To know or not to know

Must one know something to perceive it or must one perceive it to know it? Perceiving and knowing are two words completely different, but are often considered similar because of how they complement each other.

Perceiving is more like one’s point-of-view, keeping in mind one’s biases. It is one’s interpretation of an idea, a belief, or a statement. It is based on one’s perception and opinion of the things that surround us. Perceiving is not factual, more so an opinion based on what one knows or what was taught to you. It is more or so an understanding and awareness of things, mixed in with everything a person believes in. For example, the presidential race. Right now I have an understanding and I’m aware of each presidential campaign, but because of my biases I would most likely vote for Obama, just to make him the first black president. That is the definition of perceiving.

To know is more based on facts and history. Knowing something is more concrete; just black and white with no grey shadows in the middle. Knowing does not take in consideration one’s interpretations and opinions, it is only there for one to know, like it or not. It is like Ms. Hastings always says, “You’re either pregnant or you’re not!” Even though perceiving and knowing are two different words in the dictionary, they could be compared and contrasted.

To perceive and to know are very similar because both of these take information form outside sources, whether it is bits and pieces or the entire thing as it is. They are both based on information, but are interpreted differently. They are also very different because one can understand something, but not know it entirely word for word or step by step, or one can know something but not fully understand it. For example, we all know that there is a universe, but we don’t understand why.

Many people question that if you know something, must you also perceive it, or is it when you perceive something that you must also know it? The answers to these questions are yes and yes. If a person knows something, why not perceive it to fully understand the issue, the situation, or the history behind it? It’s like knowing that Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote the “I have a dream” speech, but not knowing why. But when you also perceive something, why not know the real facts and know everything about it? For example, many humans are aware of the bird flu and understand how devastating it could be, but they must also know how it transmits and how the world is in the verge of another flu pandemic, which would kill millions. Perceiving and knowing combined could be a powerful weapon that could change the world.

These two together is a superior way of thinking and knowing because there are some ways of knowing that are definitely superior to others. To know something and understand it to the fullest it is something incredible, whether it is in school at work, or in life. It makes it a superior way of knowing because, what more can you ask for? You know and perceive most things and you can also back up your answers with valid information not based on only opinions. Now with internet connections everywhere people should be able to know and understand fully everything that happens in the world, but they take what they have for granted. Knowing and perceiving are not easy things to do, but it is unfortunate that people don’t take advantage of both.

Knowing Oneself

When do you really know exactly when you know yourself? Knowing who you are is a lesson only taught by life itself. It’s a lesson that requires time and experience to really grasp the meaning of it. As time goes by, the value of self-knowledge increases and it becomes something very beautiful. To know one is to know who you are as a person; to know your beliefs, your roots, and your culture. It’s knowing how you react, how you respond, how you maintain yourself. It is knowing everything that makes you who you are and what you bring into this world. If it were not for self-knowledge we would all be influenced by other people and become something we are not, therefore losing our identity in this universe. We are all beautiful in our own way, even though we might have some strengths and weaknesses, but we must show the world who we are.

Personally, I have many strengths and weaknesses, but there are only a few that stand out for me from each category. Let us start with my weaknesses. What makes me weak is overloading myself with responsibilities and work. Sometimes I stop and think, and ask myself, “Why am I doing this?” Right now I am a member of the Diversity Dream Team, the representative of the Cooperative International Studies Program (CISP), the co-vice president of the Spanish honor society, I’m taking two advanced classes, I’m considered the star player of my basketball team, from what I’ve heard. That’s not all. I also have a life and a job. People often tell me, don’t spread yourself too thin, but I’ve been doing this for the past two years and I have gotten use to it. I do not know why but I always seem to be the go-to person. People say it’s because of my high maturity level and because of the way I carry myself. I have not done anything to combat this weakness because I’ve grown to like it, but I will have to do something about it soon or else I will set myself up for failure.

On the other hand, I will also have my strengths that define me as a person. I believe that my work ethic puts me aside from everyone else. Many people consider me as an over-achiever for the simple reason that I do my work. Most of the time I do my homework and projects early to have them done, and I like them to be organized and perfect; if not the best in the class. People say that if you set your mind to it, nothing is impossible. That is exactly what I do, whether it is in academics or in sports. Even though it is not easy, it is worth putting myself through it because it brings success and the great feeling of accomplishment. Another strength of mine is communication. There are a small number of students in my school that are fluent and can communicate in two languages, and I am one of them. This year I have become more vocal because of all my responsibilities and because of my role as a leader in my school. Communication is the key to living in harmony and what an advantage is it to be able to do it but in two completely different languages. I have been truly blessed with that skill and I will never take it for granted.

Thinking about one’s strengths and weaknesses is always a hard thing to do depending on the person. For me it is because I consider myself humble and modest. I do not like writing about my strengths because it feels like I’m bragging about something other people may not have. It feels like I’m being self-centered and obnoxious as I mention my strengths, but as I was writing I felt proud of the strengths I have and not as proud of my weaknesses. But what makes me weak now can only make me stronger in the future; a lesson that will be taught to me by Mother Nature in the near future.

Best Advice

I was getting in the car after work, and the phone rings. It was my father. He asked me, “When are you going to be home?”, in Spanish, in an angry and frustrated voice. It was 4:07pm and I told him that I was going to be there in about 20 minutes, yelling and frustrated at the way he was talking to me. I drove slowly, knowing that when I enter my father’s house it is going to be as if I were opening the gates of hell; and exactly that’s what I faced. It was as if I was being cornered by a dragon. I could not escape its fiery breaths. My father accused me of being selfish, talking on the phone while driving, being inconsiderate, poorly raised, stupid, among other things that are not even worth mentioning that are completely false. I have been dealing with this same kind of problems since I was young, so I thought I was already immune to it. It results that I was not, because I felt that my father had gone too far for me to handle. I was not going to tolerate him telling me to be more like my sister, to focus more on academics than sports, he himself knowing that basketball is my passion. I was like a bomb ready to explode. Tic-tock, tic-tock, I sat on a desk chair shocked. Seconds later, boom! Words were coming out of my mouth rapidly, without any breath stops in between. Tears covered my cheeks with a layer of shiny glare after he threatened to hit me, even though he didn’t really mean it. I was feeling anger and sadness all at once; in one body, in one soul, in one person. My family was in Vermont. It was only me and my father that weekend, so I started making phone calls…nobody answered. Until finally my sister returns the call and asks, “What’s going on?”, in Spanish. I responded to her in incomplete words, things that did not really make sense. She was worried and regretted leaving that weekend. But there was one thing and one thing only, out of that whole conversation that I was able to comprehend, and it was probably one of the best advices I have ever received. She told me a simple eight word sentence which said, “Don’t let anybody take happiness away from you…”. I hung up the phone and came to a conclusion that my father was not going to control my happiness; this it was not worth crying every night because of something he had done or said to me. Since then, I have not really spoken to my father as a daughter and a father would. Everything between me and him has completely changed because he has left such big of a bruise in my heart that only time will heal. Now I go about without anybody controlling how I feel emotionally. If I’m happy, I’m happy. If I’m depressed, I’m depressed. Nobody changes me or how I feel.

Time is slowly healing the bruise left inside me by my father, but I still keep that eight word sentence on the back of my head, “Don’t let anybody take happiness away form you”. Form that advice I have learned that life is too short for sadness and depression. We humans are given the choice of happiness or sadness in life. The most exciting part is that we get to choose. One has to make the most out of it and forgive those who have done terrible things. One just has to live life to the fullest and enjoy everything in you journey. We just have to do as Bob Marley once said, “Don’t worry, be happy”.

How we value life

How a person values life differs from individual to individual. In the Middle East, some people would make their lives valuable by sacrificing themselves for their god, Allah. Here in the United States we might add value to our lives by becoming wealthy or gaining popularity. People probably have different perceptions of what a valuable life is, but one cannot deny that it is a personal opinion. It is something that one can mold to make it one’s own.

Many people ask themselves, what is the true meaning and purpose of life, when do we make this decision, and if life has value. To me, these questions are quite simple to answer. The meaning and purpose of life is your family and your impact on humanity and the world as an individual. It is what you do and what decisions you make that gives value to your life, whatever that action or decision might be. For example, in school, the idea of bringing back cultural day came from a group of students, including myself. This event was not only fun, but it had an impact on the school and its students. It was because of our decisions and what we did to make it happen that made the event meaningful and valuable not only for us, but also for the students and staff.

It is still not clear when this turning-point occurs. People might say that it is part of the coming-of-age process and that it is “a lesson learned in time”. Even though that is true, there is more to it. When a person makes the decision of what is their purpose in life, they usually have a full understanding of death, suffering, racism, politics, and everything bad that happens on our planet. They have to reach that level of maturity where they know what death means or what people have to do to become immortal. They need to have a basic understanding of life, how it works, and how they are going to make an impact on it. One must first go through experiences, good or bad, to be able to decide what one’s purpose in life is. But this decision cannot be made without knowing if life in general has value.

When a person reaches their highest level of maturity, they should know the things they value the most in life, even though there are a few people out there that have not reached that maturity level at the age of 35. When you reach adulthood is when you make that decision. Why? Because it is at that age where you have experienced things that give meaning to your life. For example, my step-mother lost a child at birth. After her baby girl’s death she came to a decision that that was meant to happen because now she’s able to help other parents that have gone through the same thing and help them cope. What happened in 2005 at our own house gave a lot of meaning to my step-mother’s life, as well as everybody’s in the family. It made everybody value life even more and appreciate all that we have, because it could be gone in a blink of an eye.

Life is all about enjoying every second and fulfilling your dreams, hoping that those dreams might have an impact on our world. Many people spend their entire lives looking for their purpose in this world, while others already have set goals and things they want to see and do before they die. Personally, it is hard for me at this age to know what I want to possess or have experienced before I die, because I do not have a clear picture of what’s out there. But there are at least five things I know I would like to have experienced before I reach the end of my life, whenever that might be. I would want to know what true love feels like; I would like to overcome all the obstacles that are put in front of me for me to succeed; I would like to spend most of my time with my family and watch my brother’s grow-up and become successful men. I would like to experience motherhood, and finally, I would like to be a part of something, a team, an organization, or an event, that might change people’s perspective on the world. These five things I did not pick from a hat; they are things that are meaningful and valuable to me personally and that will give meaning to my life in the future. Overcoming obstacles has become a big part of my life, especially being a minority. I came to this school, scared of the unknown, and look at where I am now, close to graduating and planning on expanding my education. My success in overcoming these obstacles has had a big impact on humanity in general, including my family. Now my brothers say that they want to have as many medals and certificates as I have when they grow up. My cousin now calls me every year to help her out with her science fair project. Not only that but I know I’m also going to serve as an inspiration to young Puerto Rican girls, letting them known that everything is possible. Experiencing motherhood has been something I’ve dreamed about since I was a little girl. Experiencing this will be meaningful to me because I’ve seen how rewarding it is to raise a child and see them succeed in life. Many things come along with motherhood and I will not let that opportunity go by. The other idea that will be valuable in my life is being part of something that will cause a change in the world. For example, if I play college basketball, I will give Hispanic high school girls hope that they are also able to succeed and follow their dreams. Many closed-minded people think that Hispanics or Latinos are not smart enough to go to college or become professionals. Knowing that by me going to college I’m going to change how people think we’re failure, gives me a great feeling of success, thus giving meaning to my life.

You have to make life worthwhile or else, what’s the point of living. If you are given the gift of being alive right now, why not take advantage of it? Life is not everlasting and that’s why we should enjoy every second we have in this world, whatever that means. Just do as James Dean once said, “Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today.”

World of impermanence

Change is what we fear the most as humans. It is something that might have a short or long term effect on anything; it is something that is not desirable by most of the people in the world. Even though we might fear it, it is what makes us who we are right now.

Change comes through experience. One cannot change without going through a drastic experience in their lives. For example, in the Epic of Gilgamesh, Gilgamesh is searching for immortality because Enkidu, his brother and his lover, died. This event changed Gilgamesh completely. He felt like his other half was missing, like there was no one there to encourage him to do all his brave actions. Therefore he wanted to become immortal, because he did not accept the change, which was the fact that Enkidu was dead and that he could not get him back. In the end, after his unsuccessful search, he accepts his own immortality. So what does this mean for humanity?

The sentence in the Epic of Gilgamesh "There is no permanence", has a lot of meaning in the book as well as in the real world. In the book one can see how things do not remain the same for a long perios of time. For example, Humbaba, the guardian of the Cedar Forest for many years, was killed by Gilgamesh. The most obvious change in the epic was the death of Enkidu, which completely changed Gilgamesh's life. Changes like these are easily seen in the book and they are very similar in the real world. Nothing in our lives stays the same. People are always dying, valuable things are being destoyed, many things are not going to look like what they used to in the past. What this means for humanity in general is that we are going to become extinct.

As said before, nothing lasts forever. Everything has an end and it is inevitable. Us humans are going to die and there is going to come a point were only a few of us will be fighting for survival. Whether it is evolution and just pure destiny, ther is going to be an end to our species. This notion of impermanence is illustrated by us humans in many ways. For example, wars. We kill ourselves and on top of that stupidity we destroy what we consider valuable and historic. The Middle East, places like Iraq, are never going to look the same and they never be able to rebuild all their beautifully created buildings. Things that date back to the start of civilization destroyed.

All these things happen around us, but we don't really seem to care about permanence in the world. One part of it is that sometimes we don't even have control over it, but another part is that people do not live their lives thinking about their immortality. We know we were not placed permanently in this world and that is up to us to make whatever we want out of our lives. So if it's up to us to do what we please with our lives, then what is our purpose here? What are we suppose to do?What gives us meaning in life?

As we all know this question does not have a clear answer because it depends on what you believe and what you value the most. My belief is that what you do, the choices you make, defines you and gives you meaning in life. The effect you have on people's lives is what gives you meaning in life. It is what you do that makes everything meaningful, and at the same time it might also make you immortal.

People think that immortality can never be achieved, but it sure can. On day I lost lost my sister right after she was born. She came out fine, but she was not breathing. After taking her to the hospital, a couple hours later she died. I will never be able to forget that precious baby that left my world the same day she was born. Her name will never be forgotten by those who saw her. Right there she became immortal, even though she is not literary here. People who really make a difference in ones life immediately become immortal because you will always be remmembered. That's what's beautiful about life.

Heroes

Authors around the world have found a common definition for a hero that is accepted by society. In books and novels a hero is always portrayed as a strong and powerful man, fearless and determined. Beowulf, The Odyssey, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn are great examples of this common definition of a hero. Usually heroes go off on a journey to fight evil and at the end they would end up with whatever they wanted, plus the love of the people. This idealistic view of a hero is shared amongst us all, no matter where your from or what language you speak. But are they truly heroes?

In our world heroes come in all shapes and sizes, ranging form Superman, Aqua man, or El Zorro. What qualifies them as heroes are the qualities that they have. They are all invincible, they have super powers, super strength, and most of them are good-looking. But is that all you need to be a hero?

A hero is someone who is willing to sacrifice something highly valued for the sake of helping, someone who has intrepidity, someone with courage, bravery, conviction, selflessness, dedication, loyalty, perseverance, etc... A hero is somebody who dedicates their time to something, but wants nothing in return. A true hero is somebody, anybody, men or woman, who can make a change in this world without using any superpowers.

Humans all around the world have different people that they consider to be heroes. Here in the U.S. we consider Martin Luther King Jr. a hero. We consider Rosa Parks to be a hero; we also consider September 11 firefighters to be heroes. Other heroes recognized worldwide are Mahatma Gandhi, also known as the "father of the nation", and Che Guevara, also known as "El Che".

These world icons were not classified as heroes only for what they have done, but also because they serve a purpose to us as humans. To humans these worldwide heroes are role models that push us to be better people and to always reach our goals, no matter how many obstacles we have to face. They give us hope and encourage us to make a change in the world. Therefore we do need them, because we cannot wait on the world to change by itself. We are the ones who are going to make the change, and thanks to them we know where to start and how to succeed.

There are also people who might think that we do not need heroes in our world. For example, Bertold Brecht once said, "Unhappy the land that needs heroes." From my understanding of what makes a hero, that statement is false. We need people in our world to look up to; somebody who is better than us so we can strive to be better than them. Heroes and icons play a huge role in our lives. Whether or not they have done the same things or even shared the same ideas, everybody has one and everybody needs one.