"Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight. Thank you."
A Memorable Moment
Do you have a memorable moment that is still freshly engraved in your mind? One that has taught you a lesson on life? Well, I do. Admittedly, it’s slightly intense, but I hope it’ll inspire you guys. On February 9th of this year, I had a surgical operation for an implantation of a catheter in my abdomen. It’s been 9 months since the procedure and I can still fully explain the event without difficulty. On July 7th of the same year, I received a kidney transplant. Even though it was a mere 4 months since the big day, it genuinely feels like it was yesterday. The memories are a motion picture that occasionally replay in my mind.
I was on peritoneal dialysis for 5 months. A long tube, surgically inserted in my peritoneal cavity, stuck out from the right side of my abdomen. That tube was inside of me every second of every day. Every single night, I would have to use that tube to connect into a dialysis machine in my room to filter out all the excess waste that has been contained in my body the whole day. The filtration took about 7-8 hours. On school nights, I had to be home before a certain time, because I had to get on dialysis as soon as possible or else I wouldn’t be able to get off in time to get ready for school the next morning. My parents are divorced and I couldn’t even sleepover at my mom’s house, because my dialysis machine was at my dad’s. Dialysis was necessary and mandatory, so I couldn’t skip a single night of it. Although I’m grateful that it temporarily maintained my condition, I felt frustratingly restrained of its boundaries. Once I got connected to my machine, I was restricted to inside of my cubic room, because my tube wasn’t able to go as far. The catheter was a handcuff on my body. I wasn’t able to go past my bedroom door, let alone travel the world.
After the kidney transplant operation, I woke up feeling very woozy. I tried desperately to stay awake, but I felt so sleepy. My eyelids were heavy. My eyes strained to make out my surroundings but it was like being underwater. My lips were sandpaper. My entire body was strapped down to monitors and machines with tubes and wires. As my eyelids began to open wider, my surroundings began to become clearer. Two figures were sitting down on the right side of my hospital bed, while another stood on the opposite side. My mom and David stared at me, anticipating my awakening. I shifted my head to the other figure and realized that it was my nurse. They all comforted me and ensured that I was utterly comfortable. Surprisingly, the pain was not as bad as I expected it to be. They bombarded me with curious questions. At this point, I answered them while on autopilot. I noticed my body felt different. A good different. I felt normal. I felt like I could do anything and everything. Well, not that instant. After I fully recover, I’d be able to do whatever I want, especially travel the world.
The whole experience made me realize that the good in life eventually does arrive. I dreadfully longed to be separated from my tube, but I retained my patience. It paid off in the end. My catheter was a lock and my kidney transplant was and still is the key to my freedom. Before peritoneal dialysis, I ventured out and about to explore the beauty the world has to offer. Now, I can indulge in the same liberty. Hopefully, you guys have gained insight or realization through my experiences. No matter what obstacles you may encounter throughout your life, continue to push your way to where you want to be and who you want to be. Or maybe you just have to let life do its thing like I did. Sooner or later, it will all come together. Patience is a virtue.
It Isn't All That Bad
The tall person said,
Why are you so short?
Go home
and drink some milk
and grow taller.
I wonder if being short is really that bad?
I am sixteen, Asian, born in Fountain Valley.
I am a junior at Oxford Academy and
have been here since the seventh grade.
I am one of, if not, the shortest student in my class.
After the encounter with that tall person,
I sit here and ponder: Is it really that bad to be short?
Well, I can fit in compact spaces,
and I can stretch out my legs on the airplane
both without discomfort. I will never have to
worry about being too long for my bed.
Evidence suggests that shorter people
take longer to be dead.
I can eat the cheap kids meal.
I can shop at the petite as well as the
regular section and score a great deal!
Toppling over is a less likely chance
with no worries about bumping my head.
Also, my ultimate champion dance
will be done after winning limbo.
My fellow short friends
don’t seem to take their
height very well
so I assuringly tell:
It isn’t all that bad.
Curiosity?
The word “curiosity” is formally defined as a strong desire to know or learn something. Dating back to the eighteenth century, “curiosity” originated from Latin. Curiosity, from Latin cura akin to curiosus, originally means a quality related to inquisitive thinking, such as exploration, investigation, and learning. The translation of cura is care and of curiosus is careful and diligent. Then, those Latin words developed to curios in Old French. Eventually, all of those derivatives evolved to “curious” in Middle English and to curiosity in late Middle English. The motivation to pursue new passions is inspired by curiosity.
Curiosity allows physical skills to enhance. A cook may have seen a chef flambé a steak, wondered how the chef did it, and decided to learn how to do it. The cook was inquisitive, or curious, about the concept of igniting food with liquor. As a result, the cook’s curiosity may have guided himself to learning how to flambé from a professional. The cook, already knowledgeable about cooking food, has now enhanced his cooking skills. As another example, I watched a video of a professional dancer perform and I was curious as to how the dancer made the choreography flow incredibly smooth. Accordingly, I rewinded and rewatched the performance scrutinizing the dancer’s form, while mimicking the dance moves. Soon, I was able to recognize the smooth flow and realized that it was all in the transition of the dance moves. Skills, such as cooking and dancing, usually initiate from curiosity and then branch out to the desire to learn.
Curiosity helps relationships strengthen. For instance, a girl’s personality piques a boy’s interest, another word for curiosity, and he wants to know more about her. As she talks, his head is slightly tilted and his body slightly leaning towards her, indicating his interest in what she’s saying. His open ears and furrowed eyebrows demonstrate that he seeks to understand her. His stillness means his full attention is on her. He ignores distractions, because he wants to focus merely on her. This curiosity generates a motivation to build confidence to get to know the girl. As the two converse more often, they begin to spend time with each other alongside their group of friends. A congenial vibe eventually develops between them and they create a strong friendship. The more interest a person takes in another person, the more passionate the bond becomes.
Curiosity contributes to the expansion of people’s knowledge of the world. Personally, I’m curious about countless countries and U.S. states. If I’m interested in the internet censorship in China, I’ll travel to China and ask people firsthand. If I’m curious about Spanish food, I’ll roam the streets of Spain and try its street food. If I’m interested in the construction of religious sculptures, such as Christ the Redeemer or Great Buddha of Thailand, I’ll visit Brazil and Thailand and visit the statues in person. If I’m curious about the Grand Canyon, I’ll go backpacking to Arizona. My interest in a particular subject of travel broadens my perspective and allows me to discover different cultures of the world. If a person is inquisitive about foreign cultures and food and travels to those locations, he will be able to distinguish comparisons and differences between his lifestyle and others. A person’s curiosity can lead him to a realm of exploration. That exploration then leads to substantial revelations. People’s knowledge of the world expand because of curiosity.
Curiosity causes the motivation to pursue new passions. People explore from trying to feed questions posed by curiosity. They want answers, so they seek for them, whether it’s concerning a physical skill, a bond, or an insight on the world. Their curiosity leads them to the answer they desire. In the end, curiosity is what causes people to have passions.