The Gift of Life by ericka

The Gift of Life by ericka - June 2014 Scholarship Essay

In life, we are given a chance and a hope to be what we dream to be, but do we take that and cherish it? I have ready many books about serial killers and sorority girls and the drama that lingers with them, but never about life and how we take it for granted. My book would explain how life gives us a chance to be happy. As a society, we are too busy running around, and thinking but never have a chance to really appreciate life as we have it. Happiness is a given, we just either chose to take it or leave it. Our jobs, schooling and personal lives may affect our happiness, but it can still be reached.

Another thing I would write in my book would be about our opportunities. We have so many opportunities to grow as a society, to become better citizens. Do we choose to do so? We have developed into a nation of selfishness and lack of compassion. When we are given the opportunity to smile, we frown instead. I find it to be astonishing when an “act of kindness” is viewed as breaking news on my local news station about a trend called “pay it forward”, notice how I said “trend”.

That brings me to another topic that would feature in my book: Act of Kindness and thoughtfulness. Life gives us the chance to be kind and thoughtful to others, but we tend to look the other direction. The main way to achieve happiness is to be kind and thoughtful. If you are able to have kindness in your heart, you are able to make someone else feel an act of kindness. It’s really like the domino effect, once someone does something that creates a stir; everyone starts to do the same thing. Like I mentioned before, I find it so amazing to hear that society can find it in their hearts to pay it forward and help out each other. It’s a simple gesture and an act of kindness that spreads like a wild fire. It goes from one person, to another and another.

Over all, we all take life for granted, until something bad happens and life is slipping from our finger tips. The easiest things in life come the hardest as they say, but one simple smile or pay it forward deed will change a person’s day. An act of kindness and a simple thoughtful gesture will make all the difference. My book would explain more into depth what I mean by all these things, but life is too beautiful to not let happiness and kindness take over. There are a lot of books about fantasy and things that destroy our perception, but how about a book that brightens our perception? Life is a gift, smile and appreciate it.