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Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” exemplifies my belief in taking advantage of the opportunities right in front of oneself and not being lazy. The poem professes the idea of forging one’s own path, and this is also an important part of my thinking. Being a leader instead of a follower is important to finding success in life, as people are able to learn from their own mistakes and problem-solve instead of taking an easy way out. This work that a person exerts helps them to grow and gain experience for the future when they may face similar obstacles with no easy way out. Robert Frost’s poem perfectly summarizes this part of my beliefs, as the poem mentions how taking a new yet intimidating path is more rewarding and important to success rather than the worn-down path that many people take. I believe that people should think for themselves and work hard for their success instead of making use of other people’s accomplishments and effort. Additionally, I interpret Robert Frost’s poem to include a theme of carpe diem in the sense that the narrator seizes the opportunity in front of himself to choose the road less traveled instead of the beaten down path. This moment in which the narrator makes a strong decision reflects the idea of seizing the day and not worrying about the future. My philosophy includes all of these concepts, as I believe that it is crucial to be one’s own leader and to take advantage of opportunities that are presented.

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This scene from The Last Ship adds to my belief of focusing on what a person can do and their accomplishments rather than concentrating on the obstacles and struggles that are to come. In this scene, CO Tom Chandler, a person of authority on a boat left unaffected by a worldwide illness, attempts to persuade Dr. Rachel Scott to celebrate her accomplishment of discovering a cure for the virus instead of worrying about the work of distributing the cure that is left to be done. This message of enjoying the moment is the main part of my philosophy. When I have many tasks to complete, I often fail to enjoy my feat of having finished the work I have already done, but I know that it is important to do. It is crucial to use past accomplishments as inspiration and motivation to continue working instead of being stuck under the weight and stress of outstanding tasks. I like to reflect on my completed work to learn from and be encouraged by, and I believe that more people should act this way. People are often their biggest critic, but it also possible to be one’s biggest cheerleader. Celebrating accomplishments, as the characters do in this scene from The Last Ship, is valuable and smart to do in order to continue achieving goals and overcoming obstacles.

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Watch Enjoy the Moment Free Online - The Last Ship Season 1 Episode 10 Excerpt

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Watch Enjoy the Moment from The Last Ship. Captain Chandler and Dr. Scott discuss the new fate of the world.

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Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World"

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Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World"

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Louis Armstrong’s song “What A Wonderful World” recounts all of the amazing and beautiful sights in the world that the narrator experiences. From green trees and blue skies to joyful friends, this song focuses on the wonders of the world and ignores all negativity. This song contributes to my belief that it is often valuable to ignore all of the suffering and anger in the world in order to appreciate all of the simply beautiful parts of nature. In times of anxiety or sadness, switching my mindset to ignore negativity and only pay attention to things that make me happy completely changes my mood and outlook on life. In the advancing modern world, finding value in nature and simple ideas is very beneficial. I believe that appreciating these little things in life is crucial to maintaining a level head and being grateful for the world around oneself. This reflection on all of the positive influences in the world is very important to my philosophy; true value and happiness cannot be found in superficial objects, but it can be found in the beauty of the natural world, as expressed in “What A Wonderful World”.

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Monet’s Rouen Cathedral paintings represent my belief in the need to savor the moment. Monet created several paintings of the Rouen Cathedral at different times of day in order to show how it looks in various kinds of lighting. In the paintings, people are able to see the cathedral come to life with new angles and shadows that portray a different energy of the cathedral throughout the day. This series of paintings contributes to my philosophy of how people should live; I believe that everyone should focus more on the moment they experience rather than be stuck in their own head while ignoring the beauty and wonder of the world in front of them. People are often too distracted by others, their phones, or future plans to actually appreciate their life at the present moment. I find that the experiences I intentionally keep my focus during are more memorable and important to me than the ones during which I am only concerned with taking a beautiful photograph of what is in front of me. Monet’s Rouen Cathedral paintings show all of the details that can be revealed when a person lives in the moment and takes time to appreciate what they see. Additionally, Monet’s attention to detail and persistence to paint the same building multiple times adds to my belief of not surrendering to tasks despite how intimidating or arduous they are. In the end, the most difficult problems are also the most rewarding obstacles to overcome, and lessons of determination are quickly learned by facing these types of tasks.