we all fall down by Erin Pfleger we all fall into a place where we can't be reached. A place where we couldn't be bothered. A place where we don't feel. It's empty and thoughtless. It's lonely and numb. There were dreams to chase And things to try. Eyes would invade our souls, But we can't feel them from down here. There were lessons to learn And memories to make.

"Do what you love, not what you are told to love," is the one sentence I would share with the world. I'd like to share this sentence because there are so many people in the world who spend their lives working at a job that is supposed to be the "it" job, or the job that pays well because that is what others expect of them. As a species, we have learned to seek approval or to meet the expectations of others. We might have learned it as children when our mother said, "Daddy won't like it." when we picked up that hot pink dress she didn't want to buy. We could also have learned it from a teacher who told us, "You will never be able to do that because of how you act." These experiences would have taught us to seek approval or to conform to the expectations of others. Trying to gain approval or meet other people's expectations binds us to the type of person we are not meant to be. Gaining an education or experience that allows us to get the job that our parents want us to have is not being true to ourselves. It is not only our parents who are trying to mold us into a false persona; it is also us. As a result, we may feel broken and/or stressed. We should devote our lives to things that teach us life lessons and make us happy. I don't want to live a life trying to make other people happy; instead, I want to live a life I'd want to live again.

Growing up, I was always asking questions. I asked questions like, "Why were the leaves green?" and "Why were the punctuations where they were?" But most of all, I was extremely fascinated with how events of the past would determine or influence the future and shape it into what came or what will come to pass. When I started middle school, I felt overwhelmed with my English, Science, and Math classes. My seventh grade Texas history class was the one class that I was excited about the most. I learned about the Alamo, and at the end of the year, I remember that we had this one major grade project that required us to travel to historical landmarks all around Texas. Some of the places that I visited were the U.S.S. Texas Battleship, the capital of Texas, and the San Jacinto Monument, just to name a few. While I visited those important parts of our state’s history, I soaked up as much information as I possibly could. Not only was I interested in battles that shaped the state and the countries around the world, but I was also fascinated by how natural causes shaped the course of history. One event from the past that floats around in my head is the hurricane of 1900 that hit Galveston, Texas. Many businesses and homes were destroyed during this hurricane and many lives were lost, but this natural disaster can be and has been used as a learning tool. I have yet to take a tour through the homes from this period that survived, but I plan to one day. The last STAAR test that I took in my high school career was the U.S. History STAAR test. The U.S. History STAAR test had sixty-eight questions on it. And of those sixty-eight questions, I got sixty-six questions correct. It felt like my mind was a book as I took the test. I understood the questions, I could recall the correct facts and answers, and I went through the test with very little stress. Once I had received my results, I was very proud of myself. The main reason why I would love nothing more than to major in history is that I would like to be a history teacher. History is something that I love and enjoy so much, and I want to do everything in my power to help students love and enjoy history just as much as I do. Teachers are the ones that change the world. They are the ones who change how students feel about subjects, and they also help students find the things that they love most in life. I have had several history teachers in my public-school career. Every one of them has inspired me to peruse what I love, and that is history. They have answered every question that came to my curious mind. I would love nothing more than to feed future minds with information. I think history is something that everyone should enjoy because it is our past, present, and future. We have much to learn from the past, and history is doomed to repeat itself if we forget it or choose not to learn from it. I enjoy learning anything and everything about history that I can get my hands on. There is an infinite amount of history all around us to enjoy.

In a world full of negativity lurking around every corner and in every shadow, it is hard to find change for the better. It is hard to find the courage to change that negativity for the better period. I want to see the kids younger than me fight for their own voice and not be pushed over and around by others. In my earlier years of high school, I was shy and afraid to speak up for myself. I tried to just flat-out ignore all the bullying I was being dealt. But that damaged me in the long run. I kept letting people bully me, and there was nothing I did to stop it. This made it difficult for me to make new friends and just be myself. As a senior, I am noticing this happen to the freshman around me. I do my best to encourage them to speak up for themselves because of the matter. I continue to keep encourage them to use their voice because I know it takes time to feel confident and comfortable about standing up for themselves. I know I wish I had someone who did the same for me when I was their age. Everyone experiences events in their day-to-day life that makes them want to stay quiet. We as a species are not alone in how we feel about being mistreated. But that should not be acceptable.

Learning that other people may respond to things the same way I might, has shifted my perspective on life. Technology and social media has created toxic environments online for users of all walks of life. With technology letting us use social media, people have turned simple conversations into toxic games. Talking to a few of my friends about how they might react to a situation, has greatly helped me understand that I am not alone when it comes to how I feel about reading comments and seeing posts. People are quick to hurt others online, but the minute they are not hiding behind a screen, it is less likely they will say the things they might say online. Thanks to social media and technology, it is easier for people to lie about who they are and what they look like. I have seen so many photoshopped photos online, and I know others have to. Seeing these photos is damaging to everyone who may not realize that they have been edited. I used to be a victim of this until I decided to take time out of my life to try and find the original photo. I no longer let what others may have that I do not, but there are many younger kids that may not understand that what they are seeing online is a lie. Being able to understand that people not only respond to and feel the same way that I might about something, helps me realize that I am not alone in this world and that I could talk to my friends because chances are they feel the same way.

Seasons Show me the beauty of the cold Witness on every branch. Spin me in the silence Surrounding us. Show me the beginning Of their resilient lives. Spin me in the greenest Of the grasses. Turn my head with the whispers of Summertime. Show me the changing leaves As they fall to their deaths. Spin me in the piles of Orange and gold.

     I was reading at the level of a first grader when I was in the fourth grade. I would refuse to read anything that my parents and teachers would try to have me read. That included street signs. I disliked reading then because it was hard for me to understand the words, one could probably say that I didn't know how to read. But I also disliked reading because of how many people were trying to force me to read. That was not something I was very fond of. Once a month, my elementary school required each student to check out a book from the library even if we were not going to read it. I got by with that for a few years until it was noticeable that I could not read at the level of my peers. Closer to the end of my fourth grade year, I picked a book off the shelf titled Bluestar's Prophecy. But I never read it. I had not even tried reading it the entire month I had it, until it was time for my class to return or renew our books. That's when I read the first eight words, and I was immediately sucked into the Warriors Universe.      I went on to read the first four series of the Warriors Universe, and I enjoyed every book. Since those four series, I have discovered authors like Sara J. Maas and more. I never thought I would enjoy reading as much as I do now. I have read many books and have several favorites, and I will read many more books and gain several more favorites, but Bluestar's Prophecy will always have a special place in my heart as the book that pulled me into the world of reading that I now love.