The End to "The"

At the age of 16, I decided to stop doing what everyone else was doing! I was finished with trying to be The Girlfriend, The Party Girl and even The Popular Girl. For the first time as an adolescent, all I believed in, was wanting to be me and no one else.
Middle school and High school were the years when everyone was trying to fit a title; The Athlete, The Computer Geek, The Queen Bee. At first all I could think about was how much I wanted to fit in, to conform to what everybody saw as “cool”. It was after 10th grade, when I realized just how un-cool trying to be like everyone else is. My life took a 180 turn, facing me in the opposite direction. After being talked about behind my back by girls who called me their best friend, and after having hair loss due to stress from trying to be The Event Planner, The Three Season Athlete, and The Straight A Student, I hit rock bottom when I realized I couldn’t fit the roles the way I was supposed to, the way THEY expected me to.
My Junior year, I spent focused on who I am on my own, separated from that discouraging, hard to fit title of “The” which preludes each and every stereotype given to students pre-college. I was then, what, if you really must title it, The Sara. Never in my life had I felt so comfortable with who I was than, that year of school until now. I have been able to do the things I love, like soccer and drawing, singing and writing, praying and dancing, without being titled and hidden behind a name.  I believe that the word "The" is dangerous, that it limits who we can become, and that if we focus more upon who we are as indivituals we can live more fullfilled lives.

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Drive Thru My Generation

If there was a word to describe my generation, it would without a doubt be, impatient. I am a member of the Impatient Generation, where our main concern is getting things when we want them and in the most convenient manner! Drive thru’s, internet, cell phones and on-demand television are all examples of things which our generation highly values. It is almost impossible to think about what would happen if pizza took longer than 30 minutes to be delivered or heaven forbid that you would have to make it on your own! We are a generation that can’t wait for tomorrow.   

Be honest. Would you press it?

Where Culture Is Grown

The warm sun beats down on the fuchsia petals of a tulip leaning into a wooden gazebo that overlooks the colorful picture of nature which Brookside Garden in Silver Spring, Maryland paints for its locals. Nature is something that is both created and used by people, it has a direct relation with the culture of any location. Brookside is a place where any person can both observe and interact with nature. The preservation of such a place is of the utmost importance for it is a place where culture and nature meet. 

From when I was 8 years old till today, I have gone with my family to Brookside for their winter lights show. They hang lights from the highest trees to form pictures. It is a lovely sight to see from down below on the snow blanketed paths. In the summers, I spend many days drawing and writing amongst the reflecting pools and sitting below the vine covered pergolas. I connected with nature in a relaxing manner.

                                (Picture Taken by Sara Castelino, Summer 2009)

Without a stimulating environment where individuals and groups can go to for congregation, there is break in the understanding of where communities come from (nature itself). Trees are used for building, water is used for drinking, fruit and vegetables are grown for eating and so on. If people do not see this connection then where their culture comes from is questioned. At Brookside, there are fountains and benches for sitting to relax, programs for children, light shows and more. It is an inviting location for interaction. Everyone should make time to visit and learn about their environment.

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Where Culture is Grown (Place Matters Draft 1)

The warm sun beats down on the fuchsia petals of a tulip leaning into a wooden gazebo that overlooks the colorful picture of nature which Brookside Garden in Silver Spring, Maryland paints for its locals. Nature is something that is both created and used by people, it has a direct relation with the culture of any location. Brookside is a place where any person can both observe and interact with nature. The preservation of such a place is of the up-most importance for it is a place where culture and nature meet.  

            Without a stimulating environment where individuals and groups can go to for congregation, there is break in the understanding of where communities come from (nature itself). Trees are used for building, water is used for drinking, fruit and vegetables are grown for eating and so on. If people do not see this connection then where their culture comes from is questioned. At Brookside, there are fountains and benches for sitting to relax, programs for children, light shows and more. It is an inviting location for interaction. Everyone should make time to visit and learn about there environment.