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Something that I've done in the past, and something I find myself still doing now, is reacting unfairly to my parents when they are just trying to do what is best for me. I would often get angry with my parents if I am not allowed to do a certain thing or if I am scolded for doing something wrong. After I realize where I went wrong and after the blinding rage subsides, I feel waves of guilt. There have been many times in the past where I fail to understand my parents' perspectives and how they want the best for me. I realize long after that if they're not allowing me to go to a certain place or do a certain thing it is not because they are controlling, but because they worry for my safety and wellbeing. Being at odds with my parents when they're just trying to do their job oftentimes makes me feel guilty. Learning to be more patient and understanding of my parents' wishes would relieve the guilt that I feel. Being more conscious of how my parents sacrifice a lot to provide for me ultimately helps to shift my position as a "rebellious teen" to a more understanding teen.

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I think redemption refers to being able to recover and become better from whatever wrongdoing you committed. Being redeemed is like being revived from the terrible effects of your own actions.

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"The Shifts of fortune test the reliability of friends"

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"The Shifts of fortune test the reliability of friends"

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I feel like this quote refers to when you are experiencing the lowest or highest points in your life, you'll see who your true friends are. After reading and reflecting, I first thought of how you will really see which friends stick by your side when you are at your worst. I immediately thought of how my family was concerned for a period of time for our living situation, and I had 3 friends that would really constantly check in on me and were concerned what was going on in my life. When unusual situations arise, friends will reveal their true selves.

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I don't think I am anywhere near being a perfect friend but I am constantly learning more about myself and others and how to be a good friend to others. I feel like sometimes I get caught up in my own life and things I have to deal with that sometimes I am not there for others as much as I want to be. I think my friendships are conditional in the way that I really want respect and honesty to be reciprocal. I don't think my friendships are conditional in the way that I need to be validated constantly or constantly checked up on. I think things like checking up on each other and reaching out in times of need should come from how me and my friend feel in our heart rather conditions that must be met. If I were out of line, I would want my friend to set me straight. I don't think they would really be my friend if they were letting me do something unacceptable. Showing me where I went wrong so I can improve myself in the future would indicate that they are someone who truly cares about me and wants to be a good friend to me. I have one friend that I have known for over four years. They are constantly my best friend even though there was a period of time where we didn't have contact for months. Our friendship works because we have always been there for each other during low or high points. Even if there is a time where we haven't talked for a bit, we still reconvene as if things are the same because we have helped each other grow a lot.

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"If malice or envy were tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang" - Charley Reese

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"If malice or envy were tangible and had a shape, it would be the shape of a boomerang" - Charley Reese

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This quote makes me think that one's hard feelings toward another person is going to come back and affect them negatively. A boomerang is an object that, when thrown, will come back to you. Ill intention that is thrown out at others will come back at you. I have definitely experienced jealousy throughout my life. Especially being a girl, there have been times where I've been jealous of someone's appearance or how their body looks compared to mine. Being self-critical of myself throughout my teen years has made me jealous of other girls around me. To me, I think jealousy physically feels like a pit in your stomach that can't be satisfied. I feel guilty almost to be jealous of someone or something. I've been jealous of people that understand certain school subjects with ease while I have trouble understanding. I have also been jealous of the appearance of others. I feel like jealousy is not exactly healthy but more like a natural and understandable human emotion. I don't think it is exactly healthy because I think it would be more beneficial to focus on my own self and what to improve on rather than wishing I had what someone else has. I feel like this can be really draining and ultimately hurt someone and their perception of themselves and that person.

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"How you spend your days is how you spend your life."

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"How you spend your days is how you spend your life."

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i remember at school during my freshman year i stayed silent about a conflict when i should have said something. I remember I was with my friends at lunch and then there was this girl that I didn’t know who pulled one of my friends aside and started to argue with her. My friend and the girl started to get riled up at each-other about an issue that I wasn’t really paying attention to. Soon enough the girl lunged at my friend and space cleared around them and near the table me and the rest of my friends were sitting at. the conflict felt surreal as these two girls were hitting and grabbing each other only a few feet away from me. I was so shocked I didn’t do anything but watched. I knew it was wrong that they were physically fighting over something and that they needed to be stopped. i was too scared to say or do anything, but i feel like i should have inserted myself to stop my friend so that no one gets seriously hurt. Also, I feel like I could have taken it upon myself to act fast and find an adult to intervene and stop the situation. Because I remained a bystander, It took time for adults to find out what was going on and to stop the fighting. By this time, both of the girls were hurt. I feel like if I did something quicker to stop the situation from escalating I could have helped to prevent injuries. Thinking about this situation now I feel like I was too “in my head” and nervous about being the one to stand up and take initiative.

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When my parents are proud of me they tell me with their words. They don’t praise every little good thing I do, but for my notable successes they make sure to let me know I am doing well. I think when I am a parent I will be similar in that I will clearly praise my children for specific things and not every little thing that they do. I feel like if i constantly reward my child for doing something well then they’ll start to expect a reward for doing something good. I would want my child to continue to do good things without expecting a reward every time. I feel like this will better prepare them for the future.

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This quote made me think of how a guilty conscience causes a feeling of paranoia about one's guilty actions. One greatly fears the consequence of their actions and in result will be on edge at the thought of someone else finding out. This is evident in Amir when becomes an insomniac due to the guilt of his actions. In the dead of night, Amir tells that he saw Hassan get raped, because he can't bear to face anyone and tell them directly. Amir struggles with this horrific secret and it damages his mental state and ability to sleep. I have felt the emotion of guilt and when I feel guilty I feel nauseous. When I feel guilty about responding a certain way to my brother or parents, I feel the guilt create a pit in my stomach. I try my best to redeem myself from guilt by bringing up what I had done with the person I wronged. I make an effort to show that I know it was wrong and I try to improve myself from my guilty actions. Even if I come to terms with something I have done, I sometimes look back on what I have done and I'll feel a little guilty for that thing.

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"...a boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up for anything. I wonder, is that what you've become?"

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"...a boy who won't stand up for himself becomes a man who can't stand up for anything. I wonder, is that what you've become?"

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I don't agree that Amir has become a man who can't stand up for anything. After Rahim Khan tells Amir what happened to Hassan and his wish for him to go back to Afghanistan to retrieve Sohrab, Amir is initially taken aback and he defies Rahim Khan saying that he won't go back. When he evaluated him going to Kabul, he remembered he would be risking his life and career in America. Although he thinks of himself in this moment, his thoughts turn to Hassan and how he could have had all those things when he says, "But how could I pack up and go back home when my actions may have cost Hassan a chance at those very same things?" (Hosseini 192). Amir thinks selflessly in this moment and he realizes he must go back to Kabul to redeem himself and fulfill Rahim Khan's wishes, as well as the lives of Baba and Hassan. I think Amir is finally able to stand up for himself because he makes the difficult decision to go back to the land that reminds him of all the evil he's done. Amir realizes that he must fight for what is right when he says, "I was older now, but maybe not yet too old to start doing my own fighting" (Hosseini 193).

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The moment of Amir's redemption significant because this is the pivotal point in Amir’s life. When Amir fights Assef, he sacrifices his life to save Sohrab just like how Hassan had sacrificed his life for Amir when he fought Assef. The guilt Amir has been suffering throughout his life is finally lifted, and his mind is at peace. Amir believes that he has redeemed himself for the pain he caused Hassan by being there to save the life of his beloved son. Redemption means to be able to grow and improve from bad things you have done in the past. Redemption is like a second chance at changing for the better. I feel like redemption is an important quality today as it can show one's true character their development.

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I feel like love can be defined as an intense affection for someone to where their wellbeing starts to matter more than your own. I feel like Amir truly loves Hassan even though he was troubled in his youth and the way he treated Hassan was not good. Although Amir was inconsistent with the way he treated Hassan, I feel like he ultimately realized that Hassan's love for him had no bounds and Amir was eternally grateful for that. He does love Baba as well because he fights for himself and for Hassan. Baba had always wanted him to stand up for himself and Amir was finally able to follow through with Baba's wishes. Amir's love is evident when he runs the kite for Sohrab in the end of the story. Amir tells Sohrab, "For you, a thousand times over" (Hosseini 328). Amir truly loved Sohrab and I feel like a big part of that was because Hassan was now living through Sohrab in bits and pieces. Amir was finally able to return the love that Hassan gave him by taking in his beloved son.