May 28 may be a normal date for many people and not have a meaning at all. For Armenians, it is a day of our independence and for the students in our school, it is another day off. Though for me, it lost those two meanings two years ago. I was excited and happy to not have school for a day, but had to spend the day at my aunt's house. While working on my English project next to her, the next phone call she would take was not anything we would have expected. It could have been anyone and if only it was. As my aunt picked up her telephone, I watched several emotions cross her face. They ranged from confusion, worry, sadness, devastation, to being completely hopeless. Tears welled up in her eyes and continued to spill as she continued to talk on the phone, while my sister and I worriedly waited to hear what was happening. After what felt like hours, we impatiently had asked what happened and tried to calm her down. Apparently, her doctor had told her that she had cancer. Shock and grief were the only emotions that I felt at that moment. Knowing that I may lose my aunt and my second mother who had raised me since I was born, spread worry in me. Even when I tried to be strong for her and provide her support with my cousin and sister, you could still see the intense fear in her eyes. Of course, she thought that this was it for her, that the cancer would take over her body as it did with millions of people, and that she would soon die. Though the only thought that kept crossing my mind was why. Why did this innocent, caring, and forgiving woman who loved to help everyone had to have a disease inside her body that could easily take her away and kill her any day? She tried to forget about the cancer as family members visited her to offer support and love, but we all knew that we may not be that lucky as others had been with their own cases.
This day made me realize how precious life really is and to truly appreciate it. Anyone could be easily taken away from you and you may not have another chance to see them or to tell them how much you really love them. It made me look at life in a different perspective because I got to see the more important things in life, which at that moment to me was my family. I learned to not take anything or anyone for granted because if you do not appreciate them enough you will never realize how important they were to you until they are gone.
As the days passed by, my aunt learned to accept that she had cancer and turned to God for strength. The doctors helped her get better and soon the cancer had left her body. I was proud to tell others that my aunt was a cancer survivor and it warmed my heart to know that she was healthy and happy again. My aunt continued to look for God in every problem she had and I began to do the same. God had listened to my aunt's prayers and made her life longer, making me realize that He will always be there for you if you are in need. Of course, it was all too good to be true. The cancer had come back in my aunt's body and took her away from my family and me last November. From the day of May 28, 2010 to November 26, 2011 I had learned a lot about life from this experience. It can end as quickly as it had started, therefore appreciate everyone and everything around you because they will not be around forever.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Dumping a Baby
-"Mother who dumped baby in O.C. restaurant trash bin gets 15 years" by Rick Rojas
- Published on November 9, 2012
- The Los Angeles Times
- http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/11/mother-sentenced-killing-baby.html
On December 22, 2009 a baby girl was born to grow and have her own life. However, that idea and purpose was vanished once her own mother had killed her. When women give birth, it is usually in a hospital, where the baby can be treated right after it is born and can be in a safe environment. Except, how can that happen, when a mother could care less about her own baby that only got to live no more than half an hour? It is not usual and it is not an innocent act for a mother to suffocate, kill, and throw away her own baby as if it is an object. Juana Perez Valencia was only nineteen when she gave birth to her daughter in her workplace, a Mexican restaurant's restroom. The day after giving birth, Valencia was treated at the Anaheim Hospital and lied saying that she had fallen instead of given birth. After being contacted by the hospital, sheriffs from the Orange County Department had later on found the baby in the back of the restaurant's garbage bin. Two years later, Valencia is found guilty with murder and child assault with fifteen years in jail. Valencia's punishment is not surprising to me. She deserves every bit of it and more than what she got for hurting her innocent baby, who never got the chance to live.
- Published on November 9, 2012
- The Los Angeles Times
- http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/11/mother-sentenced-killing-baby.html
On December 22, 2009 a baby girl was born to grow and have her own life. However, that idea and purpose was vanished once her own mother had killed her. When women give birth, it is usually in a hospital, where the baby can be treated right after it is born and can be in a safe environment. Except, how can that happen, when a mother could care less about her own baby that only got to live no more than half an hour? It is not usual and it is not an innocent act for a mother to suffocate, kill, and throw away her own baby as if it is an object. Juana Perez Valencia was only nineteen when she gave birth to her daughter in her workplace, a Mexican restaurant's restroom. The day after giving birth, Valencia was treated at the Anaheim Hospital and lied saying that she had fallen instead of given birth. After being contacted by the hospital, sheriffs from the Orange County Department had later on found the baby in the back of the restaurant's garbage bin. Two years later, Valencia is found guilty with murder and child assault with fifteen years in jail. Valencia's punishment is not surprising to me. She deserves every bit of it and more than what she got for hurting her innocent baby, who never got the chance to live.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Three Virtues
Benjamin Franklin's thirteen virtues each have their own message and explanation, as to how it can help us have or live a better life. While Benjamin Franklin tried to do all thirteen virtues, I picked three: temperance, sincerity, and tranquility. Temperance means to not excessively drink or eat, or to overindulge yourself with food or alcohol. Sincerity is to be nice and truthful; if you have nothing nice to say, then do not say it at all. Lastly, tranquility means to be peaceful. I picked these three because they each play a role in my life, which I can make better with these three virtues.
I picked temperance so I can stop indulging myself with sweets and snacks, and maybe try to manage my eating habit. At often times, I tend to be blunt about something and say it to the person using sarcasm. I realized that was one thing I would have to change, sincerity, because I would not want to hurt someone's feelings and have them feeling bad. I do not have a lot of patience when I am trying to hold in my anger. This is why I picked tranquility, to manage my anger and try to be calm.
For temperance, I was successful. Like I stated before, I had chosen temperance to stop indulging myself and to manage what I take in. I was successful because I watched what I ate and managed to not eat anything that would be extra to me, when I was already full. I tried my best to avoid my cravings and realized that I did not need any of the fattening foods that I was craving. Though, I was not as successful with tranquility as I was with temperance. As much as I tried to stay calm, I still felt annoyance or anger towards someone because of their actions. Even if it was going to happen anyways and just make me feel worse, I still felt annoyed and angry, leading me into not being able to change these vices. However, I was successful with sincerity. Instead of being blunt and saying rude comments with the use of sarcasm, I decided to stay quiet about it and not say anything at all. The person most likely did not need to hear it and it would not make me a better person either. I realized that I would not want someone to treat me the way that I would treat others with my bluntness and chose to avoid commenting on anything that seemed too immature. Basically, I did not want to hurt anyone's feelings and did not say anything rude to the person, so they can stay happy as they were.
During these three days, these three virtues taught me that I needed to have a better personality, change my eating habits, and control my anger. Even if some did not work out, I tried my best for all of the virtues. In order for me to live a better life, I hope to one day change these virtues.
I picked temperance so I can stop indulging myself with sweets and snacks, and maybe try to manage my eating habit. At often times, I tend to be blunt about something and say it to the person using sarcasm. I realized that was one thing I would have to change, sincerity, because I would not want to hurt someone's feelings and have them feeling bad. I do not have a lot of patience when I am trying to hold in my anger. This is why I picked tranquility, to manage my anger and try to be calm.
For temperance, I was successful. Like I stated before, I had chosen temperance to stop indulging myself and to manage what I take in. I was successful because I watched what I ate and managed to not eat anything that would be extra to me, when I was already full. I tried my best to avoid my cravings and realized that I did not need any of the fattening foods that I was craving. Though, I was not as successful with tranquility as I was with temperance. As much as I tried to stay calm, I still felt annoyance or anger towards someone because of their actions. Even if it was going to happen anyways and just make me feel worse, I still felt annoyed and angry, leading me into not being able to change these vices. However, I was successful with sincerity. Instead of being blunt and saying rude comments with the use of sarcasm, I decided to stay quiet about it and not say anything at all. The person most likely did not need to hear it and it would not make me a better person either. I realized that I would not want someone to treat me the way that I would treat others with my bluntness and chose to avoid commenting on anything that seemed too immature. Basically, I did not want to hurt anyone's feelings and did not say anything rude to the person, so they can stay happy as they were.
During these three days, these three virtues taught me that I needed to have a better personality, change my eating habits, and control my anger. Even if some did not work out, I tried my best for all of the virtues. In order for me to live a better life, I hope to one day change these virtues.
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