One Kick

The soccer ball sliced through the air, dipping and diving as the crowd watched silently, all their hopes and dreams resting on this one free kick that would determine the whole season; incidentally the player had taken this exact kick thousands of times in practice but this time the ball curved like never before as it grazed the goalies outstretched fingers, knocked off the post and eventually rested in the back of the net as thousands of fans flooded the field in celebration of the United States’ first World Cup victory.

I will never defecate you.

As I looked into the toilet with a long brown lumpy swirl, the pungent scent burned my nostril and my eyes couldn’t help but water in disgust, knowing and realizing, that is a part of me, a part that may never return, graciously giving away what I have worked so hard to produce, once again, like always, I have left behind a dear friend; a friend that I know will never forsake me, sometimes making me grunt at how painful the memories of the times we’ve had, sometimes the pleasure I was given, I shall never forget you, but your memory will live on the next time I squat.

Sentence

As I crawl into bed, curl up with a collection of pillows, and click between several lifetime movies, teen dramas, reality shows, and news stations, one channel catches my eye as I immediately see the pasty white face, voluminous red hair, and fancy shmancy business suit of my future husband, Conan O'Brien; however, my unguarded heart suddenly notices that short stocky man behind the trumpet because even Coco could never compare to the brilliance of "La Bamba".

Periodic Sentence

Admittedly, having changed dramatically since the time that I first saw her, she was older, more weathered, more worn; and yet, somehow -- by some miracle, some higher power – as majestic as she had ever been, reigning with a beauty so profound that it made those like me ache with pride and gratitude –it seemed almost impossible that she be more powerful and stunning after age and wear – even now, a most commanding presence, never alone but always above those that surround her – my beacon of hope and freedom – with her torch held high, Lady Liberty still stands.

"If you are going through hell, keep going" - Churchill

This particular aphorism, given to us by Winston Churchill, sends a universal message that everyone, everywhere, can relate to at one point or another.  I imagine when he first said it the tone he used was slightly harsh and meant to pack a punch.  Propositions abound in this saying.  I feel it has multiple meanings and the ability to be applied to various different situations and circumstances.  One of the truths I believe this aphorism is trying to tell us is that the only way to get past the troubled times in our lives is to experience and, ultimately, work through them.  This isn’t to say it is telling us to just accept pain or defeat, but rather the exact opposite.  When we are going through a rough patch, feeling sorry for ourselves or experiencing pain the answer is not to hold up the white flag and stay in the thick of our misery.  Wallowing in it will not miraculously make the “hell” go away and although we may feel better for a short while, ultimately we will be in the same place tomorrow as we are today.  Circumstances do not change on their own, only we can make things better for ourselves.  Therefore, if it is a ‘hell” we have encountered, the only way out is to find a way to get through it.  This implores the audience to be pro-active, but that is just one of the lessons this aphorism shares.  Another proposition that I think is made very clear in these 8 words is that we should, we must, believe that there is in fact a light at the end of the tunnel.   No matter how hard things may get, or seem, suffering doesn’t last forever, and good things always follow.  It is an exceptionally difficult truth to accept and have hope in, especially when the distress is great.  If we are consumed by agony, stress, or hurt it can be almost impossible to see beyond the storm and it takes a strong and faithful person to see ahead to brighter days instead of dreary ones.    This teaches us a lesson about finding strength within ourselves.  To go along with discovering our own strengths, perhaps Churchill is saying to us that perseverance will pay off, that we will be rewarded for our time in misery if we can merely stick it out, see it through.  This aphorism clearly says “don’t lose hope, don’t give up – keep living, you will survive”.

This phrase touches me for several reasons.  It takes a common, habitual phrase that is generally used metaphorically, “going through hell” and turns it into the literal.  In this phrase, hell is indeed a place through which one is going.  Because the audience presumably recognizes that being there – in hell – is a dreadful dilemma, the best thing for them to do is continue through it until they are in a new place, outside of hell.  The aphorism, to my mind, uses humor because it changes the way we feel about a relatively ordinary statement and forces us to see it in a whole new light.  It takes what is normally a serious saying and almost brushes the seriousness away.  It tells the audience that it doesn’t particularly feel bad for them and it has better things to do than sit around and listen to someone whine about their problems.  The turn of phrase is brilliant as it touches on numerous issues, such as how futile it actually is to complain about our circumstances, and forces us to focus on what we can do to change them.  We can’t talk our way out of “hell”.  We can’t whine, grumble or wish our way out of our problems and the daily challenges we will face.  Our suffering will not ease just because we want it to.

                In a complete rearrangement of emphasis, the repetition of the word “going” brings our focus away from the traditional viewpoint that the noun – or, hell – is what’s important and instead focuses our attention on the verb, going.  The specifics, the metaphorical “hells” that we face, become less central while the process of overcoming them is all of a sudden crucial.  I think the diction that Churchill chose for this phrase - “going through hell” - is much more effective than prolonging the sentence to say something like “if you are having difficult times, push through them”.  The root of the sentence is a common colloquialism, used by everyone at some point in their lives and easily registered with. “Going through hell” gets the message across clearer than any other phrasing could because the audience knows what it is like to feel this despair.  The diction also allows for the repetition and play on words that was aforementioned and makes the phrase lyrical.  “If you’re going through hell, keep going” is a witty, direct way of reminding us that only we can make changes for ourselves and that hell isn’t our destiny…brighter, better things await us.

Live Everyday Like It’s Your Last

These are six words that I try to live my life by. The thing about this saying that really interests me is the different degrees of how literal to take this advice. If I were to take this completely seriously I would be on my way to the airport with a bag full of clothes and a head full of thousands of places I’ve always wanted to see. I think if someone actually just packed up and left that they would be taking this advice in the wrong way. It isn’t supposed to leave you broke and homeless. Just like every piece of advice, this saying should be taken with a grain of salt. My interpretation is that I shouldn’t live my life planning on having a future guaranteed. Too many people work around the clock so that they can be rich when they are older. My problem with that thinking is that tomorrow is not promised today.

Although short and concise, this phrase can trigger very complicated thoughts. This phrase is basically asking you if you died tomorrow, would you be content with your life. It is asking if you lived the best life you could. It is not asking how well you planned out your life but how do you feel about yourself today. This phrase makes you judge your whole life. It puts you in a place where you can truly look at your life.

When I think of this phrase I ask myself if I’m happy. Basically I try to be happy everyday just incase its my last. I don’t want to go out sad. This does not mean that I live everyday in fear of death; instead it means that I try not to let opportunities pass because who knows if I’ll get another chance. This phrase encourages me to take chances in my life. It steers me away from the dreary future of a cubicle. It keeps my life exciting. It keeps my life dreams fresh in my mind. Personally I want to travel the world. Many people share this dream with me, but many people also bury this dream behind years of college and adulthood and marriage because that is what is expected of them. In our society it is not accepted to drop everything and act on an impulse. We as a people feel very comfortable with plans. We are expected to have our whole lives planned out by now. I don’t agree with that. I have no idea what I will want to do with my life in twenty years and I don’t think I should be expected to know. It is sad to me how many people put their hopes and dreams to the back of their mind when they’re still young and by the time they remember them they are gone. When I’m old I want to be able to look back and remember all the great things I did. I don’t want to look back and realize all the things I never accomplished because I was afraid to act on impulse.

At first glance this phrase gives off a sense of fear. Almost like it is trying to scare you into changing your life, but that would be the wrong way of interpreting it. It is trying to instill a sense of fearlessness in the reader. It is urging the reader to drop everything and follow their deepest desires and dreams. To do what would seem crazy to everyone else, but in reality make you the happiest person alive. Because in the end all that matters to me is that I lived my life to the fullest and I always made the best out of it. Since I don’t know when the end will be I will have to make everyday the best I can. I will have to strive hard to be happy as much as possible. Any day could be my last, but I don’t think of it as a punishment or a curse. I think of it as an excuse to always have a smile on my face.

"Lost Time is Never Found Again"

“Lost time is never found again.” This aphorism by Benjamin Franklin is one that justifies many of my impatient complaints that I have experienced throughout most of my adult life. Its message is clear, and its delivery is subtly full of guilt. Moreover, my patience is set aside as this quote sends a message to never do such thing as set things aside. Ironic as that may sound; this anti-procrastinating statement is sending a message of fulfilling your life now, for you may not have time to fulfill it in your future. Furthermore, it is calling upon the world to live out only the greatest aspects of our lives at the present moment, and not put it off until tomorrow. Because of this uncertainty of a tomorrow, all we have right now is a chance—a chance to be fulfilled. It tells to not dawdle over the little details that squander the small time we have on this earth. All we have is the here and now. In the future, whatever today brings should not be looked at with regret for time was wasted. It is time to enjoy your life now, because time is only running out, and it can never be found again.
This quote achieves this meaning by calling upon the reader to take action. It provokes a feeling of guilt, as though the audience is not living up to its expectations as a human being. This guilt comes from the fact that we are so fortunate to have this time right now, and you may not be doing everything in your power to make the best of it. As part of the audience, I feel this guilt so strongly because it makes you regret past decisions and think about the future. It creates a sense of hope as well. This is known by the fact that we can still find time in our future, though the past may be lost. We still have a chance.
This aphorism uses inductive reasoning to express its message. This is known because the message is constructed off of certainty. You cannot go back in time—this is certain. Its foundation is laid with known facts, and a theory is created. With this theory, one can build a better future while knowing this information. This logical argument could be considered deductive as well, because it relies on truth to bring about a logical conclusion. Therefore, though the truth may be harsh, time is being lost so we must spend it wisely. Contrarily, I feel this quote focuses more on pathos and ethos. It evokes emotion from the audience through its sense of regret for the past and anticipation for the future. The reader is called upon to think about what they are not doing right or what they could be doing better. This is tied to ethos, because there are some ethics behind wasting time that could be cherished by someone else. For example, those dying of cancer would do anything in their power to have the confidence that they will find their time tomorrow. Your time wasted, could be another person’s time cherished.
In addition, this quote has a unique approach of conveying its message through its ironic word choice. Even with as little as six words, Benjamin Franklin was able to impact the audience. He plays on the term “Lost and Found;” like how an object that goes missing can be easily found, returned and reused. It can even be lost again, and this cycle may continue because it is just a possession or a tangible item. However, an intangible object such as time can never be found again. Once it flies past you, it’s not coming back—it won’t be found and returned, and you definitely will not get the chance to reuse it again. Similarly, time can be juxtaposed to other important intangible aspects of life, like love. Much like our limited opportunities with time, one can either embrace love or waste it. The feeling of being loved should be valued, like time. If it is wasted, it will follow the same path as the time that went with it, and the opportunities that were once offered to you will have been squandered.
Though there are many aphorisms that focus on living in the moment, I feel this quote is unique in its diction. It provokes several emotions that call the reader to action, and it uses a tinge of irony to put these words into thoughts. Though its message may be clichéd, its delivery is short and original. Because it is of few words, it leaves more thought and interpretation to the reader than other quotes that are hackneyed and overused. The message is clear, but the afterthoughts are more abstract and personal to the reader and can be interpreted to fit their own life. To me this quote stood out because of how I interpreted it and what I thought it meant. I am impatient and want to make my life worthwhile now while I still can because it is not certain that I will have the opportunity to tomorrow. I believe that there are positive effects of being impatient when it comes to dealing with difficulties. Some hardships are weakening, and I feel impatient when it comes to creating my own happiness and strength. Because I will never find lost time, I believe it is under my own empowerment to improve the situation at hand or in the moment.
In conclusion, my impatience for fulfillment is based off of the idea of this aphorism. Benjamin Franklin phrases it creatively and evokes emotion from the reader through logos, pathos, and ethos. He proclaims, “Lost time is never found again”, and this is a thought that should be evoked in each individual to ensure a better lifestyle for all. As interpreted, one should not dwell in the past, for it is lost. The only time you have for certain is the time you have found now, and it should be embraced and enjoyed—not wasted and regretted.