To be or Not to Be

Often doing the right thing can lead to a bad thing. An example is how shark nets prevent swimmers from having fatal attacks, however the nets also catch non harmful creatures such as dolphins, whales, and manta rays. The question now being brought up (from ABC Science) in Australia is whether or not the nets should be taken down. For some 70 years or so, the nets have kept Aussies as well as tourists safe and able to swim freely. Due to the fact the nets are catching friendly creatures, they are thinking about removing the nets. Also, a specific type of shark is being commonly caught, which could negatively effect the food chain: the great white shark. In my personal opinion, I would continue to keep shark nets up in public and common beaches. However, I would remove them where able to. This way some sharks would be eliminated, some would stay away from crowded waters, and the number of dolphins, whales, and manta rays being caught in the net would decrease. There is data given that there are 1.25 fatalities in Australia each year. This is upsetting of course, but there were 212 accidental death in 2006 because of drowning. Unfortunately, water cause a lot of deaths whether it is accidental or from a creature. Sharks are a marine animal important to the food chain and we cannot just kill them off. They are necessary for the food chain to remain stable and healthy. As I previously stated, the nets that can be, should be removed. This will compromise the situation until a less harmful solution is found. I am not sure the public would be happy with this descion, but you have to respect both sides of the situation.

Dark, Cold Winter

I have been recently talking with my dad about the stress of school and soccer these past few months. The winter is the time for my biggest tournaments, holidays, and of course school and finals. My dad informed me the winter months and the end of the year are the time when people most commonly get depressed. Is it the weather, the projects, family, work, or all of these? I have thought it out and decided it is a combination of the bunch. Projects are do at work or school and your running out of time because it's the end of the "year". People don't seem to stop a notice that besides new years, days blend into one another and those projects can be completed in the next week in January. The weather is bitter and cold and it is also extremely dark. No one wants to get up in the morning and no one wants to do anything other then drink hot chocolate and sit and watch movies. Another factor of this time of depression is family and the holidays. Between buying the perfect gifts and being forced to see your great Aunt Susie, you are panicking constantly. All of these are causes of stress which are common during the end of the year. As humans, I feel we must embrace all of these stresses. Your finally going to finish the project you have been slaving away on, you get to celebrate the holidays with family members you haven't seen in months and you get to play in the snow and see it's beauty each morning. We tend to look at the negative aspects of everything, take out the bad things in good things so we have a reason to complain. We have to realize to pick out the best traits, appreciate everything including working late at the office or staying up late to study for a test. The new year is the start of a new yearly purpose, you fulfilled your previous one and it is time to do new things. I personally look forward to the new year and appreciate every aspect of winter, including finals!

"Do something."

As humans we often question what is the purpose of our life. Unfortunately, some spend a life time figuring out what they were supposed to do with their time on earth and others never find their purpose. I came upon this concept while watching a commercial, a young lady was speaking and said "Do something. Doing nothing is boring." Who knew such a powerful and truthful statement could be made during a 15 second commercial. This commercial could let someone come to the realization of time. We do not have an infinite amount of time to do everything we want in a lifetime. However, we must spend our time doing what's most important and helpful. This commercial helped me by forcing me to think about my purpose. Ones life is placed in the hands of the beholder. It is up to each of us to do something. Do what we were meant to do on the earth. So many people are cut short on their life due to accidents, sickness and misfortune; those of us who aren't, must not waste our life by doing nothing. We must pursue the cliche of living life to the fullest. We must carry out our purpose and fight to reach our life dreams. I am only 17 and I am not even close to figuring out the world, but I know my purpose. I am meant to bring smiles across others faces and help lead when chaos is present. I was born with the attributes of a good friend and I must continue to be a good friend to those in need. By no means do I feel limited to my current purposes. One's purposes in life change ad vary whether or not they are carried out. We come across different situations and paths in which our purpose is either tweaked or changed. I hope you have the chance to see this commercial, which surprisingly was found on MTV. It is a powerful statement and I hope others can come to the realization that every person's life is important, everyone was put on the world for a reason. You may also be asking, why a sailboat? To me a sailboat represents absolute freedom. I feel completely at peace with the world and feel everything is aligned while sailling.