How much has your family affected who you grew up to be? Even if they weren't around that much, did that absence effect you?
If you follow me on Twitter, you've probably heard me whine a few million times about having to write a paper for American Lit. We had to pick a book we read this semester and write a response on it. And I was dragging my feet on it the whole time. I love English, but not when I don't know what the teacher wants. When I'm writing my own opinion on something and just being graded on my structure, it's so scary. What if he doesn't like my ideas? That's been the hardest thing about this class so far. I'm not following a set formula to pass. I'm being graded on how well I've gotten to know myself. And as much as I fight it, I love it.
I ended up writing my response on Bless Me, Ultima. It's a novel about a catholic family, who end having a Witch Doctor type woman move in with them. Obviously this creates some slight discourse. The book ends up showing you how learning for yourself and not being defined by what your parents believe is the best course. Because what if even your parents don't believe deep down in what they say they do?
And in typical American Lit fashion, it made me think. How much of my beliefs have been completely shaped by what I was taught as a kid? Taught by growing up in a small Connecticut town, taught by growing up in a family that went to church every Sunday, taught by being around people who believed that outward appearances could hide your secrets. How many of my actions have been shaped by that? A lot.
What if there is this whole other part of life that we are all missing on because we're so busy following the rules that we've set out for ourselves, that our parents have set out for us? What if we are allowing our stereotypes to prevent us from getting to know beautiful parts of the world that we aren't used to? And what if getting to know those beautiful parts of the world could makes us even more beautiful people?
Do you ever wonder how much of the world you're missing out on because of the walls you've built up in your head, trying to stay within the boundaries you've squeezed in to?
1 comment:
I can see where you are coming from. There are instances in my life over the last year so to make me think of these things. It's good to be thinking of these things, but is even better to reflect on them as you are. I give you a *high-five* for your awesome reflecting action.
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