Friday, December 27, 2019

The Two Parts Of Death - 1820 Words

Rebecca Leonard Professor E. Devore Great Book Since 1700 November 11, 2014 The Two Parts of Death Emily Dickinson did not give titles to her poetry, they are numbered. This is the first part of her poems that commands attention. At first it is not known what a particular poem is about, it needs to be read. A good portion of Dickinson’s work is centered on death. Everyone knows that death is unavoidable. Once something lives, it must die. There is only one real guarantee in life and that is death. Generally, death is feared due to the lack of knowledge or certainty of what happens when it occurs. Heaven, hell, purgatory, nothingness, reincarnation or any other explanation gives comfort or even anxiety in death. Even with the strongest beliefs death is still uncertain. Some of Emily Dickinson’s poems are solely about death and the emotions that fallow it. She creates a very vivid image with her words. Certainly on a level that anyone who has experienced death can understand. Three of her poems in â€Å"The Poems of Emily Dickinson† edited by R. W. Franklin, do this nicely. Both of these poems explain the emotions and what needs to be done after a death. The first poem about death in this edition of Dickinson’s is poem f315: To die – takes just a little while – They say it does’nt hurt – It’s only fainter – by degrees – And then – it’s out of sight A darker Ribbon – for a Day – A Crape opon the Hat – And then the pretty sunshine comes – And helps us to forget – TheShow MoreRelatedWhen two people walk down the aisle and make a promise to love one another â€Å"till death do us part,†1000 Words   |  4 PagesWhen two people walk down the aisle and make a promise to love one another â€Å"till death do us part,† they are proclaiming that for the rest of their lives they will only love their spouse and never wander from their loved one. If they stray from their loved one; having sexual intercourse with someone other than their spouse. They are committing adultery. Adulterous behavior can be seen to fall with the domain of morality. For men and women there are many reasons they have committed or are committingRead MoreBy Close Analysis of Funeral Rites: Seamus Heaney’s Attitude to Death in North 1084 Words   |  4 PagesHeaney’s attitude towards death is presented in different perspectives within Funeral Rites. A pun, based on a homonym, embedded within the title itself, suggests one’s right to have a funeral : for there to be an occasion for family and friends to mourn one’s death whilst celebrating their life. In Funeral Rites, Heaney demonstrates the beautiful serenity associated with death, while also highlighting the tragic aspect of death and dying. Funeral Rites is composed of three parts (the first of which IRead MoreThe Death Penalty Is Wrong And Inhumane Essay1170 Words   |  5 Pagesto death is difficult to completely comprehend. The physical procedure involved in the act of execution are easy to grasp, but the emotions involved in carrying out a death sentence on anoth er person, regardless of how much they deserve it, is beyond comprehension. This act has been critiqued by many people from all around the world and it is our responsibility as a society to see that capital punishment is wrong and inhumane. Some oppositions to the death penalty include racial bias in death sentencingRead MoreThemes of Death and Immortality in Emily Dickinsons Poetry Essay987 Words   |  4 Pagesis a reoccurring theme of death and immortality. The theme of death is further separated into two major categories including the curiosity Dickinson held of the process of dying and the feelings accompanied with it and the reaction to the death of a loved one. Two of Dickinson’s many poems that contain a theme of death include: â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop For Death,† and â€Å"After great pain, a formal feeling comes.† In Dickinson’s poem â€Å"Because I Could Not Stop for Death,† Dickinson portrays whatRead MoreI Heard A Fly Buzz, By Emily Dickinson1227 Words   |  5 Pages591 â€Å"I heard a Fly buzz,† describes the scene of the speaker’s death in a very obscure way. The poem is entirely located in a single room and the speaker is participating in a common deathbed ritual that would have taken place at that point in time. The room is quiet, many mourners are preparing for the speakers final moments, and the speaker begins to will away all of her material possessions. When the speaker is about to commit to death, a fly interrupts the scene and ultimately stands in the wayRead MoreThe Theme of Death in The Dead Essay1151 Words   |  5 Pagessetting of a winter dance at the home of the two aunts of the main character, Gabriel Conroy. James Joyce’s short story â€Å"The Dead† has a literal title, because its main concept is death – both physical d eath and spiritual death. Gabriel Conroy and his wife, Gretta Conroy, attend a party held by Gabriel’s aunts, Kate Morkan and Julia Morkan. The mood of the party is intentionally festive. It’s an annual event – â€Å"the Misses Morkan’s annual dance† (1227). But parts of the evening turn out to be quite nostalgicRead MoreThe Death Of Meriwether Lewis1039 Words   |  5 Pages The Death of Meriwether Lewis Meriwether Lewis was one of the travelers that were given the mission of traveling from the colonies to the Pacific Ocean, The Mission of Discovery. After Lewis got back from the expedition, he was assigned the role of Governor of The upper half of the Louisiana Purchase. When he was appointed to this position, he didn’t instantly go to do the job though. Actually he spent about half a year trying to publish the notes heRead MoreSimilarities And Differences Within Donne s Poetry1187 Words   |  5 Pagespride in oneself. His two poems, â€Å"Death, Be Not Proud† and â€Å"The Flea† each feature one of these aspects of metaphysical poetry. â€Å"Death, Be Not Proud† is a poem about a man who is seriously ill mocking death and challenging death’s power. â€Å"The Flea† is a humorous poem that features a man trying to convince his lover to have sex with him through the actions of a flea. Even though the two poems feature the same author, time period, and they both make references to the Bible, the two poems share many differencesRead MoreHamlet to Be or Not to Be Soliloquy Analysis Essay887 Words   |  4 Pagesvery confused man. He is very unsure of himself and his thoughts often waver between two extremes due to his relatively strange personality. In the monologue, he contemplates whether or not he should continue or end his own life. He also considers seeking revenge for his father’s death. Evidence of his uncertainty and over thinking is not only shown in this speech, but it also can be referenced in other important parts of the play. The topic of Hamlet’s soliloquy is his consideration of committingRead MoreDeath And Violence During The Mahabharata And The Tale Of The Heike Essay1674 Words   |  7 PagesDEATH AND VIOLENCE IN THE MAHABHARATA AND THE TALE OF THE HEIKE Death, and the process of dying and killing, is central to the plots of the ancient Indian Mahabharata and the ancient Japanese Tale of the Heike. These epics, though the products of different cultures, describe similar beliefs and practices regarding death, focusing on death in relation to the religious beliefs and societal roles of the warriors classes—the Vedic Kshatriyas and the Japanese samurai. This great significance attached

Thursday, December 19, 2019

The Reality Of Reality Television Essay - 1287 Words

Reality television is now one of the most consumed television genres broadcasted to the general public. Reality television has become more about mindless watching and creating the most unrealistic environment possible, rather than creating a show for an important purpose. Today, shows like Beauty and the Geek, Big Brother, and every other reality show fit into this mold, but when viewed critically lessons appear. In the case of TV today, reality shows depict an altered reality because of the unrealistic situations this genre presents. Firstly, Beauty and the Geek claimed they conducted the â€Å"ultimate social experiment,† and yet is still considered as a show in the genre of reality TV. Since Beauty and the Geek subsisted as a social experiment, altered variables, such as the environment, influenced participants to conduct themselves in a different way than how they would behave on a regular basis in reaction to the stimuli the show provided. Contestants altered their behavior by sharing a bed with a stranger, and they acted friendly because they were now living with strangers in a home with cameras, so they felt they needed to impress. Beauty and the Geek is comparable to Big Brother because they were both filmed under altered conditions. For Big Brother specifically, the contestants participated under a much more controlled environment by being locked into a compound that was cut off from the rest of the outside world. This meant no TVs, phones, computers, etc., which makesShow MoreRelatedThe Reality Of Reality Television936 Words   |  4 PagesThe reality show phenomenon Have you ever wondered what attracts millions of Americans each week to watch this cultural phenomenon know as reality television? It first started in 1948 when Allen Funt created a TV series called Candid Camera, this is the first known reality television show series. â€Å"Reality television episodes have increased up to 57% of all television shows that can be found on your TV guides† (Shocking). Big Brother was one of the first successful and most viewed reality televisionRead MoreThe Reality Of Reality Television882 Words   |  4 Pages What is it about these reality shows such as: Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Bad Girls Club, and The Real Housewives that we cannot stop watching? After watching reality shows like this, it leaves people craving the next episode of the next week. Reality television producers are exploiting people by giving the public a â€Å"sense† of reality but not the real version of it, but rather exploit people and use stereotypes to make money for entertainment. The specific points of this argumentRead MoreThe Reality of Reality Television1699 Words   |  7 PagesThe Reality of Reality Television Jacqueline Knudsen ENG122: English Composition II Jenna Fussell February 2, 2013 The Reality of Reality Television Have you ever set there watching your favorite reality television show and wondered what effects it could have on you, your family or your friends? Truth is most people do not think about the effects television shows can have before watching them or allowing their children to watch them. ThisRead MoreThe Reality Of Reality Television927 Words   |  4 PagesBehind the Reality of Reality TV There are many different opinions when the subject of reality television is discussed. Although reality television shows are thought to be negative they really are just mindless entertainment. Many can argue that these shows are misleading and disturbing. On the other side of this, people merely use these shows for entertainment and allow people to forget about stress in their lives. The cause of these different opinions is a result of different age, gender, religionRead MoreThe Reality Of Reality Television1499 Words   |  6 PagesAgainst Reality TV For close to a decade, the ethics behind the existence of reality TV have been questioned. While there are ardent viewers of reality TV, researchers and other scholars disapprove them, and claim that the world would have been in a better place. Reality TV shows, especially in America, are extremely profitable to media owners, and this has increased their popularity in the recent years. The main target audience for these shows are teenagers and women, who spend a lot of time discussingRead MoreThe Reality Of Reality Television1511 Words   |  7 PagesReality TV is defined as television programs in which real people are continuously filmed, designed to be entertaining rather than informative.(Dictionary) As we all know, in today s world we are presented with numerous Reality TV Show such as Keeping up With the Kardashians, Basket wives and The Real Housewives of Miami. These shows give a false message to their viewers of what is reality and what is purely entertainment. Many reality programs create an artificial environment for the show thatRead MoreThe Reality Of Reality Television991 Words   |  4 PagesWe see content on television every day either to see the news, watch a movie, series or any program we would like to watch. Television give us a different and visually perfect way of entertainment. Reality television is a genre of television which seems to be unscripted showing actions of â€Å"real life†. The viewer sees the reality shows for entertainment but neither the pressure, competitiveness nor loneliness that lives in imagines. To be real -time and people- admiration from viewers, thinking thatRead MoreThe Reality Of Reality Television Essay1973 Words   |  8 PagesIntroduction Reality television has turned into a noteworthy piece of our way of life. The shows are described to be fun, engaging and acquaint society with new points of view. In the wake of a monotonous day at work, it s decent to return home and watch something careless on television, while unwinding. While the debate that violence in the media is making for a brutal culture has been made a million times, sometime recently, I am striving to make an alternate relationship. As we are aware, theRead MoreThe Reality Of Reality Television Essay1697 Words   |  7 PagesReality television has taken off over the past few years bringing shows to the airwaves such as the Bachelor and Breaking Amish. One of the more successful reality television shows, which is going off the air after this season, is Duck Dynasty. The show features a cast of redneck white males who have created a fortune making handmade duck calls. Their wives are the typical stay at home moms who cook and clean the house, or as Uncle Si would say, wifely duties. The show is shot in West Monroe, LouisianaRead MoreReality Television : Is It Reality?849 Words   |  4 PagesIs it Reality? Pop culture is popular culture that dominates a society at a point in time. Today, reality television is a part of the society’s popular culture (Johnson 289). The question is why? Reality television is a genre of television programming that focuses on members of the public living in conditions made by the creator, and displays how people are intended to behave in everyday life (Johnson 290). Reality television is debasing and should be strictly controlled, if not banned altogether

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Seven-Step Model of Ethical Dilemma-Free-Samples for Students

Question: You will be provided with a choice of case studies related to ethical dilemmas that healthcare professionals face regularly as a part of their professions. You will be required to analyze the case and provide a written report based on your findings and reflections. Answer: Case Study Analysis: Informed Consent On a daily basis, nurses are confronted with the professional reality that they can mitigate in the decision-making process when it comes to safeguarding the rights and well-being of their patients. Regardless, the limits that a nurse possesses on the grounds of authority and capacity to mitigate are emphasized on the same daily basis. Sheila, a nurse at an orthopedic unit, recently experienced a similar incident concerning informed consent violation and she was faced with the dilemma of either intervening for her patient or going, mum. The following paper endeavors to analyze Sheilas case based on the seven-step model of processing ethical dilemma as crafted by Potter and Perry. Ethical Dilemma Literature defines ethical dilemma as the decision-making problem between two possible moral imperatives which are either acceptable or not (Enzinger et al., 2017). What this means is that, when trying to make a decision, one aspect will be obeyed while the other will be transgressed. According to Sheilas case study, the dilemma was either to intervene (Sheila) and translate the information being provided by the surgical doctor in German or protect her professional career and not intervene. The case is a two-faceted take: on one end, the nurse did the right thing by being concerned whether her patient was being provided the correct information. One of the paramount rights of any patient is the right to autonomy and informed consent. As stipulated in the universal consent standards, a patient ought to understand what is being explained by ensuring that the medical professionals provide every medical detail (Potter, Perry, Stockert, Hall, 2014). On the other end, the nurse was only pr ofessional. Sheila only did what any nurse would have done in her position- following orders. Informed Consent As the name suggests, informed consent is the voluntary agreement to or acquiescence in what another person proposes. In the medical field, Grady, (2015), the generalized regulation is that a patient ought to provide consent to the doctors before any administration of treatment. To do so, there are several guidelines that doctors and other medical professionals ought to use (Blease, Lilienfeld, Kelley, 2016) . They include the capacity to consent- a person who can comprehend the nature and the anticipated effect of the proposed medical treatment, as well as alternatives, can be considered to have the capacity to provide valid consent. Nonetheless, there are limitations to the size of a person to provide informed consent. Age of the person heavily depends on the validity which is limited from the age of fourteen (in Canada) and anyone above the age of eighteen with a sound mind and emotional stability (Kim Miller, 2015). Additionally, Ferrer et al., (2016) indicates that if a person is unable to decide due to predeterminant factors such as mental capacity, then another person can do so on their behalf Another prominent informed consent detail is the disclosure of information to be considered valid (Hill Howlett, 2013). An informed consent stipulates that there needs to be the explicit explanation on the medical information a patient ought to be given especially about the nature of their treatment as well as the anticipated outcome (Faden, Beauchamp, Kass, 2014). The obligation to provide the medical information rests on the physician and never delegated to another medical staff. However, in special circumstances, the data can be disclosed to another physician to get more confident in explaining to the patient. Hence, patient comprehension, another fundamental factor, should be placed in consideration. The patient should be able to ask as many questions as possible (Schatzberg DeBattista, 2015) . Therefore, the physician should take considerable steps in ensuring that the patient understands and is relatively satisfied with the information provided wherein there is language diff iculty. Personal Values on Ethical Issue Negligence and carelessness, in my opinion, are the leading causes of mistrust and mistakes when it comes to handling patients. Worse of all is that legal issues follow suit soon afterward. Regardless, based on the Sheila case study, as a nurse, a lot should have been done to ensure that the patients wellbeing was put first despite the professional consequences. For instance, I value placing the patient first especially in their wellbeing. The patient was fluent in Germany, and so is Sheila. When the nurse noticed that the daughter was not providing the correct and full information and that the doctor did not put this regarding violating patients rights, then Sheila should have found a way to explain to the patient. However, the nurse opted to be mum about the issue, and this facilitated a breach in her professional and nursing career. Likewise, I value courageous people especially nurses who will not stand aside while their patients are going through assault. It is of the opinion th at Sheila should have disengaged the doctor an talked to him or her separately indicating what violations are occurring and what may be the consequence if the outcomes are not what was to be expected by the patient. Verbalize the Problem The problem in the case study is that the patients right to autonomy, valid consent and comprehension were not regarded when information was being presented. The issue, therefore, may cause a legal suit in the future and needs to be handled as soon as possible. The doctor should have put into consideration that the daughter is not right in German and a better translator should have been used (Wu et al., 2017). Alternatively, the nurse should have been vocal in protecting the rights of the patient regardless of authority hierarchy breach. Possible Course of Action The reasonable action to take is that the nurse (who is fluent in German) and the doctor should revise the information to the patient. The idea here is to ensure that the patient grasps as much as possible before making the informed consent. As stipulated in the informed consent, the validity is reliant on the comprehension and the patient ability to articulate what she is being told. Another course of action is to educate the physician on the right protocol in handling patients especially those who require translators. Negligence and carelessness should be eliminated to avoid future lawsuits which may hinder the medical institutions operations. Reflect on the Outcome The client will have to understand what the medical info is all about in addition how they will benefit. By using German, the patient will be able to make the valid consent without any issues in the future. Besides, the indications would be a valid consent. Action and Outcome The act to protect the patients rights and ensure that she will get the best out of the medical information provided will show the need always to protect the patient. The protection of patient rights and the indulgence of the physicians in understanding the fundamental need to address patient rights including comprehension will limit incidences in the future. Professional Standards According to CLPNBC, ever registered nursing profession including a Licensed Profession Nurse under the Health Professions Act is required to serve and protect the public as well as exercise the powers in addition to discharging responsibilities under all the enactments in the public interests (Nurses (Licensed Practical) Regulation, ). For an LPN under the BC curriculum, measurements include the practical application of nursing in the assigned environment. Nonetheless, some duties and responsibilities are used to measure an LPN that include making a diagnosis, compounding and administering medicine to patients. Also, an LPN is regulated under the BC through the restricted duties that involve performing procedures on tissue damages, cannot deliver medication that is complex and cannot handle complicated equipment without a supervisors presence. Nevertheless, there are professional standards that an LPN ought to carry out and will be stated below: Responsibility and Accountability According to the values, nurses (LPN) are required to uphold the professional responsibilities in professional integrity and advocate for the rights of the patient which Sheila should have adhered to during the provision of information. About CLPNBC, LPN practice in BC mandates that nurses according to the Health Professions Act Section 16 (1), nurses are required to exercise powers and discharge responsibilities (Nurses (Licensed Practical) Regulation, n.d.). Sheila, the nurse, should have carried out her sole duty in protecting the patients wellbeing regardless of what the physician had instructed her to do. Moreover, the responsibility and accountability require that a nurse as well as a medical profession, irrespective of the circumstance, be respectful of the patients rights and serve the patient with the utmost professionalism (Spatz, Krumholz, Moulton, 2016). Competency-Based Practice According to CLPNBC requires that nurses meet the professional standards within the facility they work in through the implementation of electronic documentation. In most cases, this may include speaking out to other medical professionals with their problems under the new documentation system (Ferrer et al., 2016). In the case of Sheila, it would have been best if she would have indicated the issue at hand to the doctor or another nurse (preferably a supervising nurse) about the incidence on paper or electronic documentation process. The solution to this would have prevented a lot of ethical breach by the medical doctor in his quest to make things harder for the patient. Client-Focused Provision of Services Communication is the best practice when it comes to handling patient information and wellbeing (Wolf, Clayton, Lawrenz, 2018). Collaborating with another nurse would have been the best option for Sheila to take when she could not speak with the attending physician. Since she was the nurse attending to the patient who was ill, it was her responsibility and duty to ensure that the patient got the best and quality health care to be offered while still undergoing treatment. However, Sheila did not take it up with the supervising nurse or follow the necessary protocol in ensuring that the patient was catered. Ethical Practice Ethical Practice ensures that there is good nursing when it comes to the patients. A nurse ought to be the moral agent to the patient in times of crisis and especially when assaulted by another physician (Koch Elster, 2017). In the case study, Sheila should have been more pre-empt in ensuring that the patient got the right information as per the doctors explanation and not leave bygones be bygones. It showed unethical practice in both the nurse and the doctor and was a breach of patients rights to informed consent. References Blease, C. R., Lilienfeld, S. O., Kelley, J. M. (2016). Evidence-based practice and psychological treatments: the imperatives of informed consent. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1170. Enzinger, A. C., Wind, J. K., Frank, E., McCleary, N. J., Porter, L., Cushing, H., Meropol, N. J. (2017). A stakeholder-driven approach to improve the informed consent process for palliative chemotherapy. Patient Education and Counseling, 100(8), 15271536. Faden, R. R., Beauchamp, T. L., Kass, N. E. (2014). Informed consent, comparative effectiveness, and learning health care. N Engl J Med, 370(8), 766768. Ferrer, R. A., Stanley, J. T., Graff, K., Klein, W. M., Goodman, N., Nelson, W. L., Salazar, S. (2016). The Effect of Emotion on Visual Attention to Information and Decision Making in the Context of Informed Consent Process for Clinical Trials. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 29(23), 245253. Grady, C. (2015). Enduring and emerging challenges of informed consent. New England Journal of Medicine, 372(9), 855862. Hill, S. S., Howlett, H. S. (2013). Success in Practical/Vocational Nursing-E-Book: From Student to Leader. Elsevier Health Sciences. Kim, S. Y., Miller, F. G. (2015). Informed consent for pragmatic trials: the integrated consent Model. Koch, T. M. P. V. G., Elster, N. R. (2017). Under Attack: Reconceptualizing Informed Consent: Certified Patient Decision Aids: Solving Persistent Problems with Informed Consent Law. JL Med. Ethics, 45, 12280. Nurses (Licensed Practical) Regulation. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2018, from https://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/complete/statreg/224_2015#section5 Potter, P. A., Perry, A. G., Stockert, P. A., Hall, A. M. (2014). Canadian fundamentals of nursing (5th Cdn. ed.)(JC Ross-Kerr, MJ Wood, BJ Astle W. Duggleby, Cdn. Adapt.). Toronto, ON: Elsevier Canada. Schatzberg, A. F., DeBattista, C. (2015). Manual of clinical psychopharmacology. American Psychiatric Pub. Spatz, E. S., Krumholz, H. M., Moulton, B. W. (2016). The new era of informed consent: getting to a reasonable-patient standard through shared decision making. Jama, 315(19), 20632064. Wolf, S. M., Clayton, E. W., Lawrenz, F. (2018). The Past, Present, and Future of Informed Consent in Research and Translational Medicine. SAGE Publications Sage CA: Los Angeles, CA. Wu, Y., Howarth, M. L., Chunlan, Z., Xue, J., Jiexia, O., Xiaojin, L. (2017). Reporting of ethical approval and informed consent in clinical trials in 12 nursing journals in China between 2013 and 2016. Nursing Ethics, 111

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

With Ink as My Voice free essay sample

When I became tired of pacing back and forth in my grandparents’ foyer attempting to count to 500, I wrote instead, first on printer paper in multi-colored pen, then on the yellow paper in my grandmother’s electric typewriter. It was exciting, to my eight-year-old self, to see my thoughts written out in ink. I still have those first stories. I like to look at them every once in awhile, because it reminds me of what I’ve known this whole time: Writing was, and would always be, what shaped my life. Growing up, â€Å"quiet† and â€Å"shy† were the most common words used to describe me. Whether it was a teacher, a fellow classmate, or a family member, someone always had to comment on how I â€Å"never talked.† Honestly, I didn’t talk all that much when I was younger. Some combination of elementary school bullying and just being naturally introverted had caused me to be reserved. We will write a custom essay sample on With Ink as My Voice or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It was something I struggled with, but being reserved definitely had its upsides – one being that I thought a lot. My mom likes to call it a â€Å"rich inner life.† I had worlds inside my head, opinions and ideas that I hadn’t a clue how to share. While many people assumed that I was rude, or unintelligent, or just didn’t have anything to say, those who knew me knew better. During those times when I didn’t know how to use my voice to express my thoughts, ink became my voice. I was 10 when I received my first computer, and shortly thereafter the thoughts and ideas stored in my head and written in my notebooks began to take shape in words on a screen, and then in ink. People found out about my writing in high school when my English teacher read my essays aloud in class. My face would turn embarrassingly red, but there was no denying that I could write. I aced a college composition class, swept the awards in our county-wide literary journal, and was published multiple times. People began to recognize my talent, and I would thank them and think: I know. It gave me a confidence I’d never had before. My writing was a place where the volume of my voice didn’t matter – no one could tell me to speak up when they were reading my words in ink. â€Å"Too quiet† or not, everyone knew that I was a good writer, and most importantly, I did too. This confidence would help me grow throughout high school. At the end of my sophomore year I wrote a speech on the back of a notecard, and the last line read: â€Å"People may think that I can’t do it because I’m quiet, but I wouldn’t try if I thought I couldn’t do it.† My voice might have shaken when I said these words, but it didn’t matter because I became class president. Being a writer was my identity, and knowing people had read my stories and liked them made me believe in myself. At the end of junior year, I typed out words and spoke them at the graduation ceremony, and my voice didn’t shake at all. When people told me I spoke wonderfully, I would thank them and think: I know. In my mind, my voice and the ink had become one and the same, and I could do anything. Almost 10 years later, I am not any less excited about seeing my thoughts in ink than I was at age eight. It is a feeling I will always crave. I doubt that when I’m 88 the thrill of sharing my words with others will have lessened at all. Ink will always be my voice, and writing will always be what drives my life.