Anne Frank was and continues to be one of the most inspiring and influential young writers of all time. Anne Frank was a Jewish citizen in Amsterdam who hid from the Nazi party during World War Two when anti-semitism was at its prime. Anne along with eight other friends and family hid in a secret annex for approximately two years until they were discovered and transported to a concentration camp. Before being captured, Anne had written in her beloved diary, Kitty, which she received for her birthday. She wrote daily about the terror of real war and her struggles of being an average young woman. Shortly after being freed from a German work camp, Otto Frank, Anne's father, was given the news that his his wife and two daughters had died in the camps. Devastated from this announcement, Otto returned to their place of shelter to visit a family friend, Miep Gies. Miep hands Otto Anne's diary and tells him to read her writings. Otto was so deeply moved by his daughters writings and wanted to share her work with the rest of the world so he requested her diary to be published. On June 25, 1947, The Secret Annex was published in honour of Anne. Many read the diary and forever changed their perspective of children authors.
“Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands.”
Anne Frank
I chose this quote for a reflection piece about facing the future because I too believe that parents and guardians put their children on a path for the future that will lead them to success but in the end the future is created by the individual who posses it. Parents may want one outcome for their child, but the child may have a polar opposite idea in mind. I believe that as long as the individual is constantly growing and improving themselves for the better it should not worry the guardian's what-so-ever. Young adults such as myself have quite a lot going on in our lives. We get moody and change our minds on a daily basis but that does not mean that we do not respect and cherish the advice that our loved one offer to us. At the end of the day, we are going to do as we please and it is all on us if we make a mistake. Not only is the mistake on our shoulders, but also how we grow and learn from it. I believe that Anne Frank summed it up perfectly, "the final forming of a person's character lies in their own hands", if one wants to be happy and successful, they are going to make that dream a reality. It goes the same if one wants to sit around drowning themselves in self pity, that attitude will become character. In conclusion, it is up to the individual to make the best out of themselves because in the end there will be no one else to blame but themselves.
On November 11th, 2014, Our Lady of Lourdes CHS, was invited to attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at the Guelph Sleeman Centre. The events included guest speakers, musical aspects and a moment of silence to remember the events that occurred on this day many years ago. While listening to one of the guest speakers, Dr. Bill Winegard, he touched on many topics including the role of the government in the lives of veterans. He spoke on the behalf of veterans who received little to no help from the government of Canada. Mr. Winegard said, "If veterans can't count on government promises, it is a very sad day indeed." He went on to say that more Canadian militants committed suicide than were killed in action in Iraq wars due to the lack of support. The government's lack of assistance for veterans who are currently overseas and those who have returned home is a unspeakable nightmare that many veterans live everyday. Winegard was insistent on trying to receive a more effective method of support for our veterans who need it the most.
I could not agree more with Mr. Winegard. I too believe that the men and women who fight for our rights and freedoms should receive much better support during and after these traumatic life experiences. Winegard provided an honest and eye opening point of view from a true veterans perspective which makes one more aware of how fortune we truly are to be able to call Canada home. We should never take our freedom for granted because their are many Canadian soldiers who have laid down their lives for us. As Canadians it is our duty to protect those who have protected us in the past. We should also remember that Remembrance Day should not be limited to one day a year, it should be everyday.
The freedom to express oneself and create an alter ego for one night is what Halloween is all about. Halloween allows men, women and children of all ages to dress up and become someone or something that they have always wanted to be. It is an entertaining and harmless way to create community and create countless memories that will last forever. A greater sense of community is created when all members in the neighbourhood come together to celebrate this made up holiday that everyone can participate in. While the children are out ''Trick-or-Treating" our fellow neighbours provide an extra set of eyes and ears to help ensure that all participants remain safe and nearby in the late hours of the night. The memories of dressing up with friends and family are ones that will always stay with individuals due to the fact that everyone is involved and able to be themselves on this day of festivities. Halloween should be viewed as a positive part of our culture that promotes community and enables us to make fulfilling memories with our loved ones that will last forever.
