Allowing Good things to Happen: A Maya Hart character study

On the most recent Girl Meets World episode: Girl Meets I Do, we saw Maya finally allow hope and happiness into her life. This is such an important lesson, and one I can absolutely relate to. 

When someone lives a life with constant conflict, struggle and obstacle after obstacle, it is easy to get into a habit of expecting bad things to happen, especially when something good actually happens to you. You wonder: what's the catch? Where's the curveball? How do I pay for this? Then, you brace yourself for impact, expecting the worst, because why would you expect the best?

For the character Maya Hart, this is a routine. She is convinced (partly due to the identity she has believed herself to have) that life doesn't allow good things to happen, unless something bad happens. 

It is very hard for her to accept hope, happiness and of course, love. 

Since the first episode of Girl Meets World, Maya has believed herself to be a "bad" girl. Convinced that because life doesn't work out for her, she must be cursed, while her best friend Riley is blessed with a life that seemingly has no problems. 

She tells Riley, quite frequently: "I'm a bad influence." And she clearly believes it. But Maya Hart is more hopeful and good than she believes herself to be. 

In Girl Meets Truth, we learn that Maya has always wanted a family. She takes a locket with a family inside, knowing that she wants what they have. Riley knows this is wrong and eventually Maya realizes that she can do the right thing by returning the locket to its rightful owner. 

In Girl Meets Master Plan, Maya talks to Shawn, learns that they are very similar, and gets upset with Riley for interfering in her life (trying to get Shawn and Maya's mother together). While Maya is upset with Riley, we learn that her mother bought her a special gift for her birthday, something she has always wanted: a locket. Shawn takes the picture that goes inside, but Maya discovers something else she wants. This is the moment we see Maya begin to hope. 

Maya looks at Shawn and her mother. Despite her cynical thoughts, she makes a wish. It's pretty obvious what she wished for, but this is only the beginning of her journey to allow hope in her life. 

In Girl Meets Pluto, the kids want to put something special in the time capsule. Maya claims that "Hope is for suckers" but the photo she puts in the box says otherwise. 

In Girl Meets Hurricane, Maya faces the ultimate storm that could dash her hopes, but she chooses to hang on. Shawn buys her a new wardrobe, showing how much he cares, and finally asks Maya's mother out on a date. This moment means the world to Maya, and she allows herself to be happy. 

But her test is not over until she faces the past, by reaching out to the father who left her. By finally acknowledging her past, Maya says that she's not angry anymore. Anger was a major element of the "bad girl" image she believed defined who she was. Cory asks her, "Did you forgive yourself?" 

Maya changes from these events (understandably so) and we see a happier and more hopeful girl who is willing to accept that good things can happen. 

But Riley doesn't see this, and through Riley's influence, Maya becomes convinced that she has lost who she is. This is the beginning of Maya's reverse growth. 

We know that Maya likes Lucas, but she has stepped back multiple times in order to make Riley happy. She is the type of person to put others before herself, and she believes, despite that hope, that good things don't happen to her very often. This is displayed very clearly in Girl Meets Flaws. 

In Ski Lodge, we see that Maya has reverted back to season one Maya, convinced that only bad things will happen but she still has hope, as displayed in her painting during Girl Meets True Maya. 

Despite the fact that Maya believes she never had hope, she always did, but she didn't acknowledge it. This has a huge impact on how Lucas and Maya decide to resolve the triangle. 

Maya lets Lucas go, noting that if Lucas had chosen her, Riley would be crushed. She gives up on something else she has wanted, and by this point, Maya has lost the ability to accept good things happening in her life. When Josh says he'll play the long game, she has a little hope that it might work out, but the one thing she really wants is about to happen. 

In Girl Meets Upstate, Shawn proposes to Katy. Maya is overjoyed by this, but she is also very scared. Up until now, life always has a catch when things happen. 

Convinced that the wedding will somehow not happen, Maya confronts Shawn, explaining to him that she believes bad things happen to them, and once life figures out this is happening, something else bad will happen. 

Shawn explains to Maya, that while he can't promise everything will work out, he's taking a leap of faith. 

"Hey Maya. We jumping or what?" he asks. He shows Maya, Katy and the Matthews family that he's serious, and the wedding is actually happening. 

And this is the moment Maya finally allows hope into her life again. It's a powerful event that will determine her future, and one that she has wanted for so long, but never expected to get. 

During the wedding, before Katy and Shawn say their vows Maya tells him. "Before this happens, I'm with you. I'm jumping with you." 

This is a beautiful moment in Maya's character arc. She has finally allowed a new perspective into her life, one of hope and happiness. This moment is also so important for Shawn, who lived his life with a similar attitude. This leap of faith means so much to all three of them, and it is one of the most powerful expressions of love that I have ever seen on television. 

Go Maya! 

Go Shawn! 

Go Katy! 

They have learned a lesson about life that is very difficult, and often overlooked: good things will happen to you, if you let them. Once you believe that good things can happen, that you deserve good things, your life will change. 

The smiles and tears in this episode are genuine. It means a lot to see these characters grow, and it gives me hope to get past a very similar obstacle. 

Meaning

We take it for granted

nearly every day. 

It's always there

but not always the way

that we see the world. 

It doesn't go

according to plan

It can be a mess. 

It can be a clan. 

Meaning is found

in the smallest details. 

Motivation in time. 

The purpose to be

a person in this world

can come from many things. 

Dedication

Compassion

Belief

Hope

Whatever the element

that keeps you 

on your path. 

Never forget it

could change in a moment

and you must rebuild

from scratch. 

Whatever your struggle

Whatever your pain

Belief in yourself

will help you

dance in the rain. 

Lightning Returns demo review (Japanese Demo)

So, I will fully admit that I know very little of what is going on in the demo. I can pick up a few phrases from my College Japanese class. But the game looks incredible so far. Lighting is collecting souls, and with Hope's help she is trying to discover the reason behind the chaos that has enveloped the world, changing everything with no notice. 

Snow is now treated like a god, with a palace where he allows people to have fun on their final days. From the very beginning, you learn that Light is gathering souls to save them, and transfer them to the new world before the end of this world. 

The opening sequence begins by introducing Luxerion, the first province you go through. Light is in the middle of a mission: to bring Snow to his senses. Before she can talk with snow, chaos intervenes and a mysterious girl named Lumina appears. It seems that Lumina is causing the chaos, and she summons the mysterious beasts that Lightning has to battle. Some look like Anubis, while others are creepy floating plants. 

Throughout the whole demo Hope talks to you through an intercom, giving you clues and helpful tips on what to do next. I enjoyed listening to Hope and Light banter back and forth while she's trying to track Snow down. It keeps the game fun, and less serious, considering Light's role to be sort of the grim reaper. 

Game play itself is similar to Final Fantasy XIII, but the battle system is very different. You fight alone, and can change abilities in order to do a steady amount of damage. It was a little difficult to get used to at first, but after a few battles, it's easier to strategize and knock out your enemies. Just like the first two games, you have a certain amount of attack points, and once they are out, you have to change abilities to do any more damage. You can also use a preemptive strike to lower enemies' HP. 

As for the rest of the game's elements, the graphics were amazing, as usual, and the story is very intriguing. I feel sorry for Snow because he's become very jaded since Serah's death, but I am glad Hope has a major role in the game because he's my favorite character besides Lightning. 

All in all, this was a fun demo, and I look forward to the actual US release of the game in February.

Lightning Returns theory

Because I have one.

Warning: Spoilers from FFXIII and FFXIII 2 

So I just completed Final Fantasy XIII 2, and during the annoying (intense) boss fight that ends the game, I actually paid attention to dialogue (instead of wanting to throw my game control at the TV screen like last time) and discovered that Serah hints at her death several times. She also tells Noel "Thank You" before dying. So my first theory is that Serah knew she was going to die once the Yuel incarnations told her she was like them. 

Because Serah had a vison of the future, she died, but because she is like Yuel, in my opinion, that is proof that she is Yuel, or at least has part of her soul.

Now, Lighting is shown at the very end of the sequence, after Cauis cheats by forcing Noel to stab the heart of Etro. 

There are many theories that Lighting will replace Etro, and I agree, but I also disagree with them. Lighting becomes Etro's protector at the beginning of the game, and she watches the world from Valhalla. In my opinion, it is posible that Lighting, like Cauis gained a small piece of Etro, and that piece allows her to collect souls in the third game. 

Also, Light didn't die at the end of FFXIII 2. She turned to crystal, which means that a FalCie might be behind this. 

Now, to back up, I have a theory about Cauis. Cauis is immortal, and he has watched over Yuel for centuries. Because he was once a human guardian, becoming immortal probably drove him mad, and caused him to go looking for a way to prevent Yuel from dying and being reborn. 

We all assume, and it's hard not to, that he is the main bad guy of FFXIII 2. But where did he get the idea of warping time itself? My guess is that a FalCie or God told him. He might have made a deal with this God to warp the entire timeline and create the world that is now Nova Crystallia. We know that there are three "Makers" or Gods in the mythology behind the FFXIII world. One of these Gods, must be behind Cauis's insanity and his sucessful plot. 

Bhunivelze is possibly the culprit. But there's another story we have yet to know about.

Snow's. Snow becomes a Lcie again, for a different FalCie. We also know that he has gone mad, granted with immortalitty and he is broken because Serah, the one person he swore to protect, died. But what deal did he make? It is possible that Snow, like Lighting has become a pawn of the Gods as well. While he created fragments at different locations and different times, he may have been helping the destruction of the timeline the entire time, thinking he was going to bring Lightning back and keep Serah safe. Clearly, that didn't happen. And we only see him twice in the main story line of the game, where he clearly has his own agenda.

Now we bring in Hope, who has been searching for the original Lcie gang since they disappeared. He changed the future, found a way to go to the future without becoming a Lcie again and he managed to create an entire world for humans. He is also immortal.

Hope and Lightning both appear to no longer be human and it is confirmed that they are servants of Bhunivelze. By his actions alone,  Hope practically became a God and defied rules of the timeline, going to these extremes to bring back the people he missed. Lightning swore to protect the realm of Valhalla  and gained the godlike power of seeing everything, at all times, and summoning the eidolons for her battle. 

Many people say they believe that Bhunivelze is going to be a boss fight in Lightning Returns, and I agree. If you consider the mythology, it's not so far fetched. 

We still don't know which of the Gods was evil, and which was good. Like the beginning of FFXIII we are given a story, and then close to the conclusion of the game, that story is turned on its head. I see this pattern in Lighting Returns already, just within the most recent trailer. 

It's clear that Lighting and Hope believe that they are helping the souls of the world, which we want to believe because they are the main characters. It is also clear that there are many prophecies, once again foreshadowing that the Lcie chosen will become pawns of the gods. Noel was tricked into the same thing when he fought Cauis. 

But before we go further, we need to talk about Serah again. and the mysterious character Lumina looks very similar to her.

Serah has been confirmed to be like Yuel, and based on what is revealed in FFXIII 2 I believe that she IS Yuel. In other words, she is Yuel's original soul reincarnated.  This theory alone confirms two things. One, that Lighting is walking into a trap. Two, Lightning has replaced Etro entirely. 

Etro and Yuel are connected. So are Lightning and Serah. 

It is already confirmed that there was more to the reason the original Lcie were chosen, and it was probably the same reason that the Falcie tried to make a giant human sacrifice. To awaken the Maker. Now, if Bhunivelze is the Maker, then the Maker was awakened once Noel/Cauis destroyed Etro's heart. Now he needs pawns to replace the gods he created. So the battle between Snow and Lightning, and even the prophecy that Noel believes that Lighting will destroy the world are both events in the battle between the three main gods. 

One other thing that might be a little farfetched, but possibly it will make sense. 

Lightning must guide souls to the next world. And the next world is beyond Valhalla. It could very well be that Etro and Bhunivelze's mother are still alive, within that next world, manipulating events to bring about the world they want and be granted more power. 

So my predictions of the next game are as follows:

Lightning is a goddess now.

Hope is practically a god.

Lumina is Serah's soul mixed with Bhunivelze's mother.

The new world is where they will meet the Maker.

Snow is the pawn of one god while Lightning is the pawn of another.

Noel didn't kill Etro completely, because Lightning replaced Etro and possibly contains a manifestation of her.

The final boss fight will be a god, or the Maker himself.

Cauis has been the pawn of this god, or Cauis is this god.

The entire world of Nova Crystallia is actually the world of the dead, which is why any souls lost will be lost forever.

Bhunivelze's mom will still be alive.

There will be a happy ending (This was confirmed)

The chosen Lcie will become the next cycle of Falcie or gods.

Each Lcie plays an important role in the prophecy and the battle of power between the gods.

Fruits Basket 20 day challenge day 8: Favorite quote?

"Just as no matter how hard you try to keep it away, despair will attack you again and again. In the same manner, hope will return to you. And again, and again it will surely bloom" -Shishou Fruits Basket

This quote is from Kyo's darkest days. Detested and isolated his whole life by his family, Kyo is taken in by Shishou and even as he grows to trust him, Kyo has a very negative view of the world and himself. Shishou's words are rebelled at the time, when Kyo steps on a flower and says he only exhists to destroy everything, but as Kyo grows to love and appreciate Tohru, he learns the meaning of Shishou's words. Tohru accepted Kyo, and she never gave up on him even when she learned of his dark past and dim future. As Kyo discovers, if he doesn't give up in life, and learns to become someone he wants to be, he can rise above his past and look toward his future.

When I first read this quote, I had a similar attitude that Kyo had. But once I understood the words Kyo reflected on, I was encouraged to find the hope I was looking for, and continue to fight despair with it.

Of all the amazing quotes in Fruits Basket, this is the one that I remember the most, and whenever I develop a negative attitude, I remember it and move on.

Kingdom Hearts Challenge Day 12: Character you wish would be crossed over

Lightning

Just because she is a female version of Cloud. I was disappointed that she didn't meet Cloud in Dissidia.  Light has her own story. It would be difficult to fit a timeline in with her, due to the most recent game releases, but I believe she could be a warrior against darkness some how. 

If not Light then Hope :)

I think Hope would be a great role model for Sora, and he would fit in with the other crossover characters nicely :) He has a lot more to his story than I have seen. It would be cool if he learned something by helping Sora in some way.

Or both. Because they communicate very well together. Light is by the book, while Hope is resourceful and creative. Working together, they make a great team!

One percent

I learned a very important lesson this week.
I've spent most of my life reaching for something but not truly beliving in it. This particular thing is a positive outcome. I'm sure many people have gone through this. In order to protect yourself from disappointment, you decide to only expect the negative outcome of a situation. But the funny thing about life, is that it is unpredictable. That one percent chance isn't nonexistant. It's just more rare of a happening. But when you convince yourself that one percent doesn't exist, you can hurt the people you are close to. Just that alone can be the worst outcome out of all the negative possibilities you can think of.
So I learned this week, that sometimes growing up is believing in that one percent, and doing your best to help it happen. This can mean taking a risk, and rising to a challenge, but good things don't always happen on their own. Some good things must be earned through hard work and an open mind.

Will I?

A vicious cycle
A winding road
A thing of brilliance
A heavy load

Whatever life is
It's always too fast
A moment forgotten
A connection that won't last

They say to live
from day to day.
Can my mind
work that way?

Can I drop all
the burdens that I bear?
Raise my voice?
Live without a care?

Risk it all
But still be me?
Witness all
that I want to see?

Go somewhere
far away
Pick a place
to write and stay

Rip the past
From under my feet
Wipe out the doubt
Depression and Defeat

Forget the pain
And never shy
From all those moments
that pass you by

Write and write
Read and read
Discover the elements
that I need.

Realize I'm only
as strong as I feel?
Create a world
where happiness is real?

All these questions
boggle my mind
While I say things
cruel and kind.

Will I make my own story
And stop living in fear?
Or will everything pass me
Year after year?

Writing Prompt 40: Ten things I'm proud of

Prompt: 10 things I've done or said that I'm proud of.

 This is a tough prompt for me. Mainly because I don't believe I have done enough things or said enough things to make the list.
Well, let's see.

1. The Disney College Program: Hands down, one of the best decisions of my life and it will always remain an important lesson in living on my own.

2. Finishing FFX2 at 100 percent. Many of my friends know how determined I was to complete this game. I must say that when I did, even I patted myself on the back. So many complicated mini games and tricks @_@

3. Graduating College: An academic accomplishment, and a well earned piece of paper.

4. Writing a complete movie script. Despite all the other stresses and complications going on both personal and academic, I conquered each assignment.

5. Applying to the ABC/ Disney program. Something I have wanted to do for a while now.

6. Applying to teach English in South Korea. I have been wanting to go there since I started watching Korean Drama and read Goong. I would love to learn the language and I'm teaching myself through apps and a small program right now.

7.

8.

9.

10.

 I made it to six. As far as things that I have accomplished on my own, I don't have many actions or words that stick out in my mind. I'm leaving these numbers blank for the future. Maybe I can add them soon, when I've done things that I feel are a big accomplishment. Hopefully I can add to this list soon, but I will be thinking of accomplishments I could make from now on to add here.

Inspirational songs

 image from: http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_llmo019yDF1qbwnr4o1_500.jpg

Every now and then I get a little stressed, sad or irritated, and I've created a playlist for those times.
The two most important songs on that playlist are . . .
"Firework" by Katy Perry
and
"Who Says" by Selena Gomez
There are many more songs on the playlist that are upbeat and inspiring, but these two in particular have kept me going on tough days and help me continue to pursue my dreams.
Enjoy :)

I think it's time . . .

To take a step back
To make a new wish list
To be grateful for all I have
To believe in more than I can comprehend
To dance
To take the journey
To travel
To learn
To experience something new
To take a leap of faith
To trust my instincts
To be all I can be

Why do I think it's time?
Because time is all I have.
The present is a gift.
The past has come and gone.
If it's holding you back,
it's time to move on.
You can keep the good times
and learn from the bad,
but you shouldn't focus on pain
and what you wish you had.

The time is now
to follow your dreams,
to follow your heart,
to believe in yourself,
to create a future,
to move forward,
to try.

The world never stops turning.
The sun always rises,
and life always changes.
The wise find comfort
in all these things.
Whether your holding on to a dream,
holding back on a feeling or
holding your heart in your hand.

There's always a way.
There is always hope
And you will always have yourself to believe in.

(This is dedicated to a friend who is going through a tough time.)

Nostalgic Song: For Good

My Mom and I went to see Wicked and when the actresses sang this song, I couldn't help but remember all the wonderful people I knew, and who knew me at one point. The lyrics really say it all. Sometimes people come into our lives for a reason, and give us something to learn about life and ourselves. I dedicate this song to my Disney friends, from both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Without them, I wouldn't be as strong as I am today. I wouldn't have discovered that there were people just like me, and it was okay to be who I am. I also dedicate this song to my two best friends Becca and Miriam. Without them I wouldn't have believed in myself through my darkest times. All these people came into my life and changed me for good.

Mood Music: Go the Distance

Inspirational Song: Go the Distance - Disney- Hercules


Aside from Beauty and the Beast, this is my favorite Disney song. It gives me hope. This song is all about doing what you can do to get where you want to be. It's a powerful journey that is driven by the motivation to believe in yourself no matter what.

As my friend Kim requested, here is a list of things I did to "Go the distance":

The Disney College Program - one of the best decisions I ever made
Becoming an English Major - one of my easier decisions determined by my book collection.
Telling my crush I loved him- one of the bravest things any person will do
Standing up to a bully- always a difficult thing to do
Reconnecting with people- I'll never regret this decision
Enduring tough times- I'm still here
Writing a novel - I finished two
Entering Writing contests- I'm still doing this one
Applying for the ABC/Disney Program - reapplying next month!
Applied and got two jobs- incredibly important
Talked to someone I missed for a long time- a big step for me
My blog- still writing an entry every day
Two scripts for two classes due at the same day- definitely a challenge
Two published works in the Crucible magazine for UNCO- something to be proud of
One published article for a Disney fan magazine- a super exciting feat ^_^
The Yunalesca boss fight in FFX- for those who know my video game experience, this is a major deal


 What have you done to "Go the distance"?

Destiny- Revisited

"Destiny isn't the path chosen for us, but the path we choose for ourselves" - Megamind

       I read in a book yesterday that living is not a passive practice. Although many people believe they are sitting on the sidelines, they are actually making a choice to sit on the sidelines for themselves. I admit that I used to be one of these people. Now, however I try to challenge myself everyday whether it is in writing, my tasks at work or my approach at problems. 
      To be honest, this idea has appeared in many things throughout my life. In Avatar the Last Airbender, Aang is given a similar speech when the fortuneteller is proven wrong. It's mentioned in Once Upon A Time when Emma gives Ashley a pep talk on people and their opinions. But the reality of this lesson can only be experienced in life and dealing with situations that conflict with who you are and who other people want you to be.
       Even the big dreamers like Walt Disney, Albert Einstein and Abraham Lincoln had to deal with nay-sayers, and the way they dealt with these opinions determined how far they climbed the ladder to their goal.  The truth is, only you can decide who will influence your life. So what does this have to do with destiny? Control is a powerful thing, and no one but you should have it over your life. People will pressure you if you let them. It may even surprise you to discover who is trying to take control. What matters is that you never lose sight of who has the power to decide your future.
      I'm not saying that destiny is easy.  Sometimes that's one of the reasons people let others push them around. There is a certain comfort to not feeling responsible for yourself, but that dies quickly once you realize you have lost control. It is a test of will, strength and endurance when someone acts like they have the power to control you. That is the purpose of destiny. It's like a hero's quest, and a coming of age journey. Destiny is not something given to you. It is something you must learn and decide for yourself. There's a reason for all those stories and songs.
     Once someone discovers a path toward their goals, their destiny is right in front of them. This is one of the traits that make a character appealing. Strong characters know who they are and what they want. Powerful characters believe in themselves and understand that a goal must be earned. Like Hercules in the Disney movie, he could only discover what he was capable of once he believed he could "go the distance." Based on my experience today, destiny is a choice someone makes by believing they can and persisting until they get there.

Mood Music: I'm gonna Fly

"I'm Gonna Fly" by Sydney Forest is a beautiful song about finding out what you can do in life. This song was created for the movie Kiki's Delivery Service by Hayao Miazaki. Kiki's story is about growing up and creating a life for yourself. A wonderful film and an amazing song :)



This song reminds me what it takes to get where you want to be.

Writing Prompt 34: Things you want to do in life

Prompt: Write a list of 25 (or just 5!) things you want to do in your life.

1. Become a professional writer
2. Publish a novel
3. Make a music album
4. Fall in love
5. Go to Japan
6. Work for Disney
7. Visit Korea
8. Go to Disneyland Paris
9. Have a Disney wedding
10. Raise children
11. Have my own library
12. Adopt a cat
13. Make a difference
14. Live with no regrets
15. Go see the Teddy Bear Museum
16. Go to a Cherry Blossom Festival
17. Go to a Tanabata festival
18. Swim with dolphins
19. Dine at the Beauty and the Beast Restaurant
20. See the Northern Lights
21. Receive a single red rose from someone I love
22. Have a Disney cruise trip with all my friends and family
23. Visit Atlantis (the theme park)
24. See the Great Barrier Reef
25. Accomplish a great feat

Something you admire . . .

        It's a tie between courage and confidence. I believe that courage and confidence go hand in hand. To be confident, you must have the courage to be yourself. To have courage you must have confidence in yourself. I guess I admire them, and spot them in a person right away, because I didn't have courage and confidence when I was younger. In all honesty I gave up on many things, including myself. It's been said that all the things worthwhile in this life require courage: getting a job, falling in love, having children, pursuing a dream and persevering in  a difficult situation. From characters in stories to people in real life, courage will always be admirable in my eyes. Confidence is it's own branch of courage. It takes bravery to speak your mind, step into the unknown and discover who you are.
      The power to face your fears requires a confidence that you will overcome them. That confidence becomes more important than fear. I believe that if you have courage and confidence, you can do anything you set your mind to. Most of the people I admire have these qualities, and I'm fascinated by the lengths they have gone with two simple character traits. The truth is that hanging around someone with these qualities is contagious. When someone around you believes in his or her self, you begin to discover that you can do the same.  The main reason that I admire both courage and confidence the most is because in my eyes, years ago, they were super powers. Anyone around me who was confident and courageous was a powerful being who could achieve anything in the world. There were many days I wondered how it happened. How could someone be so straightforward about what they wanted, and then go for it without fear?
       Now I'm learning, little by little, that it is something you discover, buried under doubt and fear. Some people have told me I'm more confident then I believe, and I'm braver than I know. For awhile these comments were extremely difficult for me to believe, and that was frustrating for the people who said them. Now, when I look back, I faced a lot of fears of my own and I displayed confidence without even realizing it. I'm still not as confident or courageous as I'd like to be, so I suppose that's another reason why I admire these qualities in others. These people give me a goal, to become as courageous and confident as they are, maybe even more so. My heroes, role-models and favorite characters are all important for me to look up to because they give me the hope that I will one day be just as amazing as they are.

Something that speaks to me . . .

 Blog Challenge week post 1:
Prompt: Something that speaks to you . . .

          When I was in High School, I read Fruits Basket by Natsuki Tayaka for the first time. I felt attached to the characters right away, because they all had problems. Some problems were more serious than others, but the main thing that kept me reading was the hope and love all the characters find because they never give up on rising above their misfortunes. It's a story about acceptance: acceptance of the self and acceptance of others. It's also a story about growing up, facing fear and overcoming everything to find love and happiness. The anime is just as important, but not as long, complex and detailed as the manga. With each secret revealed and burden lifted, the Sohmas find a way to survive with a curse, and Tohru Honda discovers a real family.
        There is no way I can sum this anime or manga up in a paragraph or even an essay. It really speaks for itself and dives into the human heart in a way I have never seen a story do before. The closest story I can compare Fruits Basket to is Dengeki Daisy by Kyousuke Motomi.This story speaks to me, because it taught me so many important lessons and gave me hope that I would overcome my weakness and become stronger through each difficulty I faced. To me, Fruits Basket is about life and how people learn from it.

Now, I'll let Fruits Basket speak for itself ^_^

Be Strong

Be strong,
and do what you can.
Even if life
doesn't go according to plan.
You must believe
or else what will you have?
An empty heart
and a wound without salve.
Deep breaths are important,
just two or three
can make all the difference
from what you can be.
When life gets tough
you be tough too.
Believe in yourself.
Do all you can do.
After all what is life
with no purpose in mind?
Beautiful details
Nice things to say
How you can improve
who you are day after day.
With every memory,
and every mistake,
a lesson is learned.
Each step  you take.
Be strong and be brave.
No matter the cost.
You have to be found
before you are lost.
Learn from your tears,
face your fears.
Do your best
but remember to rest.
Life can be cruel,
and life can be kind.
Sometimes you must lose
in order to find.
Create who you are
and have no doubt.
Whatever comes your way
you will figure it out. 

Two Good Stories

             Today was a day for stories. Mom bought Beauty and the Beast tickets a while ago, so we went to see the Broadway musical at the Buel Theatre. The musical was amazing, and I loved the artistic accents they used for the castle, tavern and the village.  Beauty and the Beast is clearly my favorite fairy tale, and Disney movie. The musical expands on the story and focuses on a few themes for Belle and Beast. For Belle, the theme is home, as she feels she doesn't belong anywhere. Belle finds a way to live in the castle, and goes through a lesson of self discovery. She decides to stay with the Beast, but that doesn't mean she won't care for her father anymore. As her signature song "Home" states: "Home is where the heart is" and Belle learns what that means when she has to save her father from the villagers and the Beast from Gaston. For the Beast, the theme is acceptance. He must learn to accept the side of himself that he doesn't want to show. This acceptance can only be achieved through his own opinion of who he is, and how he wants to live. Once he lets Belle go, he learns that you can't make someone care for you by force, and it is you that must decide who you will be.

            After the musical, my family and I saw John Carter. I've been reading the book, but I haven't finished it yet. The movie is a little different from what I've read so far, because Edgar Rice Burroughs is actually a character in the story. This movie had everything I love about a good story. A flawed character, epic plot and a good message. John Carter carries a burden from the beginning of the film. He his not able to let go of his past. His grief drives his decisions to avoid war, battles and getting close to anyone. Once he lands on Mars, he is forced to face his fear, with a war raging and the whole planet, except one city, under the influence of a brutal war lord. But even this nemesis is a pawn in a much more dangerous game of fate, secrecy and deception. Carter's choice is whether or not to live life again, after experiencing so much pain in the past. He finally makes his decision and even passes on the advice to Edgar Rice Burroughs. The message is to live life and make a difference, because sitting by and doing nothing is also a decision. 

             No matter what type of story we read, watch or write, the purpose of these tales is a disguised journey into what life is all about. Stories define who we are, whether we are heroes, outcasts or wanderers. Stories give us courage to face our fear, follow our dreams and live life in the best way we can. They inspire us to discover who we are, why we're here and what we are able to do. From greek myths and fairy tales to modern day novels and TV shows, stories teach us what it means to be human, and how to discover and achieve who we truly want to be.