And this startles me: Time

Time

With Time,

goes houses,

governments,

stories,

people,

years,

age,

and even the elusive;

luck.

But it is the memories

of those which pass

that remain unconditionally.

~Ava Long

Time is by far one of my greatest fears. It reduces room for creativity. It curtails one’s capacity to create themselves. And it constantly has me on my toes; I don’t want it to run out. Yet Time still has its purpose; to keep us in our tracks, to educate the importance of prioritization, and to act as a calendar for the countdown of major milestones in our lives.

I remember my experience in public school during my fifth grade year quite vividly. I
remember my peers, I remember the material we covered in all classes, and I remember the setting of our classroom–sunny in the morning, dim after lunch. And this startles me.

I can liberally travel back to fourth grade and recall many memories; the ERB’s with Ms. Listfield, learning about Greek art and the significance in the stories that are portrayed
within the colors, acting as Circe in the Odyssey play…and all of this persistently returns to my mind. Fourth grade was four years ago. Fifth grade was three years ago. Yet it feels like all the major events in my life happened last week. And this startles me.

Time waved his magic wand and the world moved on. I am never able to re-experience any past years. Each concert, speech, grade, test, class, and party slipped out of attendable reach after its termination, a few hours at most. However, they have not slipped beyond reach completely. The memories of all these events are stored in the attic in my head. Each year is stored in a big brown box. These brown boxes are placed on the top shelf of my memory. Only the most vivid, clear, ultra-definition memories stay within the back of my mind

for me to revisit when I meditate, practice yoga, run or dream. Time just keeps moving and I’m following his lead. Where does he even go? I can’t stop. I can’t return to the past. And I can’t undo what's been done. The only thing I can do is reminisce. And this startles me.  

My Fleeting, Volatile Stress

This summer, I have been reviewing academics, practicing tennis (and getting frustrated easily with my mishit shots), indulging in novels which I have to finish reading by

September, and–plain out–more studying. I am a sliver from three weeks into summer vacation, and I’m already stressed.

I have always been one to stress. I’m not surprised. My friends say I need to chill. My advisor says I need to relax. My parents say I need to be a little more self-confident. And another kid in my grade said I had OCD. I mean the first three made sense and I understand that I really need to calm down and meander through life a little bit more mindfully, but the OCD theory doesn’t strike me as a mutual characteristic.

I’ve been working out solutions to easing my stress…at least a little bit. Easing stress welcomes a light and fleeting sensation within. It allows my mind to think about life beyond grades, sports, and academics. And although I am one who is frequently (actually, ALMOST ALWAYS stressed about something) I believe that detaching yourself from reality and simply relaxing once in awhile, may give you more benefits than if you housed your stress for too long. How do you ease your stress? Any tips? Anyhow, I’m going to share a list of things I’ve done in the past and thing I do now.

1. Running. It’s painful when the legs are pumping with the arms and my lungs feel like
   
   they will explode. My throat feels parched and my stomach feels fluttery. But this is what motivates me to finish the course.
2. Meditating
3. Yoga
4. Reading??? I put question marks next to reading because in cases of extreme stress and anxiety, I cannot fully engage in the material on the page. I always end up feeling like there’s something to do before I read.
5. Pacing. I know, right? Sounds weird and totally like a waste of time, but walking around helps me re-organize my thoughts and feel less stressed. This tactic is frequently used among people who give presentations.
6. Make a checklist in the morning. Placing that check mark next to each task for the
   
   day encourages a smile and a feeling of satisfaction.
7. Keep the lights off. Mindful Lunch facilitator, Ms. Stefanie, taught me this very special trick. On a daily basis, I attempt to keep the lights off in the house. Most of the light I need, I derive from natural light. It calms me down. It soothes.

Departing question: What do you do to relieve stress?

Change and Choice

"If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door." ~Milton Berle

Words and phrases that bother me

Everyone knows of at least one thing that bothers them. For some it’s the rowdiness of the house, or the lack of peace, for others it’s speeding on the highway. What’s something that bothers you?

Certain words and phrases, when combined into one sentence, make me feel both uncomfortable and unhappy. These bother me. I think these words are relevant to those beyond the community at school and indeed apply to even those in some of the most esteemed positions in the work force. Here are some the words/phrases: don’t judge, that’s so asian, cheesy.

“Don’t judge.” I feel really uncomfortable hearing and saying “don’t judge” to someone. I think diversity and aberrant characteristics should be a celebrated aspect of life, not something where a person becomes inferior to another group because of their beliefs, ideas or perceptions. Though scientific evidence shows that we are all judging someone at some point in time, I still hold a tenacious belief that people, especially true friends, should never have to say that to each other.

“That’s so asian!” Excuse me, whoever said that, but I’m asian. Particularly at school, this phrase it used a lot. Sometimes, it makes me almost a little bit self-conscious of being asian. For example, if I score an A on a test, the excuse for some who scored lower is “Oh yeah, we’ll Ava’s asian.” This is incorrect. It is not because I am asian that I score well on tests. It is because I study diligently.

Often times I am walking in the halls by some kids who love to mock some of the asian lifestyles. They’re laughing their mouths off at those who ate dog meat. They incorrectly placed a stereotype upon all asians. I was disappointed to hear such mockery of a culture and a race. Here are more public appearances of mocking asians: (some of these are actually kind of funny, others pure racist)

This is just totally racist:(

“Cheesy.” I just don’t like to deem anything cheesy. The word itself sounds cheesy to me! But I admit that I am often one who often speaks with some sense of maturity. At this age, a

lot of my classmates will deem my thoughts “cheesy.” Personally, I believe that cheesy concepts apply to merely those who have not fully developed their perceptions and approaches to life. At some point in a lifetime, I think cheesy will disappear like vapor. Cheesy, right?

Departing question: What bothers you?

Dear Dad

Dear Dad,

You’re intelligent,

you’re caring,

you inspire,

and you love me.

Dear Dad,

Everyday you celebrate

my successes,

my failures,

and my setbacks.

Today,

I acknowledge yours.

Dear Dad,

Beyond intelligence,

caring,

and inspiration,

you are an engineer,

a leader,

a donator to many good causes,

and a teacher.

Dear Dad,

This year,

I did not make you a card,

or buy

you a forced gift;

this year,

just remember

that I will always love you.

Xoxoxoxo,

Ava

Where I've been sleeping for the past 4 days

For the past four nights, I have been sleeping on my yoga mat. For those of you wondering, I was not forced to leave my bed and I was not forced to spend the night in the stifling air of the third floor. I choose to leave my bed. I mindfully climbed up to the third floor each night, where my azure blue yoga mat lay. But I was not approaching downward dog or eight-angle pose; I was going to sleep.

For four nights, I slept with one, primitive pillow and two downy fleece blankets. The first night, it was very difficult to adjust to the ground. It exemplified sleeping on bare

Azure blue yoga mat, primitive pillow and blanket

hardwood floors although I was on both a foam mat and carpeted floor. Laying flat on the ground encouraged my back to feel the rugged sensation of a sore back after running too many miles. Over the next three days, I gradually became more accustomed to the stiffness and inflexibility of the floor, though the “floating” sensation of my bed lingered and enticed. I had to adapt to a curling–up–into–a–ball position, for the curve of my back had no mattress to rest upon. I had to overcome the compression of the steamy air in the room and I had to accustom to the lack of ample pillows. Somehow, I managed to fall asleep. Somehow I managed.

Most sane people who own beds, would accuse my behavior both obtuse and ungrateful. I welcome this opinion, however, I also would like to be given a chance to object. As a life-long resident

Getting the proper amount of sleep will lead to better success

of Massachusetts, I can correctly and conclusively claim that the most inhabitants enjoy the pleasure of a roof over their heads and beds to sleep upon. However, this does not deem poverty, in even the most renown states, nonexistent and obsolete. According to the organization, A Bed For Every Child, 1 out of every 7 children in Massachusetts live in poverty. These children do not own beds. They may not have ample food supplies. These children’s everyday lives, performance in school, and opportunities to thrive have all been affected by the lack of a comfortable place to sleep. But think about it this way: all children are the future of our society. We need to share our care.

This post has yet to explore my reasoning behind sleeping on the floor when I owned a perfectly comfortable bed sat in my bedroom. I believe that the comforts in our life, such as a roof over our heads, ample food (enough for constant snacking), sleeping in a warm when desired or cool when preferred bedroom are privileges in our lives. I am not one who pleasures pampering myself with luxuries and it makes me feel almost more human when I put myself in line with those less fortunate than I. It is a consistent reminder of how lucky I am to live in my current reality. Food is a privilege. A roof is a privilege. Attending school is a privilege. A bed is a privilege. And sleeping on my floor reminds me of that aspect. So no, it is not an act of obtuseness or ingratitude for temporarily avoiding something I am given; it is a reminder to be forever grateful.

Why I Changed the Name of this Blog

Formerly known as “You Live On It…You Decide,” this blog has been renamed to “Revelation of the Revolution.” Here’s why.

In November of 2015, this blog was created as a place for me to share some of the stories,

events, successes and setbacks in my life. These posts developed into lessons I had learned in life. I decided to share these lessons with all you readers out there. The next thing I knew, was that You Live On It…You Decide, was spinning off into a little reading corner for many of my friends, and it became my comfortable hideout from the rest of the world.

You Live On It…You Decide was not appropriately parallel to the content of the posts. It felt vague and almost too open-ended. I don’t want to dis the reputation of the previous title, but I thought it was kind of [okay, I really don’t believe in this word I’m going to use next, but most of you will probably understand], cheesy and too naive/innocuous. Frankly, in from my perspective, I see this blog as a place for me to create my inner self and to develop a better character. Through posting, and hopefully through reading, I aspire for myself and readers to learn about new types of approaches to life. Essentially, to be inspired.

When I was brainstorming some other names, I couldn’t decide between Pinpointing the Clouds, Light Through the Woods, Revelation of the Revolution, and many others. In the end, I choose the last name because it is still open ended, yet more related to the majority of these posts.

So today I’m making history by renaming this blog, but here it is:

Revelation of the Revolution (even looks good on the page, eh?)

Thank You

The school year has traveled to its termination. Now I sit, reflecting the various subjects I’ve discussed through the tedious, enjoyable, and moving classes. I reflect on the people who deserve recognition for the numerous ways they’ve supported me. I don’t think I write, publish, or thank these people enough for the work they do to ensure maximal success in me.

First, I’d like to thank my parents. They are the backbone of everything that happens in my life. They sincerely value my education and without their support, I would not obtain the knowledge, perspective and values I adhere to on a daily basis. They deal with my passel of complaints, celebrate my joys, and encourage me to strive for more. Thank you.

I’d also like to thank the teachers at school. They are consistently supportive of everyone’s hopes and dreams. They aspire to help us achieve these dreams within and beyond the classroom environment. In retrospect, I can assuredly say I have learned at least one important life lesson from all of my teachers. They are all honest, fair, and responsible people. Thank you.

Middle school is a difficult transition year for many people and I’d like to recognize my advisor for his eager help. Mr. Chang was beyond exceptional. Although he is an extremely knowledgeable man, his talents stretch farther than that horizon. He is a great listener. He is open-minded and he celebrates differences. Mr. Chang has helped me grow in these areas. I think the most important thing Mr. Chang has told me–as a seventh grader who was unfamiliar to the routines and opportunities of middle school, and as an advisee–is that it is okay to ask for help. Since I was younger, almost all of my teachers have commented in my school reports that I struggle to raise my voice to my own benefit. They have also said that I don’t like to make mistakes. Mr. Chang told me at the beginning of the year, “It’s okay to ask for help during E-block. That is essentially what this period is designed for. In fact, I think that often times it is the more successful students who ask for help or check in with their teachers.” This sentence has somehow stuck with me throughout the whole year and I’ve learned that it is nearly impossible to score 100% percent on every assessment, and I have learned that it is okay to ask questions. Thank you.

Next, I’d like to thank all of my friends, inside and outside of school. Every single person in our little “friend” group has some significant impact on group. If one was removed, it would be like removing a color from the rainbow. Sophie, Sam, Abigail, Christina, Veronica, Hagar, Ilsa, Henry, Christian, and Kimia from school and Jackie, Zoe, and Maulik from previous friendships, each of you offers a different talent, energy and idea to our relationship and I genuinely appreciate your contributions. Keep rocking those goals!!!

Finally, I’d like to thank all the readers of this blog. The fact that you spend minutes of your precious day to read my blog really touches me (and is a deposit in our RBA!). Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for reading!

Thanks for the great school year, everybody!!!

Weather's Attitude

Some Glad Morning One day, something very old happened again. The green came back to the branches, settling like leafy birds on the highest twigs; the ground broke open as dark as coffee beans. The clouds took up their positions in the deep stadium of the sky, gloving the bright orb of the sun before they pitched it over the horizon. It was as good as ever: the air was filled with the scent of lilacs and cherry blossoms sounded their long whistle down the track. It was some glad morning. ~ Joyce Sutphen

Currently, I’m following First Sip. This small gem emphasizes life through the inspirations in which it was created. Its daily influx of quotes, poems and advice, deems my reading experience a

pleasure. This poem, titled Some Glad Morning, recalls my mood’s relationship to the weather. It’s odd. When the sun prances, my mood follows. When rain falls, somehow, my mood emulates the weather. I know…in my first post ever on this blog, I said that “attitudes are contagious.” Deeply pondering over this idea, my conscience shares that weather is the world’s most influential attitude.

So, I am on summer vacation. I hope for limitless sun, countless hours of light, and ample sounds of bliss.

3 Things That Feed the Human Soul and Bank Accounts

Hello everyone!

   This post is from my perspective about the three aspects in life that I believe have a major impact on me. In the comments, please tell me what you think three of the most important aspects to embody are!

   These little tips in the infographic are all little "deposits" into bank accounts. ????? Yes, most of the stuff I've been posting about is related to my inspiration from Sean Covey. I just finished The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens and I think one of the most powerful philosophy's I read in his chapters, is the idea of everybody having their own "bank account." Nope, not the place where investment bankers use your money etc. but the place where you make somewhat "imaginary" deposits and withdrawals. Covey effectively illustrates two bank accounts: a Personal Bank Account and a Relationships Bank Account. Similar to a real bank account, there are ways to make deposits and withdrawals. Lets start with the Personal Bank Account (PBA). Some deposits come from: keeping your promises, avoiding procrastination, making the most of your talents, and being gentle with yourself. When you act abiding some of these little tricks, there will be, what I like to call, a self accomplishment moment. This is a feeling of joy, and proudness that may run through your body. Meanwhile, the Relationships Bank Account is a bank account that gives a brief snapshot into your relationships with others. Similar to the PBA, deposits are made in a million different forms. For example, making deposits may include: being loyal to your friend, listening to your friend, doing small acts of kindness (such as giving a genuine compliment), etc. As you can see, THERE ARE SO MANY WAYS TO MAKE DEPOSITS! However, Covey also addresses that deposits don't just fall out of the sky, like rain, without a price. Withdrawals are made when you break a promise, judge your friend, ignore your friend, are hard on yourself, don't respect yourself etc. Just like there are millions of ways to make deposits, there are a billion ways to make withdrawals. 

   Three things that I believe feed the human souls are Listening [which is a RBA deposit], Caring [which is both PBA and RBA deposit], and Reading [which is a PBA deposit]. Enjoy!

Ava Long