Wildlife Warriors

There is nothing wrong with being a vegetarian tree-hugger. Nothing at all. You do know that many of the world’s largest animals aren’t carnivores, right? Being concerned with the welfare of our earth and its inhabitants isn’t just a type of fashion fad we follow. It’s definitely not a selling technique used by companies by labeling their products “green”. Keeping our globe clean and thriving, as well as keeping our fellow critters safe, is our responsibility as the dominant species. So, why not take some time out of your day to do something to help Mother Nature out a bit!

A while ago, I decided to become a Wildlife Warrior (through the Australia Zoo). Ever since I was little, I have been obsessed with tigers, though I am not quite sure why. Most young children have kittens on their school folders or little bunnies sewn onto their socks. I had tiger print lunch boxes and wore those creepy shirts with tiger faces on them. But that’s a story for another day… Anyway, as a Wildlife Warrior, I got the opportunity to “adopt” a tiger from the Australia Zoo. It was so neat! I got a picture of my lovely little (gigantic) Bengal tiger, Khan, and some info about him. Every little tiger-loving girl’s dream come true, right?

My point is that, when you help out, you always get something in return. Let’s say you find that a cashier gave you too much change for the donut you bought. If you return the money, you will most likely get a “thank you” from the cashier and the sunny feeling of a good deed. But, come on, it’s the twenty first century. We should get a little more credit for helping someone out! And so we will. When I gave to the Wildlife Warriors fund, I got the opportunity to take care of my very own tiger (technically speaking). Every time I look up from my computer, I see Khan’s picture, and it makes me so happy to know that I’m doing something good!

So, what happens after you return that extra change to the cashier? Who knows? You may find a ten dollar bill in your back pocket that you lost six months ago! You could have earned good luck for a whole day! There are just two little tricks to this “reward” thing.

First of all, you can’t look for your reward. Second, you can’t do good deeds just to get a reward. It doesn’t work that way. You can never know where your reward will come from or what form it will take. For example, there were four abandoned kittens in my neighborhood. Because, as I mentioned, I am a tree-hugging vegetarian animal-lover, I gave them food and shelter in my garage, and my family gave them plenty of attention to tame them, in order to find them loving homes. I know that I did a good deed, and was filled with that mushy, gooey feeling when each little fur ball found a good owner. I didn’t look for any reward because I felt that the kittens’ safety and happiness were enough for me.

There was one kitten left: the feisty little runt. No one wanted her! She was like the little cat in the movie Oliver and Company, only without the Billy Joel-obsessed doggie friends. So, in the end we had to keep her. I named her Sombrita, which means little shadow in Spanish (don’t ask), because she loved to pretend that she was still a wild cat, playing under blankets and behind curtains. I didn’t look for my reward, but now, every time she pops out from underneath a pillow or a tablecloth, I can see that this little kitty was precisely the thing I received for doing something good.

You don’t have to save kittens to be a good person. You don’t even have to donate to a big charity, even though that would be nice. Try picking up a candy wrapper that businessman just threw on the ground. Be nice to the planet and bring your own cloth grocery bags the next time you go shopping. Just doing the tiniest little things can have the biggest rewards. So don’t mock us tree-hugging vegetarians. We know that the best way to live a good life is to try and make the world a better place every day.

Summer Olympics

Ah, the summer Olympics. Where the athletic heroes gather from all corners of the globe to share in their passion for greatness. Each country watches with bated breath as their representatives push themselves to the limits of the human body, working tirelessly as onlookers wonder, “Why can’t I do that?”. Just recently, I, too joined the millions across the earth to watch the competitions (while at a sleepover, painting my nails, my cheeks covered with sticky green face mask). While watching the athletes perform, I discovered that the passion to do the impossible has to stem from somewhere. I discovered that these individuals had to be driven, not merely by the desire to be the best, but by the desire to be their best. Gold medalists did not achieve glory by deciding that they were not good enough, but by understanding that they could be the best.

No one is perfect. This is a concept I discovered by watching the fantastic female gymnasts twist and turn and flip in inhuman ways. Not one performance was given perfectly. And these gymnasts were the best of the best. So, if every single athlete ‘messed up’, how was a gold medal rewarded? It was because every single one of those girls were focused enough to redeem themselves after a slip or a loss of balance. Not one of them gave up if their form was wrong or if they took an extra step for balance. The point of their performance was to do their best.

It may be shocking that even the greatest gymnasts in the world make mistakes. But it is not shocking that a person with incredible abilities had to work incredibly hard to achieve the opportunity to represent their country in the Olympic Games. Can you even imagine the hours of training these people have to go through each and every day? That, my friends, is dedication at its finest. So, what can we learn from that? Confidence. Those who are willing to dedicate most of their lives to making their dreams come true have to have the utmost confidence in themselves and their goals. But what if you don’t want to become a table-tennis champion or a gold medal winner for the trampoline? The same rules still apply.

If you want to become a veterinarian, for example, you need to first have faith in your dreams. Let’s say that you volunteer at a local animal shelter, a great way to start out on the road to becoming an animal doctor. Let’s also say that, on Saturday, your best friend in the entire world is going to see the newest action flick and invites you to come along. You have been dying to go see that movie, but you had already promised to volunteer that day. You have to make a decision. Now, let’s say that you have a huge exam tomorrow in bio class that counts as thirty percent of your grade. Yikes. Your best friend in the entire world is having this huge bash at her house tonight and you really want to go. You have another decision to make.

I’m not saying that you always have to choose your dreams over your friends. The point is that you keep your goals in mind when making decisions. If you know that you will work an extra hour the next time you volunteer, then go ahead and go to the movies. But if that is your only day available for the next month, you may want to reconsider. Also, if you think that you could be home by eleven from the party and get a good night’s rest before taking the exam, then go ahead and enjoy the party. But if you will be up all hours of the morning dancing around your friend’s living room, it’s not a very responsible decision to go. That is a champion’s choice. If you have a goal in mind, and you believe in it with all your heart, you have many decisions to make that could help or hurt you along the way.

Being a star athlete takes dedication. It takes the confidence to believe in yourself and your goals. It takes hard work and tough choices. Being the best person you can be is no different. You must create for yourself an Olympian outlook. Knowing that you are doing your very best, despite your mistakes, will make you stronger. Knowing that you never lose sight of your goals is important, and being able to find them again if you have made a mistake is even more important. So whether you are performing in the Olympics or watching them while your avocado face peel dries, you can learn quite a few life lessons from the champs.

Back to School

Ugh. “Back to School” is back again. All the stores are filled with posters of happy, smiling kids with notebooks and markers, apples and ham sandwiches, all promoting sales on animal-print three-ring binders or fifty percent off mega-packs of Post-it notes. Can you believe that summer is over already?

Going back to school is somewhat hard to do, what with getting out of bed before sunrise and having to actually coordinate an outfit instead of just throwing a tee over your bathing suit. Oh, and not to mention, homework… (Is that the theme from the ‘Twilight Zone’ I hear?)

Returning to school means returning to friends, bagged lunches, gym shorts, and, of course, peer pressure. After a summer of fun in the sun, it can be difficult to find your ‘happy place’ again. You know, that place where you can forget about what others think?

Summer tutoring helps students keep up with their studies so that they are fresh-minded when the new school year begins. But unfortunately, there isn’t much tutoring for self-esteem during summer break. We all need to remember how important it is to be ourselves and to keep our goals in mind as we tackle the new school year.

So, when your friends all sign up for soccer try-outs and you really want to play the tuba in the marching band, don’t be afraid to be yourself! Do what makes you happiest. Your true friends will understand! Try new things and keep up with old activities that you love. Make new friends and keep up with old ones. Keep focused and never lose sight of your goals. Going back to school can be tough, but if you approach it with a confident and positive attitude, you can enjoy yourself and make lasting memories. (Oh, and getting rid of the ‘Twilight Zone’ theme song that’s stuck in your head isn’t such a bad idea, either…)