A Seasonal Surprise

    The article, "Anonymous Donors Pay Off Kmart Layaway Accounts", just made my day. The article talks about anonymous people who have come into Kmart and payed off random people's layaway accounts. They were sure to cover the accounts of people buying presents for kids on the holidays. These people took their own money, and helped out some stranger, by making it easier to treat their kids to a wonderful holiday. This article was so heartwarming and inspiring. I think it is so amazing that these people have helped out others so much. The fact that they did it anonymously shows that they didn't do it for the publicity, or the reputation, or reward. They did it because they knew people were struggling, and out of the kindness in their hearts, they wanted to help. Especially in times like these, where so many people are struggling economically, and they just want to treat their kids to a fun festive holiday. It isn't easy to just pull some money out of your pocket and buy strangers gifts for their kids, but these fantastic donors did that.
     I know for a fact that these donors are truly kind, caring, and considerate people, not to mention absolutely extraordinary. I hope they all see how great of a deed they did and that they truly helped so many people. And for the people who got a little break, I'm sure they are all so thankful and appreciative for these donors. In the article, they said the reactions they got from the recipients were amazing. They were all so touched. One man burst out crying. Another woman started crying, and couldn't stop hugging the donor. It's so heartwarming to hear how much these people truly needed this, and to see how much they really were grateful for it.
     It is so uplifting to hear that there are such altruistic people in the world. This article makes me feel so happy, and it puts a smile on my face to think about the kids being able to open up their presents and have a great time, and their parents not having to worry about how much money was spent. This article also inspires me so much. It makes me want to go out in the world and help people. It makes me want to make someone's life better. And it makes me want to put myself out there and give to as many people as possible.
     This article shows an example of some truly magnificent people lending a helping hand to ohers in need. And that's what I would call a holiday miracle.

No Good Deed Goes Unnoticed- Some of the time

     At the moment, I am in the middle of reading Post Secret: A Book of Secrets by Frank warren. The book is a collection of secrets that people have sent in to be published anonymously in this book. There are hundreds of unique and compelling secrets on this book, but on that really stood out to me was "sometimes I put quarters in people's meters if they're out of time." There are a lot of other secrets like this in the book, all handpicked my by the author. I think the author is trying to show you that every good deed is worth it, even it does go unnoticed.
     Throughout the book, I am noticing that Frank Warren is purposely picking secrets that show people doing good deeds that aren't necessarily noticed. Which makes the secrets so much nicer. I think it's really uplifiting to read about all these people who are doing these small but great deeds, just out of the kindness of their hearts. I think it was a really good, purposeful choice that the author chose to make when writing this book. Not only are you enticed and interested by this secrets, but it's just plain nice to know that there are people out their that just do good deeds because they want to. Personally, I like doing good deeds because I like feeling like I'm doing something right or helping someone out. But I do admit to wanting people to know I did that good deed. That's not what good deeds should be about though. They should purely be about doing something good for the community. And I think Frank Warren did a great job of making us think about that, with his deliberate writing choices.
     In conclusion, the whole idea for this book is so unique and engrossing, but the actual messages and choices behind the content is quite meaningful and important. I think Frank Warren is truly talented, if he can take a bunch of secrets and make them into a book that really makes you think about yourself, and the people around you. I love the author, and I absolutely this book.

Every Little Thing

    I've only read the first chapter of the book Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen, but already I'm getting a great understanding of the main character, Ruby. Ruby has had so many hardships in her life before, and she has had so little pleasures in her life, if any. In this book, I've been noticing that every little good thing that happens to her she acts like it was a great miracle. Ruby has had so little her whole childhood, and she definitely deserves to have some little luxuries in life.
    Ruby truly appreciates everything good that happens in her life. For example, when Ruby moved into a new house with her mom, it wasn't the greatest house. It was small, isolated, and empty. But Ruby pleasured the fact that that she didn't have to hear her neighbors through the wall everyday, because she was now living in the country. She was just glad she was living in a house, rather than a run-down apartment complex. Most people see living in a house as a normal thing. You come home everyday, you can have quiet and you can enjoy yourself, but that's it. Although, Ruby thought of it as much more. Another example of this occurs when she moves in to her new permanent house with her sister and brother-in-law. They were showing her her new room, and she was so surprised and overjoyed that she actually had one big room all to herself. Most people today would be excited that they were getting a new room, of course. Yet, the way Ruby acted, you would think she had just one a million bucks. She was so delighted that she finally had a place all to herself. Her own room was possibly that best thing that ever happened to her.
     I think Ruby is so appreciative of everything, because she has had nothing in her past. She's always lived in a small house, which she had to share with her mother. She's always had to do all the work and take on all the responsibilities. She wasn't used to anything good happening to her, so now whenever something good does happen, she treats it as something excellent. I think this would probably be true in most people's cases, if they were in Ruby's situation, but I admire how truly amazed at and thankful for the nice things that come her way. I think it shows how she's a good person, and she's selfless and unmaterialistic. Although Ruby has had it so much harder than I have, I know what it's like to sometimes just treasure the small pleasures in life. I think in being thankful for every single good thing that happens to you, you will be able to even more grateful for the huge great things that happen to you. I also admire the fact that after Ruby has been through so much, she can still not be selfish and be happy when she has the right to be.
     Overall, I really don't very much about the book, or Ruby yet, but I can already tell how grateful she is for just the smallest things in life. And she definitely has the right to be, with all the terrible things that have come her way before. Ruby knows how to care for the important things in life, and treasure the greatest things.


   

Responding to Clean

      Recently, I finished the book Clean by Amy Reed, an absolutely fantastic book about a drug abuse rehab center. The book follows 5 different characters' stories, which made it super enticing and drew  you in. In the past I have read books about this topic and other similar topics, but never one I've loved as much as this book. I think what made this book so fascinating was the level of thoughts and feelings that all the characters had. It was almost as if you were living their life and experiencing their life. Another thing that made me love this book so much was that not only was it a fabulous story,  but it also gave you a lot of information and I was really able to learn a lot from it.
       After reading this book I felt so connected to all the characters, no matter what gender or situation. The author told the story through all the characters' thoughts and feelings which made it a more engrossing story. For example, when Kelly first arrived at the rehab center, her parents and instructors and doctors made it seem like a wonderful experience that would completely turn her life around. But then you hear what Kelly thinks. Kelly thinks to herself, "it's like I'm an alien from outer space and they're trying to mold me into a normal person. But I don't want to be shaped into someone  I'm not." Once I heard Kelly's perspective on things it made me connect with her more, and realize what it would feel like to be in that situation. To be thrown into a whole new place where they're trying to change and fix you. Another example was when there was parents night at the hospital and Jason's mom was talking about how he's a terrible kid and the worst son ever. From just hearing her talk I felt so sad and it definitely made me feel bad for Jason, but then we heard what Jason was actually feeling. He was so ridiculously hurt inside. To hear his own mother say such terrible things about him. And, he knew he was a bad kid. He knew everything he did was wrong and he wished he could've changed it all. Now after hearing that, I felt so much worse. It made me feel so horrible for him, and it made me think about myself ever having to be in that situation. I think I would just be completely broken down and miserable if that had happened to me. The way the author went into detail about how the characters were actually feeling made it an all around more interesting story.
      Another thing that made the story so much better was how much I learned from it. The author gave a lot of background information on rehab centers, drug abuse, and different substances. Once I had more background research on the topic, it was much easier to understand and follow. For example, each character had a different drug of choice (d.o.c), and it explained a lot about the characters. For example, Kelly is kind of crazy, outgoing, and blunt. Then the author explains that she does cocaine, and more about the drug. This way you are able to learn more about the character as a person, and about where all of their unique personalities come from. When I've read other books, for example Crank by Ellen Hopkins, I read a story about a drug abuser, but I don't know much about the drug. The way that the author really got the reader to learn new things made the book even better than it already  was.
       Overall, Clean was a magnificent book and I would recommend it to anyone. The author made the book engrossing and different than other stories by giving true insight from all the characters, and giving you a thorough understanding of the issues and topics in this book. Clean was by far one of my favorite books ever.

Responding to Just Listen

      Currently, I am reading an enticing and riveting book called Just Listen by Sarah Dessen, which is a wonderful book about a young girl (Annabel) struggling with family issues and lots of stress and pressure on her. Her sister has developed Anorexia, her best friend is no longer her friend, and she is being pressured into modeling which just adds to the already abundant amount of stress. But then she meets a mysterious and unordinary boy named Owen who changes her world and shows her a whole different view on things.   One thing that really got me thinking was how quickly her outlook on things changed just by meeting this one boy.
      Annabel is very mainstream, as in she likes shopping, pop music, and she models. But Owen on the other hand likes Mayan chanting music, has his own radio show, and he dresses in head to to black. After just one day of getting to know Owen, Annabel was acting completely different. Owen claimed he never lied. Ever. So Annabel went home and told her mother she wanted to quit modeling. Something she had been trying to tell her for years. Owen had changed her, in a sense, in just one day. I thought there was something interesting about the fact that all these years she's had people telling her what to do and when to do it, and then all of a sudden she meets Owen and she can finally fend for herself. Another example is when she first listens to his radio show. She's never really payed much attention to important issues throughout the world, and then she hears his insightful and intellectual thoughts on his radio show, and her wind is blown. All of a sudden she is opened up to a whole new world beyond herself and her family. She learns about issues that are truly important, and all of a sudden, she has a whole new outlook on things. She is more open, and understanding, and not as whiny and obnoxious (not that she ever really was...). I think it's fascinating how just meeting Owen actually changed her life, for the better and how she had changed as a person because of this positive experience.
       I can relate to Annabel because I have definitely been opened up to new and more important things in my life, at some point or another. I remember when my dad first told me that John Lennon died because he was shot. From a young age my dad always had me listening to the Beatles, so when I heard this I was shocked. As just a  3 year old, I was hysterically crying when my dad told me this. I couldn't believe that someone would actually murder him. And although I may not have learned from it and turned it into a positive change in my life, it definitely impacted me. This devastating news was something that I probably had never imagined, being just a 3 year old. I think learning about something so terrible like that definitely would change you. No matter what it is or how old you are, if you are exposed to something like that will definitely effect you. Sometimes it could make you a better person all around, or sometimes it could make you feel horrible. Although, whatever the outcome may be, I believe in always staying open to learning about new ideas and issues in the world, because you never know how it may impact you in the end.

Finished Book List

1. Clean by Amy Reed
2. Beautiful by Amy Reed
3. Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
4. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
5. Because I am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas
6. Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
7. A Tale of Two Pretties by Lisi Harrison
8. Just Listen by Sarah Dessen
9. Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen
10. Sold by Patricia McCormick
11. Post Secret by Frank Warren