8th Grade Journal (1992-1993) - Chapter 10
Pride. It’s a good word and the subject of this chapter’s lesson. There are all sorts of people walking around, which is an understatement. But they all need one thing in their lives, or life simply would be complete. That thing is pride. They all deserve to have it, too. What better thing is there to be proud of, then just what they’ve lived their lives for as long as they have, without giving up?
I am glad to say that I am a proud person. I have many achievements to look back on, and many to look forward to.
For instance I think maybe the proudest moment of my life will be when I am through with all of my cancer treatments. I hope it will feel like a new beginning. I’ll just be so happy to finally reach the end of it all, yet proud that I got through it. I bet it will be a magnificent day, and I hope it is not far off.
Another proud moment of my life was, ironically, one of my more embarrassing ones. But it was the way I handled the embarrassment that makes me proud. It was the day my hat fell off in front of people I didn’t even know.
I was playing basketball with my cousins, and a few of their friends (luckily, I was the oldest one of the bunch) when one of them passed the ball to me. It was a bit high, and seemed to fly right over my head. I checked to make sure that my hat was on securely. But wait a minute, what’s this? Instead of feeling the security of my hat, I felt the barren wasteland I now called my hair. “I’m going to die,” I thought. It felt like my best friend, that I’d depended on so much, had just become my traitor. All eyes were upon me, mouths gaping open. I turned around to pick up my hat. My cousin handed it to me, saying, “Here you go, put this back on.”
“Thanks,” I said.
Once it was put securely back on my head it was as if all the kids simply forgot the incident and went back to playing the game. I was relieved. I had feared the day my hat would come off ever since I’d had to start wearing one. But this wasn’t what I had expected at all. I didn’t die of embarrassment, the world didn’t end. It wasn’t that bad, and I felt fine.
The real thing to be proud of, is that no matter what a person’s problems are, as long as they keep on trudging down that rocky road of life, they have a very great achievement already accomplished.
I am glad to say that I am a proud person. I have many achievements to look back on, and many to look forward to.
For instance I think maybe the proudest moment of my life will be when I am through with all of my cancer treatments. I hope it will feel like a new beginning. I’ll just be so happy to finally reach the end of it all, yet proud that I got through it. I bet it will be a magnificent day, and I hope it is not far off.
Another proud moment of my life was, ironically, one of my more embarrassing ones. But it was the way I handled the embarrassment that makes me proud. It was the day my hat fell off in front of people I didn’t even know.
I was playing basketball with my cousins, and a few of their friends (luckily, I was the oldest one of the bunch) when one of them passed the ball to me. It was a bit high, and seemed to fly right over my head. I checked to make sure that my hat was on securely. But wait a minute, what’s this? Instead of feeling the security of my hat, I felt the barren wasteland I now called my hair. “I’m going to die,” I thought. It felt like my best friend, that I’d depended on so much, had just become my traitor. All eyes were upon me, mouths gaping open. I turned around to pick up my hat. My cousin handed it to me, saying, “Here you go, put this back on.”
“Thanks,” I said.
Once it was put securely back on my head it was as if all the kids simply forgot the incident and went back to playing the game. I was relieved. I had feared the day my hat would come off ever since I’d had to start wearing one. But this wasn’t what I had expected at all. I didn’t die of embarrassment, the world didn’t end. It wasn’t that bad, and I felt fine.
The real thing to be proud of, is that no matter what a person’s problems are, as long as they keep on trudging down that rocky road of life, they have a very great achievement already accomplished.
