This entry is for period 6 and 8 students only.
Friday, February 12, 2010
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A Day without Peace
ReplyDelete“Now boarding United Flight 175” called a loud speaker as I was preparing to get in line for my flight. Because of my condition, I was escorted to front of the line. It’s been one full year since I’ve seen my wife and son, who was born while I was away.
“Hello Sir would you like some assistance?” said a flight attendant as I rolled into the aircraft.
“Um, sure?” I say wearily. The woman takes my bag and puts them overhead, then escorts me to my seat. Once I’m positioned, other passengers begin to enter the plane. I’m still not used to the stares that constantly come my way, nor am I put at peace by the quiet giggles and whispers that I know are made about me.
As the passengers finally settle, the plane slowly starts to move. A little tired, I begin to doze off, dreaming about the peace of having a family to come home to. The plane takes off and I don’t even notice. I finally wake up when the craft begins to turn suddenly. Being a former air force pilot, I can tell when a plane is off course. I know something isn't right. Starting to get a little worried, I decide to call a flight attendant. As I press the button, it makes a little beep. A few seconds later I see the flight attendant coming towards me.
"How may I help you?" she asked.
"Oh, I'm sorry to bother you but I noticed that we took a rather sharp turn a few seconds ago. Is everything alright?" I ask wearily.
"Actually I'm..." she stops as she is interrupted by a loud noise
"Your captains are dead," says a voice on the speaker angrily.
"You may have noticed that we are flying a little off course. That is because we are no longer headed for New Hampshire." said the mysterious voice.
Panic begins to spread to the passengers. The peace that we all shared in the sky was quickly robbed by hijackers. Unknowing of what is to come some passengers sit quietly, others begin to cry hysterically. The families on board hold their children tightly, while parents cry for their children. The younger children, confused and scared, hold on to their parents.
I begin to think about the family I may never see again. My beautiful wife, my newborn son, my parents. Tears form in my eyes as I realize that I may never see them again. I begin to remember the day my legs were stolen from me, and all the friends I've lost along the way.
I look outside and see that we are above a city. It is clear they are going to ram us into a building. Blinded by tears, all I hear are the screams of passengers and the cries of children. As the building approaches, the screams reach a peak before the explosion of the impact.
World Peace? Not even close.
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly does peace mean? If everyone is capable of creating peace, then why don’t we have it throughout our world? At what point in life is everyone going to realize that we need peace? I often ask myself these questions.
If you peek into our world right now, you will find just the opposite of peace. Although it is better than it was years ago, racism is still a big issue. One spring day, when I was little, I was walking to get ice cream with my dad and sister and we walked past Barnes and Noble, two men, one white, one black, ran out of the store screaming at each other and the white man pushed the black man against a car and yelled “ You Damn N*****!” I will never forget that moment in my life. I just remember feeling sad from hearing that, even at such a young age. We just kept walking to our destination but I asked my dad why he said that and he told me that the man was just an ignorant person. My parents raised me not to look at anyone differently because everyone is equal. It’s hard for me to understand why there is so much hatred amongst people about race. Racism isn’t our only problem. What about the poverty of the world? I can’t even imagine how some people live. When I hear stories or read articles it really makes me realize that I take my life for granted. I am very fortunate for what I have. Just look at Haiti. Haiti is the third hungriest country in the world. Haiti has had problems for decades now. Once I heard about the earthquake that struck Haiti, I couldn’t believe it. I could just think about how many more problems it would cause the country. Haiti is so poor and could barely afford everyday necessities let alone reconstructing their whole lives and towns. People’s lives were taken from them in the blink of an eye along with people’s family members and friends. Haiti has buried around 270,000 people. I immediately went to my mom and told her I wanted to donate along with raising money at my school to send to Haiti. Not only do we struggle with poverty in Haiti, but all around the world. When I walk the streets of Chicago and see men and women, sometimes even children and dogs, sitting on the cold ground, begging for money, it breaks my heart. I’ve watched people yell at them when they’re asked for some money. Anytime I happen to have a couple of extra money in my pocket ,I give it to them because I know that at night, as I’m sleeping in my warm, comfortable bed, they’ll be finding a overcrowded shelter or finding a tunnel to sleep in.
Peace is something that may not always be present in our world, but when it is, it’s a wonderful thing. I just remember that after the horrible tragedy of 9/11, everyone was so friendly to each other and there was just kindness all around and although it’s not something I’d like to look back at, everyone’s attitudes changed from it in a good way. I’d just like for peace to be spread and for the whole world to unite. I hope my words will make an impact but for now, PEACE OUT.
Inharmonic Peace
ReplyDeletePeace,
Oh what an interesting word.
The love between a mother and her child.
A calm stream in a quiet valley,
Peace,
It is not easy, and it is not without price.
The baby did not come without pain,
The valley without its destruction.
Peace,
How easily it can dissolve.
A gun fight murdering the child,
A bulldozer destroying the valley.
Peace,
How elusive it is,
For the snow leopard only left its tracks.
It needs the perfect environment to survive.
It will never be immortalized in the history books.
Peace,
We think of it as the calm after the smoke clears,
A baby sleeping soundly.
But this is not peace.
Peace,
It needs harmony between beings,
The love between brother and sister.
This bond is permeated by the discrimination that presides.
The mother of a different child murdered for his distinction,
Will never feel peace touch her heart.
We can’t have peace right now.
For this is because the death that stalks war,
The sting of a fired derogatory term,
The disharmony between beings.
We must patch the permeated bond,
And in by doing so we establish this harmony,
This… Peace.
Where is the Peace?
ReplyDeleteMy name is Francisco Hernandez. For three years I’ve been stationed in Iraq. It’s like there’s no sign of a ceasefire. Everyday my fellow officers and I hope to get on the plane home. That day is yet to come. How much longer? We don’t know.
Another dreadful day starts. The alarm goes off at five o’clock as usual. Sergeant Johnson is up and running. He’s yelling at us to get up and get ready for another day of patrolling. I get ready, grab some coffee, and leave. It has been the same routine for the past three years. We head out on the HUM-V to the heart of Baghdad.
Riding by the all the destroyed houses and streets had a more eerie sense than usual. We turn a corner and we see countless number of Tangos on the roof, all armed and ready to fire. I’m so scared I hold my breath hoping we come out alive. I see a trail of smoke. The next thing I know, I’m flipping around inside the van. The van stops rolling around. In instinct, I crawl my way out the van. I see fuel leaking and fire. I crawl away with all the energy left in me. The van explodes.
My whole body goes numb. I try to keep crawling but I can’t. I look down. Where are my legs? I scream in horror. I look around me. They’re all dead. I’m helpless. I suddenly see Tangos surrounding me. So many thoughts flash through my mind. Like, why am I here? Why are we fighting? Why can’t we stop? Where is the peace? I feel a gun barrel on my head. I close my eyes. I scream. BOOM!!!!! Francisco’s lifeless body is left on the ground along with the others.
Francisco Hernandez was killed in action. He served from March 2004-July 4, 2007. If there was such a thing like peace in the minds of the people involved in the Iraqi War, the world would be a better place. So where is the peace? We have to find it somewhere in our hearts in order to change the world.
Peace is hard work,
ReplyDeleteIt sometimes drive people berserk
Peace
The love should increase
There shouldn’t be any hate
That would be great
A world waits
No fights except debates
Why is Peace so hard to do?
How do we get through?
To everyone we knew?
There must be some sort of clue
If only this dream came true
We are all family
We all should work together
We should help fight everything bad
That makes life sad
Sometimes we are going to fail
It doesn’t mean we should give up
WE give everyone respect
And try to connect
We also protect
One another
To spread PEACE
PEACE IS THE WAY
ReplyDeletePeace is the way we live most of our life
Peace is what we try to solve
Peace is what we try to make
Do you see every heart with passion?
A wise guy sometimes looking for raw desire
Peace is the way we live most of our life
PEACE IS THE WAY
When you’re peaceful with yourself
You’re then peaceful with others
Peace is not a goal we seek
Peace is the goal from within
We make peace by being peaceful
PEACE IS THE WAY
Michael - Too much. Cut it a little short and hve him wake up from a dream and contemplate the significance. He's still on a plane, but he dozed off. Maybe he's just a kid. But now kids have a new kind of nightmare. Nightmares used to be (give two or three examples). Now they are this.
ReplyDeleteSoften it up a tad, and give some hope at the end.
Otherwise, very nice work.
Chandler - Nice work. First, skip the Peace Out bit. Too forced. Second, put in paragraph breaks! Third, check for caps. This seems to be pretty close to what they're looking for.
ReplyDeleteI do wonder, however, if the use of the n-word is just too far. I'm not sure they'll want to put this on they're website, which means they won't want you to win. I'm wondering if you can describe the work instead. You decision.
Max - Good stuff. It seems to be what they're looking for.
ReplyDeleteMarques -
ReplyDeleteHUM-V - spelling?
The whole thing - too much. Too graphic. My suggestion - start off with something like "I really don't have any stories about peace...but my brother does. He said I could borrow his." Then describe his time in Iraq. Do NOT end it with his legs getting blown off. Too violent. Too graphic. End it a few lines earlier and explain how he came home in a wheelchair. Go for the heart, not the guts.
Kevin - one word. "Punctuation." You need some. Other than that, not bad. Some good stuff in there.
ReplyDeleteOse - You too. Punctuation.
ReplyDeleteLet Peace Be a Friend
ReplyDeleteTwo girls, Rose and Laura were the best of friends, almost inseparable. They would go to each other’s summer homes and they would sleep over at each other’s houses so often that people would think they were related. Well, they practically were since they spent so much time together. This lasted, until a girl named Fran came into the story.
Fran spread horrifying rumors to make Laura and Rose break-up as friends. Fran was telling Laura that Rose was talking about the two of them behind their backs. A part of the rumor included,
“Laura is getting really annoying, one day I’m just going to drop her as a friend, and she won’t even see it coming.”
Laura was really upset about this, so she spent some time away from Rose. Rose started noticing that Laura was kind of backing away and not talking to her as much. She also noticed that Laura was hanging out with Fran, who Rose really didn’t get along with. Rose and Fran did not get along, and didn’t talk to each other for two months; so Rose was shocked that Laura started talking to Fran.
Rose and Laura spent so much time apart; when they saw each other in the hallways at school both would react in the same way, just look right down to the ground. Everyone that Rose and Laura would hang out with together wanted them to be friends again, once and for all. Laura simply denied the idea as soon as she heard what her friends were babbling about. Fran was to be known as Rose’s substitute, and she did NOT like the idea of having a substitute to be Laura’s best friend. Rose did everything she could to become friends with Laura again, she sent text messages, wrote to her on facebook, left her voicemails and even even tried talking to her at school. Laura gracefully walked past Rose, acting like no one said anything and sometimes both, Fran and Laura would walk past with a perfect posture and their noses high in the air. Rose never really understood why Laura would do such a thing as to drop her best friend so sudden.
To this day, my grandma Rose is clueless to why her ex-best friend dropped her as more than a best friend, as a sister. My grandma has taught me a life lesson by telling me this story. This lesson is to just have peace with everyone surrounding you. When you have peace with all your pupils, you will never regret your childhood, and you will know that you lived with peace and happiness.
The day starts off bright, sunny, and some clouds are in the sky, just enough so it’s not blinding bright. I inhale the fresh air and think what a wonderful day it is. I hop down the stairs and I’m thinking that nothing could ruin this day. I get a glass of cool, refreshing water and sip it slowly. I go over to the pantry to get some of my favorite sugary cereal. I head over to the fridge to get some milk. My mom comes down and asks me to get a bowl for her too. As I pour the cereal into the bowls, I’m thinking of how peaceful it is. The sun is pouring through the window, and it warms my back. I hear the sweet song of birds outside, and my cat is sleeping lazily by the window side. I get a spoon for each of us and dig in. My mother reads the newspaper and on the back, and I see, “Weather Warning!” I look back outside and think, how on earth will there be a weather warning? Weathermen are always wrong.
ReplyDeleteLater in the day, I decide to go outside and get some fresh air. It’s gotten a little dark, but it’s still warm and has just a tad bit of refreshing wind. I sit on my fence, and my cat hops on my lap. I decide to lie down on the sweet soft grass and find myself slowly closing my eyes. My cat lies next to my face and follows my example.
I wake up to rain drops slowly dripping down my face. I blink my eyes open and find that my cat is gone. I leisurely walk inside, and notice that my parents are gone. I see the note they left and go prepare myself a sandwich. The wind is now howling outside. I close all the windows, and I’m now a little worried. All of a sudden, all the windows shatter. I yelp as glass pierces my leg. I hobble over to the basement. One word comes to my mind. Tornado.
I slowly go into the corner and wait out the storm. Five minutes go by, and then all of a sudden, it’s quiet. I slowly go back up the stairs. There is destruction everywhere. The fence is ripped out of the ground, and my house is in ruins. I look up to the sky and start to cry. I think my whole life is ruined.
Then it happens. The sun peaks out of the dark, gloomy clouds. Rays hit my face, and it feels warm. I slowly get up. A cool breeze gently touches my cheek. I hear the birds start singing again. I feel content. I never really understood what the word, “peace” meant. Now I do. It’s the warmth of the sun’s rays. It’s the gentle wind dancing around you. It’s the sweet song that birds sing. It’s when you’re in a total bliss.
Anonymous - I like where you're going here. two comments. First - comma usage. (Come see me or try the TLC if you have questions.) Second - need more details. You need to put in some details that will help paint a picture, draw a picture in the imagination of your reader. You got close here: "sun peaks out of the dark, gloomy clouds." Need some more like this.
ReplyDeleteLauren - "I slowly go into the corner" Slowly?
ReplyDeleteGood stuff. The last line, however, is weak. "It’s when you’re in a total bliss." This line needs to pack more of a punch.
me. cowlin, i need help with the last line. i really can't think of how to end it.
ReplyDeletePeace?
ReplyDeletePeace
A word that has lost its true meaning,
used now as goodbyes and greetings.
It is overused but understated,
simple but still complicated.
One thing that can be assured,
is that it is more powerful than just a word.
But that power has been lost,
modified and changed at great cost.
Truly it is a feeling or sense,
one neither you or I have experienced.
A feeling of uttermost tranquility.
Filled with love, happiness, and equality.
But in reality...
The worlds filled with poverty.
Overcome by greed,
with millions in need.
Neighbors turned into enemies,
a conflict with no remedy.
From the arguments with no end,
to the casualties that continue to pend.
Guns blood and misery,
tied to war death and all of history.
With all these problems peace cannot be found,
the shackles of greed and jealousy keep us bound.
This word,
so often heard,
rings throughout the ears of millions on the earth,
yet it still hasn’t made a sound.