"I Believe"--Robert Fulghum

“I believe that imagination is stronger than knowledge - myth is more potent than history - dreams are more powerful than facts - hope always triumphs over experience - laughter is the cure for grief - love is stronger than death”

It is clear to me that the message the author is trying to articulate is that determination is a very powerful aspect of life. That if you have an aspiration to fufill, it is possible as long as you are consistant and ambitious. If complications appear, or someone is doubtful of your abilities, you must remember that "imagination is stronger than knowledge", (personification), that if you believe you can accomplish something, there is no obstacle you cant overcome. This poem makes me believe that I can achieve anything I put effort into.
In every phrase of this poem, personification is used. Although to me, the quote, "laughter is the cure for grief," is a metaphor that can also be interpreted as a use of symbolism. It is a metaphor because it is not physically a 'cure' for grief, but rather an advance in the right direction. It can also be symbolism, being that the laughter represents happiness or an improvement in becoming more cheerful.
From the poem "I believe" by Robert Fulghum, the quote "laughter is a cure for grief" made me wonder how true that statement really is. I understood that laughter is happiness, and happiness eases the pain of grief, but it turns out laughter does a lot more than just make you happy.
A dose of laughter keeps your heart younger!
BY K K AGGARWAL
DR K K Aggarwal, Executive Vice-Chairman of Heart Care Foundation of India and President Elect, Delhi Medical Association, inaugurating a session on humour and health in the Capital recently, said that all hospitals should add humour department in their institutional setting. They should have a humour coordinator and a humour room.
Studies from all over the world have shown that an atmosphere of humour results in better patient cure, less anaesthesia time, less operating time and lesser hospital stay.
Dr Aggarwal said that patients could add a daily dose of laughter—by watching a funny video for instance. Apart from advising regular exercise and a low-fat diet, all doctors should advice laughter two to three times a day. People who laugh a lot are less likely to be stressed, is a well-known observation in the medical fraternity. Stressed, anxious or depressed people also are more likely to smoke, be physically inactive and rely on high fat 'comfort foods' and alcohol as part of their coping strategy.
Talking about laughter, Dr Aggarwal said that the act of laughing releases chemicals that affect the blood vessels, perhaps like nitric oxide, known to dilate blood vessels. The chemical, related to the nitrous oxide used to relax dental patients, is already targeted by some heart drugs.

"Cool"--Gwen Steffani

It's hard to remember how it felt before
Now I found the love of my life
Passes things, get more comfortable
Everything is going right
And after all the obstacles
It's good to see you now with someone else
And it's such a miracle that you and me are still good friends
After all that we've been through
I know we're cool
I know we're cool
And we used to think it was impossible
Now you call me by my new last name
Memories seem like so long ago
Time always kills the pain
Remember Harbor Boulevard
The dreaming days where the mess was made
Look how all the kids have grown, oh
We have changed but we're still the same
After all that we've been through
I know we're cool
I know we're cool
Yeah, I know we're cool
And I'll be happy for you
If you can be happy for me
Circles and triangles
And now we're hanging out with your new girlfriend
So far from where we've been
I know we're cool
I know we're cool
C-cool, uh-uh
I know we're cool, uh-uh
Uh, I know we're cool
C-cool, yeah
I know we're cool
You knew...

This song is about a guy and a girl who were once in love, but then broke up and remained good friends. I found this song interesting because usually after a break up, its not always easy to make the transition into a friendly relationship. This song actually reminds me a lot about a relationship I had last summer. When summer ended, so did our feelings for each other. Though, my ex and I still remained good friends and have progressed into different relationships since then. It was a slow process, and we still had our arguments at first, but eventually we were able to put our differences into the past, and focus on all the good times we had on those long summer days.
When Gwen sings the metaphor, “Time always kills the pain”, she means that becoming friends right after breaking up is really difficult and frustrating. Often at least one person in the couple will still have feelings for the other, making it harder to see them again. If you wait a while after, the time spent apart allows you to move on and possibly find someone new when you have successfully healed.

In my opinion, "The Healing Heart" by Gary R. Hess is similar to the song "Cool" by Gwen Steffani because their theme is both about moving on and continuing happiness. In Gwen's song, she talks about the obstacles her and her ex had to face in the past, and that they are able to keep it behind them. "And I'll be happy for you If you can be happy for me," Gwen says eventually as the former couple meet eachothers new loves. During the poem of "The Healing Heart", Gary sounds like he is struggling at first to adjust to a single life, but then "Sadness comes to an end/[and]happiness conqueres hate". That he has recovered from his breakup, and has found someone else. Feeling better and moving forward, his hope has been regained.

"The Healing Heart"--Gary R. Hess
Shattered heart forced to heal
as greatness unveils thine soul.
Hope whispered in the distance,
to recover thine lost love.
'Tis night brings tender passing,
healing thine soul with glorious blunder.
Caus' not one or two,
but dissipated nights of dreams.
Sadness comes to end,
happiness conquered hate.
Love sprouting -- sadness shrinking,
hope has come again.

"Do Not Stand at My Grave and Weep"

-Do not stand at my grave and weep, I am not there, I do not sleep. I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glint on snow. I am the sunlight on ripened grain. I am the gentle autumn rain. When you wake in the morning hush, I am the swift, uplifting rush of quiet birds in circling flight. I am the soft starlight at night. Do not stand at my grave and weep. I am not there, I do not sleep. Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not there, I did not die!

Certain expressions she used made me think about how a persons body has nothing to do with who they are. That all the body does is contain your soul, and when a body shuts down, the soul is not connected to that tragedy. Therefore, when the author writes, “I am not there, I did not die!” she is saying that her body may be in the graveyard, but her spirit is eternal. It is a more light-hearted perspective in the topic of death and losing someone you love, and it is comforting to know. It made me realize you may never speak or see them again in person, but it doesn't mean they are not still there caring and watching over you. Mary uses environmental metaphors to imply that she still takes part in natures everyday life. That seeing the wind blow, or the sun shine is just a subtle reminder that she has not abandoned the people she loves.

Reading this poem, I loved the way the poet described herself being in everyday life, even after her death. Someone who loves her was mourning at her grave, and she comforted the person by expressing that her spirit is still alive and will never leave them. “I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glint in the snow…etc.” I believe, from my own personal experiences,
that the death of a loved one is one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome. I have this opinion because when they are gone and you miss them, they can never come back. It is a concept where you never really get over it, you just get used to it. The reality that you will never be able to physically talk or see them ever again. I liked the fact that the author explained she was still there mentally, and that she would always be.

The author explains that although she is gone, her soul is still alive to watch over the people she loves. I chose this white lily to represent this poem because of the contrast the author uses between life and death. This lily reminds me of this poem, because to me a flower represents life, but the irony is that the colour white is a symbol of death.

I believe that the poem "Death" by Emily Dickonson connects to "Do not stand at my grave and weep" because of the metaphors used. Reading "Death", it is written in a way that in one sense may not seem like death at all, and in the poem i chose Mary Frye is stating that she did not die, and that her spirit lives on.
Death--Emily Dickonson
Because I could not stop for Death,He kindly stopped for me;The carriage held but just ourselvesAnd Immortality.
We slowly drove, he knew no haste, And I had put awayMy labor, and my leisure too,For his civility.
We passed the school, where children stroveAt recess, in the ring;We passed the fields of gazing grain,We passed the setting sun.
Or rather, be passed us;The dews grew quivering and chill,For only gossamer my gown,My tippet only tulle.
We paused before house that seemedA swelling of the ground;The roof was scarcely visible,The cornice but a mound.
Since then 'tis centuries, and yet eachFeels shorter than the dayI first surmised the horses' headsWere toward eternity.

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl is a Novel where a thirteen year old girl writes about her life in Germany with her Jewish family back in 1942. With the Nazis occupying Holland, the family must go into hiding in order to keep their lives. They live in a place they call their 'Secret Annexe' with another Jewish family, and later on invite another family friend to join them in their home. They cannot leave the house at anytime, and must speak quietly during most hours of the day in fear of being discovered. Anne writes about members of the secret annexe, and the arguements indured in everyday life. She also describes what living is like in the home as a young girl in hiding.

While reading the novel, I find it amusing to see the true words of a thirteen girl, and I am able to relate to her thoughts from when I was at that age. Anne has an older sister, and being a second born in my family, I understand her descriptions of feeling less important. "I have always been the dunce, the ne'er-do-well of the family, I've always had to pay double for my deeds" Anne writes as she talks about a quirrel her and Margot were having over a novel, her parents took Margot's side. Margot is also an overachiever, and Anne is resentful of her intelligence. Reading about life in the home, it made me think of times when my family has had to stay with other family's in time of travelling and visiting relatives. At times the two Jewish families must cooperate together, and sometimes they argue during discussions just like normal families. Every family does things a little different from others, and these two families are forced too get along for survival.

Reading this book, i really like the fact that this is a true story, and that these words are written from a young teenager. It is interesting to hear about the interactions of her every-day life, such as things like growing up, family issues, and boys that any girl can relate too. Reading about a Jewish life back in 1942, the detailed life of this family can almost bring you to this time and see the way they were treated. I enjoy reading this diary from Anne's perspective, and I am intrigued to read on.

"Identities

The story “Identities” is about a man who is strolling along the streets in a suburban area that is different from his usual, comfortable lifestyle. He is looking a little scruffier than his regular state, and he is also anxious about the rough location he is in. He decides that it would be a wise idea to call his wife and tell her he’d be on his way home. In search of a store or payphone, he watches apprehensively as gangs of young eyes gaze upon his Mercedes Benz. At the edge of a small store, three young men and a girl slouch in the darkness, he is nervous to walk by. Being cautious of his surroundings, he does not even notice an inexperienced police officer following him, until the officer orders him to a halt. The officer too, is nervous of the neighbourhood, and becomes suspicious seeing an unshaven man in blue jeans driving a Mercedes. The man, unaware of how his appearance may be perceived, felt relieved at the sight of a man of the law. Reaching in his pocket for his identity, the officer makes a rash assumption and anxiously triggers a pistol ending the harmless mans life.

It amazes me how much an appearance impacts the way people feel about one another. First impressions truly are important, for if the man would have looked more clean, it could have saved his life. People tend to have stereotypes towards certain styles, and believe that your personality should suit you exterior. The officer in the story, was ‘trained to see an unshaven man in blue jeans as a potential thief instead of probable owner,‘ and came to the impulsive conclusion that the man had stolen the car. When the officer approached him, it would have been more clever of the man to ask the officer to take out his ID before making the action. Though, I do suppose that the man was just so relaxed just to see the officer, that he didn’t consider a negative possibility.

The first time I read this story, I found most of it too be too descriptive and difficult to bring my attention to follow it. Although, I did understand the ending and just that made me like the entire story. Reading it the second time, I found it more interesting because I knew the ending. Knowing what was going to happen, I started to realize all the hints the author used throughout the story. ‘…it has been a reckless haphazard path. Retracting it is impossible.’ I think the author was trying to say that sometimes when people commit to a regrettable decision, they can’t always relapse and fix what they have done. Another clue I recognized, was; ‘so intent is he upon the future that he dangerously ignores the present’, meaning that he was so worried about not getting home on time, he wasn’t even being cautious of his surroundings, and that a police car was following him. Even though the ending is heartbreaking, I liked the message it sends to the readers; that things aren’t always what they seem.

"The Prospectors Trail"

“The Prospectors Trail” is a short story that takes place in a forest up in the Yukon. A man named Norman and his wife Jennifer moved up there so Norman could attempt to pursue his dream of opening an interpretive centre. They are camping out with an old prospector named Roy, and his wife Elsie. Jennifer is not enjoying the northern experience, so the next morning she goes into town to look for work, while Roy hesitantly takes Norman down his prospecting trail. Norman becomes discouraged with his dream and almost ends up quitting the whole idea. Roy then decides to truly help him and takes him to the dump, where they find objects that are of use to them. Norman is shocked to find out that going to the dump was what Roy meant by prospecting, but discovers it is a good idea and the two of them decide to go into business together. When Jennifer returns to camp, Norman tells her about the business potential the dump has. Jennifer, very disappointed, leaves Norman without a word the next day.

I found it interesting how Norman expected to be prospecting out in the woods, when all along Roy just prospected at the dump, finding objects that to some would just be ’garbage’ but to others could be so much more. It also mentions in the story that Norman suffers with insomnia, and it surprised me when at the end of the story, Normans wife had left him, took the van with her, yet that night he slept soundly for the first time in months. Meaning his insomnia was probably cause by stress from his wife. What I didn’t understand, was the relationship between Elsie and Roy. “We’re out of peanuts,“ Roy shouted, “So go get some more. And get some beer while your at it,“ was Elsie’s reply, and that was pretty much the only conversation they had during the whole story if you could call it that. Elsie seemed very lazy and rude, a person that didn’t suit Roy's northern lifestyle.

During the beginning of the story, Jennifer is very unhappy with the way they’re living and snaps, “Six weeks, unless I catch you wearing a red plain flannel shirt, in which case I’ll leave you on the spot,” to Norman. At the end of the story, when Jennifer arrives back at the camp, Norman is wearing a red plaid that he found at the dump. I liked how the author used the red plaid to symbolize Normans independence and determination towards his dream, he wasn’t going to let Jennifer control his life anymore. I sensed that the significance of this story, is to be in control of your own life, and you can decide how you want live it. Norman knew that his business with Roy would very likely end to his relationship with Jennifer, but he couldn’t let that stop him. You have to realize what is most important in your life, and follow your dreams even if it means leaving someone, or something else that stands in the way.

"No Renuwal"

This story takes place in the Annapolis valley, Nova Scotia. It is May 12, Douglas Bent Jr.'s birthday, and he is in deep thought about the days of the past, and what has become of life now. He is also trying to remember how old he is. Searching through his antic-crowded attic, he finds his birth certificate. The date of birth reads May 12, 1989, which makes him fifty years old. He then realizes that there is another date on his certificate, an expiry date. It reads May 12, 1949.

I was surprized to find out that he was only fifty. The way the story described him made him sound so old. For instance, 'he has outlived all his friends, all his relatives,' and 'Douglas's gnarled fingers idly...' makes it sound like he is ageing. It also made me think about how wasteful people can be when it comes to the earths natural resources, Douglas thinks of how agriculture used to be, and how it is destroyed at the time that it is. Base on how our world is today, i think this is a posibility in the future.

The part I liked best of the story would have to be the twist at the ending. When Douglas discovers that there is an expiry date on his birth certificate, that reads the very day it is and then there is a knock at the door. It leaves you in this suspician of wondering whats going to happen next. This story was mainly based on resources. How things are today, and what they may become of. Like if plastic will be in every day use in the future, or if we'll still have all the fossil fuels we do now. I think the author chose the title of this story to be 'No renuwal' because once we've used up what we have on this earth, we wont be able to get it back.