Father & Son, Mother & Daughter, Mother & Son, Father & Daughter

I think the relationship between a parent and their child is really special. Mothers and fathers have different connections with their children, but they are both important to the children. I think that the father, son and mother, daughter relationships are really unique. I feel like the parents can really relate to what their child is going through because they are the same gender and they can like see themselves in their child. That is why I think those relationships are great. Also I think children are more comfortable sharing things with the parent that is the same gender as them. Personally I know that I can talk and discuss things with my dad that I wouldn't with my mom and I am happy to have that male figure that I can look up to.

The mother, son and father, daughter relationships are the most special I think though. Children looking up to someone of the opposite gender develop what they feel a man or woman should be. I think that what they see or the type of relationship they have with their mother or father will ultimately determine what they think their spouse should be like. I only live in a house with my mother and I think that has made us closer. My relationship with her is different than the relationship I have with my dad. She does so much for me and when I look at her I see the epitome of what a woman should be. That is why I think that those relationships are the most important.

Relationships between parents and children are so important. It helps children grow up easier and at times it can help the parent mature. It is possible for children to be raised without a parent, but if it is possible, I think all parents should be in their children's life no matter what. If I didn't have my parents to look up to I don't how I would've turned out. My parents are very important to me and I would do anything for them, just like they would for me.

Our Meaning

I think we all have a meaning of being here on earth. I definitely think that I am here for a reason. I don't think that I would be here or human life at all if we were meaningless. I believe that there is a higher power and they put us all here for a reason. Now the actual reason or meaning of me personally being here I am not so sure of. I can take some guesses to why, but I am not totally sure. I don't know if I am going to be a person that people are going to remember who I am many years after I die or I am just supposed to be a normal person living everyday life. I do know that I love to give back to people that are less fortunate than I am. I feel great when they tell me they appreciate what I did for them. Whatever I do in life I always want to give back and maybe that is my meaning in life and reason for being here. To help make other people lives better and more fulfilling. If I do help other people during my life, I know that I will be satisfied with all that I accomplished.

How Do I Know What I Know?

I have learned many different things from many different sources in my life. I think I've learned the most from the people around me, from my parents to my peers. Everyday I learn something new from someone else. It can be something simple or complex, but I do learn something. What I learn from other people is not what I learn from school, although sometimes it can be. I mostly learn about life and the best way to live it. Whether it is through someone telling me or by example. This is my favorite way of learning things because I never know when it will come during the day. Also because I like learning from personal experience more than from a book. The next source is from school. I learn a lot of different things from school in a wide variety of subjects. What I learn here will probably help me later on in my career or what ever I choose to do in life. So I do value what I learn here and believe it is important. If it wasn't for school I don't think I would know how to read, write, do math, or anything like that so I am very appreciative for the education I have received so far. The last source is the media. I don't rely on the media to teach that much, but it has taught me a lot. It has taught me things about what really goes on in the world, like killing and crimes like that. I was never really exposed to those type of things in my childhood, but I found out that it is a harsh reality of the world form the media. So I have learned many different things from different places. Even though I have learned more from some places more than others, they are all important. Without one of those sources I feel like I would be missing a part of myself or identity. I am grateful for all the things I have learned, good or bad, and I don't ever want to stop learning.

God in 2010

I personally don’t think that god himself has changed at all in any way. The god in 2010 is the same god that’s always been here. The thing that I think is different is the way people use him. I think a lot of people today just ask god for what they want and expect to get it, almost instantly. They don’t really look at and thank him for all he has done, they just look at what they don’t have and ask for it. I think that is a real bad way to think of god, but unfortunately a lot people fall in that category.

Also a lot of sports stars and entertainers use god’s name a lot in speeches or interviews. I assume that the majority of them do believe in god, but when they talk about him I think it’s just to get people to like them. I think they feel that if they people hear them talk about god its puts them in a good light. Even if there is nothing godly about what they are performing or the way they act. I think in the past people were more conscious of when to use god’s name and not to just put in a speech to make it sound better.

Another way I think people use him is to raise money. Every time I run into a homeless person they always say something about god to try to help get them some money. Churches also use god’s name to get money. They tell people that really don’t know why they are giving money, that this is what god wants them to do. Even though I do think that churches use the money toward something positive, I think they are very vague and it looks like they are just using god to get money and it makes people a little apprehensive about giving. I think that everybody should really look at who god is because too many people are misusing him.

Candide's Punishments, Do they fit the crime?

I don't think that all of the punishments that Candide went through fits his crimes. He really didn't do many bad things and the level of his punishments were over the top. Like in the beginning when he got kicked out of the castle. I don't think he really deserved it because Cunegonde is the one that led it on. She learned the action from Pangloss and the maid. So really he also should be punished just like Candide and Cunegonde. If Candide was going to get kicked out then they both should have been kick out at the same time. Another punishment is when he walks out of the Bulgar training camp. He didn't understand why it would be a bad thing to walk out. Then the Bulgars gave him a choice of flogging or to be shot in the head. I thought that was way over the top. He should not have been killed for walking out. Even though he should have realized that it would have been a problem to walk out, he still didn't deserve the choice he had to make and the flogging he went through. Even though I don't think Candide deserved all of the punishments he went through, he was able to learn from the situations. In the end I also think that they happened for the best. He was able to get through all of those experiences and I think it will make him a smarter and better person.