Spirit To Live By

For my literature class we were given the assignment to write about something we believe.  This assignment was inspired by the this i believe website.  To access it click here,  www.thisibelieve.org.  This I what i believe so enjoy.

Spirit to Live By

          One afternoon I was doing my homework and I was really frustrated because I didn’t understand what I should be doing. I decide to take a break and am searching through my i-tunes when I come across my favorite song. Can you guess what it is? It’s “Angles We Have Heard on High” by Josh Groban so I click on it and it starts playing. Within seconds I am become happier and less stressed. Can you guess what month it is? That’s right, it’s March. The next thing I do is get on facebook to check my profile page. Can you guess what my roommates post says? “HELP!!! My roommate has gone crazy!! She is already listening to Christmas Music!” I started laughing, but it got me to thinking. Why shouldn’t I listen to Christmas music all year round?
          I absolutely love Christmastime. My family is really big into Christmas and we start celebrating early. I don’t know if it’s because I grew up in a family that worked in retail, but as soon as stores start putting out their Christmas decorations, my Mom does the same. There is a spirit that comes during Christmas that doesn’t exist during other times of the year. People are more giving and just seem to be happier, and the thing that really gets me in the spirit is, you got it, Christmas music. Why should I have to put a limit on the happiness that Christmas music brings to my life just because other people think it’s weird?
             The main thing that that I believe is that life is meant to bring joy! I believe that people should do the things that give them happiness, and not worry about what people think. I know that all too often I am influenced by the people around me because I want to fit in, but why should I let this limit my happiness? So whether it be eating ice cream with my pancakes, reading the end of a book first, or listening to Christmas music all year I will do the things that bring joy to my life. It will be the spirit I live by!

Ella Enchanted

"Ella Enchanted" by Gail Carson Levine is one of my all time favorite books!  I first read this book when I  was in middle school and have read it numerous times since.  It's a Cinderella story with a twist, and if any of you have seen the movie don't judge the book because the book is a thousand times better.  This is a quick over view of the book.  When Ella was born she was given the 'gift' of obedience by the fairy Lucinda.  This gift is really no gift at all but is a curse, because Ella must do everything she is told. No one knows about this curse except Ella's mother and her fairy godmother Mandy.  Ella was also given the order to never tell anyone about her gift because they don't want anyone to use it against her. When Ella is fifteen her mother becomes very ill and passes away.  At the funeral Ella meets Prince Char who has come to pay his respects, and they later become friends.  Later Ella's father remarries and Ella and her two step sisters are sent off to finishing school.  Ella's stepsister Hattie figures out about Ella's curse and uses this knowledge to make her life miserable.  After Hattie gives Ella an order that is truly horrible she runs away from finishing school to go find Lucinda to take back the curse.  One adventure leads to another and the relationship between Ella and Char continues to develop.  You find yourself cheering them on in a relationship which seems will never work out, as one problem after another comes their way.  This book is a MUST read!  Gail Carson Levine is a master story teller as she twists this story of adventure, love, humor and much more.