Cause and Effect by Ethan

Cause and Effect by Ethan - July 2016 Scholarship Essay

Cause and Effect

It’s the first day of fourth grade. All the boys, including myself, are still sweating from an intense two-hand touch football game at lunch recess. The girls are talking about whatever girls talk about. History class with Mr. Umphress is beginning. He’s facing the front blackboard, beginning to write notes on the board about American westward movement during the nineteenth century. Suddenly, he whips around and hurls a piece of chalk over our heads, hitting the blackboard behind us. Some of us turn quickly enough to see hundreds of chalk fragments disperse in every direction from the point of impact.
Silence falls over the classroom. All the students are stunned. “Did he just try to hit someone?”, “Who was he aiming at?”, “Uh-oh, we are in serious trouble.” All these thoughts fly through my mind. Mr. Umphress calmly walks toward the back of the classroom pointing out the point of impact. He turns to us and asks, “What happened when the chalk hit the blackboard?” Nervously, a classmate raises her hand and responds, “We all jumped and looked back at the blackboard.” Mr. Umphress asks, “Why?” Quite dumbfounded, we all sat silently. Thankfully, Mr. Umphress breaks the silence: “History is all about cause and effect. One event causes another event to occur which causes another. History is an endless line of cause and effect.”
As I progressed through my education, this lesson resurfaced countless times. In each history class, whether studying the ancient Greeks and Romans, or the spread of Christianity during the Middle Ages, or the rise of the Renaissance and Enlightenment eras, the subject at hand was always analyzed with this lesson in mind. What impact did the fall of Rome have on the western world? How did the invention of the printing press affect the spread of the Reformation? How did the Declaration of Independence influence other peoples around the world seeking a more free and democratic society? Of course, the lesson applied to many other subjects as well. In physics, how did a rotating magnet near a copper coil cause a light to flicker? In mathematics, how did doubling the dimensions of a prism affect its volume? In literature, how did the rage of Achilles lead to his own demise? It was fascinating to ponder how one event, action, or emotion could lead to so many consequences.
Now, a little older and hopefully a little wiser, this lesson of cause and effect has taken on more meaning. Instead of analyzing the events of long-ago or the phenomenon of theoretical science, I must reflect often on my own actions and behavior and their resulting consequences. How will I interact with a complete stranger, perhaps asking for money for some food? How seriously will I study for my classes? How will I react to a moment of suffering, such as a death in the family? Or, how will I spend life’s most precious commodity, time? Choosing to share part of my lunch may bring much needed hope to that stranger. Choosing to study an extra hour each morning may lead to an A on the final. Choosing to trust in Providence rather than exhibit anger may help the other members of the family mourning our loss. Each day encounters different people and feelings; each encounter creates a choice, and each choice brings about an effect.
These choices, or causes, and their effects are ever more important being a husband and father. The choice to return to school, to earn a degree in civil engineering will certainly affect my family. My hope is that it will lead to a fulfilling career, one that enables me to provide for my family and serve the common good. However, it will certainly come with much sacrifice for us all. Already, this choice has had its effects: increased stress, a greater financial burden, and decreased family time. But alongside these costs, great opportunities have arisen; chances to focus on the daily choices that can produce joy from this circumstance of small suffering. How will I greet my wife upon returning home from a long day of classes? Will I lead my daughter in prayer before bedtime? Should I spend a few dollars that may not be in the budget on flowers to brighten their day? Although they seem insignificant, I know the effect of these choices, that is the joy and love that will arise from these choices will last longer than any others, even the effect of chalk hitting a blackboard.