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This semester I have learned how to live more in the moment and enjoy my time in college, instead of just rushing from one task to the next and one day to the next. As I move on this semester I want to continue on my journey of being a more patient and kind person as well as finding time to continue reading the bible and drawing in my journal what I remember from each chapter as I talked about in my blog!!

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Fire in the Ashes is a book written by Jonathan Kozol that shares the stories of families and children that lived in poverty while enduring the horrendous circumstances at the Martinique Hotel in New York City. Kozol is a journalist that uses his talents to make known the conditions in which these people lived. Yet for many, he was more than just a writer--a friend, a provider, and even a father figure. The book portrays that sometimes it takes a certain kind of attitude towards life to be able to rise from the ashes in which one was born.
What resonated with me was that the talents of one person can change the lives of so many others. Johnathan used a platform (a book) that probably none of the people in these circumstances would have available to them, and he used his talents (writing) to tell the stories of the forgotten and ignoredc. I think this is the ultimate empathy and compassion one can have for others--I respect that immensely.

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The book Living Buddha, Living Christ written by Thich Nhat Hanh is an eye-opening novel about learning how to be mindful, to practice nonviolence, and so many other important life lessons. He opens our eyes to the fact that Buddhism and Christianity can be practiced side by side. If we exclude the possibility of all other religions to offer salvation then “this attitude excludes dialogue and fosters religious intolerance and discrimination.” (193). One thing that I had never realized before is that the Christian practice of communion is basically the practice of mindfulness. I will now keep this in mind as I go to church.

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The book Tattoos on the Heart written by Gregory Boyle is an inspirational novel that shares the testimonies, hardships, and successes that Boyle has encountered while working with gang members in the Los Angeles area. Throughout the book, Boyle writes about the different themes of life that he has came across through his work with the homies.
An example of a homie that resonated with me would be Pedro. He was once an alcoholic and cocaine addict. After much persistence by Boyle, Pedro finally decided to go to rehab. Within the first month of rehab, Pedro found out that his brother committed suicide. Although this would have been a very easy time for him to leave rehab and relapse, he did not. Nevertheless this news was saddening, but it was not going to stop his progress. Pedro is now a case manager at Homeboy Industries. Without Pedro’s constant small steps in the right direction, he would never have been the man he is today, and possibly not even alive. That just goes to show that it doesn't matter how bad your circumstances are, you can always prosper with hard work.

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I don't think one can grow more within themselves than during the first year of college. I can personally say I have learned so much and have grown in so many different aspects. I have grown academically. I have found it so incredibly amazing to be able to learn something in one class and learn something that relates to the same topic in another class-- such as Spanish and Literature. It's such a cool thing to hear your Spanish professor talk about something and think "oh, I know about that topic from the perspective of literature." I can feel the sense of getting a more well rounded education instead of "I am learning this in this class" and "learning this in this class" and neither of them pertain to each other, just as it is in high school.
I have grown socially. When starting high school I had a good friend group but ultimately got hurt when I realized they didn't care for me as I cared for them. Leaving high school, I felt like the person that people would let tag along. This hurt me a lot. Going into college, those insecurities of feeling unimportant followed me. God knew I needed a good friend to always have my back. I ended up sitting next to my best friend at SOAR and since then I have met only nice and genuine people that I am so grateful for.
I have also grown within. Since college I have been working on how people perceive me. I no longer want to come off as a rude or know-it-all, I want people to see me as someone they enjoy talking to and being around. So I have been working on my attitude, my patience, and my tone. These are things I had never thought to work on, I always thought "I am what I am," which is true to an extent, but that doesn't mean you can't grow and become a better person. That's exactly what I think I am slowing working on-- becoming a better version of myself.