This We Believe

During the 2007-2008 school year, the House of Peace Teen Leaders all wrote “This I Believe” essays, based on the public radio essay contest, as well as the book, This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women, edited by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman, in association with NPR (National Public Radio).

Here are excerpts from all of their essays. For complete essays, email Dr. Calderone, the director of youth leadership for the House of Peace, Lisa@tomorrowspresent.org.

2 Months, 2 Weeks

"Your son is way behind all his other classmates. If he doesn't catch up he will be held back and most likely be kicked out of the school. He has two months."

These were my kindergarten principal's words to my mother. It was 1999. It was these words that have inspired me up to this day and will continue to inspire me later in life.

I believe in success, especially when everyone else expects failure from you. The weirdest part of my success is that I found out about this concept and belief when I was only five.

And so my mom and I started to work. At first, it was difficult, as I probably spent about 3-4 hours just working on homework and such. But then, very suddenly and unpronounced, I started to pick up and understand everything that was thrown to me. I learned how to read, write, cut, paste, talk, and even do math. I caught up with my other classmates, even surpassing some of them. All in two weeks. My teacher, principal, and even my mother were shocked. They were all expecting me to fail. I succeeded.

Drama and Balance

I believe in arguments and drama.  Without arguments, we would never really learn anything. The hardships in life and the difficult days are what show us that the peaceful days are truly worth cherishing. How can I cherish something unless the threat of it being taken away is present? Could I really appreciate someone and say I love that person with all my heart if I knew for a fact that he or she would always be there the next day?

You see, without all the difficult things in life, both the small world I live in, and the big world outside, would be unbalanced. Yin and Yang, good and evil, law and crime. Whatever it’s called, the world is a balance of the two, and that is why I bother to wake up in the morning. Knowing that, somewhere in the world, something bad is happening, but also knowing that something good, in anther part of the world, is happening to balance it out.

A Jesuit Education

I believe that a Jesuit education is the best way to grow spiritually and mentally.

I am a freshman at Marquette high school --  The reason why Marquette has been around so long is the Jesuit fathers – the members of a religious community called, “The Society of Jesus,” begun in 1534, with only six men and their commitment to do everything “for the greater glory of God.”  I am thankful; I owe my wonderful education to the Jesuits because they believed that we the students would use the foundation gained at Marquette for the rest of our lives.

All over the school there are signs that say, “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam.”  This is the slogan for Marquette, this means, “for the greater glory of God”.  The Jesuits live out this message in their daily life and teach us to do the same.  We have another saying, “Men for Others.”  Sometimes I find myself joking around with my friend talking about doing some thing good for other people in my community.  We all laugh and say that, “we are being men for others.”  Then when I really think about it, I realize we are not joking; the Jesuits have taught us to put others before ourselves. 

Animals Have Rights

I believe in animal rights, that animals should be treated with care and respect. I’m an animal rights activist and a proud member of PETA 2’s street team. I’m only 15, but I know I know I can make a difference. It has been life-changing; I pledged to go vegetarian, and stop buying clothes and shoes made from animals

I learned a lot from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). How horrible are the lives of animals sold to slaughter houses, and how terrible the way they are killed! I also learned that thousands of rabbits, foxes, even cats and dogs are used to make fur clothing and shoes. Animals that are used for experimentation are treated very poorly. I know many people don’t think there are alternatives to meat, but there are. I’m not saying everyone should become vegetarian; I would just like these animals to be treated nicely and with care.

Always stop to say ‘Hello’

I believe in always stopping to say ‘Hello,’ greeting someone open heartedly.

One sunny day in September, a girl by the name of Cassandra was walking down the hall. No one was talking to her, no one saying a word. I asked her how her day was going and she simply replied, “Fine.” I asked her if she had done her literature homework, just trying to make small talk. She cut me off in the middle of my sentence and said, “Is there any reason why you’re talking to me? Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but not many people talk to me.” I simply said, “I’m not like everyone else.” Her eyes lit up and I could see that her eyes were beginning to water. Ever since that day I always say hi to her and greet her as warmly as I can. Plato once said, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”          

Follow God’s Way

I believe that my religion teaches me a lot about how God wants us to be.

Although Adam and Eve they gave up their perfect life, we all have the chance to become pure. I believe that we should all try our best to be the best humans we can be because no one knows when they’ll ever die. My religion teaches that when Jesus rose from the dead, he gave us all the gift of eternal life. It teaches that waiting to have kids until you’re married is part of being a good human. We go to church every Sunday and do the honors of drinking the blood and eating the body of Christ.  I believe that as a Catholic, I should do my best in following God’s way.

Escape into the Music

Music has become my way for connecting to almost anything in my daily life so when I need a break, I turn to music. That time lets me take a step back and look at the world for what it truly is.  I believe I can always find comfort in music no matter what is going on in my life because I am able to link the words back to reality and move forward.  This escape into music lets me come back and face the world with a whole new outlook and it truly lets me do everything I was meant to do.  

I believe in Imagination

I believe in using your imagination. When we moved to Wisconsin and I remember thinking, “What is all of the white stuff on the ground?” It was snow, but living in California, I had never seen it before. I really missed my grandma; I wanted to go back. My sister missed her too, so we started to be sad together. Then, being the good sisters that we are to each other, we tried to have fun together. That was years ago. We’re used to Wisconsin now, and our grandma still visits us every so often. But those first months were difficult. What I learned as a child is still a valuable lesson today.

This I believe: If you always use your imagination, you can get through all kinds of rough times.

I Got It

I believe in saying, “I got it.” Because you should still be appreciative of what you have.  As a sophomore at Marquette University High School, I am required to perform 12 hours of community service each semester. At a West Allis bowling lane, a 26 year old man with special needs, named Randy, walked in with his mother. He gave everyone a high-five before taking his seat. When it was Randy’s turn to bowl, he leaped with joy and said, “I got it” whether he got a strike or a gutter ball.

This I believe:  I'll always be thankful for what I have or what I can do. I won't always be happy with life’s situations, but I will be thankful for situations I do enjoy. God has given us all gifts and talents and how you use them is our way of showing gratitude.

An Angel

I believe that I am protected by a higher being.

On the night of February 2, 2008 at roughly 9:30 pm I was driving down I-94. Two minutes away from my exit, and I never quite saw what was coming. In a matter of seconds, my brother’s 97 Chevy Cavalier, my future first car, was drastically altered. I was the victim of a car accident.

I saw that a car was behind me with its emergency lights on. I pulled into the next parking lot, Kmart. Steve, the witness, pulled in right behind me.  My car was extremely damaged. Steve said “I do not know how you were able to move your car this far.” Later, in the incident report the other guy admitted to driving 90 in a 55 zone when he lost control of the car and smashed into me. Thus, because of his confession, his car insurance gave me a sum total much higher than the actual value of my car. Most of all, I do not even have a bump or bruise to show for the incident; thanks to my seatbelt I was just tugged a bit.

Savor the Moment

I believe in savoring the moment, living every day like it’s your last, and enjoying life. This past year, my grandpa was diagnosed with cancer, and doesn’t seem to be himself. He lost all his hair and teeth from chemotherapy. He cannot be fitted with artificial teeth until the chemo is over, and he’s doing better. This forces him to eat soft foods. Ice cream is one of the soft foods he likes to each and can eat. So my Aunt Katherine took it upon herself to give my Grandpa ice cream monthly weekly, which I know he really appreciates.

I know my Grandpa will pull through this, but you never know when it’s “your time.” So I live a little and live without regrets. My moments are savored, and every day I live is enjoyed and lived like it is going to be my last.

Music Connects

I believe that music is connected to every aspect of life.

Playing the saxophone taught me essential skills that I can take with me for the rest of my life.  In jazz band, I was given several solos. These solos helped me gain confidence that I can play and that confidence was transferred to other aspects of my life such as school, sports, and even in my several workshop presentations as a teen leader of the House of Peace.  Playing in band requires teamwork. Each instrument compliments another, and no matter how small a part I had, it made a difference between a good song and a great song.  Although there is a general plan on how to play a song, there is a chance for improvisation, which relies on the trust of the other band members to go well. Teamwork and confidence are great characteristics I now possess due to playing the saxophone.

I believe in Miracles

I believe in a lot of things. I believe in a new life, a new start. I believe in miracles. Anything is possible and it can happen to anyone. I think all people should be able to believe in something.

I consider that everyone should be responsible for their actions. I believe in God and I think that people who do believe in God will have an easier life because with God, there will be no worries. A lot of people believe in themselves because of the House of Peace.  At the House of Peace, miracles happen often. No, it’s not just Miss Shirley’s cooking that I like! I also like what I’ve learned – that the world can be a better place. That’s why I believe nothing is impossible.

Stop the Violence

I believe in stopping the violence. Milwaukee is one of the country’s leading cities in death by gunshot.  We are losing many of our teenagers to these streets, and most importantly, we are losing them because of other teenagers. We have teens killing teens!  And what really hurts me is that Blacks are killing Blacks. As African Americans, we call ourselves a unified group, acting as one, trying to push this nation forward. But we are killing each other as we strive for excellence.

A Full Life with No Regrets

This is what I believe. Living a life to the fullest with no regrets. I cannot know what my future has in store for me. The things that will not change are my main goals. When I die, I want to know for a fact that the world is better off than before I arrived. I want to know for a fact that my children also share a love of the world and want to change something about it. I want to know for a fact that my wife feels or felt that she could not have had a better husband. I want to know that I am in fact in that history book and that my parents are given the credit they deserve for raising me to be who I am. Finally I want to know the feeling that my time on earth was so full, I could not have done one more single thing with my life. No regrets. That is my final goal.

Let Music Set the Mood

I believe that although people might be similar, every person finds a different meaning in life.  The music I chose to listen to gave me a chance to put my heart into a relationship that I was unsure of.  Every song tells a story or translates experiences.  So even during the hardest times of my life, I can always count on the perfect song to pick me up and brighten my day. 

Songs are like friends because people are the same way! Even during my most difficult times, there is always a friend there to pick me up and brighten up my day.