Proud of Passion

Every school has brains, and jocks, and cheerleaders, and musicians, and artists. Every school has a team or club to proud of, but at my school, we’re proud of passion. Every student has something to showcase. But, at most schools, certain activities are cool, while others are not. At Snow Canyon High School, however, everyone supports everyone. As long as you love what you’re doing, what you do is cool. We’re proud of the brains for excelling in scholastic achievement. The debate and chess teams at our school are sought after for help on assignments. As a debater and tennis player, I found that I received as much attention for my scholastic achievements as I did for my athletic ones. We’re proud of our 5-peat state championship volleyball team and their games are always packed, but our football team, that quite frankly, rarely wins a game, receives just as much support. I remember one basketball game where the drill team and drum line performed at half-time, and both groups received standing ovations. I have attended countless athletic events, concerts, plays, and assemblies during my time as a high school student, and I never fail to be amazed with the hard work and talents of my peers, and I am not alone in my appreciation. The incredible attendance to all school events and the constant praise for classmates that seems to flow through the halls is proof of that. We are a school that truly supports passion. When the artists of the school hung an enormous canvas of our mascot, when our volleyball team walked away with from the state championship with a second place trophy after winning for the past five years, when the cast of the Wizard of Oz took one final bow, when our band played the fight song for the last time, and when our girl’s basketball team hoisted their first ever, championship trophy; we cheered. We screamed and clapped and stomped, because we recognized the passion that got our peers to those places. We felt their excitement, their sorrow, and their elation. As a school of very diverse people, there is one thing we understand; we understand the passion that makes us people, that makes us Warriors. I go to Snow Canyon High School, and we are the home of the Warriors.

 This scholarship is sponsored by CenturyLinkQuote.com. 

Echoes of Soul.

You can discover a lot about a person by what music they listen to. But, I think you can gain even greater insights by discovering their favorite love songs, because there are so many, and everyone likes at least some. They reveal ideals. Hopes.

I feel like many artists have similar things to say about being in love. They fall into meaningless cliches. They don't define the uniqueness of their relationships. I think every loving relationship is different, and these songs express, authentically, what love is.

1.) Somebody Depeche Mode.

2.) Midnight at Lazarus Pit Quiet Company.

3.) All I Need Radiohead.

4.) Delicate Damien Rice.

5.) Stolen Dashboard Confessional.

6.) A Lack of Color Death Cab for Cutie.

7.) Someone Like You Adele.

8.) You're Still You Josh Groban.

9.) Love the Way You Lie Eminem.

10.) Rocket Yellowcard.

11.) Please Remember Me Tim McGraw.

12.) Leave Out All the Rest Linkin Park.

13.) Use Somebody Kings of Leon.

14.) Sigh No More Mumford and Sons.

15.) Unexpected Song Michael Crawford.

16.) Wouldn't It Be Nice The Beach Boys.

17.) Congratulations Blue October.

18.) Brighter Paramore.

19.) Time and Space Van Risseghem.

20.) Good Enough Evanescence.

Playlist Here: http://grooveshark.com/#/playlist/Authentic+Love/65878628

Empathy

I genuinely try to understand people and empathize with them. Even if I initially think I disagree with a viewpoint, I pride myself in the ability to listen and put aside my preconceptions. I do not profess to understand everyone and everything, but I do try. It disturbs me when I can't seem to fathom someone and his or thought process at all. I would call these people ignorant, but that would make me ignorant.

The World . . .

. . . is your kaleidoscope

-1984

The Speed of Life

The Problem:

Rushing and racing and running in circles
Moving so fast I'm forgetting my purpose
Blur of the traffic is sending me spinning
Getting nowhere

Sometimes I fear that I might disappear
In the blur of fast forward I falter again
Forgetting to breathe
I need to sleep
I'm getting nowhere

The Solution:

Slow me down
Don't let me live a lie
Before my life flies by
I need you to slow me down

The noise of the world is getting me caught up
Chasing the clock and I wish I could stop it
Just need to breathe
Somebody please
Slow me down

-Slow Me Down Emmy Rossum

The Dilemma:

Time is relative,
construction of mankind, yet
the clock strikes midnight.

-Haiku written by yours truly

Somber

Sometimes, I sound dark and gloomy and depressed when I blog. Please, allow me to redeem the murkiness of my soul. Yes, a small portion of me is solemn. But, the majority of my soul is joyful, jovial, and rapturous.

I can't even tell you how much I savor simply being alive. Every day holds extraordinary possibility, and I relish that potential. I love life.

1. I love the contrast of extreme dry heat and uninterrupted sun verse cool, clear water. I love striding the line between the two.

2. I love full moons in starry skies. I love when I wake up in the middle of the night and a patch of moonlight lies on my floor. I curl up in the whiteness and stare at the moon until I fall asleep.

3. I love being barefoot. I love the freedom I feel when my feet experience raw ground.

4. I love laughing until I can't make a sound. I like it when my stomach is sore the next day.

5. I love it when people smile at me for no reason at all.

6. I love it when I'm reading and suddenly things start to click, so I write furiously and read some more and write, and then stop and think. And it all starts to make sense, and I read and I write and I think, and the more I do this, the more excited I become. I feel bigger, stronger, and more complete for what I've come to know, even if it is a realization of how little I matter-- because I know it.

7. I love food. I love eating. I love tasting something and distinguishing flavors while enjoying the dish as a whole. Food is an experience.

8. I love being loved. It is a rare feeling. I mean, I feel liked often. But, there are only a few moments where I've known and felt the mutual love between me and one other soul. And we both just knew. And it was beautiful.

9. I love solitude. I love taking hikes alone and observing the beauty of the earth and it's inhabitants.

10. I love people: their goals their dreams and idiosyncrisies. I am intriged by their infinitely diverse patterns of thought and philosophies about their lives and about the universe.

Time After Time

Some people picture me
I seem to be far ahead
They call to me
I can't hear what they've said
They say--you're there
I know the truth
Oh how I envy you

If you're lost
You can look
But you won't find me--
I am lost too

If you fall
I can't catch you
I wish I could wait--
But I'm down by you

When the book is open
And the pages separate
You'll see the scrawling
And know the confused puzzling
Certain darkness
That makes me blind
The lies remain so tight

Time after time