The Spaces Between the Ticks of the Second Hand

"You never know a good thing until it's gone." We hear this "old saying" rather frequently, but do we truly understand its meaning? We take tangible items, important people, and even life itself for granted and hardly ever do we give a second thought on how great these "gifts" actually are.

You start the morning with this ignorance of life's "gifts," by never going out of your way to give your parents a hug goodbye or saying I love you. You watch the clock tick, waiting for the last bell to ring at the end of the school day. After school, you find dad's car, throw your backpack in, and wait for your siblings to join. You then head home. The ride consists of bickering and pushing your younger brother in the seat next to you, as Daddy tells you stop. Faster than a blink of an eye, horrifying sounds of metal being crushed fill your ears and your body is thrown around like a rag-doll, as you're held down by a seatbelt. As the dust settles, minutes feel like hours and emergency vehicles seem to take forever to respond to the scene. Before you're even aware of the situation, a fireman drapes a yellow sheet over your dad. In shock, you cannot fathom how your life has forever changed.

Life carries on, but the void never fills. It is the choice of the individual on how vast their appreciation for life is and how they choose to spend the limited time they have here. Will you indulge in self-loathing or go out of your way and help another. Will you remain ignorant of these "gifts" or take advantage of the small things in life? Make your decision today, or a tragedy tomorrow may make it for you.


Word Count: 299

Generation Gluttony

The fact that Michelle Obama makes huge efforts to fight childhood obesity can give one a clear generalization about this generation. The word gluttonous perfectly describes this generation, excessively eating and insatiable. Unlike our preceding, we have lost true values which can give thanks to the lack of discipline of parents and having mostly everything given to us without work. Holding the door for someone no longer deserves a "thank you" according to the majority of this generation, which I can prove from experience. Technology gives our generation room and reason to be lazy, unfortunately. 


Word Count: 95

DON'T TREAD ON ME

Try on the shoes of a tradesman in the pre-prohibition days of the eighteenth and nineteenth century on one of the oldest streets in Federal Hill. You open the door, the sound of chitter chatter and the clanging of roping tools emanate the air surrounding you. You work for Navy ships in the Baltimore Harbor, building what will be the most powerful vessels in the world. Fast-forward to the same place, present time to the Ropewalk Tavern. Sounds of laughter and talking, along with the scratching of dinnerware replace the noises that once inhabited. To your left you see men in their 20's playing pool and to the right ladies smiling with margaritas. All of this stimulation replacing where men once worked making ropes through the heat of the summer and frost of winter some 200 years ago. 

 As you glance around you notice that the history of this place is very much alive, reading above the bar, "DON'T TREAD ON ME". "Excuse me," a voice says behind you, "only one today?" She escorts you to a table with tall chairs and while climbing up you see an old pulley through a hole in the ceiling. The menu has a page with the history, now you start to understand what these walls have seen. It's just a Tuesday and yet this place doesn't have a seat to be found. You realize that this is not only a bar and restaurant, but also a place that holds a brilliant history and hopefully a bright future for generations to come.

 

Word Count: 249

DON'T TREAD ON ME

Try on the shoes of a tradesman in the pre-prohibition days of the eighteenth and nineteenth century on one of the oldest streets in Federal Hill. You open the door, the sound of chitter chatter and the clanging of roping tools emanate the air surrounding you. You work for Navy ships in the Baltimore Harbor, building what will be the most powerful vessels in the world. Fast-forward to the same place, present time to the Ropewalk Tavern. Sounds of laughter and talking, along with the scratching of dinnerware replace the noises that once inhabited. To your left you see men in their 20's playing pool and to the right ladies smiling with margaritas. All of this stimulation replacing where men once worked making ropes through the heat of the summer and frost of winter some 200 years ago. 

 As you glance around you notice that the history of this place is very much alive, reading above the bar, "DON'T TREAD ON ME". "Excuse me," a voice says behind you, "only one today?" She escorts you to a table with tall chairs and while climbing up you see an old pulley through a hole in the ceiling. The menu has a page with the history, now you start to understand what these walls have seen. It's just a Tuesday and yet this place doesn't have a seat to be found. You realize that this is not only a bar and restaurant, but a place where young adults gather to socialize and mingle. 

Word Count: 250