IRJ-Reflection #22

A Case of He Said She Said
Blaming others: a natural human instinct of “survival” for some. Since the Greek gods and goddesses, people have been blaming others for their own wrong doings. A translated passage by Robert Fagles from The Odyssey mentions, “Ah-how shameless-the way these mortals blame the gods…with their own reckless ways.” (Robert Fagles pg. 78. Lines 37-39).
I believe it is safe to say, that most people have blamed someone else for a mistake that they themselves made, at least once. This person may be blaming a sibling during his or her childhood for a broken vase, or even blaming a co-worker during his or her career for not making enough copies. People blame each other for their own faults on a daily basis, but why? I believe, as mentioned earlier, that it is a natural human instinct of “survival.” Survival from the parents. Survival from the teacher. Survival from the boss.
An average human being would never want to intentionally make a mistake, but we all do. Most people want to be as perfect as God will let them, and making mistakes are only drawbacks to achieving this so called point of perfection. I believe that perfection is nearly impossible to reach, and mistakes are part of our lives, our personalities, and they are what help us grow. People should not have to blame others for their own mistakes that they make. Our society now, should have already achieved the so called point of acceptance. Acceptance of others, their flaws, and their mistakes; because no one is perfect.

IRJ-Relflection #21

Bible Genesis Reading-Unwanted Feeling
While reading Genesis in the Bible, I came across a quote that stated, “Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob” (Gen. 25.28). This passage demonstrates the situation of parents picking favorites. The situation in which parents pick their favorite between their children is a difficult idea to grasp for the kids. When a parent chooses a favorite child, the child can feel unwanted and unloved by their parents, this same situation applies to children picking a favorite parent.
Children have fragile and delicate emotions that at no time should be toyed with, especially by their parents, the ones that they look up to for advice and support. Because of these fragile emotions, parents should treat their children with equality in order to express to the kids that they both are loved and wanted equally.
Although picking a favorite between children is ghastly, I believe in some cases, parents may find it extremely difficult to NOT pick a favorite. I believe that in this situation, it is not that the parents loves one child more than the other, the fact is that the parent may just find one child less querulous than the other.
Parents and children annoy each other on a daily basis, and sometimes this may lead to a parent or child picking a favorite child or parent, but I believe that no matter how annoyed a family is with each other, they should love each other all equally when the sun goes down at the end of the day.

IRJ-Reflection #20

Bible-Genesis Reading
While reading Genesis, in the Bible, I came across a passage that stated, “So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death” (Gen. 24.67); this is said when Isaac falls in love and marries Rebekah. This situation demonstrates two “obstacles” that one might face in his/her lifetime. Love and death.
In this section of the Bible, Isaac falls in love with Rebekah, but is his love for her true or is it an aid to help him bypass the grief of his mother’s death? This argument easily goes two separate ways, but I believe that Isaac only fell in love with Rebekah as a stepping stone to overcome his sorrow. Love is a strong connection that people have for one another, and it should not be toyed with.
Love is hard to find, but grief is harder to overcome. I can easily see where Isaac’s mind was when falling in love with Rebekah in order to get over his mother, but I believe he could have overcome this misery in a far better way. I believe that in a sense, Isaac takes advantage of Rebekah in this particular situation; he used her only for himself to feel better. Although, for everyone, including myself, the decision is difficult with love and death.

IRJ-Reflection #19

Bible Reflection, Genesis-Power of No
The Bible greatly demonstrates power and control that one may have over another. In the Oxford Bible, it states, “Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him” (Oxford Bible, Gen. 6.22). I believe this excerpt from the Bible shows what we will do for others with greater control over us. Every situation is different, but I believe that people need to show not only others, but themselves, that they are capable of making their own decisions and thinking on their own.
As mentioned before, all situations are unique. For example, adolescents need parental guidance as they go through their teenage years, and they need this overpowering control to steer them in the right direction. Although, in other situations, some people will carry out others’ requests or demands, without fully debating the consequences. In reality, would you do anything that someone told you to do?
People may carry out these demands for an assortment of different reasons. To earn some “achievement” of popularity or even to simply please this other figure. Whatever the demand may be, or whoever it may come from, I believe that people need to have the capability of thinking on their own, making their own decisions, and most importantly, being able to say “no.”

IRJ-Reflection #18

Bible Genesis 3-Places in Society; Domination

In the Bible, Genesis 3, it shows that since the beginning men have been dominate of women. I am not a strong feminist myself, but I do believe that women should be equal to men. In the Bible, it states, “Yet your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you” (15 Hebrew Bible). Women are portrayed as weak and gullible, and that may be the case in some situations, but in most, women are just as equal to men. Although, I do believe that women and men both have their place in society, and they must fulfill these roles. Women should be the homekeepers, where as men should be out making income. Women’s place is at home taking care of the family, doing small jobs on the outside, and I for one respect this; but this does not mean that they should be overdominated and controlled by the men. There are some points when I wish men looked at women equally, such as women in the army. Although, there are the other times when women need to be looked at with sympathy, such as a women with many household chores. These times need to be balanced out equally, women should get the feeling of both courage and protection from her spouse. Men and women are equal in some ways, and unequal in others, and I believe that the men and women of our world need to learn their place in society today and accept the lives they have.

IRJ-QR#18

Who Am I?
It is difficult for people to discover who they really as a person, but even more difficult to accept who they really are. ‘And when your daemon settles, you’ll know the sort of person you are. “But suppose your daemon settles in a shape you don’t like.”‘ (Pullman 167). Self discovery is an important obstacle to overcome, but it is even more important to accept who you discover yourself as. Self discovery is an epiphany worth realizing, it brings you back down to earth and enables you to connect with yourself in a different sort of way.
Most people do not know who they are until they are told or they experience a life changing situation enabling them to test their personality while handling this experience. As shown in the book, The Golden Compass, people are not always satisfied with who they are as a person. These people need to learn to live with themselves and adapt to their personalities, because they are most likely not going to change. Adapting to something that you think you are not, may be one of the most difficult obstacles a person must face, but almost everyone must face because no one is who they think they are.
A common example of self discovery and accepting this self realization is found quite frequently in highly educated people thriving to become lawyers. Many students study to become lawyers but end up dropping out of law school. This is because, these students realize that they do not enjoy carrying out this job as a lawyer and that they would rather do a job that they enjoy working at. Sometimes a person might need to wander out of their comfort zone to discover who they are, and it may take some time for them to realize their true self, but as long as in the end they accept themselves and are happy with who they are.
Proposition: Live to find out who you are, and thrive to enjoy who you have become.

IRJ-CP#16

Lizzy’s Heaven Gone
As the 200 passengers of American Airlines were un-boarding the plane in France, Lizzy could not help feel anxious to see her grandparents, whom she had not seen since the previous summer. Lizzy could not wait to see their marvelous house again, and to be able to collapse onto her flower printed bedspread. As Lizzy, being a minor aboard the plane, waited for the other passengers to exit, she was unable to control her joyous excitement. Once she was able to un-board the plane, Lizzy dashed over to customs and swooped up her baggage, and as soon as she saw her grandparents waving a warm welcome to her, she could not hold back the smile that made its way up to each ear. Lizzy had been waiting for the moment of seeing her grandparents again ever since they sent her on her plane home last summer. Lizzy dropped her bag, ran over to her Papa and Nana, and leaped into their arms. Once their “hellos” and “I missed you’s” were done, the three piled into the smart car and drove off to their house in the countryside. Lizzy loved her grandparent’s house, the towering ceiling, open space, and pink room that Lizzy wished she could live in forever. Even after visiting her grandparents every summer since she was 4, Lizzy still gasps every time she lays eyes on the vast expanses of vineyards and hills. As Lizzy gazes out at the 12 o’ clock midday sunshine, she can not help but giggle as she recalls all the previous memories of the summers she has spent at her grandparent’s house.
Then Nana states “Did your mother mention to you that we moved?”