To Forgive and to Forget

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"He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has the need to be forgiven." - Thomas Fuller

To forgive is to eliminate your hatred towards someone and to dismiss or accept the actions that a person has committed. Forgiveness generates love, and love is what embraces humanity. Love overcomes all evil and all hatred and releases the essence of innocence and serenity. Love is more powerful than anything. Everyone deserves to be forgiven no matter what. A person that has done wrong,committed a sin or even carried out an atrocity should be forgiven. "Why? Why should we forgive those who have caused us so much sorrow, so much pain? Shouldn't they be punished not forgiven?" No person is evil. No person does "bad." They perceive the "bad" to be "right," correct or even virtuous and those who do commit crimes often regret what they did and some attempt to redeem themselves. Many even kill themselves out of regret or despair. No person is born as an atrocious brute. See? Because there is no such thing as a bad student. Only a bad teacher. If you are born in the slum of Detroit it is plausible that you would wish to become the most hardcore "gangsta" in town even if it meant mindlessly killing. You are highly influenced by your environment, your company and everyone/everything around you. Your culture is a huge element which characterizes you. If you have a rich cultural background you have certain beliefs and values which influence your decisions. So, if you were born far away from this industrious, media-rich world it would not be liable for you to possess much knowledge about pretty much anything, and thus you would be innocent. You should never dwell on the past. You can never go back and change anything. So why hate when you can live a peaceful and joyous life? You should never also look forward into the future and hope for an answer or a solution to your pain and suffering which is inevitable to endure due to all hatred raging within your heart. If you keep saying to you're self that one day you will have your vengeance one day everything will be mended you will always look forward to that day and be captivated in your own world, and then when that one day comes you will not acquire anything positive from your actions. All that hatred and that burning desire raging within your heart will vanish and you will realize that you have not resolved anything. You will acknowledge how much unnecessary time you spent hating and cursing and to what effect? You will end up miserable and full of guilt for you have not achieved anything except managing to be just as bad as the one who has caused you all this suffering. You will never ever find peace unless you forgive. Forgiveness generates love. But hate generates more hate. If you despise someone or hold a grudge against them you will gain absolutely nothing but misery and you will never find peace. You'll die angry. You will be blinded by all this rage and resentment that you will be oblivious to the truth and the solution which sits right in front of you, forgiveness. English churchman and historian "Thomas Fuller" himself claimed that forgiveness is essential for otherwise you will be enclosed in your own world of hatred and hating another human being and you will destroy the "bridge," your only way of breaking free of this misery and rage, and you will never ever find peace. So don't dwell on the past, forget the past - let by gones be by gones. Forgive and forget. For then "It is Finished" and all our sins and all of our hatred will perish.

In William Shakespeares's play "Julius Caesar," Gaius Cassius Longinus wasn't the biggest fan of Julius Caesar. Cassius was a Roman Senator who was part of the conspiracy which regarded the murder of the greatly admired and "God-like" Roman General, Julius Caesar. Cassius's strong resentment towards Caesar and how he greatly envied Caesar's boundless power drove him to murder Caesar. In lines 92- 130 of the play Cassius describes the incident in which he rescued Caesar from dying by the perilous waves of the Timber river as Caesar shrieked and cried for help, and then he compares his actions to the remarkable and legendary Roman hero, Aeneus. Cassius then describes how he must endure the consequences of saving the almighty, immortal God, Caesar. He epitomizes his disrespect and hatred towards Caesar by telling his companion "Brutus" how he is forced bend his body like a wretched creature to the "great" Caesar and in return he receives nothing but a simple nod as if Caesar neglects the fact that Cassius saved him and acknowledges him as low class scum. Ever since then Cassius had to live under the shadow of his "superior" Caesar. However, I believe any decent man would have saved Caesar in those circumstances and if Cassius compares his actions to the Roman hero, Aeneus then he should be pleased with his actions. On the contrary he is infuriated with his actions. This is because if he was so heroic for saving Caesar why did he regret his actions so? He must have sought an award. No harm was inflicted on him. Yet, neither was any award given to him. He despises how Caesar merely nods at him and therefore he must be jealous of how Caesar is so powerful and how the Romans marvel him for in this particular section of the play he makes constant references to his power and how he is so God-like and omnipotent. This sense of jealously and hatred motivated him to do compose a diabolical plot to eliminate Caesar. He could not forgive Caesar. He could not forgive him. He hated Caesar and the excruciating pain which he had to go through while observing his "superior" grow ever more powerful. Cassius was so infuriated that he lost sight of the light and turned to darkness for a solution. Instead of forgiveness he went to hate. He possessed the quality which characterizes nearly every human, greed. His greed, his desperation, his hatred, his jealously all brought out the negativity within his soul. Cassius wasn't like many men. He wasn't fat, he did not laugh, he did not listen to music and so he was detested by Caesar who did not like men who did not savor life and he also was intimidated by the unlikely possiblility of him, Cassius overpowering him. Cassius only had the desire blazing in his heart. The one desire. The desire to overthrow Caesar, to defeat him and to get his revenge. He lived with this hatred and contempt towards Caesar for quite some time, watching the ungrateful man transcend into an immortal God. He could not accept it. And so he listened to the devil. The devil tempted him and told him what he must do. He became very sly and attempted to use reason and logic to mask his desperation. He used this strategy on his brother-in-law Brutus who was a close friend of Caesar and persuaded him to join him to kill Caesar. He told him about how Caesar does not deserve the power that he possesses and that he should be assassinated for it would be for the good and the welfare of the people of Rome. Cassius deceived Brutus by throwing rocks attached to notes written in different handwriting through Brutus's window. Brutus was easily fooled and he along with a few others decided to join the conspiracy. All of them with their hearts which have been provoked with darkness and greed and hatred and fury. Then one night they stabbed Caesar relentlessly until he was motionless and heard his last words, "e tu Brute," "and you Brutus?" Cassius then got what he wanted. He defeated the great Caesar. But what did he achieve? He was hated by the people of Rome after Caesar's loyal supporter, Marc Anthony showed them the shirt in which Caesar expired. Like I said hate generates more hate. So, the Romans went berserk and burned down the houses of the conspirators. Thus, Cassius went from a well respected nobleman and senator to a notorious and loathed man. Hate is like an epidemic. It keeps spreading like a virus. Caesar gained power and defeated Roman emperor, Pompey and is hated by some and then Cassius and others murder Caesar and are hated and cursed. Then, after hate spreads and spreads love fades. Later, Marc Anthony's army defeats Cassius's army during the battle(s) of Philippi and Cassius who was so caught up in defeating Caesar and acquiring power decided to kill himself by asking his slave to slay him. They say that "the devil is a deceiver." The darkness fed on him like a parasite sucking the love out of him. Cassius lost sight of love and forgiveness. Only love can destroy hate. But hate creates more hate. He refused to forgive Caesar. He loathed him for his power and how he did not give him credit for what he deserved. However, in the end Cassius ended up nowhere. If he just forgave Caesar none of this would have happened. He could have been a cheerful man like many others. However, he lived his life full of hate and rage. He was so blinded by this rage that he ended up dying. Once he did accomplish his goal of killing Caesar he faced the consequences. He was so caught up in his own scheme and his own motive that he never found peace or serenity. This exemplifies how when one refuses to forgive he/she will never find peace or calm.

In 1933, a teenage gang member named Oshea Israel engaged in a fight with twenty year old Laramium Byrd at a local club in Minneapolis. Israel had possession of a gun and killed Byrd. Israel was then sentenced to 25 years in prison. Now, that he is free Israel is next door neighbors with no other than Mary Johnson, Laramium's mother. Johnson was enraged and even wanted to hurt Israel in court. However, Johnson realized that there was no point in just hating and living a life full of resentment and aching for retribution. Then, she finally decided to let go and liberate herself from this anger and she found peace. She communicated with Israel often during his time in Prison and the two of them became incredibly close. And then the day came when Israel was forgiven. He embraced Mrs. Johnson like she was his mother and now they life in harmony together after Mrs. Johnson succoured him to find a home by offering one next to hers. So what happened? A mother befriended and forgave her son's killer and by doing so she liberated her self from her world of hatred and despair and found peace and joy and by forgiving she generated love. She did not let her anger blind her, she was not blinded by the darkness but managed to spot the light within her soul. Now instead of living a life of sorrow she is living a life of peace and serenity. See because when you forgive you show the devil that no matter what he compels you to do you are going against his will and showing him that love is the greatest strength of all. When you hate you drown in negativity, but when you forgive you soar beyond the clouds and find a more optimistic aspect of life. Forgiveness creates love and peace even in the most impossible of situations. Mrs. Johnson forgiving Oshea Israel for killing her son demonstrates how potent forgiveness and its significance for it can compose love and peace, and bind humanity together no matter what.

The Crusades or "Holy War(s)" is just one example of how "Religion" sparked war. Religion is disliked by many for how it has played a negative role on our Earth and how it impacted its people in a negative manner. This is mainly due to the fact that people wish to display their loyalty and devotion towards God. Over time religion has lost its purpose. It is meant to preach grace and to influence us with the words of God. The word religion itself originates from the Latin root "ligare" which means to bind. Religion is meant to bind mankind together not separate them. Yet, people distinguish,separate, discriminate and segregate each other and even judge one another through their religion. Religion has now become a script which all of us must follow. It has become a man made invention rather than the creation of God. We keep searching for God and we attempt to win his love and devotion without realizing that God will come to you. They don't feel it. They don't feel the connection between themselves and God they don't actually feel the inspiration and the conviction within their hearts to do what is right. Many people utilize religion to mask their own mistakes and to parade that they are good people. Some people keep on committing sins and mistakes or do wrong but they still claim to be a worshipers of God. Many people commit sins, sins which are so atrocious that they sometimes even involve killing. However, despite the sins they make they'll go to the Church or the Mosque or the Temple and beg God to forgive them. They just use religion as a way out. Furthermore, many people also are so intimidated of God and going to hell that they then only act upon the words of the Bible, the Qu'ran or the Torah. They raise their children and they tell them that they must pray to God without telling them why. No one will ever know the true meaning of God's love and kindness if they mindlessly pretend to be slaves of God. This false religion which many people pursue has brought a negative impact and has occasionally concluded in catastrophe. This is because false religion separates people. It situates borders between people who divide themselves in terms of being closer to God or not. They say that their religion is correct and the other is false or futile. This conflict has resulted in countless wars and battles which has resolved nothing but further hatred and resentment. People continue to dwell on the past. They hate others and classify them by their religion. They mock and ridicule them and call them names for they have different views and perceptions of God. They call Jews Freemasons, they call Muslims terrorists and they call Hindus idol worshipers. So what is the result(s) of all this hatred and dislike of different religions? There has been the Crusades, the Inquisitions, the rise of the Jihad, the Holocaust(can be seen as a religious war, due to how Hitler classified the Jews as well as several other reasons), Thirty Years' war, the Saxon wars, the Reconquista and the current conflict between Israel and Palestine. I am not saying that religion is something negative. On the contrary, I believe it is something important and essential for ever person. However, many people are oblivious to the true meaning of religion and they contradict and go against what they are thought. Every religion teaches good values which impact our lifestyle in a positive manner. Yet, many have a good intent and purpose to show their love for God, but the steps they take to achieve "this" goal of theirs are abysmal. Similarly, to the rage and hatred which blinded Cassius and Mrs. Jones, they are blinded by false religion. They fail to see the answer which will solve everything and bring love and peace. They hate and hate and dwell on the past instead of forgetting and forgiving and living a joyous life and always wearing a delighted grin. Religion was meant to embrace humanity not tear it apart. And I believe every religion shows us how to be kind and how to love. NO religion tells us to hate. If everyone forgave people for their sins instead of letting the sins of the people become their main reason for their hatred then there could possibly be world peace and humanity would be one. Love is what brings the world together, and through forgiveness comes love.

Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." More hate cannot erase hate, hate can only be driven out through love and forgiveness. When you hate you are captivated in a prison with mirrors for walls where rage and misery stares right back at you, and you are stuck with no where to go and peace will never be an option unless you learn to forgive and see how your life will go through a metamorphosis. To forgive and to forget is to love, to forgive and to forget is to find peace, to forgive and to forget embraces humanity and therefore forgiveness is something worth fighting for.

WE CANNOT DIRECT THE WIND, BUT WE CAN ADJUST THE SAILS.

-The first Windmill.

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-"I went to sleep dreaming of Malawi, and all the things made possible when your dreams are powered by your heart."- William Kamkwamba

William Kamkwamba the author of the book "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind:Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope" says that if you have your mind set, and if you are willing to believe,persist and put in the commitment then nothing is an improbable task. It is said that it is what you do not what you say that makes you who you are. Kamkwamba endured the hardships of poverty that were inflicted on him and his family that lived in a small village in Malawi. His school required an annual fee that was equivalent to eighty U.S dollars, and with only one meal a day his lack of nutrition and immunity forced him to abandon school and his education. But it didn't stop there. Determined to acquire a proper education and his will to assist others motivated him to keep on pushing and trying. He religiously visited a public library and discovered his fascination of science and inventing. He was captivated by the images and diagrams that he did what he could to learn and learn despite his difficulty with reading. Then his passion inspired hope. He miraculously composed a windmill out of nothing but Blue gum trees, bicycle parts and other miscellaneous materials he gathered at a local scrapyard. After this success and huge triumph which had an immense impact on his family, he kept pursuing his dreams and later created a solar powered water pump that provides the first drinking water in his village and has created two additional windmills. His dreams were powered by his heart- his passion for inventing brought hope to his family, his village and now an entire nation. To be ambitious is to have that blazing desire to obtain success and to achieve your goal. I believe ambition was the one,special quality William Kamkwamba possessed. He embarked on something grand, he aimed for the impossible, yet he was ambitious - he had the quality which drives one to excel. Kamkwamba showed us how ambition can inflict incredible change. We cannot direct the wind yet we are the choices we make, we adjust the sails to see where the wind takes us. I believe ambition is something significant in life, if you choose to be ambitious then I believe you will excel and the wind will push you beyond the depths of the mightiest of seas. I believe ambition is worth fighting for.

Before Kamkwamba discovered the wonders of science he was just an ordinary child who worked in a country full of poor farmers. However, in 2001 Malawi was struck with incredible misfortune as they experienced an abysmal famine. Food shortages and scarcity led to a domino effect of starvation, BBC news claimed that 25% of all children under the age of 5 were severely malnourished and within five months Malawians began to starve to death. Due to limited money and meager food with only one meal a day Kamkwamba was forced to drop out of his school and completely abandon his education. However, he was determined to keep pushing on to learn and learn and to be educated. So he visited a charity sponsored library regularly where he discovered a profound interest in science, especially Physics. He could not read very well yet he was so intrigued by the diagrams and pictures that he observed them closely and learned and learned. There were so many obstacles hindering him in his path of success yet he conquered them one by one with ambition. He had such a strong desire to achieve things such as an education in such a poor country where he would barely get any food that he did not give up and in the end he achieved his goal. These actions performed by Kamkwamba demonstrates the prominence of ambition because it drove him to excel and achieve something great such as education that most people would consider impossible based on his background and all the hardships that were endured by him and his family especially during Malawi's most difficult time.

It wasn't long before an idea sparked into William Kamkwamba's head. An idea which many would consider impossible or a "futile attempt." Even his own mother said that he was crazy. Yet he did not let go of his dream and his ambition, to invent and to create. After religiously visiting that small, Charity sponsored library and after being captivated in the world of science, and after watching his family struggle he decided to act. His village of approximately 60 families there was no electricity and no running and filtered water. One day he found a book entitled "Using Energy" which included some Windmills on the cover and in the inside of the book described the function of the Windmill and how they are created. William acknowledged that his village suffered countless problems due to no water and electricity and he also acknowledged that his his village often became very windy. So after this realization dawned on him he at the age of fourteen decided to create a windmill to succor and possibly rescue his village. He visited a local scrapyard and collected random items using his creativity such as a tractor fan, shock absorber, bicycle frame, PVC frame, PVC blades (after melting) and a bicycle generator. And then the boy who dropped out of school and who barely got a meal a day fulfilled his dream and created the machine. With the assistance of the Windmill came the first light. Then four lights with switches and then even a circuit breaker. Ambition is what helped William to conquer those obstacles and it impacted his family immensely. This miraculous invention of the Windmill exemplifies that if you are ambitious you will excel and you will achieve your goal and fulfill your dreams no matter how far- fetched they may seem.

William's invention first saved his family and after a while people who passed by his machine which was situated in the middle of land where there was no electricity caused them to to marvel at the creation. One day, William woke up to see cues and cues of people lined up to charge their mobile phones. He was overwhelmed with joy to see how not only did he accomplish his aim but now he could also help others. However, the poor, African boy who once suffered tremendously was determined to use his talent and his ambition to rescue others who were trapped in that inevitability. After his first glorious success, he created a water pump that supplied water for irrigation which was vital to all the poor, Malawian farmers around him and this water pump also saved so many people because it supplied the first ever drinking water in his village. His work caught the attention of journalists and reporters, which led to bloggers and then finally a call from something called TED where he could share his story, his aspiration with the entire world. He later even became an author of a best selling book. This shows how ambition brings change and allows you to accomplish the impossible and William has inspired many others such as me to pursue your dreams no matter what.

We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails. William could have been like a regular person who would have just carried on with life he could have just let the wind guide him. But no. We choose our path in life. However the choices we make don't always end up the way we want them to. Commitment and diligence is necessary. To choose to educate yourself and to pursue your dreams when you are a poor African boy who was forced to drop out of school due to poverty and hunger seems absurd. Yet, when you are ambitious and when you have that one desire to achieve, that desire that is so strong your dreams will come true. Kamkwamba's windmill still stands in his village, symbolic of his choice to be tenacious and to never give up. Without the windmill ever being there the wind would just keep pushing him in the same direction as everyone else who did not adjust the sails. But he did. The wind pushes against it's panels and creates currents of electricity and hope. His ambition drove him to excel and accomplish something which appears to be impossible. Never let go of your dreams. For if you have ambition and if you strive for them you will achieve them. Therefore, ambition is something worth fighting for.

"I tried and I made it. So I would like to say something to all the people out there, like me. To the Africans and the poor who are struggling with your dreams. God Bless. Maybe one day you will watch this on the internet. Trust yourself and believe, whatever happens never give up."

-William Kamkwamba

(Just in case)Resources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Kamkwamba

http://www.ted.com/talks/william_kamkwamba_how_i_harnessed_the_wind.html

THE FIRE THIEF

The painting of Prometheus created in 1817 by the German artist named Heinrich Fuger emphasizes that Prometheus is a hero to all mankind. In this painting there are several perspectives of prominence which indicate the hatred between him and Zeus and that he is a hero to mankind for succoring them to create a new civilization by giving them the gift of fire. Heinrich Fuger also suggests that fire symbolizes knowledge. Fuger implements these ideas through facial expressions, body language, body positioning and the colors he utilises in the background.

The bottom part of the painting shows a world of darkness and despair. However, light is shining on Prometheus which gives the viewer the thought that he is a hero ,as it is like the spotlight which suggests that he is a hero. The artist(Fuger) also gave us the image that Prometheus is a bridge which connects the heavens with the world of darkness.(Earth) This is true, because based on the myth of Prometheus he gave mankind the gift of fire from above to the world of despair underneath in the dark. We know that mankind was dwelling in an abysmal world of darkness,because the man in the shadows has his head slouched. This symbolizes that man was neglected and was situated in an inevitable cycle of despair. Also, judging by Prometheus’s standing posture it gives the image that he is a potent and heroic person and half of his body is in the Earth and the other half is above in the light. This gives us the image of a bridge, as it is linking the heavens with the Earth. It is fire,a heavenly gift which was given to man. This is why the artist(Fuger) mainly is emphasizing that Prometheus is a hero ,as more light than darkness is shining upon him. This lead to Prometheus’s inevitable punishment from Zeus.


If you focus on Prometheus’s face you can see that half of it is in light and the other half is in darkness. This is so,because this is indicating that he may be a hero, yet it could suggest that his action may be unheroic. If you observe his eyes and his left hand, this shows that he is looking at Zeus and signaling silence. This is because he stole fire from Zeus and deceived the King of all Gods and does not want Zeus to know. This therefore suggests that his action is dishonourable. However, Prometheus had a reason to do this, as Zeus was an unreasonable ruler and didn’t care about the suffering of man. On the contrary, Prometheus thought this was wrong and had the courage to confront the mighty Zeus. This is why Prometheus is more of a hero than a traitor or a rebel.


So this shows that Prometheus may be a hero to mankind for liberating them from a world of despair,yet to Zeus and his followers he is nothing but a thief and a rebel. However, I see Prometheus as a courageous and reasonable person. Zeus did not treat all souls with equality.
Prometheus, realized the suffering of mankind and acted upon his reason. This is why this painting implies that he is an enemy of the King of all Gods, yet he is a hero for saving many, standing up for many and suffered for his act of courage for all mankind.

Laughter's Spell

Source:http://hellogiggles.com/laughter-therapy-say-hello-to-giggles

"A day without laughter is a day wasted."-Charlie Chaplin

The joker of the early 20th century claims that a day without laughter is futile. Laughter brings the joy within our heart- someone who laughs shows us that he/she has a positive view of life. We all savor laughing and we all have a warm joyous feeling after doing so. It is said that laughter is the best medicine. Then why not laugh? We take life too seriously and sometimes we even despise it. We forget about the good things in life and we are plunged into our own world of negativity and cold,limitless darkness. Yes, we live in a media-rich and industrious world where we have limited time to laugh. Yet, I believe laughing is essential and a day with laughter is a day full of joy,optimism and all the other factors that make life worth living, whereas a day without laughter is a day full of nothingness-a day that is wasted. Therefore, I believe laughter is definitely something worth fighting for.

The sound of laughter is far more contagious than any cough or sneeze. It binds people together with joy and enhances intimacy greatly. Nowadays, many people who are serious and stressed think of others who tend to laugh as halfwits and as inconsiderate. Yet, a person who laughs is optimistic and therefore excels in life. Also, if you are the one laughing you will never think of yourself as foolish or inconsiderate. In addition to laughter being something positive and having an inevitable "knock on" effect of happiness it also inflicts change on various health issues. It gives you an ideal amount of energy, it extinguishes pain and most importantly it conquers stress! Also, according to a recent scientific study, laughter limits the perilous risks of heart attacks drastically. If laughter is something easy and enjoyable and if it is advantageous due to the fact that it helps strengthen your immune system and rids you of health problems then why not laugh? Laughter is a miraculous thing that is beneficial and this exemplifies how laughter in general makes life far better.

Furthermore, laughter is something worth fighting for because it will spark positive change in our world of today. Today, we dwell in a modern world full of magnificent buildings and an unbelievable quantity of technology. However, I believe this is the very thing that makes everything so very complex. We lose sight of simplicity and we appear to perform repetitive and apathetic actions. We stay engrossed with our fancy,new media products,we stress about things far too much, we barely have any time to rest we are so focused on what we're doing that laughing is an improbable task. Yet, laughing is something beautiful that we fail to acknowledge. Laughing could be something private, it could be a hidden smile or a little chuckle it sometimes happens abruptly and naturally. When our words slur we laugh, we laugh when we do something wrong. Laughter is the simple solution to everything. When things are dark,gloomy,sad-when you are trapped in negativity's cold embrace you must laugh. Go home read some jokes,call up some friends do something hilarious, just laugh. Laugh and you will forget everything, you will be reborn and ready to face the challenges life has to offer with a positive attitude. This demonstrates that laughter is the most simplest solution and how it brings out the greatest things in life.

You may disagree. You might think I'm wrong. You may believe that there are better, more significant things to do in life. Nobody seems to talk about anything positive. Everybody babbles about things such as Global Warming, poverty in Africa and basically the end of the world. I feel so demoralized and depressed when I walk past a group of people who have their heads down and are isolated from everyone else, in their own little,closed world. I feel like joy elbowed me in the stomach and said how I'm just insane and how laughing is completely pointless. But I don't care I laugh anyways. I laugh as loud as possible. Some people stare at me so intensely that it feels like a slap in the face. However, I can see the smiles that appear on some of them and I can hear their giggles and that is when I know that for that exact moment of laughter they forget everything they were worrying about and together we lose ourselves in the hearty feeling of joy. And I know what I did was right and that I might as well have changed that person's day. Laughter hugs us closely together and it shares everything positive and wonderful about life optimism,joy and friendship. This tells us how laughter is something that has a positive impact on life and once again how it makes life worth living.

Laugh. Laugh and live a better live. A life that is without laughter is a life of boredom and a life full of the one thing that drags us down and never enables us to perform better in life,negativity. If you want to live life as a person who is negative, a pessimist. If you want to live a life full of anger,sorrow,misery,desperation and all those other factors that compose a horrific life then don't laugh. You will begin to hate life. Curse it. But if you just forget all the troubles of the world if you just want to let go and flee from the relentless blitz of worries and fears than just take a second to laugh. Feel it overwhelm you-feel the joy flow through you and once your done. You actually will want to face the obstacles of life you won't just sit down and cry,you will laugh your way through all the obstacles that hinder you in your path of success. Laughter is something worth fighting for, it is something beautiful and healthy. So let go and just laugh. And feel its magical spell.

"A sense of humor......is needed armor. Joy in one's heart and some laughter on one's lips is a sign that the person down deep has a pretty good grasp of life."

-Hugh Sidney

A COMPASSIONATE LEADER- THE FINAL PIECE IN CREATING A JUST SOCIETY

"But the hearts of men are easily corrupted." - J.R.R Tolkien

J.R.R Tolkien, the author of the "Lord of The Rings" trilogy claimed that it is the darkness that dwells in the hearts of men that provokes injustice and corruption. Throughout history we have seen the rise of dictators and oppressive rulers who all sought to possess power and control. Many leaders lost sight of things and once they found that burning desire raging in their hearts they did whatever they could to accomplish it and sometimes that was what awoke the darkness and evil within them. Due to this many citizens have had injustice inflicted on them and have been deprived from their rights and their voice. In the past this has caused the fall of societies both mentally and physically. People lost their hope and their pride whereas in many cases there has been war between the Government and citizens which has led to catastrophe. Additionally, in our world today there are still leaders who oppress and subjugate their citizens such as in North Korea and Libya. So, due to the fact that a leader is the one who speaks for his/her's people I believe that "democracy" is worth fighting for, so citizens can elect their own ruler who will not go against their will and who will compose a just and peaceful society.

Although many leaders did wrong for their own personal benefit or for some other reason some leaders misused their power and committed atrocities because they believed it was the right thing to do such as "Mahmud of Ghazni". Mahmud was a devout muslim and despised "idol worship." Therefore, he and his succoring and relentless army demonstrated their hatred for "idol worship" by performing many raids on Hindu land as well as stripping sacred temples from their riches. Mahmud just couldn't get enough and so he portrayed his hatred even further by ordering the deconstruction of the holy statue of "Lord Shiva." And he savored doing it. Although, Mahmud was a brute and a selfish man he still manged to transform the city of Ghazni into a beautiful and brilliant place. However,he did not do it for the welfare of citizens but for his own pride and when he was required to succor his people he used limited money. So due to Mahmud's greed and the violence he displayed on sacred ground the Ghaznavid Empire was despised by many. Also, because of his greed and his minimum expenditure of wealth for his own people - after he died the Ghaznavid Empire began to decline and fall apart. This demonstrates that because the citizens of Ghazni were not capable of electing a ruler in which they could ensure their trust they ended up nowhere.

There are many different listed events that show us the cruelty of oppressive rulers. However, the memory and legacy of those leaders that have done good and committed virtues lives on. In 712 a 17 year old named Muhammad bin Qasim led the raid of "Sindh",India (Now a part of Pakistan) and conquered all of Sindh and acquired power and control over it by 713. However, Bin Qasim showed great compassion and love for the citizens who were dominantly "Hindu" and at that time most Muslim raids on Hindu land would lead to bloodshed and catastrophe. Yet, Bin Qasim demonstrated his kindness to the people by banning the killing of cows and allowing anyone to worship as they please. As a result many people showed great respect towards Bin Qasim and some even became Muslims out of their own free will. This exemplifies that a society led by a compassionate and caring ruler that citizens approve of will prosper and excel.

Democracy is an immense element that helps form a just society. A society in which there is limited freedom or equality and where there is an oppressive leader is no just society. A leader is the voice of a society. It is what shapes the society and impacts the society greatly. A good leader has ambition which drives the society to excel. However, more importantly a good leader listens and acts according to the wishes of his/her's people. Therefore, a society in which there is democracy, in which citizens approve of their leaders and are joyous is a huge step towards making a perfectly just society. And therefore democracy is something worth fighting for.

"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy."

-Abraham Lincoln

A JUST SOCIETY, THE KEY TO A NEW WORLD

In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems. For issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same- Albert Einstein

I believe that if every society in the world is a just society, than everyone will be given a voice- an opportunity to have their say and assist their leaders to make decisions that will impact society in a positive manner. A just society is a place where everyone receives a proper education, everybody is given shelter, the needy are looked after and the color of your skin or your race does not determine where you stand. Everyone is equal and are given equal liberties and rights. A just society is where no one can dictate you, it is something that will embrace people of all kinds to live together in harmony. Therefore, if I were to give a characteristic that would help shape a new world I would make the world a society that is "just." It is something that will make the world a better place and is the key to creating a great,new world.

Throughout history there are many listed events which indicate that people have had their voice deprived from them and were oppressed. This happened throughout the entire second world war after 1933, when Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party rose to power. Citizens thought of Hitler as their savior from the struggle and depression of the hyperinflation which began in 1923,because of Germany's failed attempt to fulfill the promise of the "Treaty of Versailles" which was too pay a lot of money to make up for the damage Germany caused during the first world war. Hitler used propaganda and soon acquired the loyalty of many. With Hitler's party succoring him and gradually getting more powerful he managed to persuade the nation to help him annihilate every Jew possible. He gave Jews a bad name and utilized propaganda as a tool of justification for killing them. This led to the elimination of about 6 million "innocent" Jews. Even now there are many oppressive rulers that exist and continue to perform atrocities, such as in North Korea, Burma and Libya. Also, oppressing and subjugating citizens has backfired in the past and still does. It causes rebellion and creates resilient dissidents that turn to violence as a solution. In present day Libya , Muammar Gaddafi (the government) refuses to lose power and continues to do whatever he can, to any extent to achieve that goal even if it means killing his own people. For months the rebel-nation have been fighting for their liberty and to overthrow Gaddafi. They are both succeeding in nothing but heading towards the catastrophe of a once peaceful nation. This all exemplifies how injustice reigned and still reigns in our world and how societies are still unstable; and how citizens are deprived from basic rights such as democracy. And how we could all do much better without it.

Additionally, I believe it is essential for every society to be "just" and to have a form of law that approves with citizens and ensures their safety. This is because during the years of 1975 to 1979 the potent communist movement called "Khymer Rouge" had all of Cambodia in their domain. Together under the rule of their leader "Pol Pot" they managed to overthrow the Cambodian government. They performed atrocities such as evacuating cities,closing schools, massacre and they eliminated skilled and educated citizens and as a result about 1.5 million people were assassinated. This demonstrates how leaders could be ruthless and neglect their own people. They stripped the citizens from their homes, their family and their prerogatives. It portrays the irrationalism and the misuse of power and control. The citizens had their voice taken away, they could not speak up. They were completely powerless. Therefore, I believe the most prominent element in composing a new world is to have people live and get accustomed to societies that are just. Where citizens should have the choice of choosing their own leaders who they trust and approve of. Where they would be given a voice in which they can speak freely to their leaders and their leaders should listen and act accordingly to prevent terrible events such as the "Holocaust" or "The terrible crimes committed by Khymer Rouge" to reoccur.

Albert Einstein said that "In matters of truth and justice, there is no difference between large and small problems. For issues concerning the treatment of people are all the same." This quote implements that religion,race or gender does not impact your lifestyle in any way. Your actions and your character is what shapes your identity, it is what impacts your lifestyle and is how people deem you as a person. Everyone has power. No one can subjugate anybody.

Envision every society to be a society like this, a society that is just.

This I Believe Essay-Faith

I believe in faith. Faith is the most powerful thing in this world. If you have faith you will exceed your expectations. Growing up I was incapable of overcoming any of my problems or fears. I never had the will- power or strength to act, as I would always wish to do thing, but in the end I was to incompetent to speak out or act. When I wanted to ask a person if I could participate in something, or when I wanted to ride an immense roller-coaster, as a child, or when I wanted to perform magic in front of people, I became isolated and neglected. However, when I had faith in myself, I excelled and when I already knew that “I could”,.....I did.

Life is full of mysteries. There are so many unanswered questions in this world. When I was young I learned about God and how he composed our universe. Yet, certain questions always dwelled in my brain. “Can you see God?” “Where is God?” “Does God really exist?”

I was so perplexed when I found out that scientists claim that it wasn’t the doing of a supernatural being that created our universe but it was the “big bang” and the aftermath of the explosion that created this universe. I didn’t know what to believe. This is because science is able to tell us how things work and the processes of many things. Yet, science is incompetent of telling us our purpose in life and our responsibilities as human beings.

One night I looked out the window and gazed at the moon and the stars, and I wondered how such marvellous things can appear out of nothingness. Yet, I realized that no matter how they were created they are there, whether it was God or just happened. I discovered that incredible things exist no matter how they came into existence and that everyone has to accept that fact.
This illustrates how different people may have different beliefs and faiths yet people still trust and have confidence in what they believe in which helps them to walk into the outside world with pride and determination.

It was then when my questions were finally answered. I realized that nobody can see God, Nobody knows where God is, and nobody knows if he really exists. -“It’s your own faith.” Nobody has sufficient evidence that proves the existence of a supernatural being. Yet, many people have faith. They believe even when there is no evidence. They act upon good reason and virtuous values.


Therefore, faith is the most prominent and potent force in this world. If you have faith and believe in things, even the impossible,you are capable of doing anything. I acknowledged that faith does not only have to be a certain religion or belief and that there is a supernatural being controlling your fate, but fate can also be to believe or to trust something whether it is yourself,someone else or something. However, they both make you strive for what you believe in.

Faith is an impenetrable and strong shield. Whenever I have faith I can walk into the outside world with confidence and pride. When I have faith I feel protected, I feel that nothing can prevent me from achieving my goal.

Faith is something that took me a long time to realize its true meaning. However, when I acquired its true meaning I am now capable of doing anything. I believe faith gives us tenacity and ambition. It fills us all with confidence and pure determination that will drive every being in this universe to excel. This I believe.

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