode, “Positive Thinking may have a Health Benefit, Study Says”). Naturally when a person is stressed about something, they become focused on that one thing, allowing it to consume them. In effect, not only does their outlook on other aspects of their life turn negative but it also affects their physical wellness when they allow themselves to become so wrapped up in a single problem.
People, who choose to be happy with life and to focus on the positive things that surround them, are more likely to be healthy and less prone to illness. The same goes for people who are exposed to positive things. A study done at the University of Wisconsin showed that people who experience negative emotions demonstrate a weaker immune response. They asserted that the greater the electrical activity in the right prefrontal cortex of the brain the more weak a person’s immune response was going to be. On the other hand, activity in the left prefrontal cortex predicted a stronger immune response. Dr. Davidson, one of the researchers at the university had found in a previous study that the regions of the right prefrontal cortex are active during those times when a person feels emotions of anger, fear or sadness. The regions of the left were more active when associated with positive emotions, such as enthusiasm or excitement (Goode, Positive Thinking may have a health Benefit, Study Says).
Because positive thinking can lead to such positive results, it is important and necessary that the human race experience good things that uplift the mind to think in positive terms. When a human being experiences positive emotions it changes them inwardly. The results can be astounding when a human being experiences this change that comes from exposure to good and uplifting things.
Doctor Masaru Emoto demonstrates this by experimenting with water. In his experiment he took bottles of water and exposed them to different words or phrases as well as to different pieces of music. He then photographed the resulting crystals that were created when the water was frozen. His first experiment was with music. By placing a bottle of water between two stereo speakers Emoto was able to create various crystals, based on the type of music that the water was exposed to. He stated:
The results astounded us. Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, with its bright and clear tones, resulted in beautiful and well formed crystals. Mozart’s 40th symphony, a graceful prayer to beauty, created crystals that were delicate and elegant… All the classical music that we exposed the water to resulted in well formed crystals with distinct characteristics. In contrast, the water exposed to violent heavy metal music resulted in fragmented and malformed crystals at best. (Emoto xxiv)
Next, Emoto experimented with words by taping a piece of paper, with words written on it such as thank you or fool, around the bottle with the words facing inward. Of this experiment he wrote: “The results of the experiments didn’t disappoint us. Water exposed to “Thank you” formed beautiful hexagonal crystals, but water exposed to the word “Fool” produced crystals similar to the water exposed to heavy metal music, malformed and fragmented” (Emoto xxv).
From these experiments Emoto gathered that if water responds in such a positive way to good and uplifting things then why not a human respond in a similar way? He goes on to explain that the human body is made up of 70 % water and because of this the human body is just as much susceptible to reacting in the way that the bottles of water did, when exposed to different types of music and different words. Emoto states that throughout a human’s life they exist mostly as water, resulting in the fact that they are more likely to respond to an experiment of this nature, because it applies to each human being as they exist (Emoto xv). Emoto illustrates that the water in the human body physically changes when a person is exposed to positive and beautiful music, pictures, words or experiences. He asserts that people responded to his book with such enthusiasm because when they saw the pictures of the crystals, the water inside of them physically changed and responded to the photographs (Emoto 133).
The change in a person who chooses to respond to what life throws at them, in a positive way not only undergoes a change within themselves but they also experience a change on the outside. People notice the difference in someone who is happy vs. someone who is pessimistic in life. What people don’t realize is that they are seeing an actual physical, outward change. It’s not just in how the person acts or speaks, but there is a certain glow about them. When other people look at these types of individuals they, without realizing it, notice that there is certain brightness about those people who choose to perceive the world at its best.
Naturally the mind is a fascinating instrument that, if used properly and indefinitely, can accomplish anything. The mind is at the core of the body, and it has the power to control all of reality, within the mind sphere of an individual. People are what they believe themselves to be. If they believe that they are inferior and limited in their capabilities, then they are. If they believe they are limitless then it’s true, they can do anything.
A study done in 1989 on free throw shooting in basketball illustrated this concept. Various members of a basketball team were separated into three different groups. One of the groups was told to practice every day for twenty minutes, another group was told not to practice at all, while the final group was told to spend twenty minutes each day imagining themselves making every free throw. Of the three groups, the ones who did not practice didn’t improve at all, those who did practice improved their shots 24% while those who imagined themselves succeeding at each shot improved by 23% (Richardson 109).
This study shows the great power of the mind, in its ability to control how individuals perceive the reality that is around them. Because the players believed or imagined themselves succeeding at making every shot they improved by 23 %; simply because they imagined themselves being able to do it.
From personal experience, my parents have always stressed to me and my four younger siblings a vital truth, in that we as human beings are what we tell ourselves to be. I remember several occasions when I struggled to work on a math assignment, discouragement threatening to overwhelm me. My mother would sit at my side, encouraging me to move forward. I would reply in despair “I can’t do this.” My mother would always respond with a gentle but firm “if you tell yourself that you can’t, it’s true, you can’t do this assignment.”
I have since learned my capacity to accomplish anything that I set my mind to. Experiences such as running a race to the end or struggling with a specific fingering in a concerto that I am learning on my violin have all taught me to persevere. In the end I always find myself moving one step further as I accomplish task after task, simply by telling myself that I can, even when I feel as if I have no strength left to finish.
Author Jeff Gee suggests that a positive outlook on life is the basis for leading a successful life. He says: “If we have a great attitude about life, we can handle virtually anything that life throws at us… Sure life can be stressful… but if you decide that you are an amazing human being who can do anything, then the traffic, the weather, and your work won’t bother you (Gee qtd. in The Power of Positive Thought).
Having a positive outlook on life can enable a person to do anything that they want to do. As long as a person has the desire to succeed in life and has a positive attitude about it, they will find themselves with the ability to harness the mind’s power to create an existence in which they themselves are the ones who will determine their reality.
Works Cited
DailyGood. 5 September 2005. 10 December 2009
Emoto, Masaur. The Hidden Messages in Water. Hillsboro: Beyond Words Publishing, 2004.
Goode, Erica. The New York Times. 2 September 2003. 9 December 2009
Nealy, Michelle J. "Encylopedia Britannica." November 2006. Britannica. 10 December 2009
Richardson, Brent. Working with Challenging Youth: Lessons Learned Along the Way. Philadelphia: Taylor & Francis, 2001.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Homesick....?
If you think about it we are all strangers to this planet. This is simply not our home. We were created by our Heavenly Father in the pre-mortal existence and he is in very deed our Father. We all know or at least have felt that feeling of homesickness, at being away from that which is familiar, that which we call home.
As a teenager, each summer I had the opportunity to travel away from my home and family, on tours all over the United States as well as into Mexico and Canada with a community choir that I was in. I remember the very first tour that I went on; we went to Mexico the summer that I turned 12 years old. I traveled alone without the company of my parents, and being that I am the oldest in my family I had no older siblings to go with me.
At this point in my life I was too young and adventurous to really miss home while on this trip. I rarely gave home a second thought. But as time went on and I began to get older, I started to miss my home, my friends and my wonderful mother more and more. I began to realize my first feelings of homesickness, a new and unplanned emotion that began to entangle itself in the pit of my stomach. I was unsure how to deal with it. All I knew was that I wanted my mother and I wanted to be home where I felt loved, safe and secure.
I am willing to bet that everyone has felt this emotion at one time or another in their lives. I have felt it most recently coming up to BYU Idaho to begin my college career. We are all searching for a way to fit in, a place where we belong and that feeling of security.
Despite how much some may choose to believe otherwise, there is a reason we do not always feel at home on this strange planet. It's because it is not our home. We are just travelers passing through this frail existence seeking to find our way back to Heaven, our home. We are fighting waves of homesickness everyday as we long for the comfort of a loving Heavenly Parent, familiarity, and a sense that we finally belong somewhere.
An interesting point was brought up in Sacrament Meeting today. The speaker was talking about our reasons for going to Church, reading the scriptures and praying. Why do we do these things and why do we feel so good, so refreshed when we do these things? He said that a companion of his on his mission explained this to him by simply saying that it is because we miss our Father in Heaven. Simple as that sounds, it really struck me as I realized the reality of the statement. I did miss my father in Heaven.
We may be away from our homes for a little while, studying abroad or whatever you want to call it. But no matter how far away from our Father in Heaven we are, we still long to be with him, to talk to him and to feel and experience some familiarity while we are away from our home for a time. Church, the scriptures, prayer, these are just some of the ways in which we do this.
I remember talking to my mom a short time ago and telling her my reasons for going to church. I told her that with all the things I am dealing with in my life right now, I could not handle not going to church. I cannot afford to not go. It is one of the things in my life that keeps me going rather than letting my "homesickness" grief, despair or whatever overwhelm me and drag me down.
It was with great clarity that I realized, as the speaker talked about this, that I do miss my Heavenly Father and I miss home. I get homesick all the time, even when I don't realize that I do. But, when I do go to church I feel a sort of relief almost like when I go home to see my mortal, earthly family on a weekend. When I am at church with other people who are striving for and living similar standards as I am, with the same goals in mind, I feel at peace like I belong somewhere, and suddenly I don't feel so homesick anymore. I am home.
As a teenager, each summer I had the opportunity to travel away from my home and family, on tours all over the United States as well as into Mexico and Canada with a community choir that I was in. I remember the very first tour that I went on; we went to Mexico the summer that I turned 12 years old. I traveled alone without the company of my parents, and being that I am the oldest in my family I had no older siblings to go with me.
At this point in my life I was too young and adventurous to really miss home while on this trip. I rarely gave home a second thought. But as time went on and I began to get older, I started to miss my home, my friends and my wonderful mother more and more. I began to realize my first feelings of homesickness, a new and unplanned emotion that began to entangle itself in the pit of my stomach. I was unsure how to deal with it. All I knew was that I wanted my mother and I wanted to be home where I felt loved, safe and secure.
I am willing to bet that everyone has felt this emotion at one time or another in their lives. I have felt it most recently coming up to BYU Idaho to begin my college career. We are all searching for a way to fit in, a place where we belong and that feeling of security.
Despite how much some may choose to believe otherwise, there is a reason we do not always feel at home on this strange planet. It's because it is not our home. We are just travelers passing through this frail existence seeking to find our way back to Heaven, our home. We are fighting waves of homesickness everyday as we long for the comfort of a loving Heavenly Parent, familiarity, and a sense that we finally belong somewhere.
An interesting point was brought up in Sacrament Meeting today. The speaker was talking about our reasons for going to Church, reading the scriptures and praying. Why do we do these things and why do we feel so good, so refreshed when we do these things? He said that a companion of his on his mission explained this to him by simply saying that it is because we miss our Father in Heaven. Simple as that sounds, it really struck me as I realized the reality of the statement. I did miss my father in Heaven.
We may be away from our homes for a little while, studying abroad or whatever you want to call it. But no matter how far away from our Father in Heaven we are, we still long to be with him, to talk to him and to feel and experience some familiarity while we are away from our home for a time. Church, the scriptures, prayer, these are just some of the ways in which we do this.
I remember talking to my mom a short time ago and telling her my reasons for going to church. I told her that with all the things I am dealing with in my life right now, I could not handle not going to church. I cannot afford to not go. It is one of the things in my life that keeps me going rather than letting my "homesickness" grief, despair or whatever overwhelm me and drag me down.
It was with great clarity that I realized, as the speaker talked about this, that I do miss my Heavenly Father and I miss home. I get homesick all the time, even when I don't realize that I do. But, when I do go to church I feel a sort of relief almost like when I go home to see my mortal, earthly family on a weekend. When I am at church with other people who are striving for and living similar standards as I am, with the same goals in mind, I feel at peace like I belong somewhere, and suddenly I don't feel so homesick anymore. I am home.
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