Journal Entry Week 4€¦ · Web viewWhat a Wonderful World. Appreciation of beauty and...

Weaver—draft up appreciation

What a Wonderful World

Appreciation of beauty and excellence is defined as an ability to find and take

pleasure in the existence of goodness in physical and social worlds. These

principles of goodness are physical beauty, skill or talent, virtue or moral

goodness. Each of which can produce awe in the observer. (VIA- Peterson,

Seligman)

Appreciating the world around me is something that I do every day. Waking up in

the morning, seeing the beauty in the sunrise, watching the heat rise from each

house. I sometimes can look over Dubuque for hours and on a warm day. I love

to sit out on my roof, with no particular goal to be accomplished just enjoying the

aesthetic view I have from my home. That’s just a starting point, but to convince

a person this is a strength of mine; I could simply have them follow me around for

a day. From the moment I wake up, watching the sunrise, playing music that

sounds angelic, sitting down in a public space and just watching people. Look for

goodness in them, there is kindness, compassion, forgiveness, hope, all of the

virtues. I find it particularly striking when it is a child who shows these virtues.

Being able to see beauty around myself is a gift and I often experience it while

hiking, if I could convince someone that I have this strength a couple day hike

could also prove my appreciation of beauty for the natural world. Next to a

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hockey game so I can be stunned by the athleticism and talent of both teams,

speed and precision on ice, combined with balance, the possibility of getting hit

and an objective to score. To end the day, off to an art gallery to appreciate not

only the pieces but those who are also enjoying them. Seeing others that are

interested and enjoy things like music, art, literature is something that deeply

strikes me. I think that the ability to enjoy such things is a virtue in itself. I

constantly look for good virtues in people, often finding strong characteristics in

them that I want to implement into my own life. There is something really

beautiful about the people around us, a beautiful mind is something much more

important to me than a beautiful physic. Simple beauty isn’t hard to find, often the

day after a weigh in for wrestling I am enamored by running water from the sink.

Enjoying every drop and appreciating the fact I have running water and the ability

to drink it without worry. Join me, is a phrase I use often when I’m caught

expressing my strength, because sharing a moment of appreciation with another

is something I live and breathe for. To see how I use appreciation of beauty and

excellence all someone would have to do, is to spend a day or share a moment

with me. In a moment of time I can show someone beauty they may not see in

themselves, or beauty in the world that they have ignored or distanced

themselves from.

Appreciation is likely to be associated with certain expressive markers, such as

wide-open eyes and open mouth; physiological symptoms such as goose bumps,

tears and the proverbial lump in the throat; certain delayed actions that are

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motivated by the desire to improve the self and the greater good. (Character

Strengths and Virtues, 534)

Every day I feel as if I need to express my strength, without it the world seems

bleak and semi-hopeless. Seeing beauty and excellence in the world is

something that has really helped me while growing up and still till this day. Often I

express appreciation through noises whether it be “aw”,”oh”,”ahh” and

sometimes if truly amazing no words or noises seems to be able to be created. I

often try to call attention to things I find stunning or worth awe, though it has been

embarrassing before. For example, some of my friends enjoy watching

Basketball, although I am not one to really watch sports or TV in general. So

when I do end up watching, I don’t really care which team wins, when you

exclaim “whoa did you see that” and it’s the opposite team that your friends are

cheering for. It makes watching sports more interesting, because win or lose I

enjoy the game. I can see past sports team rivalries and just enjoy the wonder of

sport and pure athleticism.

When I was at the Detroit Art Institute there were many things that I found

visually appealing. I would literally drag my friend Steve to take a look at

particularly awesome pieces of art. Whether they be a canvas, marble, or metal.

Once he trailed off or fell behind, I wound up sitting in front of an art piece that

was called Cotopaxi, there were two marble statues besides the painting, The

Lost Pleiad and Nydia, the Blind girl of Pompeii. The extraordinary detail of the

marble sculptures and their faces, given a story and image from the painting. I

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seemed to be pulled away from the world, grabbed by my soul and taken by the

art.

I try to bring in those around me whether they be strangers or friends when I find

something awe striking. The “did you see that moment”, I find that virtues and

good deeds more powerful when you see a child or the elderly show it. From

good sportsmanship, sharing, to polite gestures or random acts of kindness. I

want to enjoy that moment with someone, create a memory. Seeing other people

with virtue and being able to recognize it brings faith and hope back to humanity

for myself. As seeing innocence in children, being able to see the potential for

such good.

Often I express my appreciation of beauty and excellence through music, from

the different inner workings on a song, and how each piece contributes to the

sound as an entire entity, if there is a voice, the exquisite sound and use to hit

notes and almost echo though my head. Music can sometimes enhance not only

my mood but just as in movies the scene or environment itself. Often in the

Mines of Spain ill play pink Floyd or a “experimental indie” band (as I’m told is the

genre) which at points will make me stop and take a deep breath from the

combination of the natural world and the sounds in hearing in my head. Though

there are times when listening to environment around you is just as beautiful and

calming. When I went to the Makocada caves I enjoyed the sound of slowing

running water, leaves twisting and turning from the wind, the howl of the wind

through the rock and trees, drops of condensation hitting the ground creating a

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beat or pattern, occasionally the laughter from other people out of joy and

excitement for their surroundings.

In my room there is something I do really enjoy every day, the running water

from my turtles habitat. It feels as though I have a part of nature along with me in

my room. It may be artificial nature but flowing water in the background has a

calming effect on me. There have been times where I see strong character traits

in people and get so caught up in that one simple thing that I forget about the rest

of a person. Sometimes it feels as if once I see something so strong and real I

get blinded by the harsher realities of a person. I see the person for what I want

to see and how I portray them in my mind. Unfortunately many humans are not

just one dimensional creatures, thus leaving room for error. However, this gift of

seeing the good in people helps me appreciate the good memories with an

individual, focusing on the good traits in them and not the bad. In the bigger

picture it also reminds myself that I am not perfect and have room for

improvement, which is realistic and I think that one should often challenge

themselves. Moments of awe don’t have to be complex or complicated all that is

required is an open mind and willingness to lift the shroud of fear, ego, and

everyday petty concerns.

This Strength has impacted my life in more ways than I can notice. Being able to

appreciate the world around me has helped me through many dark times. It is

something that I use every day of my life, it gives me motivation to get up out of

bed, to go to practice and school. It has made me enjoy nature, literature, art and

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music so much that I try to incorporate all of it into my life. The want to connect

and attempt to be with nature is the strongest of all my joys for beauty and

excellence. It’s sometimes manifested in the want to explore the world, others a

simple walk outside; because beauty doesn’t have to be a faraway place, if you

look at something hard enough you’ll be able to see it. My strength often hits me

very hard in unsuspecting moments, from little subtle beauties in a cartoon or

seeing my friends fall in love, their artistic talents, the deep intelligence people

hold, not only natural wonders in the world but also scientific creations. Things

like rockets, space exploration, 3-D printing are just some of the things in science

that due to my strength I find really interesting. My strength has opened me up to

the world when I closed myself off from it. Opening me up to culture,

masterpieces of art, music and literature, with intense force it opens my mind

with a sense of curiosity for people, and their creations.

I believe this strength has impacted others in positive ways, I try to show those

around me how I see the world and influence them to attempt to see the lighter

side of things. The best I can do to put to words how my strength affects others is

by my attempt to open up their mind and the world that they have created around

themselves. I try to influence others to look on the other side of the spectrum,

delve into plagues of man, whether it be the disease of greed and power,

injustice and ignorance, poverty and selfishness. When you open yourself up to

the world and see everything for what it is, it allows you to grasp life’s greater

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pleasures that we are privileged to have. Challenging them to move much further

past instant gratification, and cheap thrills into the world of infinite possibility and

child-like wonder. Then to take it a step further, past simple acknowledgement for

what we can be appreciative for and move to embrace them in our daily lives. I

often express this when I work with children in wrestling camps or my nephew for

example. At a young age, life is much simpler for the fact that we are unaware of

the horrors of man. Instilling a proper positive mindset at a young age can affect

their entire lives. There is something about nature that little kids really enjoy.

Anything from bugs and bees to trees and flowers, my personal favorite however

is the sun and moon.

As for my friends sometimes this doesn’t work out so well, many of my friends

enjoy watching sports whether it be football or basketball both of which I don’t

have a team I prefer. I think sometimes it can be upsetting for them when I cheer

for both sides whenever a wicked play happens. Although I believe it helps

remind them it’s just a game for entertainment. I constantly remind my friends

and teammates to take a second and try to enjoy the moment we are in right

now. As a society we get caught in this whirl pool of the external world, what to

buy and what people think or have said, focusing on negative bias. As a good

friend and leader of a college team I feel as if it’s my duty to remind my friends

that there are really beautiful things around them; in hope to brighten up their day

just a little. When the world feels like it’s moving so fast, one can feel as if they

are trapped, suck in the chains of society. This strength helps if even for a

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moment free yourself from the biases you’ve been taught and take in the world

as it is presented. This is something so simple that I try to show people around

me. I embrace an opportunity to slow down the frantic lifestyles of our society

and enjoy a simple moment with another person, together as one. A smile, a

laugh, a deep breathe of relaxation that I can give to another is the greatest gift I

can give to another. I find myself doing so through my strength because it’s how I

live my life that makes a difference in others.

The overall meaning of this strength is a wide concept. It not only influences

myself but others around me, it also is effected by myself and everything around

me. The VIA manual helps define the nature of the strength. They mention for an

individual that “people whose minds and hearts are open to beauty and

excellence find more joy in daily life, more ways to find meaning in their own

lives, and more ways to connect deeply with other people. (Character Strengths

and Virtues, 533)

They go in to express that once one becomes open to beauty and excellence

that some things change about how the person views the world and themselves.

Describing this acceptance of the strength being related to “transcending ego,

self-forgetful, unselfish and more object centered that ego centered, that the

world is then seen as “beautiful, good, desirable and worthwhile, even as evil and

suffering are recognized and accepted as part of the world.” This comment is

something that is struck me when I first read it. The idea that accepting and

realizing that there are evils and suffering in the world but also overlying being

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able to acknowledge the simple fact that the world is beautiful nonetheless. The

ability to see the bad and good in the world leaves you with a few choices. Either

dwell on the misery of all that is “evil” or take pleasure in what good the world has

to offer. Connected with pure openness they state “People are more ready to

listen and much more able to hear.” There is a great difference between listening

and hearing. Listening can be passive and hearing can be perceptive.

Appreciation for new thoughts and idea, having the ability to listen to another and

hear or decipher what they are trying to explain. This concept moves beyond that

of just willingness to learn but also willingness for the new. Reaching out to new

cultures, music, theology and the attempt to understand not only oneself but

others and the world. They also mention that People become more loving and

more accepting, I believe this is due to the fact of being able to see virtues in

other people. Just as the ability to see beauty and wonder in the world with all the

chaos and evil, the same can be said about people themselves. Understanding

that no one is perfect and accepting someone for who they are, and sometimes

loving them anyway. Accepting ones, imperfections is a thing that makes people

beautiful. Instead looking to absolute perfection which doesn’t exist, we can love

and accept those for who and what they are. To have faith or hope that those

who are blinded and corrupted by the evils around us will see the right path. But

also to understand that there needs to be balance in the world and an absolute

cannot exist without the contrary. That is; good cannot exist without the presence

of evil. More so, to not run away from what we are told are negatives, ergo

acceptance of all emotions and feelings. It’s okay to feel down sometimes, or to

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be sad, these emotions make the opposite feelings stronger. There is something

beautiful about sadness, because along with it comes the image of previous

feelings of happiness, something to compare. Having these emotions are what

makes us human, and gives us the capability for empathy and love. (Character

Strengths and Virtues, 539). Acceptance of ones flaws or past faults, openness

and all of these things I’ve mentioned is a part of being personally secure. By this

I mean mentally but the book also states physically as in having survival needs

being met. “A person who is personally secure, who is no longer concerned with

esteem needs, should be more able to take joy and pleasure in the skill, talents,

and virtues of others.” (Character Strengths and Virtues, 538-539). This to me is

an explanation of moving past your selfish desires and thoughts, once you let go

of the small details of social status, monetary wealth and then being able open

yourself up to the greater theme being told by the world. Seeing in others what

you do not possess but not being tempted to demean them but getting a sense of

enjoyment from these skills, talents or virtues of others. Or seeing similar talents

or virtues in others and appreciating their existence in not only yourself.

“Those…who have no experience of wisdom and goodness, and do nothing

but have a good time, spend their life straying between the bottom and middle

in our illustration and never rise higher to see or reach the true top, nor

achieve any real fulfillment or sure and unadulterated pleasure. They bend

over their tables, like sheep with heads bent over their pasture and eyes on

the ground, they stuff themselves and copulate, and in their greed for more

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they kick and butt each other with hooves and horns of steel….(republic, book

IX, 586a).” (Character Strengths and Virtues, 535).

This is an idea that have mentioned before, the idea that we are obsessed with

instant gratification and cheap unrewarding thrills, pleasures that do not improve

any amount of self or social worth. Being content with emptiness in an artificial

reality created by our mind. Indoctrinated by the thoughts of the masses and

those in power, afraid to go against what we are tough or told to think and do.

Many without the willingness to question ones beliefs or habits. Absent minded or

close-mindedness to the new, where the only sense of the word new comes the

idea of consumerism and buying more things. The idea of clawing to the top of

some social-economic struggle, without thought of another. No worry about what

harm is being done to other humans or the environment. There are far greater

pleasures in this world than that which is fueled by greed. People becoming like a

heard of sheep, filed into stores and filled with images of wealth and power,

some no longer able to lift their heads above the masses and gaze upon

beauties of the world around them due to the weight of the corruption instilled

within them. A long and arduous journey lies ahead of all man, a journey filled

with adventure and enlightenment where all that is required is the openness to

embrace it.

I can attribute my openness to appreciation of excellence and beauty due to

many experiences in my life. These experiences however are single moments of

realization, I want to explain moments that happen which are varied and

commonly exist in my perception of time. The experience of emotion and

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connection through forms of art, being film, acting, and music. When I observe

someone doing self-less acts out of pure good will, or experiencing deep heartfelt

emotion; real or created. I can’t help but to recreate that feeling within myself. It’s

something that happens without my consent. The VIA manual does a good job of

explaining this feeling.

“Observers can taste or savor an emotional experience that floods through

them, taking them away from their everyday world of goals, fears and petty

concerns.” (Character Strengths and Virtues, 537)

I feel as though when watching or listening to particularly emotionally moving

pieces of art that I can be swept away from my place and existence on earth. So

overwhelmed with the emotion or virtue being portrayed. An idea strikes me

every time that there is something greater in this world to be achieved. A pure

and holistic though of a bigger picture, where real big issues and problems can

be solvable. This usually leads me to question my being, my purpose, existence,

life and more so field of study. I feel an internal connection with what I am

experiencing, as if at that single moment for a spit second the world and myself

are one. There is an idea that we have to travel or leave ones current situation or

place of being to be able to appreciate beauty and excellence. This is where the

Via and myself agree.

“Beauty and excellence can be found everywhere- in nature, in the actions

of ordinary people, on tv, in school textbooks.” (Character Strengths and Virtues,

545)

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The existence of beauty is everywhere, the only thing you have to do is be willing

to take a second, look around, take a step back from the world you have created,

and you might be surprised what you may see. Remove yourself from negative

bias and embrace the world that is calling to you, beauty will shine through you

may just have to try and find it.

Many of my earliest memories are more images of places, sandy white beaches

with clear water, the school playground, my first play, the pool. There was a time

in my life where this strength wasn’t to apparent to me, during my adolescence I

saw less beauty around me accept for in women. I had less interest in books,

poetry, nature and more concerned with sport and the opposite sex. During the

earlier years of my life I had moved often, lived in a trailer home, and watched as

my parents wondered if they would be able to feed us the next day. My brothers

were especially hard on me, for anger had gotten to the best of them; for a good

time till I was about 16 I couldn’t remember a day without a bloody nose or lip. At

the time I felt so alone, and back then to me this was a terrible thing. I wanted

someone to talk to, to tell me it was going to be okay, someone to just be there. I

told myself that the world was dark thus creating the thought that I was a part of

the darkness. Each day it seemed however there were small spaces where light

would shine through the dark, like birds chirping as the sun rises, flowers

blooming in the spring time, a cool breeze as the dew on grass fades when the

sun rises. When you are alone, time seems to slow down. Allowing a sense of

intrinsic meditation, to see what was once an obscure field of view become clear.

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This time affected me, so greatly; for after feeling this I wanted nothing else but

to help someone who was feeling the same way. I try so hard when I see

someone in a dark place to help them. For there is a part of my strength that

allows me to see what’s inside another person, through empathy or social

intelligence. Whether it be just a person to sit with, or someone to listen, and

often point out things to be grateful for. There was another key issue in the

development of my strength and that is just simply by upbringing and

background. Life wasn’t always so easy but there was a time where my life did

seem to be much easier. At a young age, I had everything I could ever want, a

full family, I enjoyed building simple tree forts with my brothers and playing sports

in the yard. Then my father became ill and thus we had to move. After his

glimpse with death my father was never the same again. From being a

successful Doctor with a thriving practice to in debt and jobless. We moved a few

times, I did sports like hockey or gymnastics and went to school. It wasn’t until

we moved into a trailer where I started noticing the smaller more intricate and

beautiful things around me. I partially think this was a way for me to cope with my

surroundings having drastically changed. As I spent more time alone, I felt a

need deeper connection with myself and the world around me. I grew to like the

place I was living, we were all so close together, in that time I grew to know my

family more than any time before that. Once my father did pass, because of how

it happened I seemed to lose all of my strength. Unable to see the beauty or

excellence in anything. My whole family and I were struggling, something I found

that helped put a smile on their face was to point out small things that were

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alluring to the eye. Often mistaken as youthful innocence pointing out the

smallest flower or caterpillar always seemed to help. Something deep in the core

of my being is effected by the change of a person’s mood from acts from the self.

My strength is something that not only helped me in dark times but has help

countless of others as well. When you have everything then seemingly lose it all,

you gain some perspective. In a way you learn to appreciate the small things in

life. One song that has always stuck in my head is “what a wonderful world”, that

is something my dad taught me, the song that he chose to be sang at his funeral.

The lyrics in the song do a wonderful job of explaining the character strength of

appreciation of beauty and excellence. Louis Armstrong describing the wonders

of the nature world, from trees, roses, the sky’s hue of blue, “the bright blessed

day, dark sacred night” and extends to beauties in people, faces of people

passing, loving friendships, the aging of children. Louis Armstrong can be

considered a paragon for this strength. It wasn’t until I was 18 and received a

letter from my father that he had written to me before his passing. That reminded

me he had faith that I would be a better man than him. He expressed the need

for me to remain kind and the letter ended with “keep smiling for life is too short

to focus on the negative”. This influenced my development for my strength

because it came with a greater realization that I was unhappy with my

surrounding and actions. It was a call for me to become something better, greater

than myself at the time. It invited me to see the world in a different way. He also

gave me a respect for other people. I can remember some days when I was sick

as a young child maybe seven. I would have to come to the office and stay there

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since both of my parents worked in the practice. I remember more than just once,

an older couple would come in and want to be seen by my Father. He would give

people medical attention and insist that they didn’t pay. He always said “Just

because you don’t have money to pay doesn’t mean you should be refused the

medical help you need”. This was a characteristic in my dad at the time that I

hold very dearly to me. He seemed above selfishness and greed.

My education has also had a great impact on the development of my strength, I

went to a school by the name of University High school. As a whole we were

challenged to question. Question the thoughts from others and ourselves, to

question society and our elders. Why do we adapt a thought into a belief, where

did this originate, is it factual or imaginary, realistic? As we began to learn, we

were challenged to think for ourselves outside of what we had be previously

taught. For myself this created the feeling of safeness in the classroom to

express and discuss my thoughts or ideas, but along with it came a sense of

freedom. I am eternally grateful for this experience in my life, because this

experience began the mold of the man I am today. My School helped me

become open-minded and gave me an essence of acceptance. I learned a great

deal of information in school but the greatest thing of all was the gift to question.

Among this I also learned the gift of meditation and gained insight into the world.

Wrestling is an experience that I am still going through that has taught me many

things about life. Through many injuries I have sustained over the years and the

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people I’ve watched come and go especially in college, gave a lot of perception

about my life. From work ethic and discipline, friendship, appreciation for survival

needs, the sport as an art form. The freedom that I feel when I step on the mat is

similar to that when going on a hike. The subtle movements and feel of another

person and their weight and momentum. The feeling of being lost in the moment

with another individual being concerned with little more than improving position

and resisting the opponents advances for positioning. Also the appreciating that

comes from the discipline in a diet. Not only eating things that are healthy for

your body and giving up unnecessary items such as candy or alcohol, but mainly

the discipline the night before a weigh in. When dehydration and hunger keeps

you awake at night, being unable to create any moisture in your mouth by

yourself, your internal organs feeling as if they are eating away at you. Images of

running water and a simple snack, if sleep does come to aid you then your

dreams turn on you. Dreaming of bottles of water and tables full of food. When all

this is said and done, being able to take just one bite from a sandwich or drink a

small glass of water becomes something so satisfying if makes you feel

overwhelmed with joy. It’s a constant reminder for me whenever I am eating or

go to the water fountain, and I don’t know when that feeling will stop.

My senior year being convinced to partake in a seven day hike really made a

difference. Seven days and eight nights camping and hiking on the West Coast

Trail, on the Vancouver Islands, Canada. Walking in the 50 miles in the Arctic

Circle that is considered a rain forest. The sunsets were a masterpiece, the

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beauty of the forest and nature surrounded us as we went, the calm steady noise

of a nearby waterfall, the sound of a whale coming up for breath a true symphony

from mother nature. Complete disconnection from technology and society.

Sleeping under the stars, creating our own fire and carrying everything we

needed for survival on our backs. It was a long road filled with adventure and

aesthetic wonder. Too many starfish in one place to count, a heard of seals

barking in the sound of waves crashing to the shore. Nature being the dominating

element in this environment instead of man. At the mercy of Mother Nature we

travel by day and rested by night. Roots from trees bigger than myself and trunks

that seems to stretch to the heavens. This not only gave me an appreciation for

nature but for simple technologies too. Being a shower or a bed and pillow. That

same summer I went to Bonarroo, a three day music festival in Tennessee,

spending all my hard earned money on one great summer. Hearing a wide

variety of music genres, beautiful sounds with beautiful people. The pure

kindness and compassion each person showed to one another was awe-inspiring

and a pure pleasure to be a part of. Everyone wanted to share and help out,

have simple conversation about that moment. The wild untamed talent of the

musicians were really set loose in this environment, the energy from the crowd

and band flowing back and forth together creating this sense of time stopping,

like that moment, that feeling was never going to end.

Instead of playing video games as a child, I was outside, I didn’t get a game

console which was the Xbox by which time I was about a 7th grader. I attribute

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my ability to appreciate the outdoors, literature, poetry, art, music to this time in

my life but also to my mother who is one of the strongest people I’ve had the

privilege to come in contact with whom also forced me outside, and to read. It’s

not what you don’t have that matters, it’s what you do have that does. Another of

my most cherished stories is about my grandfather, who was and forever will be

a great man. Born and raised on a farm, to study and become a surgeon. My

mother would tell me how much she loved my father’s dad, the only person to

accept her into the family but also to help take care of things while she was

pregnant with my two brothers, sister and myself. She once said that during a

phone call Floyd (grandfather) asked what she was planning on doing that

afternoon, to which my mother replied “mow the lawn” after some discussion on

how my father should do it, and the stubbornness of my mother; Floyd canceled

all of his appointments for the day drove 45 minutes to our house to mow our

lawn. This story of kindness, selflessness, and compassion has been a guide to

me for most of my life, from what I remember and the stories I hear Floyd was a

virtuous man, something I strive to be.

There was one particular moment of self-realization the hit me this past year in

August. I found myself in a relationship based upon her sexual desires, I felt

corrupt by the want for possessions and wealth. I began to realize how many of

these items are made. I was told by a rather cruel individual that I would never be

understood nor would I ever be happy. Basically I opened myself up to certain

people and in return got tramped. After many days and nights of reflection I

noticed this weird desire to be important or a self-centered view point. I actively

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choose to break away from the un-meaningful pleasures that my generation is so

enamored by. I walked away from my desire for pornography and objectification

of women, I ended my strife for wealth and power, and I began to care less about

the opinions from others about myself. I looked for greater purpose and meaning

in my life and how to achieve a fulfilling lifestyle. I wanted to enjoy what the world

has to offer, and attempt to make a positive impact in the lives around me.

This class for me has become similar to the movie “The Breakfast Club”, a rag-

tag group of individuals with various background, interests and personalities. It

seemed as though their differences would clash but by the end they seemed to

mold together and create a better understanding not only for oneself but for the

others too. I felt as I become much closer with those involved in this class and is

an example in my mind of something beautiful that can happen in an educational

environment. Moments like letting go of ego and allowing yourself to be creative

with finger-painting, being open minded with meditation and laughter yoga or the

positive eating activity. Sharing our experiences with each other and our ideas on

class topics involved being open-minded with each other and trying to see more

than one positive way of thinking. I will appreciate the time I spent in this class

learning from different people and different activities. It partially opened my eyes

of too different forms of spirituality, love and hope. For I saw many different

character strengths in my fellow class mates that want to embrace as my own. I

love seeing people use their strengths in the class room because it reminds me

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that even though that particular characteristic isn’t my top strength doesn’t mean

its absent to the world and further more in myself.

Being able to perceive that the world around me is filled with so many wonders,

whether it be stories or memories from another, people and their strong virtues,

nature and the beautiful outdoors; all the natural things that make this world

glamorous, beauty and meaning in art, literature and music. Take some time and

look around, you might be surprised what you see. Take a second to stop and

smell the roses, watch the birth of a new day in the sunrise, the beginning of the

night with the twilight from the moon and stars. See people for who they are and

the values they possess. Step away from the unfulfilling and embrace what you

have around you, accept things you cannot change and be willing to experience

new things. Open yourself up to the waves of emotion and childlike wonder, live,

breath and be in the moment for it will pass faster than you know it.

To reflect on the things I have said, and some of their relations I want to include

things from my peers, friends and family have said about me and my strength.

My brother Chris stated that I “find good characteristics in people I meet and

admire then try to build my own tool kit even further by embodying those

characteristics to your own”.

My friend and classmate Gina said “ you take the time to rally get to know people

and find the good in them you also find something beautiful everywhere you go.”

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Harris a first time classmate said “you can find the beauty in anything. It seems

like you’re a very deep thinker but you still don’t take yourself too seriously”.

My roommate and friend Dayton said “you don’t care what other people think

about you, you do what makes you happy”… you see the beauty in other people

and you tell them their strengths and what they are good at even if they don’t see

it”.

My sister in law Sarah said I was a “good listener, caring”

My oldest brother Brad said I’m good at “looking at ideas and thoughts from

multiple views”

After our presentations a note from an undisclosed class mate said “you should

totally write some of your thoughts or reflections. I think a lot of people could be

impacted by you”

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Rooftop outside my window

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Blooming tree located somewhere in Dubuque

My roommate and best friend Steve watching the sunrise outside eagle ridge

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Heidelberg Project – Detroit

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Sunset Pacific Coast- West Coast Trail, Vancouver Islands

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Showing my nephew the amazing world of bugs- in Georgia.

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My temporary shower for the day, a waterfall while hiking in Canada.

This is an iconic image with a meaningful quote that I believe deals with transcendence.

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This is another iconic image with a meaningful quote that expresses the need to remove ourselves from the material world and things that are utterly meaningless.

Thank you for your time and knowledge Dr. Hopper, I would enjoy conversing with you this coming semester during your office hours. This class was something out of the ordinary to me and I hope to remember it for a long time coming!

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Journal Entry Week 4€¦ · Web viewWhat a Wonderful World. Appreciation of beauty and...

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