The Science Of Happiness: An Experiment In Gratitude

     Dear Vovo Mindo,

From the moment I was born you were always there for me. No matter whether it was a soccer game a graduation or a performance you were always in the crowd radiating happiness and smiling cheek to cheek. I will never forget the many memories Alessandro, Selina and I made spending a couple days or a week at your house. Whether it was raining or snowing you would find someway to make us laugh. You are the classic grandfather every time I would come over it did not matter, I knew I would see you there reading the newspaper, listening to the radio, watching soccer or doing a puzzle with Vovo (you two are the definition of an old married couple and I will never get over it.) Even when I was little all my parents would ever tell me is about how much you sacrificed for me. How when you would get off of work from night shifts you would have to drive to Guelph just to babysit me for a few hours. The moment, however, I will never stop saying thank you for is, how when I had my asthmatic attack when I was really young, you were so calm and collected and got me to the hospital as quickly as possible. Even now several years later when I had surgery you would always come by to see how I was doing and also bring me to my physio therapy appointments to make sure I got better. You were a second dad to me, you taught me many important lessons and were a great role-model. You may be quiet but, you always spoke your mind when someone tried to insult your family or someone you loved because no matter what family always came first and that is something I will bring to my grave. Thank you for everything Vovo I'll treat you and Vovo Thersea out to dinner really soon! Hopefully one day you can show me where you were raised in Portugal and tell me stories about you and your Vovo.

     Love always your grandson and newspaper buddy,
     Matteo XOXOXOX

Does Writing Have Limits?

     Should we limit creativity and set boundaries for imagination? By banning books we force writing into a dark corner that prohibits individuality and being able to speak out about our opinions on matters around the world. In Banned Books Week: 13 Authors Speak Out, every single author had the same impression about banning books. They all believed it to be a mistake, however, one author in particular caught my attention. Joseph Caldwell stated, "Literature is the national memory and if you censor, what you're doing is that you are reducing the human identity by removing these books from it and that is a very grave crime." I agree with him because in my opinion literature defines who we are. What we decide to read the genre whether it be horror, thriller, mythological or romantic tells something about us and our interests. By banning books you set standards and rules that authors must follow, and who says where the line is? The thought of there even being a line means some books that many of us enjoy could simply not exist today. It is our legal right as Canadians to have freedom of speech, and in my opinion self expression through writing is also another form of speech. I believe that this was what Joseph Caldwell was getting at when he said, "...by removing these books from it that is a grave crime." Literature to me is a source of knowledge and inspiration and the thought of someone censoring what I can and cannot read is like someone going into my house and telling me how to eat, sleep, speak and breathe, it is simply an abomination. Imagine if someone told William Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll, Arthur Conan Doyle and J.K. Rowling what they had to write about, what a boring world we would be living. If we are to continue to ban books the world could miss the next William Shakespeare, and the captivating adventure we are sent through, and banning should never be the reason our civilization stops being natural storytellers we were meant to be.

The Key to Success

     Angela Lee Duckworth mentioned in the TED Talks The key to success? Grit about a new concept that I had never heard of before called 'Grit.' "Grit is passion and perseverance for very long term goals, Grit is having stamina, Grit is sticking with your future day in day out, not just for the week, not just for the month but for years and working really hard to make that future a reality, Grit is living life like its a marathon not a sprint." To me this TED Talks really motivated me to find my way in life and set long term goals for myself and sticking with them one hundred percent, because in the end it is my future and I want to look back at my achievements knowing that I put all I had into my education to get where I am. Mr. Tersigni, my grade ten History teacher frequently mentioned to my class about Growth Mindset, and how "your genetics do not determine whether your intelligent or not, what determines your intelligence is yourself." At first when he taught us about Growth Mindset I did not truly understand what he meant that I could develop my intelligence, but through the course of the year it became very clear the message Mr. Tersigni was trying to tell us, about how the work we put in now will have long term affects to lead down a path to success. He continuously reminded me about this anytime I would work with him and it is message I will take with me where ever I go and this video was the motivation I need to start off the beginning of another school year and a good little reminder of everything he taught me.  

Leaving My Mark

     The dreaded question that can baffle anyone from teens to parents, "Who are you?" Three words, a simple question to some but to others a nearly impossible question that can preoccupy their minds for hours. Especially being in grade twelve where so much of your time is spent trying to identify who you are, what your morals are and what you want for your future can produce a burden upon the shoulders of many confused grade twelves. Me, being one of those unlucky few face an identity crisis that is manifesting an overwhelming amount of stress knowing that in two to three months my decision will have to be made about the path I wish to follow. Many people identify me as being hardworking, determined, kind, enthusiastic and thoughtful, I agree with them as I have been brought up to hold all these morals to the highest standard however, in this modern society there are thousands of people that share these characteristics and are incredibly talented in many other ways that make them unique and stand out from the majority. "What do I have to give that makes me walk against the crowd?" This is the question I continuously ask myself, how will I leave my mark both in high school and in the world itself? So who am I, I am Matteo Pereira a confused seventeen year old who criticizes myself more than I should, but what I am confident about is that whatever path I follow I will try to leave footprints that will last a lifetime that will give me countless memories to recall later in my life.