Statement of Intention

Purpose: To help people think about who they are and to be the best person they can be.

Title: Being a Person

Audience: Anyone who is a person – majority 13, but generally anyone

Features: I tried to give the readers a look into my life, so they could compare themselves to me – I was hoping to make it like I knew what I was talking about.

Being a person is not as easy as it seems. There are different types…. but which one do you choose to be?

Knowing Yourself Is The First Step

From time to time I have been accused of having a beautiful soul. According to my closest friend, seeing whom I truly am made him weep with joy because I was so kind, so happy, so calm and so…me, meaning that I was extremely comfortable in my own skin. I know who I am, what I want from life, who my closest friends are and my abilities in day-to-day life. In my opinion, it sounds like I’m selling myself here, like I am shallow or conceited. But the point I’m trying to make is that I know who I am. In the end, the key to you being a great person, both inside and out is knowing who the hell you are. Know your strengths and weaknesses, your likes and dislikes, the little nitty gritty parts of your personality.

Start with the basics – without the ground floor of a building, it couldn’t stand up. When you start working out who you are, start on the shallower parts of yourself, Discover what parts are essential, and what makes you comfortable with your being before you start getting to the hardcore stuff – start on your gooey center after you figure out what you like to eat for breakfast.

Emotional Pain

When I was growing up at primary school, I was bullied and harassed for being slightly different. I still am, but not as much. I’m no longer emanating waves of fear, because predators can smell that fear. Now my personality exudes a certain state of confidence, and I tend to demand a slight amount of respect – there is an air of ;don’t touch me, because it wont hit me anymore”. When dealing with people who are harassing you for anything, whether it was wearing your hair the wrong way, speaking differently, or making a mistake, stand up to them. Let them know in your individual style that they do not own you. The reasons bullies tease or put you down is because there is a need to dominate – there is a reason why they enjoy being malicious towards you. Now, if you had done something to provoke that bullying first, then that is fair enough – it is called Karma. But remember to show them you are not scared, that their remarks did not hit their intended targets. If the darts hit the bulls eye though, tuck away your pain and hurt for later on, where you can scream and cry and curse them in private all you want. If the bully sees your pain, then taunts will continue to flow.

Friends

A main lifeline for me is my friends. Without my friends, no matter who they are, I would not be the person that I am today.

When I was a child, I came a little late in the social department. Friends were scarce at school even as little kids, people are still as backstabbing as when they’re in high school or out in the real world. Now, as I’m in my fourth year of high school, and eleventh year of schooling, I have a bigger group of friends then I ever could have imagined. These are the people who will always stay with me - the people who are closer then my blood family. In life, everyone needs a friend, no matter what form it takes. Whether it be an adult, an old lady crossing the road, a neighbor, a puppy or cat, your goldfish or a piece of furniture – we can consider these to all be our friends, because they listen, sometimes give advice (yes, furniture and goldfish can talk in their own way) or provide warmth and comfort when needed. Friends will see you through to the very end, even if the ones you die having aren’t the ones you were born with.

Love

Love comes in so many forms that it’s not funny. There is love between friends, family and even strangers on the street. However, my favorite love is the one between my boyfriend and myself. Some think I am way too young to have fallen in love. That is their opinion, I respect it, but I disagree thoroughly and with great passion, because I know in the very depths of my heart and soul that he is my soul mate, my muirn beatha dan and the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. How do I know that at only 15? It is indescribable – pure love doesn’t have any words that can begin to describe exactly what it is. For every person, love is different and if you have been or are n love, you will know what I am talking about.

Love is looking into someone’s eyes and gaining access to their soul. Love is being held, and never wanting to let go. Love is waking up next to a person, and knowing that you want to be by their side for the rest of your life. Love is a tingle when fingertips touch your skin. It is the feeling through your body that spreads like a disease when you kiss, throwing all feeling into that single meeting of lips, and the grin you get afterwards. Love is when no words have to be spoken – when you stare into their eyes, and just know somehow, inexplicably that they will keep you safe, no matter what. And when you cannot say you love them enough, and start to cry with happiness, that is when it is true, pure, and free.

If I were to continue saying what love is, then pages upon pages would be filled until there were none left in the world. Just know that no one can tell you whom to love or that you are too young for such things –that is pure and utter nonsense. It is only you who will know for sure when the right person is in your life.

To Finish Off….

To be a great person, just try and do what is beautiful. You do not need all of the above components, but they certainly help. Just remember to live as best you can – take care of yourself and others, love people and life, and everything around you.

By Jennifer Coxon