For Fun

As my father and I lined up to race in the 2000m obstacle course I was happy I was finally turning seven and could do the obstacle course, as it was a dream of mine. I lined up against all of the other kids in this obstacle course. As the gun goes off we all take off at a full sprint, and I reach my first obstacle, its a single handed monkey bar over top of mud and the bars covered about 30 meters. I leaped and started my way as I swung across the bars. Looking down into the deep mud I started to doubt myself as if I were facing gravity against me and so I fell. I looked up and saw all the other kids passing and looking down at me. I start to get up and head to get out of this pit of mud, but it was up to my waist, but I hear my father shouting go go! I’m finally back on land, but trenched in mud. I had to run 470m to my next obstacle that was a huge wall we’d have to climb. It looked so tall that I couldn’t see it all, it must of been twice or more the size of my father and he's about good 6 feet tall. Finally, as I got over the wall I got myself into 7th place out of 20. Next, I’m army crawling through the dirt as there is a net over top of me not allowing me to to do any other action, but crawling. Finally, the net ended and I can stand. I go into full sprint passing 3 others it's about 750m to the end of this obstacle race course, so I start to give everything I have I’ve got about 100m left. At this point it’s another guy and me left, but my legs start to give and I trip and he takes the victory, but I wasn't mad I got 2nd because even though I didn't win I was just trying this out for fun.

-By Gopi Parmar

Passion and Meaning

We discover passion and meaning when we are doing what we value and love the most, we grow as individuals because we realize what really matters to us in life and not just what makes us happy. We truly discover passion and meaning is when we find that one thing in our life that you absolutely love and cannot get enough of.  When you find passion and meaning you’ll know you’ve found a love for someone or something. That is what passion and mean mean to me.  It is like when I get to wake up at 5:00 am and drive two hours just to go fishing in some of the most pristine waters that Canada has to offer and then after the day of fishing in Fernie, BC.  I go out to a restaurant to eat and have a drink then drive and drive two hours back to Lethbridge in the pitch black, after a day of catching amazing fish in beautiful back country where the bears and cougars roam. The reason why this gives me a sense of passion and meaning is because at the end of every school week I have something to look forward to, and at the start of a tough week full of exams and nonsense the fact that I know that I’m going to be able to go fishing on the weekend just keeps me going.  If I didn’t have that in my life it would be very tough to make it through the week. 

-By Lucas Ferguson

Not Ever Losing Hope

Hope and courage found in people who never give up, they keep going even when there’s no reason to, and why is that they have something inside that helps them keep going. I think of the darkness in my life as the part that wants me to fail. It wants me to give up and agree with my inner demons, taunting me to go back to failing class and doing bad things. I don't want to give up to the darkness. No matter what happens to me, no matter how beat down, I always have hope in the future of my life because I know there's going be a better time. I look forward to the positive. Sometimes I want to give up and give in to my demons, but I always imagine the damage I'll do to myself. It hurts sometimes and I don't know how to deal with it other than keep looking forward and stay positive.  

Right now I'm currently mourning my great auntie. She passed away yesterday and I had to call my cousin last night to let her know that everything is going to be alright. Everything isn't going to alright though. I had to deal with my grandfather passing and he was like a second father to me. I didn't really feel like the same person after he passed and I still don’t. I've been through a lot this year and honestly I've thought of giving up. I never did though and I never plan to. The plan is to hang on and let life take its course.

-By Mark Duckchief

Career Choices

When I was a little boy, I've wanted to be an aircraft pilot because I had a passion for airplanes. From the fighter jets to the passenger airlines, to me they were the coolest thing ever. Though my parents told me that I have to work hard in school to be a mechanic, back then I thought I had it, I thought that I was going to be an actual pilot. But, as the years go by my marks started going down slowly, to where I started struggling in class. Struggling to pass math was the biggest challenge, and it still is because I'm not good at mathematics, I never was.

In grade 9, a speaker came to class talking about apprenticeships all those post secondary related things. He talked about how I can get an apprenticeship as a mechanic, and I thought to myself, "would a mechanic be something that I'd like to be for the rest of my life?" I looked into it further, and took the classes that I needed to be one.  It turns out that I only needed a couple of classes and I was set for the academic portion of it. I got hooked into the job because I started appreciating cars more.  I appreciated how little things that need fixing can do so much and how little damages can impact a car's performance. I was determined to be a mechanic and I've come a long way on that path and I don't intend to stop, although several times my mother would tell me that there are other jobs than that and they pay more, but I want to enjoy what I do, not work at a place where I'm thinking of quitting every time I'm there.

-By Stefano Badilla

My Super

My superhero in my life is my mom, since I was one. Since I was one my mom has raised my brother and I. She has always been there for us no matter what and she never complains or gives up on us because we were too  difficult. My mother even went back to school to become a nurse so that she could support my brother and I. My mom is incredible and sometimes I don't think she knows it. I'm so glad to have the mother I do because I know that whenever I need help she will be there to help me. My mom works hard all the time so that my brother and I can enjoy ourselves. My mom works so hard and never asks for anything in return; she is the most amazing person. This is how I know not all superheros wear capes. I didn't realize how much my mom did for me until I got old enough and saw how hard my brother and I were to raise. She didn't rely on anyone and she did everything for us; she is amazing I don't know anyone stronger than her.  I will never take my mother for granted she has the strongest will I have ever seen she has an incredible amount of perseverance. My mom is my superhero, who is yours?

-By Zachery Martin

https://youtu.be/plwuxMmIAek

Getting Past My Monsters

Everyone has monsters in their lives. Everyone's monsters are different whether it be school, or simply going through any hardships. The monsters in my life are the little things that build up and get to me. The things that trouble me are trying to juggle school, work and helping out around the house. Sometimes it's just too much for me and I try to hide it or just get away for it for a while, but it always seems to come back. I feel like I don't help enough with little things around the house and it seems I really get to my mom and I don't know how to talk to her. She has done so much for me and I just want some way to repay her for all her effort of raising me and my sister by herself. It's hard dealing with all of these things in my life and I wish I could gain the courage to overcome them and be a better person because of them. That's why I deal with my monsters by always trying to put in my best effort in life and keep all my doors open and I try to help more and to overcome these monsters that hold me back in life. From these experiences I will try to take every opportunity life throws at me and try to seek advice from people who have been in my position and ask how they over got over their monsters.

-By Dalton Huehn 

The Struggles of Life

Life is definitely not easy. I remember when I was younger when times were simple and I didn’t have to worry about anything. I miss those times and I feel like I didn’t get enough of it. Growing up was easy for me until my mom and dad split up. I was about 12-13 when they split up, so it wasn’t easy for me to accept because I knew what was happening, it wasn’t like I was oblivious to their divorce and the fact that I knew that happened changed me in some sort of way. After their divorce I would shut myself out to others and would just keep all my emotions bottled in and I still do, so when my parents split my sisters went to live with my mom and I stuck by my dad's side since day one and I can tell ya that we’ve been through so much crap, that when I look back at it I just laugh in amazement that even through our worst times we got through it all and made the best of those situations. It’s crazy that with a little courage and hope you can make the best of situations. With even a little bit of courage and hope you can accomplish big things. When my Dad and I were at our worst moments it seemed like there was nothing we could do to make things get better, but as time went on we slowly but surely started making the best of what we had. My Dad told me that if I wasn’t with him at our worst he would’ve given up. We kept each other going and kept pushing ourselves to do better. Without my Dad I probably wouldn’t of been here in Lethbridge. I honestly think if I stayed in Calgary I would’ve started living the life my dad always wanted to me avoid and without me who knows what my dad would’ve done. I'm glad that I stuck around with my dad because if I didn’t I don't think I could've lived with myself if anything happened to him. He was my motivation and I was his. Without having each others back who knows what life we could’ve been living right now. My Dad is the most important person in my life. He always gave me hope to have a good life. I’ve seen all the crap he’s been through and I know what he has done. Knowing all of his struggles in life gives me motivation to make sure that I will have a good life. He’s told me numerous times that he doesn’t want for me to live the same life as he did. He wants me to be successful and to live a happy life. Hearing those words is what gives me courage to do better and makes me hope for a good life.


-By Mario Sicay

Demons

Talking about your vulnerabilities is a hard ,but necessary to grow. We must embrace these vulnerabilities because they make us, us. I may be skinny but it doesn't mean I’m weak. I don't go out often and stay comfy in my room, but I’m not scared. I may go on my own, but that doesn't make me alone. We all try and hide our vulnerabilities, but when we do we just make ourselves more like everyone else. It takes a lot of courage to hold our hearts on our sleeves and show everyone who we really are. Some of these vulnerabilities can turn into anger and sadness which we refer to often as our demons. These demons inside us stop us from doing what we love or just being us. Inside me these demons make me constantly worried about what others think of me. WE ALL push these demons down deep inside us and try to hide them. I workout to become bigger, or I hide worry and fear with laughter, or I just act tough. We find ways to push these demons down, it could be by eliminating these vulnerabilities or dulling them with drugs and alcohol. I will admit that when times get tough or I'm just down in the dumps I will turn to alcohol. Alcohol is a bandage that we use to fix small problems or pick us back up. Too many people including me use these bandages, but these bandages won't???work and help us through the waves that life constantly hits us with and pull us out of the holes we find ourselves in. All in all these vulnerabilities make me me and that's why they won't really change or may only change on the outside.

-By Casey Schneider

Demons by imagine dragons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWRsgZuwf_8

http://data.whicdn.com/images/129947865/large.jpg

From Stranger to Hero

My hero is a man named Leon Ebright. He was was a youth worker at first then he was my mentor then he was a member of the family. I first meet him in grade 4, and when I first saw him thought he was just going to be like the others, here for the money not much else. The first few weeks I was pretty indifferent to him and our talks didn’t seem like much, but now I look back and I see just how much he helped me. I now have an unbelievable amount of respect for that great man who helped change my life and years later still takes the time to ask me how I am doing. He helped me through hard times like when my parents were drinking in the back room (they don’t any more and haven’t for years), or when i was bullied in school, or when i was struggling with my grades. I could tell him things that I just couldn’t tell my parents and he help me through it all. He is my hero.

-By Richard L

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4E7uiFn_4Y&feature=youtu.be
This song mirrors my situation - an average guy who has made a huge impact on someone's life.

The Missing Puzzle Piece

Life is like a void and our goal is to fit the puzzle pieces in the empty spaces, but how can we do that? We often say that our lives are mysterious and we can never figure them out, well of course we can, we just need a little courage. The truth is within us, we just need to find ourselves to see it. I believe we were placed on this planet for a reason and that we have a purpose in life, and most don't see that, so instead most of us are focused too much on the things we want, and the things people do, thinking there is something to gain from it, like there is some sort of answer.  We also go through a lot of confusion and are lost.  Most of us treat our lives like a burden and that there is no meaning, but really there is.  Every single one of us has a purpose, and a destiny we are just blind to see that we are the answer and the missing puzzle pieces.  Most of us go through a constant fear of failure and that’s okay we were to built to fail. The only way to deal with it it is to learn from those problems and mistakes and to improve and to do better. It sounds difficult, but that's how life is and that's what we were engineered to become better, there's a big chunk of you that is waiting to be found we just need the courage to search for it.

-By Ickan Ocampo

Half Cracked

Vulnerability surrounds my life and has since before I was born. Two months early I took my first breaths on the same day Elvis took his last, just two decades and a year late. Born to an Aboriginal Mother and Father, a Two-spirited god-father and a Catholic god-mother. Who would have guessed that I would disregard the later and take so heavily after the former in later years? As a whole I am a First Nations, premature, two-spirited person with low self esteem and fall time depression (despite it being my favourite season). All together it sounds like a recipe for disaster, with the chances of violence, terrible health, isolation, and high chances of suicide, with rates what they are for "people like me". It's hard to deal with the knowledge that if I stay out too late in town I will be j"ust another statistic". You’d think it's just a paranoid fear, and god do I wish it was, but 4 out of 8 of my brothers (either adopted, my dad as theirs, or biological, but my brothers nonetheless) have been attacked by a white supremacist gang called “The White Gorillas”. I'm just lucky my brothers are a lot stronger than what their gentle smiles and thin frames suggest. Despite my fears and conditions I fight an internal battle against fatigue and intrusive thoughts, trying to boost my self esteem, and steady my resolve. When I find the strength to ignore my fears that I fear or the pain I will find because of my race, gender, or romantic orientation, I feel that much stronger, that much safer. Since there is really no way to change some people's opinions I just have to suck it up and be brave enough to live life as I want and try stay as safe as I can.

-Muggs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKSRyLdjsPA

A great song.