# data[].attributes.body
My family has had a major impact on my life and how I view the world. My parents especially have raised me to always be accepting of others. My mother also said, "treat others how you want to be treated." This has resonated with me as I've grown up and dealt with different situations. My father taught me right from wrong and how to navigate through life. Being the oldest of three boys, I've used what my parents taught to try and be a role model for them. My brothers look up to me and I want to show them the right way to act. We grew up in a Catholic household going to church almost every Sunday. Hearing the scriptures every week shaped how I wanted to act. The Bible is full of passages about how to be respectful and kind to others. I'm proud to be a Catholic and to be able to share what I've learned with others. I also went to an all-boys high school and one of our mottos was Brotherhood. That meant watching out for each other as well as treating everyone with respect. My four years at St. Joe's had a profound impact on my understanding of other people's situations. My classmates were from all over Buffalo, and I learned a lot being around them. My parents and schooling have taught me how to be inclusive and build lasting relationships with others.

# data[].attributes.body
One question that consistently comes to mind is what happens when we die. It's a very difficult question to even think about because there's just no way of knowing. My faith has taught me that if we live a good life we will go to Heaven. I believe this to be true, but there still is a small part of me that isn't sure. What if there's nothing at the end of this. What if we just float away forever and ever. It's difficult for me to process these different scenarios because it's hard for the human mind to grasp. Another question I think about is "why me?" Why is this happening to me, I try to be a good person and respect others and something bad still happens to me. Over the summer, my grandpa who was perfectly healthy got pneumonia. Very rapidly his condition declined. I remember thinking to myself why this is happening to me and my family. How can we lose someone so quickly. I never got the chance to say goodbye. As a family we prayed together, and I truly believed he would be okay. By the grace of God, my grandpa was out of the hospital in a week and back to work. It's easy to blame God when something's not going your way. God works in miraculous ways and his plan for each of us may not be easy to understand.

# data[].attributes.body
A symbol that holds significance in my life is the Buffalo Bills logo. Being from Buffalo, I'm constantly hearing about the Bills and seeing their logo throughout the community. To me, the Buffalo Bills represent hardwork, determination, and an endless drive to be great. The Buffalo Bills exemplify how I want to live my life. You can see it with how much the fans care about the team. If someone gets hurt, or their family is sick, Bills Mafia will donate to charities and help out. The selflessness is seen on the field and in the community. Seeing how the Bills carry themselves makes me want to do the same. I want to be a hard worker, someone who's perfecting their craft, and to help others in need. I've been a Bills fan my entire life. When I was younger, I would cheer them on, but I didn't understand the impact the Bills had. I didn't realize the dedication and toughness I took to be a Bill. The Buffalo Bills are a symbol of Buffalo as a whole. A cold tough place where people look out for each other. The community in Buffalo is unlike any other place I've been. I believe the Bills are a reason for that. The Bills bring us together every week and allows us to build relationships and spend time with each other. The Bills are a great example of how I want to live my life.

# data[].attributes.body
I feel that self-sacrifice is very important and it strengthens us in many ways. Years ago, I sacrificed my Adrian Petersson autographed jersey. My dad had won it at an auction, and it was framed in my room. I loved this jersey so much. I would always watch the Minnesota Vikings just to see Adrian Petersson. One day my dad asked if I'd be willing to give the jersey away. At first I said no way, but after talking it over, it seemed like the right thing to do. My dad's friend was from Minnesota and his son was a diehard Vikings fan. We decided to give the jersey to him. I was upset to see the jersey go, but after seeing his reaction it was all worth it. He was overjoyed and couldn't believe he had been given the jersey. Ironically, Adrian Petersson taught me about self-sacrifice when he himself couldn't even do it. This experience helped me understand the importance of self-sacrifice from a young age. Being the oldest of three boys, I often have to sacrifice so my brothers can get their way. It makes me feel good when my brothers are happy. It also puts my parents in a good mood because they feel they are raising me the right way.

# data[].attributes.body
The Bible has had a major impact on Western civilization. In culture, Christmas has become one of the most celebtrated times of the year. We begin to see Christmas ads in October its crazy. Christmas obviously stemmed from Jesus coming into the world. It's a time to connect with family and build a sense of togetherness. It's my favorite time of the year. I love being able to skate on a pond with my brothers and then come home and watch Christmas movies together. Sometimes I get caught up in the Christmas spirit and forget about the true meaning. God giving his only son to us is a major event that I need to be thinking about more. I feel that many others around me forget about the true meaning of Christmas as well. They get caught up in the presents, parties, and decorations. It's very easy to get distracted in the society that we live in today. This Christmas I want to put an emphasis on connecting with my family on a deeper level. I need to realize how important the birth of Jesus is. This will help me get more out of Christmas and I believe it will help me grow closer to God.

# data[].attributes.body
When I think of patriotism, I feel prideful and connected with the country I live in. I think about all of the brave men and women who fought for my freedom. They made the ultimate sacrifice so that I could enjoy my life. My grandpa is a veteran, and I look up to him because he cared more about others than himself. The United States is a very unique place. We are so lucky to have all of the freedoms this country offers. I believe that freedom of speech is a very important right that no everyone has. In the U.S., we are able to talk about our differences in respectful manner without any fear. This isn't possible in other areas of the world. I think that being the best shapes my loyalty to the United States. As Americans we pride ourselves in being best whether that's in sports, military, or business. This pride builds a sense of urgency to continually improve. In hockey, the United States has always been second to Canada. Canada produces the best players, has the best coaches, and wins all of the major tournaments. Recently, the United States has taken big strides and is arguably better than Canada. Americans have this drive which I feel is second to none around the globe. I believe that being patriotic and having pride for your country shapes all areas of your life in a positive manner.

# data[].attributes.body
When I think of those from different backgrounds, they might see the same symbols I see which cause them to feel different than me. For instance, those that aren't born in the United States probably won't feel the same pride as me when we see the American flag. They might feel a sense of angst or feel nothing it at all. The same goes if I see a German flag. Symbols are all about where and how you are raised. Growing up in Buffalo, I'm a huge bills fan. I have friends from Pittsburgh and Cleveland that hate the Bills. It's all about perspective and what influenced your beliefs growing up. As a Catholic, I often see symbols in my daily life that remind me of my faith. This could be a crucifix, a bible phrase or even a person that reminds of my beliefs. These allow me to always be reminded that God is apart of my life. Someone raised in the Jewish faith may not have the same sentiment towards these same symbols. I'm thankful for my parents and how they raised me. The symbols I have feelings toward in my life are most contributed to them.

# data[].attributes.body
For me, a truly breathtaking experience every time I see it is Niagara Falls. I've been lucky enough to see it on numerous occasions because I live so close, but it doesn't change how magnificent it is. The sheer power of the water and how large Niagara Falls is, is incredible. It allows you to see the beauty and the magnitude of nature that surrounds us. Taking in Niagara Falls gave a sense of peace. I was able to take a step back and appreciate the beauty I was witnessing. The Falls have been there for tens of thousands of years. There's so much history in my midst and I felt very small in the grand scheme of things. Niagara Falls allowed me to connect with God in ways I hadn't before. I thanked him for giving me the opportunity to witness the Falls in all of it's glory. It also gave me a chance to connect with amazing the world is. It's far too easy to mindlessly go by on our phones and devices. Sometimes I get caught in this trap and don't appreciate how beautiful the world is. I vividly remember hugging my mother at the Falls and thanking her for everything. She has sacrificed so much, and Niagara Falls actually gave me a new perspective. I'm blessed for the family I have and the strong bond we have built together. It just goes to show that God's nature can bring us even closer together.

# data[].attributes.body
My family has numerous traditions that we take part in every year. On Christmas Eve, we always go to six o'clock mass and sit in the same pew. We take in the word of Christ and feel his warmth of being born. I really enjoy this family time we have every year. On Thanksgiving we always have a turkey bowl with my extended family. We spend two hours together competed for the turkey trophy and it's so much fun. Afterwards, we go to my uncle's house for our Thanksgiving feast. The family time we get to spend together is irreplaceable. A few weeks before Christmas we go to a local tree farm and cut down a tree. This is a tradition I particularly enjoy because I feel it separates us from other families. We have to put in a lot of work to get the tree we want, just like Jesus sacrificed so much to save us from sin. My parents taught all of these traditions to me at a young age. I have a sense of family pride being able to continue these traditions after so many years. I love being able to experience these traditions with my brothers and sort of show them the way. For me it makes the holiday season extra special.

# data[].attributes.body
One key takeaway from the video was how the indigenous tribe had their water supply taken away when a dam was built. The indigenous people have tremendous respect for the land and believe its sacred. The fact that their land was taken from them really hurt them. It's like having a watch from your dad get stolen from you. The indigenous have immense respect for the land their families cultivated and grew up on. It's very unfair to have their land just taken. The indigenous tribes roamed the United States far before it was a country. We don't have a right to just take everything from them. It shows people's lack of respect for the wonderful nature God has given us. The indigenous tribes want to preserve the land. Another takeaway that surprised me was the good that the indigenous tribes do for nature. The tribes are constantly planting new trees and trying to enrich our beautiful Earth. I believe that the indigenous want Earth to continue to flourish. It frustrates the tribes when loggers or dam builders come into their spaces and disrupt the ecosystem. I believe that the indigenous tribes do a lot of good for the Earth and I think we should allocate more resources to help them succeed.