Four Things To Do to Increase One’s Level of Contentment and Happiness Essay Example for Free

Four Things To Do to Increase One’s Level of Contentment and Happiness Essay The learned Viktor Frankl contends that â€Å"chance decides what happens but we decide how to take it† (cited in Southwick, et. al. , 2006, p. 162). For someone who has been through the most tragic circumstances of human existence, Frankl is surely someone who knows pretty well how happiness is to be pursued in one’s life. While it can be argued that happiness is a state of human living which cannot be singularly defined, we – human persons that we are – nevertheless know what brings it about or how it affects our general take of life. Pursuing Happiness All throughout One’s Life The basic thrust of this paper is to argue that our state of contentment or happiness is something that we human persons can always choose to pursue. By adopting Frankl’s philosophy, we can say that a person can always choose the path towards happiness against the backdrop of different life circumstances and issues that come with one’s lifespan development. First, one can always choose to discover his or her crafts, potentials and talents as a way to appreciate one’s giftedness and uniqueness. This is a very potent element that contributes well to one’s happiness; and this usually happens during one’s late childhood and adolescent stages. The discovery of our uniqueness gives us a sense of who we are. But even when, for instance, one is not gifted enough, one can still discover certain strains of uniqueness to be appreciated. This is crucial because it can give us an initial taste of our sense of directedness and purpose. Second, a person needs to choose the kind of relationships that work in order to attain a level of happiness as well. This is especially true for those who are at the early adulthood stage. Growing up, it would be normal to feel that we need someone to complete us; and finding that suitable someone is notably crucial for this stage. Many people end up either unhappy or miserable because they did not either take the courage to pursue a person whom they love or feel powerless to break free from relationships that just do not work. But finding true happiness is about choosing the right relationships that could nurture, and not defeat life. Third, in order to secure happiness, one must always face life-crises with a brimming sense of optimism. This surely is a case of no little importance, as it is not uncommon to learn that many middle-agers suddenly lose their sense of meaning at a time when life-crises emerging from home and workplace start to take their toll. Crises, it needs to be remembered, cannot be avoided. But they are defining moments that can either make or break us. Increasing one’s state of happiness during these poignant moments therefore necessitates a commitment to hope – i. e. , one faces life problems with a sense of optimism. If one can face problems convinced that he or she can successfully get out of it, then it is like facing a battle half-winning it already. Fourth, one can look at his or her life under the lenses of accomplishment and gratitude so as to be happy. This especially applies to those who are in the twilight of their lives. When one becomes bitter every time he or she looks back at the past, it effectively robs a person with a sense of contentment and happiness. Instead, looking back at life with eyes fixed on the accomplishments and blessings that one has done or received in his or her life surely elicits an incomparable sense of contentment, happiness and pride. Conclusion This paper therefore concludes that a person is always empowered to make a choice in order to increase his or her level of contentment or happiness. In any lifespan development or stages, the choice to uphold sense of happiness is always a concrete possibility; i. e. , we can always choose to discover one’s giftedness, choose the relationships that could make us happy, choose to face life-crises with hopefulness and choose to be thankful in our lives. In the final analysis, it must be ultimately argued that we are the ones responsible for our own happiness.

A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks Essays -- school students, logic,

Nicholas Sparks’ A Walk to Remember is a classic â€Å"coming-of-age† novel that is a simple enough read to allow high school students to relate to the storyline. When Landon Carter finally accepts his feelings for Jamie, who has helped him become a better person in more ways that either of them know of, he reaches the pinnacle of his transformation from a troubled and resentful teenager into a respectful and selfless young man. A text included on a required reading list for high school students should have a theme that allows them to relate to the characters, to figuratively put themselves in their shoes and feel as if they are part of the story. It should also develop the students’ moral compass and teach them a valuable lesson that will help them throughout their lives. A Walk To Remember is a great Coming-of-Age novel for high school students to read because it allows students to hear the main character’s voice change and mature throughout the novel an d provides an opportunity for them to reflect on whether it is best to listen to logic or to listen to one’s heart, Landon’s personal growth, and the brevity of life. Landon Carter is a typical high school senior who’s always behaved himself based on logic, but as he encounters many fateful events that grant him a sense of self-awareness he realizes who he truly is, and is appalled by what he finds. Throughout the story, Landon spends more and more time with Jamie, a girl who is ousted by most of the senior class because of her religious devotion. Although he is not thrilled by her company at first, he truly ends up appreciating what she represents, which we see when he says, â€Å"The more I hung around Jamie, the more I realized she had a lot of different emotions†¦ that was the first tim... ...ould be a part of required reading lists for high school students because it introduces them to concepts like logic and feelings, levels of maturity, and the brevity of life that allow students to find their true calling. This novel will teach them to develop the skills they need to make conscious decisions, whether they base them on logic or they go with their hearts as well as developing the right level of maturity they need to succeed in the real world. Students need to be able to reflect on matters that will be meaningful regarding the decisions they will have to make in the future so that they are knowledgeable about their choices. This novel is a great example of how a required book should teach students an indispensable lesson about logic, feelings, and moral values. Works Cited Sparks, Nicholas. A Walk to Remember. New York: Warner Books, 1999. Print.

Music on the Bamboo Radio Essay

â€Å"Music on the Bamboo Radio† is a historical novel, a fictional story full of adventure set during WWII. It begins on the day that Hong Kong surrendered to the Japanese. Nicholas Holford, the protagonist, arrives home and finds his parents missing. Throughout the novel, Nicholas changes and grows; he becomes more mature, develops a new identity and as his life changes completely and he is forced to become brave. Nicholas becomes more mature throughout the novel. He helps a group of soldiers called the East River Column when the English army sends them a box, â€Å"but inside everything is in English writing† and the soldiers â€Å"cannot read it† and they want Nicholas â€Å"to come and help† them. Later in the novel, Nicholas joins the East River Column and helps them blow up a train and save hundreds of people’s lives. He grows by joining a group of soldiers and helping them. As Nicholas lost both of his parents during the war he runs away with his servants to another hamlet which is a small village there he meets a new family,Tang’s family. Over there he gets more mature and also he has developed respect for other people’s beliefs as he also does things he dislikes P.34, â€Å"The task that Nicholas hated was carrying of pig manure up to the fields to spread around the plants.In the hot sun, the dung smelt sickly sweet and revolting.†He found that really disgusting because no one really likes to carry buckets of pigs dung. Also on P.55,However he also goes with Tang’s Family to visit the Golden Pagodas. he also respects in other people’s belief and he does everything very maturely and is also very keen to gain more knowledge about the Chinese culture. In the novel,Nicolas’ life changes completely and it all begins with the Japanese Invading (on P.4) Hong Kong and him running away with his servants. As he is been forced to adapt to his new life and he is given a new name. â€Å"I give you Chinese name. You no more Nicholas. You Wing-ming.† He lives the life of a Chinese boy, because he needs to hide from the Japanese so he can stay alive, â€Å"Must do. You have Chinese boy haircut now. If Japanese soldier think you English, he kill you.† As time passes, Nicholas forgets his past life and his real parents. â€Å"I don’t really remember what it was like†¦before†¦What it was like to live with my parents.† Losing his parents has changed Nicholas because he realizes how important parents are. he needs to understands his new family and culture. Nicholas becomes more brave as he has to adapt to his dangerous situation.His environment is also is a very dangerous because the Japanese  are every where in HK. He risks a situation knowing that it is dangerous he still does it because the Japanese have scattered everywhere.The situation is going and getting the quinine for Tang because he is very sick of working.So Nichloas and Ah Mee set off to get the quinine. While they go to purchase the quinine the situation gets more dangerous as they come to face to face with the Japanese. When Ah Mee wanted to rest for a few moments and went towards a tea-shop where there were several chairs and tables and were arrayed under a spreading tree. As they just sat down the owner appeared and told them to â€Å"Place your order†. And the owner’s ear hair which was curled fowards, looking as if a bizzare fungus had taken on had taken root on the other side of his head. Nicholas kept on looking at the owner’s ear and Ah Mee said â€Å"You no look his ear. We no want him angry.†P.39. Ah Mee said that â€Å"I no want tea, I just want to sit.†. The owner said, â€Å"This no free seat, must buy tea.† because Nicholas was looking at the owner’s ear for a long time. So they bought tea and left.Nicholas also thinks that two bowls of tea cost might be the difference life and death of Tang on P.40. While going to purch ase the quinine on the way they see a man and two japanese soldiers. The Japanese soldiers were looking for the man’s identity papers which Ah Mee and Nicholas did not have with them. The soldiers were having cruel fun with the man by pointing a rifle buts around his throat and shoot him.While Nicholas lost his balance the Japanese saw him and if they shoot Ah Mee like the man was shot then he would have taken out.But instead one of the soldiers kissed Ah Mee on the lips on P.43. Ah Mee was in crying but silently and tears also came out silently. To get the quinine they had to meet Dr.Wu to get the quinine P.45. Dr.Wu could read Ah Mee’s and Nicholas’ eyes.Dr.Wu could tell what they wanted and on P.45 he tells that he will be getting the quinine from his office. This is how he risks this situation and in the end they were safe. What Nicholas did was very dangerous. This also shows how he cares for people who is in a very critical situation. Overall, Nicholas changes and grows throughout the novel and lives a completely new life filled with danger, while becoming more mature and brave. While he gets mature he understands how dangerous the situation has become.The invasion of the Japanese changes him because he learns how valuable and good his life is. Nicholas losing his parents makes him realize  that he is very lucky to even have parents because unlike other children who may have lost their parents during the Japanese Invasion. Knowing that Nicholas losing his parents he does not think of them since he has a new family but he does miss them. He also is trying to follow his father’s footsteps because his father is in the army.

The Matrix Dreams and Senses Essay examples - 651 Words

In a dream, humans can experience any sort of sensory experience but visual experiences are the most common. They draw upon the dreamer’s own memory and imagination to build upon. The movie â€Å"The Matrix† put forth the idea that one could live an entire life as a vegetable being fed an illusionary life via brain stimulation. The plot not only raises questions about the relationship of mind to body and the uncertainty of knowledge, but also more modern concerns about political power in a cyber-infected world. Carolyn Korsmeyer examines the issue of sense experience and how the movie portrays the classic problems of perception in her essay â€Å"Seeing, Believing, Touching, Truth.† She links her evaluation of the use of senses†¦show more content†¦Korsmeyer correlates that with a horror-provoking thought experiment that supposes that â€Å"we are but brains in a vat, and only electrical impulses provide us with a mental life.† The movie does n ot have the time to explore this problem to its fullest and Descartes only used it as a means to getting to the justification for his own existence. I agree with Korsmeyer that it is highly improbable that this is the case for the current human world, for if it were the case, how would we have a reference point to the basis of the different sensual perceptions we come in contact with every day? Both philosophers and the movie rank the experiences we receive from our senses in a traditional order. Vision and hearing are ranked highest because they require a distance from the object in question to operate. All the rest require a degree of physical contact in order to function and humans tend to talk about them in regards to the amount of pleasure received from them. Movies use the senses of vision and hearing to take us along on the ride so that we experience what the character is supposedly experiencing. â€Å"The Matrix† plays on the old adage â€Å"seeing is believingâ €  throughout the film, extolling its characters, and especially Neo, to see the truth. For most humans to have faith in the object, we should remember the rest of the saying Korsmeyer quotes â€Å"seeingShow MoreRelatedThe Matrix Is A Clear Demonstration Of Descartes Meditation One855 Words   |  4 PagesThe movie â€Å"The Matrix† is a clear demonstration of Descartes Meditation One, they both question the reality in which they are living, and rather or not if it is real or if it is controlled by something else, questioning the current reality. For Descartes, it is controlled by evil demons, whereas a supercomputer controls the Matrix. Both are in what is perceived as a dream state where the senses cannot be trusted. Descartes works up to his case for universal doubt in Meditation One questioning ourRead MoreThe Matrix Essay899 Words   |  4 PagesCompare and Contrast The Matrix with the readings from Plato and Descartes. What are some similarities and differences? 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