Today, I want to discuss "achievement". I accomplished something this year. I graduated from Rutgers University with a B.A. I am proud of myself of doing this since I had to be "like my own hero" during my college career. I had to go to the study groups for mathematics and the physical sciences. I befriended some people along the way when I was taking courses to complete a minor in musical theatre. I worked as a stage crew member this year for a play, and I befriended a "nice" dark-haired guy who was one of the actors in the show. Yup, there was some flirting behind the curtains(but that's a different story).

Maybe it's because I have studied philosophy or watch too many fantasy shows, but achievement, to me, is not monetary. It's something inside of you where you feel good about yourself. Last year, I was requested to paint someone'e house(I did get some payment for lunch and for travel costs), but it was more about painting the house that got to me. It was like I was putting my own signature on that person's house because I did the work, and I only can control my own hands and arms. I walk by that house every day while coming home, and I think to myself, "I did that. That house is in my own history book because I put a signature of my own style on that house". I took photos of the house that I painted while I was painting the house and showed them to my parent. I wanted to frame it since it was my own achievement.

Maybe your own presence is an achievemnt. After all , none of us were aborted so that's an achievement right there. But what else? Your own presence can influence another person as well. I remember when I was seventeen, and I saw this girl at the corner. I knew she wasn't there for anyting good. I walked up to her and asked her what she was doing at the corner. She was there waiting for a drug deal to happen. I told her that wasn't a good idea and walked her to her house later that evening. If I wasn't there, would she have achieved the courage to walk away from a pending drug deal? In one sense, she achieved courage that night from my presence.

Achievement can only come from being. Your being and conscience is what controls you. No higher power in religions has told its followers, from my own knowledge, that they have strings which control their every move. No other being could have moved that paint brush except me and I put my own signature on that house. Achievement is neutral. Achievement can be seen in different light and alignments. Achievement is also perspective. What is achievement to you?

I will later continue this discussion later on in the month as I have more thing to think about it. I will probably think about writing a poem about this on my next blog entry as well.