Carol Forsloff - (includes essay by Carissa Czerniejewski) - Recently University students protested vigorously the rise in college tuition, while young adults who have finished college worry about paying off large loans at a time when employment is scarce. Yet there are those young people whose values shine, whose purposes reflect the best of American ideals, those who vie for scholarships in a competitive world, as one young woman relates.Carissa Czerniejewski, 16, is that ideal child, the one parents talk of proudly and friends and family boast about. She is also the new face of America as a stir-fry, high school senior, wrapped in the unique beauty that comes from the bits of African American, French, Native American and standard Caucasian fare. And while older folks proclaim young ones have lost their way these days, Carissa reminds us many others have been on the right path.
At the age of ten Carissa had already set a different course for her life than others of her age. Shooting at birds was play for some children in her neighborhood at the time, but Carissa said she would rather play alone than do anything that hurt the innocent creatures of the world. It is that same belief in caring she evidences now.
Carissa’s talents have been cultivated by loving parents too. She plays piano, gets good grades and dreams of an enlightened world in which she can offer service from her heart. While the "Occupy" movement remains one of youth focus on ideals, there are also those who simply stay the course and do their part in reaching the country's goals by doing the best they can in school, in work, in life.
An editor looks for writers who share their best ideas. For those who believe in humanitarian values, those best ideas are particularly special when they come from someone young, for that reminds us that our country remains great as it continues to develop youth who care and who are always looking for the good themselves in everything they do.
The following is Carissa’s essay reflecting for families everywhere the children who have hope at Thanksgiving and every other day. That hope is America’s future, one we must cultivate. Then stop for a moment and vote for her, as you would vote for your own, for in doing so you will be saying you agree with those lessons she has learned:
Lessons Learned
Carissa Czerniejewski – Throughout our lives we face struggle. We struggle to do well in school. We struggle to get a job, to keep a job, to find a new job when the first one fails. We struggle with family, we struggle with friends, we struggle to keep our feet firmly on the ground. However, it is through adversity that we learn who we truly are and what we truly stand for. Personally, I have learned that there is not only happiness in that which is obvious, but happiness can be found in smaller, more overlooked details.
My private trumpet instructor has a sister with a mental disability, and I think she has inspired me more than anyone else I know. Every time I come to see her, she gives me a picture she’s drawn for me, asks me what I’ve had to eat that day, and asks how my family is doing. We sit together and watch TV, and she’s just as happy as a clam. The more I think about it, the more I realize maybe she has the right idea. Maybe we don’t need everything in our life to be absolutely perfect. Maybe we don’t need everyone to like us, or endless amounts of money, or a life without conflict. Maybe all we really need is a good Disney Channel marathon, our families and a full belly.
Happiness is not necessarily found in perfection. Perhaps happiness should be found more so in the imperfections of life. If there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my lifetime, I’ve learned that life is messy. Life is sticky, life is dirty, life is rough. If we spend our entire life caught up in the dirt, we’ll never get to see what lies underneath, which defeats the entire purpose of life: to live.
