As Christmas draws near, we enter "the season of giving." However, shouldn't we always have an attitude of generosity? Giving is extremely important to me as it presents an opportunity to bless others, comfort them, and heal my mind. Every day you must buy what you need whether it be gas, food or clothes. Whenever you acquire something you must reimburse the former owner. Some cannot afford these necessities, but giving empowers me to bless them without worrying about compensation. By giving to those who cannot return the favor, I allow them to bless someone else too. Saying that life is stressful is an understatement. We have times when it feels like the world is crumbling around us, making us feel powerless to stop it. I may not know what the man behind me in the Starbucks line is struggling with, but I can pay for his coffee. I may not be able to pay for a family's medical bills, but I can make them a meal and offer encouragement. That could be just what they needed to push through. Too many people struggle alone, and giving reminds them that someone still cares. Giving not only helps the recipient but also helps the giver. Whenever I have a bad day, I notice giving helps alleviate my stress. Something about blessing someone helps soothe my mind and give back my energy. It may be chemicals in the brain; it may be something more. Whatever the reason, giving helps heal my mind and empowers me to continue living. An act of generosity doesn't have to be grand, it can be as small as a smile. No matter the size, giving lets you bless and comfort others and bless yourself at the same time. That is why giving is so important to me.

Looking at the bright side has never been an easy skill to master. When scenarios don't go our way it is natural to focus on what went wrong instead of focusing on the good. Whenever I go through a tough time, I shut down any negative thoughts, surround myself with positive people, and focus on what I can learn from this season of struggle. Taking every thought captive is crucial to maintaining an optimistic attitude. The brain thinks around 80,000 thoughts a day, 75% of them being repetitive. If I let a negative thought circulate, I'll continue thinking about it until it becomes my reality. By shutting down negative thoughts with empowering reminders, I'm able to focus on the positive no matter how hard the day is. A wise man once said, "You're the average of the five people you are around the most." If I live every day around positive, optimistic people, I will become optimistic. If I surround myself with negative people, the reverse will occur. Whenever I struggle, if I surround myself with positive people I will persevere through everything. Instead of always focusing on the 'now' I try to focus on what I can learn from this season of struggle. I've discovered that life happens for you, not to you. Whenever I seek the lesson I can learn from my trial, I allow life to happen for me and not be a victim. This empowering reminder to seek the lesson in the pain has helped me stay optimistic even when I feel crushed. Optimism isn't a choice, it's a mindset I pursue every day. By putting down negative thoughts, surrounding myself with positive people, and finding the lesson in every hardship, I stay positive no matter what the day brings and help others do the same.

In the US, approximately 108 billion pounds (40%) of food is wasted per year. A system must be put in place to allocate food to those in need rather than let it be wasted. To effectively combat this issue, we need to categorize our allotted resources, generate infrastructure to transport and store them, and allow private organizations to distribute food to those in need. If 40% of food is wasted per year, then a 20% cut could go a long way without the populace feeling the loss. Whether it be creating a data system to track food production and distribution or writing it by hand, America must initiate this first step to start moving resources to those in need. If America as a world leader could initiate this crucial step, other countries would follow and we could see this change across the world. Such a goal would require infrastructure to support it. Transportation avenues would have to be built or re-evaluated to accommodate food transportation and sanitary structures would be constructed to store the reserved food. Industries would need to be built specifically for this task, offering a boost to the US economy and proving to other countries this endeavor is possible. Finally, private organizations should be tasked with allocating food. Our government is busy enough and we as citizens ought to care for one another. Private organizations would ease the burden of the government and more effectively meet the needs of the people. With this system serving as an example, other countries would quickly follow suit, creating lasting change. Food is only one of many resources that are not properly circulated, but it is the perfect first step to creating a beautiful future. With the proper system, infrastructure, and private organizations to disperse it, we could change the world!

Even though the pandemic of 2020 brought many challenges, it brought many blessings. The pandemic empowered me to refocus on my goals and reshape how I perceived myself. Before the pandemic, I was passively pursuing my goals of being a pilot and attending a university. Along came SARS-CoV-2 and it seems that half of America shut down. With many of my daily distractions diminished or removed entirely, the way was clear to initiate my flying lessons. From more freedom planning lessons to applying for countless scholarships, I took bold steps toward my goals. I have also delved deeper into myself. I probed into different subjects and discovered many new passions. From going to drive-in theaters to probing deeper into physics and mathematics, I found much joy despite the chaos around me. Meeting new people revealed much about myself and I feel ready to pursue my dreams. Looking back, I see myself as a different person than before the pandemic. I am pursuing my vision and learning more about myself. We have been tested by the pandemic in one way or another. However, if we look we can find the good amidst the chaos and be grateful for the values learned.

The golden rule says "do to others as you would have them do to you". For me, this means loving others the way I would love myself. I cannot express love to everyone the same. Some people accept love differently, so I show my love in different ways to my friends, family, and even total strangers. With friends, it is easy to make them feel loved. From spending time with them to reassuring them in hard times, I make them feel loved with my support. Many times they just need someone to listen without judgment, and I strive to be that support for them. I would want my friends to do the same for me so I treat them as I would want to be treated. In a family, you are born into responsibilities whereas in friendships you choose them. Acting outside those responsibilities to support my family is the main way I make them feel loved. From washing the dishes without being asked or driving my sibling around, I search for ways to show my love. Some days are harder than others but I love my family and will always find ways to show it. Strangers are the easiest to love. I don't know their story and I don't know their struggles, all I see is the person in front of me. From offering directions to a traveler to buying a meal in the drive-through, I strive to be a blessing. I may never see those people again but at least shared a little love with those who might have needed it. Love is a tricky feeling to express. Some people accept it in different ways than others but at the end of the day, I always strive to make my friends, family, and even total strangers feel loved.

Happiness is something you can find very easily. Buy a new car; you're happy. You eat a great meal; you're happy. However, if you can easily find something that means you can easily lose it. You wreck that new car and now you're angry. After your meal, you wake up the next day with food poisoning. Joy is different than happiness. It is a mindset, lasting and is contagious. Happiness is based on our situation; once our situation changes, so does our happiness. Joy is not like that. Joy is not a situation it is a mindset. Joy reminds you to be happy that you and your family were safe in that wreck. Joy reminds you that not going to work because you're sick gives you opportunities to use your new time wisely. Happiness happens, but joy is a mindset that you have to work at daily. Happiness is fleeting, unpredictable like the wind. Joy is lasting. With joy, you have peace of mind throughout the week when happiness would only last a day. Joy is your choice and making that choice every day lets your peace last longer than happiness ever could. Finally, joy is contagious. People are attracted to positivity and become amplifiers of it. How often have you spent time with a friend and walked away feeling energized and at peace? Then your taste of joy passes on to others? Joy is extremely contagious and passes through those around you like a wave, lightening the mood even on the darkest days. Happiness comes and goes but joy will last forever. Even though it is harder to maintain, I'd rather be joyful than happy because joy is a mindset, lasting and is contagious. No matter the day or circumstance, as long as I have joy I will persevere.

Self-care is a necessary though often neglected part of every-day life. We can become so entrapped with deadlines and other people that we forget to take care of ourselves. I practice self-care both physically and mentally and it lets me stay focused and energized. Physical self-care seems simple but it is one of the things I find crucial. A healthy mind is dependant on a healthy body, so I do whatever I can to take care of myself. Working a night job requires me to stay up late so I let my body rest by keeping my mornings open. From watching what I eat to performing small workout routines, I aim to keep my body strong every day. Mental health is something I work at daily. Taking every though captive maintains my positive attitude and not judging people or getting upset over insults keeps my mind focused on the task at hand. Taking care of my mental health is not the easiest task, some days being harder than others. Ultimately, no matteer the day I strive to safeguard my mind so I am better prepared for the opportunities coming next. Maintaining my physical and mental health has lead to a positive impact on my life. Day after day I remain energized and focused on the tasks at hand. Some days are rougher than others; nontheless is come out of the week ready for the next. By practicing self care I am able to be a high-performer both at work and at school and proactively work toward my goals. I am a man of big goals, and nothing big comes to those who wait. By practicing self-care every day both physically and mentally, I am able to live energized and focused on the tasks at hand and the future to come.

Mentorship has been around for ages as a pivotal force in knowledge and thinking. It is more than the master teaching the apprentice; it is guiding the apprentice to a new level. Through my mentorship of others, I hope to empower, guide, and impact them in a way that encourages them to mentor others as well. A mentor empowers his pupil by giving them the tools to succeed. In my mentorship, I make it a goal to equip my learners with the tools to progress above and beyond their peers. Whether it be relating a personal experience, giving them a fresh perspective, or listening to them explain their problem and watching them work it out on their own, empowerment is always my priority. Just like an arrow in a bow is no use without a target to hit, neither is an empowered student with no goal. Whenever I mentor someone, I help them locate their goal or purpose then we work out a path for them to follow. Whether it be in relationships, finances, or living every day with purpose, I will do anything I can to help guide my pupils. Finally, I aim to make an impact on my students. I want them to walk away realizing "I learned something, let me tell someone else!" From the beginning of time knowledge grew because it spread. Whether it be life skills or advice, I want to pass down what I have learned to my pupils and see them pass it on to the next person. Mentorship is no easy process, and I will be the first to say I still have much to learn. However, I can still pass on what I do know to others and empower them, guide them, and impact them to go and help others too.

Mentorship has been around for ages as a pivotal force in knowledge and thinking. It is more than the master teaching the apprentice; it is guiding the apprentice to a new level. Through my mentorship of others, I hope to empower, guide, and impact them in a way that encourages them to mentor others as well. A mentor empowers his pupil by giving them the tools to succeed. In my mentorship, I make it a goal to equip my learners with the tools to progress above and beyond their peers. Whether it be relating a personal experience, giving them a fresh perspective, or listening to them explain their problem and watching them work it out on their own, empowerment is always my priority. Just like an arrow in a bow is no use without a target to hit, neither is an empowered student with no goal. Whenever I mentor someone, I help them locate their goal or purpose then we work out a path for them to follow. Whether it be in relationships, finances, or living every day with purpose, I will do anything I can to help guide my pupils. Finally, I aim to make an impact on my students. I want them to walk away realizing "I learned something, let me tell someone else!" From the beginning of time knowledge grew because it spread. Whether it be life skills or advice, I want to pass down what I have learned to my pupils and see them pass it on to the next person. Mentorship is no easy process, and I will be the first to say I still have much to learn. However, I can still pass on what I do know to others and empower them, guide them, and impact them to go and help others too.

One of the driving questions of my life has always been "Why am I here?". I know I am meant for more than a nine-to-five job, but what am I meant for? How can I be great? How can I make an impact? These questions and more plagued my mind every day but what keeps them from overwhelming me is my vision. I have found what I am passionate about. My passion has led to goals and my goals have given me a bold future to work towards. My goals in my life and education have evolved many times but it has stabilized in the past couple of years. I thought I wanted to be a veterinarian so I focused on agricultural studies. Then I thought I would be a lawyer. Finally, I took my first flight in a small single-prop airplane and realized I wanted to be a pilot. For the past two years, I have pursued my goal to be a commercial airline pilot and goals in education, mainly being accepted into MTSU and finishing the Professional Pilot Course. The reason why I want to be a pilot is quite simple actually. I enjoy the feeling of taking off from the airstrip and climbing above the world. In the sky, I am the one in charge of the plane; I am truly free. I have never found any greater satisfaction in life than soaring through the skies and visiting new places. My reason for choosing MTSU as my university is equally as forward. It is the closest university that offers the best benefits for my career as a pilot. Learning from some of the greatest leaders in aerospace and partnering with many other students sharing my passion is crucial for me to achieve my goal to be an airline pilot. However, the purpose behind my flying is not simply for my own enjoyment. Flying is a high-paying job, yes, but it is also very flexible. I am hoping to use that flexibility to live a life invested in youths. Teaching has always been a strong suit of mine and I enjoy it. With the generous amount of time on my hands, I do not want to waste it. I want to invest in the next generation and show them their potential. This world is not an easy one to live in, so I make it a goal to empower the young minds of the future so they can rise above the norm and fulfill their dreams. It has taken a long time for me to understand my desires and visions. However, I am sure as ever about the path I want to take. I want to be a pilot and complete my studies at MTSU because I enjoy flying and want to live my life loving what I do. I want to use my vision to impact the minds of youths and empower them to fulfill their own desires as I have. Life is too short to always wonder why I am here, so I live every day with my eyes on my goals, ready to embrace my future.

"To know how to wait is the great secret of success," Joseph De Maistre. Amidst the rush of day-to-day business, patience becomes harder and harder. Being patient is important to me because it helps my mental health, benefits those around me, and is necessary to function in this world. Patience is incredibly important for my mental health. At my job or school, I feel swamped with work and deadlines. Being patient with other people has been a great way to destress and relax. Putting myself into the mindset that it is ok to wait and just breathe calms my mind and allows me to focus and stay relaxed. Being patient benefits the other party. Having worked in a high-paced environment, the most discouraging part of the day was facing impatient customers. Having experienced the scathing rebukes of unhappy guests, I remind myself to be patient with others. We never know what the other person is going through and pressuring them even with our impatience is an uncalled-for disservice. You cannot thrive in this world by being impatient. The world does not revolve around you, so there is no reason to act as if it does. An impatient or rude person will not progress up the corporate ladder or socially as well as someone else filled with humility and patience. To thrive in this world of constant rush, you must be a step above the crowd and with patience, you shine like a diamond in the rough. From texting someone on the other side of the world to ordering next-day delivery, we live in a world where everything is immediate, making it hard to remain patient. Being patient is incredibly important to me as it benefits my mental health, the people around me, and is crucial to thriving in this world.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." (Sun Tzu, Art of War) Learning how to interact with other people is crucial to succeeding in life. The most valuable characteristic I've learned about myself is my strategic mind. Having affected me in my work environment and social circles, it has created issues that need to be resolved. Interacting with my coworkers has always been a game of strategy. Instead of enjoying my work, I focus on positioning myself well with management and my coworkers. From being the first to volunteer for a task to surprising my coworkers with Chick-fil-A, I do whatever it takes to ensure my protection at my job. In relationships, my planning mind becomes a harsh liability. Throughout my life friends have come and gone, many not lasting more than three months. Seeing that pattern emerge, I closed down instead of opening up, immediately try to analyze ulterior motives and read the other person. While a perfectly good defensive mechanism, this habit quickly turns the majority of people away, leaving a very lonely strategist. Much good can come out of a coy mind, such as the strong drive for a vision. However, problems such as loneliness quickly develop. Having struggled for years with this habit, I have worked hard to find solutions. From shifting my mindset to a more positive outlook, to realizing many people sincerely want to be my friend, I have seen this habit cease to leech from the joy from my life. As helpful as a strategic mind is, it is not without its downsides. Having seen it affect my work life and social circles, I have made steps to resolve this mentality and employ it for my future where it is helpful most.

Albert Einstein said, "Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe." Investing implies compound interest, and learning how to wisely invest has not been easy. In the realm of investing, the most important tip I've learned is how to structure my portfolio. The first piece of investment advice I learned for my portfolio was to diversify; I couldn't have all my eggs in one basket. Influencers are pushing many to purchase only bitcoin or real estate. While these may be good investments, they are not 100% safe. No matter how high-yield an investment is, if it crashes you can lose all of the money you invested. Diversifying my portfolio across a range of stocks versus investing in only one helps me keep a strong portfolio. Yes, there have been great leaps to wealth done by the lucky few, but the majority of the wealthy have earned their income long-term. Mutual funds or ETFs are great long-term investments by employing the power of compound interest. By choosing a well-rounded, diversified mutual fund, I lower my risk and increase my chance of passive long-term cash flow. Like a logarithmic chart, the returns are not great at first, but they gain traction over time. Furthermore, I learned that to have a strong portfolio, I must buy when the market is down, so when the market rises back I make a larger profit. Warren Buffet said the key to investing was "Buy low, sell high". To strcuture a high-yield portfolio then, I made it a priority to shop when the market was down. Financial freedom means a lot to me, and how to manage my portfolio has been a priceless lesson. From diversification to long-term investments to buying when the market is down, I have taken managing my portfolio to heart.

Everyone on this earth is born to grow both in body and mind. However, keeping a growth mindset isn't easy, and growing is not pleasant process. To stay growth-oriented, I wake up every morning with a positive mindset, I strive to put others first, and I focus on the future. How you see the world affects how you live your life. Because our mind percieves our environment; we can choose to look at the world positively or negatively. When I wake up I immediately focus on the positive. Instead of complaining that I'm tired, I'm grateful for a good night's rest. Instead of complaining that I have to go to work, I am grateful that I have a job I enjoy. I start every day with a positive mindset to open up opportunities for growth throughout the day. A positive mindset sin't enough though. I strive to serve every person I meet and make a positive impact in their life. "Do to others as you would have them do to you"- the golden rule. This rule keeps me energized and it helps me keep my growth mindset all day long. However, no one can grow if they don't have a vision. The powerful drive of my growth mindset is derived from my focus on the future. I make sure that every action I take positively affects my future. Whether it be putting in more work hours, to skipping hangout with friends to study, I do what it takes to guarantee i accomplish my goals. From waking up with a positive perspective to putting others first to focusing on my future, I strive to keep my growth-oriented mindset. I have big goals and plans for my life, and focusing on growth now will help me achieve those goal in the future.

Albert Einstein said, "Compound interest is the most powerful force in the universe." In the realm of finances, the most important I have learned is investing. Investing is complicated; it is logical and it takes patience. In investing, I learned the importance of diversifying, buying stocks, and long-term investments. The first piece of investment advice I learned was my portfolio; I couldn't have all my eggs in one basket. Today influencers are pushing many to purchase only bitcoin or real estate. While these may be good investments, they are not 100% safe. I have witnessed the wisdom of diversifying my portfolio across an range of stocks versus investing into only one. No matter how high-yield an investment is, if it drops you lose all of the money you invested, so you must diversify. "But low, sell high," Warrren Buffet once said. As simple-sounding as it is, many people jump onto the bandwagon with stocks and join the countless victims when it crashes. I learned to hold off on buying a good stock until the price dropped, then buy and sell for a higher value later. While this involves years before seeing any profit, it is a safe way to earn steady income. Yes, there have been great leaps to wealth done by the lucky few, but the majority of the wealthy have earned their income long-term. Long-term investments, like mutual funds, employ the power of compound interest. Like a logarithmic chart, the returns are not great at first, but they gain traction over time. There is no consistent get-rich-quick scheme, there are only reliable long-term investments. Financial freedom means a lot to me, and investing has been a priceless lesson. From diversification to buying stocks to long-term investments, investing will always be the greatest finance lesson I have ever learned.

Having a brother impacted by level 3 Autism has given me an early confrontation to mental health. Having friends who were struggling through high school, I witnessed mental health problems from the front line. It is not easy living with a mental disorder, whether it be Autism, depression, or anxiety, and seeing it play out with my friends has changed my outlook on life. My experience with mental health has shaped my goals and relationships and has dramatically impacted my understanding of the world around me. As a kid, we always had a dream to work a certain job, be rich, and have fun. However, as we grew up those goals changed. They have become smaller, or obsolete amid the mental war being fought around us. Seeing my friends battling depression and loneliness and at one time being especially close to someone who dealt with crippling anxiety, I take a stand. Yes, I have my own goals for my future, but a new one has been added to the mix. A recent goal of mine has been to positively impact the life of anyone around me from the moment I meet them. Whether it be making them laugh within the first minute of talking to just a smile and a friendly look to a stranger on the bus, I make it a requirement to go out of my way to bring happiness to their lives. My coworker may be going through the loss of a family member and that opportunity to laugh was just what she needed to make it through the day. That stranger on the bus may have just been laid off and that smile reminded him that there is another chance. I do not know what others are going through, but I know that I can still make a difference. Mental health has also impacted how I interact in relationships. I used to hang around people just to hang around people and I thought nothing of what they were going through; I just wanted to have fun. However, seeing now that people all around me are struggling, I realized that that was not a healthy lifestyle. With my friend groups, I make it very clear that I want to listen to their struggles and I want to help. I strive to be a light in their lives, whether it be by spreading a laugh or sharing a smile, or giving them genuine encouragement. There are people in this world who need a friend who will be that for them, and I never want to have a friend that I wasn’t there for. With my perspective of relationships changed, I have begun to see the world differently. While yes, society is like a machine with multiple parts, society has needs, individual needs. We cannot impact the big issues like climate change, racism, or hunger if we do not solve the small critical ones first. Just like a fractured hammer is no good for driving in a nail, neither is a battered society good for sparking change. I look at the big issues we see today and instead of assigning blame or complaining about it, I trace the results to the root. Instead of analyzing the symptoms, I try to pinpoint the disease. Many of the issues like depression or racism boil down to how we treat other people. Facing mental health has shown me that how we treat other people truly does matter, and to truly incite change to society, we must first address the need of its people. Mental health is no joke. It’s not fake news and it’s most certainly not negligible. A healthy world with defective parts does replace those parts or treat them as if they didn’t matter. Society needs to care for its people regardless of their struggles. We depend on people and my experience with mental health has impacted my goals, my relationships, and my view of the world. Mental health will always be around, but as long as there are people who will take the stand against it, it will never win.

We all have dreams, whether it's being a Hollywood star with a big house and a fat check or a life in Maui. We envision ourselves living our dreams, but how many of us strive to achieve them? I am not content being average. I know I am meant for a life in the sky flying a Boeing 787, vacationing in Europe, and raising children who will be inspired to step into the best life can offer. The cockpit is my home with my headset over my ears and my head in the clouds. While I love soaring in my Cessna 150, I am avid to fly for Delta as Captain of the Boeing 787. I refuse to back down from the trial of balancing college, flying, and work to achieve my dream. I am eager to swap out my props for turbines and soar away into the blue sky above. With flying comes the opportunity to visit beautiful cities and exotic locations. I aspire to visit Moscow and see the red square, or visit London and finally see the Thames. I have been traveling since a young age and nothing excites me more than visiting new places and learning more about this rich world around me. However, I do not intend to be alone. I intend to fail and learn, succeed and celebrate and mentor those who will follow. My children will grow up knowing they can do anything as they put their minds to it. I want my children to live freely, free to live the life they deserve. From flying for Delta to touring Europe to raising empowered youth, I mean to live out my dream. No matter what it takes, I will win, but more importantly, show others that with drive and determination anything is possible.

Independence, what a beautiful word! Many think it means "freedom", but to me it means opportunity. To be independent means you have the opportunity to pursue whatever course of action you want with no one holding you back. Independence I must secure the permission of my superior, but with independence, I have the freedom to accept or reject any opportunity coming my way. Though I haven't fully achieved independence, I am excited about my journey to achieve it. It has had such an uplifting effect on me. While my new responsibilities have put great weight on my shoulders, they have empowered me to try ideas I wouldn't have attempted otherwise. Instead of waking up every morning thinking "I HAVE to go to work," I wake up and say "I wonder what I can do to earn a secondary income?" It is hard to fully express the impact of independence; it is all-encompassing as if we were made for it.

Andy attended a college group every Monday night. He went, he ate, and he left. He seemed normal, but he wasn't. Sadly, one day, he ended his life. No one expected it. Today I see countless students living their lives; I don't know if they're struggling. But I didn't know Andy was struggling. A smile, conversation, and encouragement. It may not seem like much, but after Andy, I will use them to help others overcome their struggles. We express happiness or pleasure with a smile, yet we rarely share genuine ones. Somehow, smiling has been replaced with head nods and glances. Whenever I greet someone, I greet them with a smile, because I might be the only smile they'll share today. Maybe if Andy saw my smile he might still be here. "How are you?" "Good, how are you?" The monotonous day-to-day conversation has never led to anything meaningful. So I strive to go beyond normal conversations. I express interest in the lives of those around me and value the other person. Maybe I'm the only one who cares. Maybe if Andy had known I cared he might still be here. A bit of encouragement goes a long way, yet we often forget to encourage our friends amidst the struggles of life. With everyone I meet, I go above and beyond to encourage them to pursue their dreams and see themselves in a different light. Maybe I'm the only encourager they meet today. Maybe I could have been Andy's encouragement. A smile, meaningful conversation, and encouragement, three small things that can make a big difference. I refuse to stand aside as more young people sink into loneliness and depression. I want to make an impact on those around me. For my friends, my community, and, most of all, for Andy.

"Beyonders: A World Without Heroes", a lovable novel by Brandon Mull, is by far my favorite book. From its gripping storyline matching that of J.R.R. Tolkein to its relatable characters that seem to live and breath just like you and me, "Beyonders" is a book like no other. From the beginning, Mull draws you in with the first line describing how coincidental that our hero Jason would teleport from his world to another. Mull's clever use of a hippo's ginormous maw as a gateway to a mystical world will forever stick in my memory. Jason's adventure starts almost immediately with a heroic act that failed terribly, then Jason jumps from the frying pan into the fire by accidentally joining a quest to overthrow the wizard of the land. To return home, he completes the quest and after succeeding, finds himself outdone by the wizard. The masterful path the story takes as well as the hidden details and plot twists make this first book of a three-part trilogy my favorite book of all time. Mull artfully portrays Jason as a relatable character from the beginning and continues weaving together a young man with the heart of a lion that we grow to love in the end. With ample shortcomings and disaster coming upon him unexpectedly, I find a bit of myself in Jason. I constantly strive to live out my days as he did. I accept challenges with anticipation and hold my friends close. I hold my head high amid difficulty because if Jason did it, why can't I? Because of this book, I found my will to write my novel to share my story with the world. From its gripping story to its realistic characters, "Beyonders" will always hold a special place in my heart.