Symbols in my Life

Emory Ellis

Mr.McElveen

English 2 American Literature

14/8/13

Most things that I encounter end up having a significant part in my life or in my heart.  Knowing where those things fall and how I feel about them is something different. Being a little obsessive compulsive and having lots of different experiences, I have come up with symbols for what things mean to me.  I have many parts of my life that fall under many different categories (most are spiritual or include a loved one), so I decided to list a few symbols in my life and what they mean to me.  I have some faith related symbols, a family related symbol, and one I require in my everyday life.

The most important things in my life are my beliefs.  To most people a cross is just a symbol of Jesus, the method of crucifying people in Calvary, Jerusalem around 4 B.C.  To others it is a symbol of just another faith or religion, just like the Star of David or the crescent moon and star for Islam.  Yes, the cross is a symbol of Christianity, and that is one of the reasons I see into the cross specifically instead of something else.  The most important thing in my life is religion (as I have stated).  I have become one of the large Christian populations around the world and always have been involved in the church.  My family belongs to St. James Episcopal and Trinity Episcopal churches and youth group, so I attend almost every Sunday.  Being a Christian, I have become fond of Jesus and God and try to be more like Jesus every day in my way of life.  Whenever I see a cross it is a huge reminder of where I have come from and I cannot change that. Especially on rough days or when I am angry or sad, seeing a cross helps me remember that God is there like a crutch to lean on.  I have gone through some difficult times and I find peace knowing that I have the holy trinity is right next to me in the form of a cross.  I use to have a cross necklace that held tightly to my neck really helped me in middle school.  As crazy Christian as I sound, having a helping hand in those two lines crossing over each other is what brought me through, and I know that they always will be a refuge.

Another Christian symbol that has more personal meaning instead of family meaning is a butterfly.  Yes it is a pretty colorful flying insect, but to me it has become an important and spiritually significant portion of my life.  It first became an important part of me in early 2013 at my first Happening (a spiritual “senior high retreat” or a high school weekend away from home).  I had been to weekend retreats like this one before, but they were more “friend” based and helping people with what they are going through with faith, and not of a spiritual weekend that taught you how to help yourself more with beliefs and spiritual empowerment.  At my first Happening, as they do every year, the main symbol was a butterfly.  The first night they tell a story of a caterpillar and his touching story of becoming a butterfly.  Obviously not true, but the thought of what he goes through is very eye opening. They close the first talk with telling everyone that hopefully they will change for the better.  Not changing their personalities, but changing the way people thought about their Christian faith and instilled it in their everyday life.  As the weekend went on and people continued to connect everything to butterflies, this image stuck in my head as the symbol for my transformation for the better.  It was a weekend I will never forget.  So when I see or think of butterflies, I am transformed.

On August 23 through August 25 I will return to the Solomon Center for another Happening experience where I will be giving my own version of my favorite talk from last time.  It is called “the mask” talk when everyone is asked to take off their personal mask and be themselves for the weekend and maybe the rest of their lives.  Most people wear masks, especially in high school.  I think that this is a big thing that needs to be discussed with most uprising high school middle school students.  Another reason a mask means so much to me is drama and arts.  There is a passion that can be found on a stage.  Being a thespian, I understand that acting is no easy task.   The people who wear masks every day are not acting its pretending.  To me there is a difference.  The feeling someone gets when they go on stage is amazing.  There is no other word to truly describe it.  Whether they are speaking in public, acting, dancing, singing, or playing an instrument, a talent is needed.  I usually assist with back stage or behind the scenes assignments during school productions. Usually the people on stage need the limelight, and while I love recognition as much as the next person, I am okay with allowing others to shine.

Listening to your favorite song is one thing, but doing so in the winter with the comforts of your own house and a nice crackling fire in the fireplace is another.  Most people see them as a practical and cheaper way to warm a home.  To me it means way more.  It means love, affection, the warm fuzzy feeling someone gets when they know somebody loves them, and the fire that has been said to me in my own heart.  I love being comfortable, and the childhood memories that I associate with a fireplace.  Another reason is because Christmas is my favorite holiday and we use to light it Christmas Eve night and spend family time around the fire.  The flames help me remember my family and the times we have spent together around the fire place and around each other.  The fire in my heart is such a good example because anyone who has seen a fire before knows that there are always embers and little pieces flying out from the logs just like me.  I do everything out of love and try to for the good of others, but sometimes something just pops out and it is not the love or kindness I aim for.  I recollect getting burned one winter morning because I was sitting to close and a pop landed on the leg by a free floating ember. The ember was flying just like a dove.

A dove is, by definition, a stocky seed or fruit eating bird of the pigeon family, with a small head, short legs, and a cooing voice.  To me, doves are graceful biblical creatures that come into our lives holding an olive branch representing the Holy Spirit.  I have never seen a dove with an olive branch other than in pictures, but I have seen pure white doves just like the Bible describes and they are breath taking, beautiful creatures from God sent to earth.  In the Bible itself, the dove represents divineness and purity as it does to me.  The dove is an important part of my life, because just like the soap when I think or see a dove, I feel clean and pure.  I feel like I have been accepted by god and I am a part of him and he is a part of me.

    Knowing the love of Christianity and religion, as well as preforming arts, and my family, having them all come together to form the person I am today and realizing what they mean in my life is huge to me.  I do not hide behind a mask made my stereotypes and social media and I can be myself with no worries about what everyone thinks of me.  I can be a creative and spiritual human being with realization that people believe in other things, but I can still have connections with them in other ways.