Summer Showers

In the deep void of the universe, the center of our life and the start of our existence burns in its glory. A star that we have come to depend on and who gave us life. It sits in the middle of the solar system watching the planets and beyond, holding the answer to the deepest of mysteries: the Sun. And at just the right distance a planet revolves around the Sun, the only known planet to hold life, our Earth. And so a beam of life giving light and energy travels towards the Earth. The light will take thousands of years to reach our Earth, but its heat and warmth is no less welcome.

In a garden, thousands of years later, the plants and animals receive the Sun's Gentle touch. Squirrels run about, chasing each other and butterflies dance in the wind. The summer heat rose as insects buzzed. Animals and humans alike sought the cool relief of shade. In a corner of the garden, tucked between bushes was a flower, the dirt its roots dug into was dry and cracked under the Sun's intense heat. Its leaves were gone, fallen victim to insects and so its beauty was marred. It looked with envy upon a rose, the gentle and delicate red petals greeted the sun's warmth with grace.  

And suddenly the heat began to dissipate and a chill breeze brought a tense demeanor. Dark clouds rolled in, refusing the thousand year old light to warm the ground. The robins stopped chirping and returned to the safety of their nests and the squirrels scampered back towards the trees. The leaves of the flower quivered in anticipation. A storm was coming.

The first drops of water hit the ground, moistening the parched dirt and filling it with nutrients. The rain began pouring down, dumping the excess water back to the earth, returning the cool air. The water continued to patter on the ground. Under the trees drooping leaves the flower received the cool water as it rolled down into a pitch, Its stems, which once held leaves caught the droplets and held them close.

The storm's anger died down, its anger evaporated as the contents of the dark clouds were spent. Once again, the sun's rays hit the Earth, Tentatively, the squirrels peeked its head out of the thick canopy and put its foot down on the soft spongy earth. With more courage, it frolicked around the wet grass, exciting the other chipmunks and squirrels. As the sun fully emerged behind the clouds, its rays caught the water droplets on the leafless flower. The water sparkled in the sunlight, throwing out rainbows. The leafless plant stood tall and proud as the sun smiled down on its beauty.

Originality

It is usually aways a better idea to use original ideas and not to copy someone else's idea. Repeating a used idea is not anything special, nor will it contribute to to the world around us. Without new ideas which sprout around, it becomes difficult to advance in knowledge, for the information we have now, did not come free. Leonardo da Vinci created the Mona Lisa. Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravity. Galileo Galilei improved the sight of the universe and space. None of them copied or heavily relied on past knowledge. Bill Gates wasn't caught up with his friends and classmates when he attended Harvard, instead he wanted to create something new, and he did: Microsoft. Ideas and opinions shouldn't be taken from someone else, they should come from each individual.

When Bill Gates began to excel in computer science, he created a very successful company in the name of Microsoft. During that time, many computer software creators had made softwares for many to use. Their softwares were free, and every one was content with that idea. Everyone else thought that this was the way computers should be. However, Gates did not agree that the softwares should be made free, and thought that people who wish to use their softwares, should pay for the services.

Even though the other computer software designers discouraged him from believing in such, he stuck to his ideas and thought on fair business. He created Microsoft and charged people who wanted to use his software. Microsoft was very powerful and useful and many people thought it was worth the money they paid. Because of Gates' own thoughts on successful business, Microsoft rose into being one of the greatest companies.

Bill Gates didn't agree with the rest of the world when most people did. His mind strayed from the single point on view on computer marketing and found a better and more successful way of doing business. People should try using their own thoughts and opinions when making a decision, for there is always a better choice.

It is healthy for the brain to think of original ideas, to practise making personal analyzations of a subject rather than copying others. Of course, it it true that other ideas can help give inspiration, but considering that all great breakthrough came with original, uncharted territory, people can be their own leaders instead of being caught up in what everyone else thinks.

Preparing for the Future

Many people live caught up in the now. They don't really think about the future instead, they try to enjoy the present. If people were not prepared to be able to take on the rest of life, or even to pass an exam, then there won't be a present to enjoy. Elizabeth Murray worked hard for a better future, one where she gets accepted into Harvard instead of living on the streets like she has for most of her childhood. Similarity, Martin Luther King Jr. kept his end in mind and he worked hard into giving freedom to multicoloured people rather than waiting for something to happen. In the case of Blockbuster, a company which had once thrived with sales, closed down because they failed to keep up with the advancement of technology and were too caught up with the temporary stability.

Murray, with her remarkable story of how she went from homeless to Harvard, knew that she couldn't enjoy her present and thus resolved to work hard to get into a good school. Without parental support and guidance, she was about to go down the same road as her mother and father: relying on her rich boyfriend, party every night. She, in a way, enjoyed her youth and lived each day to the fullest, never giving much thought into tomorrow. Had she continued to revel in her present, she would not have been able to make it into Harvard. No, she saw who she wanted to become and the life she wanted to have, and made a life changing decision. She gave up her carefree ways to study and work hard in order to end up where she is now. After gruelling years of studying and learning, she found herself country wide support and raced across her road from homeless to Harvard.

With a story a bit more remorseful than that of Murray's, Martin Luther King Jr. realized that his happiness did not lie in the present where a harsh wedge was shoved between black and white people. He didn't exactly have enjoyable days as he was treated with less respect than the white people and his neighbourhood was flooded with unjust rights, disrespectful name calling and unnecessary separation. On Dec 1, he heard about Rosa Park's rebellion and joined the bus boycott. He realized that they can work together for a brighter future so he spent days working on his speech, " I had a dream". His speech empowered his fellow friends to push down the present and helped them envision a better world.

The effect of disregarding preparations for the future can be drastic, as it can be seen in the case of Blockbuster. This company who used to make good business in selling DVDs of new movie releases and had a seemingly stable employments suffered a heavy downfall. They were too caught up in their popularity, and the high demands of the consumers, that they didn't even give such as a glimpse into their future. People began to illegally upload movies onto the internet and give people free access to watch their movies. Netflix and Redbox came into business. But still, Blockbuster hadn't been able to see the true competition they were faced with and they continued to relish their income. Soon enough, their business was forced to close as they couldn't keep up with the ever changing world. They didn't prepare themselves for the future nor for some enterprise rivalry.

Dwelling on the present isn't a safe choice of lifestyle. Precautions should be heeded and preparations for the future can help a great deal into making life a more enjoyable experience. To relish in the present seems relaxing and easy, but the effect is only short term, as seen with many unsuccessful companies. Preparing for further challenges is important to achieve a longer, more satiable life.