Debate on School Prayer Essays

Debate on School Prayer Essays Debate on School Prayer Essay Debate on School Prayer Essay The School Prayer Debate William Scanlon PHI200 Mind and Machine Instructor Jon Stern July 20, 2011 One of the most hotly debated topics in the last fifty years is whether or not prayer in public schools should be allowed; a simple question which gives rise to many complicated and emotional answers. The most basic dispute is the separation of church and state. As reiterated in a 1962 Supreme Court ruling in the case of Eagel v. Vitale, the court ruled that public schools were not empowered to condone school prayer and in fact that school prayer was unconstitutional(Dierenfield,2007). The case was brought about by families of public school students who complained that the voluntary prayer, â€Å"Almighty God,† was a contradiction to their beliefs. The prayer went simply, â€Å"Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon thee, and we beg thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teacher, and our country. Amen. †(Murray,2010) The complaint argued that beginning the school day with this prayer violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U. S. Constitution which states, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion. † The constitutionality of the prayer had been upheld the N. Y. State Appeasl (Smith,1987). Not ironically perhaps because the prayer had been written and approved by the N. Y. Board of Regents. It ruled the opinion of the Supreme Court was that a government authorized prayer could not be made mandatory to be recited in a public school. The Court further went on to reinstate how important the Separation of Church and State is. They went on to explain that prayer is a religious activity and thus violated the establishment clause. Hence the prayer written by a government agency to encourage religious belief was not permissible according to the Constitution. Many lawsuits on the same subject ensued. In subsequent cases though, the Supreme Court has been consistent in its rulings. It has prohibited readings from the Bible, forbidden the Lord’s Prayer, and has even ruled that prayers at public school sporting events and graduations were unconstitutional (Ravitch 2001). The debate rages on with each case and ruling. A situation which may never be settled or compromised is Religion and belief in a God is one of the most emotional issues man has debated, fought about, and even died for over the centuries, The debate on school prayer will rage on and on and ultimately always come to a stalemate. This is partly due to the fact that the question of one’s own personal belief in God is at the core of the issue. Those in favor of prayer in school will say that praying in school will teach Religious tolerance(Majors,Cheri 2010). That it will instill and inspire children to question and seek answers about God and different Religions and to develop their own beliefs. Very often the argument For Prayer is that putting prayer back in school will reverse what is believed to be a moral decline in the country. Many believe that since school prayer has been banned, crime has increased, family values have deteriorated, and some zealots even predict that it is the forerunner to Armageddon, as America has lost its soul. Some believe that banning prayer actually deprives religious freedom as guaranteed in the Constitution. By prohibiting prayer it in turn promotes Non-Religion. That is to say without prayer in school it discourages a child from believing in any religion and gives a sense that praying at all is bad. On the other side, those against prayer in school feel that if it were allowed, religion would be forced upon students. They feel that school is there strictly for education and religion should not be part of it. Prayer promots emotional feelings and can give rise to religious discrimination of these opposing beliefs. Some go as far to say that prayer in school wastes time better spent focused on studies. Prayers are part of values learned at home and as such should remain there. Those against prayer will also say that schools allow enough free time for any religious observance. As the case against prayer in public school continues to be upheld by the courts, I have to admit that the side against prayer has the more logical argument. The Constitution guarantees a citizen the right to private prayer, but it does not force others to listen if they chose not to. I agree with the statement, â€Å"State supported prayer is not ‘Free Exercise’ its ‘Forced Religion. ’†(Dierenfield,2007) And that is why it is prohibited. Another fact I take credence in is that according to the U. S. Census church membership remained constant since 1960, before prayer in public school was banned. True morals in this country have declined since the Supreme Courts originally ruled, but I owe that more to the decline of Family Values. Due in part to changed in family dynamics as there are more and more single parents, as well as both parents being forced to work. The question of school prayer in public schools is indeed a philosophical one. I truly believe this debate will be never-ending. Just as people debate the existence of a God; there will always be more questions than answers to the issue. Exactly how prayer in school ultimately affects students is subject to interpretation. The matter cannot be judged or determined as a whole because young individual minds are a stake here. In my opinion I believe it is all the more important that individual rights and free thinking must be the main objective in teaching our children. We must continue to teach, not preach religion to young minds. Expose them to all the different cultures and religious beliefs there are. Show them that be it Christianity, Judaism, Muslim or any other religion, all promote goodwill and love. All are there for them to embrace and choose if they so desire. References Dierenfield, Brue J. The Battle Over School Prayer (2007) Kansas City, KS University of Kansas Press Murray, Andrew With Christ in School Prayer (2010) readaclassic. com Majors, Cheri A Case for Prayer in Schools (2010) Creare Space, NY, NY Ravitch, Frank S. School Prayer and Discrimination (2001) Simon Schuster, New York, NY Smith, Rodney K. Public Prayer and the Constitution (1987) Schorarly Resources, New York, NY Appeals Court Hears AU’s Prayer Case Church and State (1999) Col 52 Issue 1 Page 13

Hope and Colorado Technical University Essay Example

Hope and Colorado Technical University Essay Example Hope and Colorado Technical University Essay Hope and Colorado Technical University Essay Using the list of reasons you created in step 2 and the questions below as suggestions, write a letter to your future self that includes your plan for success at Colorado Technical University. We will get your letter back to you at the end of your first session. Suggested questions: What do I hope to accomplish by the end of this first session? Make my hopes a reality? How am feeling at this moment? How will I Dear future self, today begins a new chapter in your life. Its been a long time owing and now is the time for you to pick up where you left off and hit the ground running. Success is my plan, because failure is not an option. Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. Winston Churchill. During this first session and all future sessions plan to be successful. Success to me is being the best person can be, being a leader and becoming one wont be easy. But to succeed you have to lead and that I know I can do. I will make sure the all assignments are completed on time ND as accurate as possible. I will be shooting for all Ass this first session and ensure myself that this is all a possibility for me. Through positive thinking, a good personality and a great attitude, I hope to accomplish these goals. I will ask for help when need it and wont be afraid to mess up or get the answer wrong. Albert Einstein said, Life is like a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving. will manage my time to fit my new schedule, adding school to work and my work from home online business.

Cover song Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cover song - Essay Example Listeners could hear the following musical instruments: guitar, drums, and bass guitar with vocals. The first few seconds from the start until about 8 seconds, listeners would hear only one musical instrument, the guitar at the background which starts soft and melodic with regular beats and rhythmic patterns. At the start of the 8th to 9th seconds, listeners are given the chance to hear the vocals with accompanying instruments that included the drums and the bass guitar. The first few verses of the song were completed within 30 seconds and then, a louder drum instrument started in the 39th second with accompanying vocals that says: â€Å"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah† two times. The second set of verses started in 1 minute 4 seconds, again with vocals and a more softer accompaniment of musical instruments (guitar, bass, and drums) and lasted until about 1 minute 34 seconds, again, exactly 30 minutes in regular rhythmic pattern before going to the â€Å"Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah† vocals (1 minute 35 seconds to 1 minute 57 seconds). After this phase, the refrain portion started with louder vocals and musical background starting with â€Å"I like it I’m not gonna crack†¦Ã¢â‚¬  and returns to this phrase after repeating the refrain twice (ending after two minutes 29 seconds). A brief space of musical instruments in bass, drums and guitar ensued (2 minutes 33 seconds up to 2 minutes 40 seconds) after the refrain in preparation to the third set of verses where the lyrics of the first verses were apparently repeated. Likewise, at 3 minutes 34 seconds the refrain was also repeated and ended abruptly at about 4 minutes and 10 seconds with the last beat from the vocals and the drum. The musical elements that were predominantly heard were distinctive of rock music with a lot of accompanying drums and bass guitars and the melody was more than average verging to increasingly loud crescendos, especially during the refrain. The cover song

Mind and Consciousness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Mind and Consciousness - Essay Example Syntactic knowledge is, to much an extent, dependent upon the system. The same action may have various commands with the change of the machine. â€Å"Also conventions can be a source of difficulties, for example using â€Å"S† for saving or for sending a file can produce confusing experiences† (Dursteler, 2011). Semantic knowledge, on the other hand, points towards the understanding of meanings that are not linked with particular experiences. It is the conscious recollection of knowledge about our surroundings and the whole world in the broader context irrespective of the context. For example, it is because of my semantic knowledge that I am able to differentiate between the meanings of individual words in language. The form and content of knowledge are two entirely different areas. Forms of knowledge can be classified into three types, namely the intellectual knowledge, knowledge of stats, and the knowledge of reality. Intellectual knowledge is an assemblage of facts which can be used to derive intellectual conclusions. Knowledge of states is basically emotionalism, in which an individual is occupied by extreme thoughts. The knowledge of reality enables a man to identify the ultimate truth. This form of knowledge is commonly retained by Sufis and spiritual people. The content of knowledge, on the other hand, is all that shapes an individual’s vision and opinion. The form of knowledge is more concerned with the state of mind whereas the content of knowledge is what is displayed in the form of knowledge. Machines have limited knowledge. When assessing machine intelligence, it must be ensured that the form of knowledge is consistent with the content of knowledge stored in it. Human brain and computer are so different structurally that they are almost incomparable (Scaruffi, 2001). The fundamental difference between thinking power, consciousness and knowledge of human intelligence and machine intelligence is the fact that the former is

New Hire Mismanagement Essay Example for Free

New Hire Mismanagement Essay When accepting the position of a Campus Recruiter for ABC, Inc., there were specific tasks and expectations that go along with the job title. The specific tasks were explained however, due to the improper planning and poor execution, the individual failed to deliver what was outlined in the job title. This paper will explain the failures due to improper planning, lack of experience and poor time management skills. Furthermore, areas that will be outlined from this case study will include various detailed causes as well as; different solutions to strengthen the recruiting department and prevent any further weaknesses. Background In early April, Carl Robins, was new to the human resources department of ABC, Inc. â€Å"The Corporate Human Resources Recruiter will play a critical role in ensuring we are hiring the best possible talent† (Nourse, 2013). Mr. Robbins had taken on the needed task of hiring 15 individuals, which would work for the Operations Supervisor, Monica Carrolls. This recruiting position is responsible for selecting proper candidates, collecting proper identification and various paperwork such as; a resume, application, transcripts and payroll processing information. A background check, drug screen and a new hire physical must also be performed prior to anyone starting. In addition to the proper processing of the new hires, Mr. Robbins also is responsible for scheduling the new hire orientation and providing the proper materials such as; the manuals, policy booklets and training guides. In this case, Mr. Robbins had already advised the new hires of the required orientation on June 15th. The lack of experience and follow through, along with procrastination was a large factor in completing the tasks set forth for the recruiting position. Mr. Robbins was feeling overwhelmed and began to panic, due to the realization that the needed workforce would not be ready for Monica Carroll, as he previously assured. The failures will effect several people and cause the operations department to not have the new additions to their team and be ready to move forward. Key Problems There are numerous key problems with this case. Mr. Robins’s lack of experience as well as, poor communication and planning from the beginning, caused the situation to spiral, making the end result in complete failure. An incompetent and poorly functioning human resources department reflects the overall state of affairs of an organization and its possible uncompetitive position in the marketplace (Dutta, 2013). Carl Robbins started the hiring process accurately. He successfully hired 15 individuals however, without creating a new hire protocol, several items were missed. Furthermore, Mr. Robins seemed to be completely focused on the fact that he was able to fill the needed positions and impressing the operations supervisor, he failed to follow through from the beginning. The inexperience may also be a factor however, he was hired as a recruiter and gained six months of experience therefore, Mr. Robins knew what was expected of him. Procrastination plays a large role in the end result, as well. Carl did not immediately check with the training facility, even after receiving the call from Monica Carrolls. He waited more than 10 days to look at the training facility availability. Procrastination, weather it was due to lack of experience or being overwhelmed, does not matter in this case. The consequence remained the same, failure to complete the tasks by the needed time. In most cases, time management and procrastination go hand in hand however, Carl did not look at the specific tasks nor did he allot the appropriate time to get the job done by the specified time. Failure to either create a hiring protocol or follow the steps that should have been learned during his first six months of employment, adds additional issues of concern. Being that this was Mr. Robins first recruiting effort, he failed to discuss, clarify or even have the steps that he had already taken reviewed with a fellow recruiting teammate to assure both himself and the recruiting department that the new hires will indeed be ready to start their positions in July. Many of the issues could have been avoided simply by doing research or asking for help. Developing a sufficient protocol or schedule is key however, it is imperative that the proper research on wait times for drug screens, background checks and pre-employment physicals is done so scheduling will go smoothly. It is critical to ensure that you have the proper tools and information to complete the required tasks. Just like any position or task assigned, organization is critical. Carl was moving forward without knowing exactly how the pieces of the puzzle were to be put together. The recruiter did not utilize the appropriate tools such as, database, spreadsheets or check lists to ensure proper completion of the hiring process. Moreover, the recruiter did not set completion goals for each step to aid in this completion. Therefore, Carl did not see that there were numerous critical issues in the hiring process, which will not only affect the new hires, but will also cause delays for Monica Carroll and the operations department. Alternatives There are several alternatives that may strengthen the human recourses (HR) department in the future however, will not fix the current issue at hand. Implementing a new hire protocol that clearly defines each step of the process. Utilizing tools such as, specialized software that can be directly accessed from the outsourced screening companies to deliver new hire physical information, drug screening and background check results. This will allow the recruiter to access the file and make sure that the candidate is ready to begin work or notify when there is an issue with that specific candidate. Another alternative would be to hire an assistant recruiter or administrative assistant to process paperwork as well as, scheduling training rooms and ordering new hire training manuals, etc. Other options to consider would be to outsource the entire hiring process by using an outside recruiting company or using an agency to employ all the individuals that work for ABC Inc. A recruiting company would minimize and allow the human resources department to simplify duties such as, conducting final interviews of the candidates that have been previously screened by the recruiting company. Complete outsourcing of all personnel or employee leasing is costly however, it is another way to prevent cases like Carl Robbins, who failed to represent the company’s professionalism, screen the new hires and organize a new hire schedule. Employee leasing will remove all responsibilities of the employer including, candidate screening, payroll and benefits which would replace both the HR and payro ll departments. Unfortunately, in doing this ABC, Inc. would no longer be eligible for the tax credits that are given when a company hires welfare to work or Veterans. Another downfall would be losing the ability to solve an employment issue in-house. Proposed Solutions There are several proposed solutions mentioned in this case study. The most economic and immediate realistic solution would be to implement an outlined human resources protocol which would include, step by step policies and procedures to successfully start a new hire, creating a spreadsheet or a checklist to prevent critical errors and ensure that each steps are followed as well as, having detailed contact information for each company that is outsourced such as; drug testing and pre-employment physicals and background checks. An important part of the protocol would be to have a new hire orientation packet saved on file so, when the need arises or the inventory gets low, the recruiter can order copies to be made in a timely fashion. The remaining solution that would be outlined in the protocol would be to have the recruiter notate each completed or received paperwork on the checklist to ensure all the necessary paperwork and outsourced results are received. This outlined human resourc es guide and organizational tool would guide the recruiter into making sure all procedures and requirements are met. Recommendations Implementing the protocols would be crucial to the success of the human resources department. A recruiter is just like a salesperson, this is where the first impression is made. If implemented correctly, this will assure hiring the right individuals, which in return will allow ABC, Inc., reach its fullest potential. In this case study, Carol Robbins was not organized. There were no protocols in place to prevent these errors. Furthermore, there was not any direct supervision. It is recommended that the manager of human resources, review the hiring process directly with Mr. Robbins and make clear written expectations on the job requirements. It is further recommended that a clear, step by step protocol be put into place preventing these issues from arising again. Lastly, it is critical for the Manager of Human Resources to review all files before the file is completed and the new hire is scheduled for training. This shall continue until Mr. Robbins clearly understands the policies and procedures.

2001 A Space Odyssey :: Free Essays

2001: Space Odyssey Essay  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the first 20 minutes of 2001: A Space Odyssey you see a group of monkeys going through evolution. The first change you see is that of a leader. In the beginning, each monkey did their own thing, and was not bound to any organization whatsoever. The monkeys did what they want when they wanted. Then the change begins. A single monkey, by himself, rises to the top of a cliff. He stands and screams. The other monkeys notice him screaming and began dancing and rejoicing. They scream and jump around, in what appears to be reverence for their new leader. Stanley Kubrick shows the change very simply, yet its message is still very clear. The monkeys had never shouted as loud or danced as much as they had previously in the film. Their actions confirm that something in fact had changed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second step shown in these monkey’s evolutionary progress is that now these animals appear to be goal oriented. Like mentioned previously, these monkeys had been working for themselves. They would do what ever they could to benefit themselves, get food, and have a nice place to sleep. Yet, once the changes begin and they have a leader, the monkeys begin to act as a group. They are more coordinated and it seems that their living style has changed from anarchy to monarchy. They attack a larger animal and kill it as a group. In turn, the raw meat is then split between the monkeys and everyone gets a share.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The third and probably most evident change is the monkey’s use of weaponry. One of the monkeys noticed a bone as he walked around the land. He picked it up and examined it. Then gradually he starts to hit it against the ground. The monkey starts to break other bones around him as he hits harder and harder. The discovery of the first weapon is made. 2001 A Space Odyssey :: Free Essays 2001: Space Odyssey Essay  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the first 20 minutes of 2001: A Space Odyssey you see a group of monkeys going through evolution. The first change you see is that of a leader. In the beginning, each monkey did their own thing, and was not bound to any organization whatsoever. The monkeys did what they want when they wanted. Then the change begins. A single monkey, by himself, rises to the top of a cliff. He stands and screams. The other monkeys notice him screaming and began dancing and rejoicing. They scream and jump around, in what appears to be reverence for their new leader. Stanley Kubrick shows the change very simply, yet its message is still very clear. The monkeys had never shouted as loud or danced as much as they had previously in the film. Their actions confirm that something in fact had changed.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The second step shown in these monkey’s evolutionary progress is that now these animals appear to be goal oriented. Like mentioned previously, these monkeys had been working for themselves. They would do what ever they could to benefit themselves, get food, and have a nice place to sleep. Yet, once the changes begin and they have a leader, the monkeys begin to act as a group. They are more coordinated and it seems that their living style has changed from anarchy to monarchy. They attack a larger animal and kill it as a group. In turn, the raw meat is then split between the monkeys and everyone gets a share.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The third and probably most evident change is the monkey’s use of weaponry. One of the monkeys noticed a bone as he walked around the land. He picked it up and examined it. Then gradually he starts to hit it against the ground. The monkey starts to break other bones around him as he hits harder and harder. The discovery of the first weapon is made.

Love’s Pain Is Its Own Redemption Essay

â€Å"What is love?† According to Joseph Rey F. Celestino, M.A, this is a question that excites and stirs a thousand fold of other questions in our minds. That’s a verbatim of what he had said in an article he made, called Love’s Pain is It’s Own Redemption. It is an article that opened my eyes to the reality of love. It’s an article that never seizes to amaze me, to amuse me, to make me question my beliefs, and change my views and opinions (in a good way), no matter how many times I read it. It continues to serve as an instrument of wonder, challenging me to go out, explore, and experience the magic, the marvel, and the astounding beauty of love. It’s an article about the enticing world something that we all know of, but only get a glimpse of its true form. I have never viewed love in a way that’s even just a tiny bit close to the way I see it now. I gained a deeper understanding of how love moves and works, but I know that I still have a long way to go before I figure out what love really is, or who knows? Maybe I’ll never find the right words to define what it is. Maybe I’ll never know what love means. The possibilities are endless. But this article is my guide, so that I won’t get lost, as I start my quest on finding clues that might lead me to the answers I’ve been looking for, to questions I never thought I would ever ask, about things I never thought I‘d be curious about. According to the author, â€Å"What is love?† is a question that knows no barriers, knows no bounds, and knows no age and generation. He also made a statement which I find very agreeable. He said that â€Å"love is the most celebrated theme of human existence (†¦)† I wholeheartedly agree with this statement. No matter who you are, where you’re from, how old you are, or what gender you are, you absolutely, positively have something to say about something is related to love, or when love itself is being talked about. We each have our own views and opinions regarding love. These may be brought about by mere experiences, or our beliefs, or other factors that may affect or form our ideas and judgments. He further stated that the untangled web of mystery of love is what binds us all. He said that â€Å"As we are drawn to the nearness of its answer, the more that we find ourselves confused and puzzled.† Pertaining to the question being discussed. He explained how love or the question of what it is, is in fact too close to being a paradoxical phenomena. Maybe that’s why people try so hard to find a definition for love. Maybe that’s why people try to put love in words. Because people do not want things and questions left unanswered and undefined. Being curious is in our nature. We hunger and thirst for answers to things we do not even fully understand. We find it hard to â€Å"let things be†. Because we exist questioningly. And we do not easily let things go. That’s why, each of us, whether we say it or not, has our own definition of love. We on our own try to define it, or share our ideas about it to find common things with others’ ideas, and formulate a concrete explanation or definition of love. For what reasons, there may be a lot. But the point is, the mere presence of love in a conversation, or discussion, or anything, really, we automatically get excited and pay attention, because we want to know what it is. The author, through the article, further explained thing about love that might deepen, or cut our curiosity about it. He explained that the on-going controversy about the definition of love is not new to the world. He said that that controversy went even way, way back before some of us existed. He said that Philosophy has been trying to reckon prominent questions, such as â€Å"Is love and unanswerable question, or an unquestionable answer?†, and â€Å"Why is there love, rather than no love at all?†. As I said earlier, according to the author, Philosophy has been trying to reckon these questions for more than two and a half millennia of its existence. This means that Philosophy has been trying to approach these problems for over 2,000 years. He further stated that Socrates and Plato, on the one hand, and the poetic movement led by Homer, on the other hand, opened their respective conversation tables on the subjects of love and intimacy in that ancient far away. He also said that scholars of the present day, still linger on the ideas left by these past masters. Countless books have already been published, (and still publishing), of millions of films have already been produced, just to give us an inch of hope or a glimpse of the definition, or the answers to the questions about love. It’s taking so long, for people to find love’s meaning. And yet, we never get tired. With each experience we gain, we get bits and pieces of ideas of how we can define love. But still, despite all efforts given by our ancestors, and us, people in the present, we only see a blur, of loves true form. Maybe it’s about time we stop trying to define love, and just let it be. Let love be love. Maybe, we should start experiencing it, and enjoying it, instead of stressing ourselves trying to find meaning to something this mysterious, this big, this amazing. Yes, maybe we should do that. But there’s something about trying to define love, that gives us this sense of satisfaction, because that more we try to find meaning for it, the more we get to experience it. Our hearts burst with so much happiness when we know that we are in the presence of love. Mr. Celestino, got into a deeper explanation of tons more interesting topics, like, the myths created by society, about love, about Aristophanes’ narrative that concerns human relationship, and a lot more, Part of this â€Å"a lot more† topics included on of my favorite arguments ever. Love at first sight. I have never been a believer of love at first sight. This may sound offensive to those who believe, but, I think the idea is pretty unrealistic. Yes, it’s a really good idea. I mean, wouldn’t it be nice to see someone and automatically know that that person is â€Å"the one†? Isn’t that what happens in most romantic movies? Two people just happens to be in the same place,, at the same time, and look at each other at the same moment. They look into each other’s eyes, and poof! They’re in love. It would be nice. I really would. But as I said earlier, that’s what happens in most movies. That’s what happens in most r omantic books or novels, even. These are made to tickle our systems and trick us into believing that these things could actually happen in to us real life. Truthfully speaking, nothing that perfectly constructed, and well-made could happen in real life. We exist in reality. We don’t live in some 2-hour-or-so film that is so beautifully made, it may be close to perfection. That’s not how life works. That’s not reality is all about. On the contrary, in reality, nothing happens the way we imagine it would, let alone like what would happen in films or books. That’s exactly why people make films and movies. They make things that they imagine come to life. They make their imaginations seem real, by putting them into films or books. This is where people get the concept of love at first sight. And upon reading through the article, I just found more proof to what I believe in. Mr Celestino said that there is no such thing as love at first sight. In verbatim, he said â€Å"Love does not bite on a first sight.† He explained that â€Å"The presence of the other that is brought to one’s sight appears as an assembly of physical qualities and in turn, the one beholding such sight finds himself or herself being caught in a feeling that is simply stated as attraction.† This statement sums up my thoughts, and puts them into words. As I most commonly say it, â€Å"Love takes time. Baka infatuation lang yan.† He further explained that the attraction brought about or formed by meeting or seeing someone particularly attractive, may breathe two things. Infatuation and affection. He said that infatuation is a shadow of love’s true form. He said that infatuation is confined as mere liking of corporeal qualities that are usually pleasing aesthetically to one’s sight for a short-lived time. Affection, on the other hand is love in its potential state. Affection is something that may grow to be love. Love is neither infatuation, nor is it affection. Although affection may grow to be love, it is not love. At least, not yet. These two are commonly mistaken to be love. But as I always say, â€Å"love takes time.† It doesn’t happen in a blink of an eye. He explained other topics, like the famous clichà ©s, â€Å"Love is blind†, â€Å"First love never dies†, what love is in the Philippines, and another one of my favorite topics, rejection. According to the article, â€Å"Rejection is painful but it is liberating in the sense that the self that is being refused is set free to reclaim himself/herself in order to heal the wounded soul and to love again when the right time comes.† Yes, love is liberating, it may take some time to make all the pain go away, because nothing hurts more than the refusal of one to receive the self that is being offered. It traps the soul of the lover into a world of agony and pain, and sometimes, the lover finds no other meaning in life, since he and his love had been rejected. This is why rejection is crucial in a lover’s life. Simply because the pain inflicted to that person, may cost him his very life. The author also explained what pain is, and what it’s all about, selfishness, and divorce and separation, how God’s love for humanity, and Christ’s crucifixion is the concretion of love in an ultimate sense. And he ended this beautiful article with a just conclusion, he said, â€Å"To love, therefore, is to face even what is uncalled for and to manifest unselfish goodwill towards the other. It could be painful in the process but love will find a way to surpass it. That is why there is resurrection in every instance of death.† I was left with no words, as I reached the last page of the article. It was beautiful, breathtaking, and heart stopping. It spoke from a view that is totally different from others. And it may still not contain answers to my question, but it made me hunger for more, thirst for answers, and crave for the experience of love in it’s fullest. For me, to earn a symbiotic and intact relationship, there are a lot of values needed. Love, as there core, with others such as trust, understanding, disciple, respect, etc. In spite of all these, I think a symbiotic relationships would not exist without respect. Because, well, love and respect would not be right without one another. If you love someone, you are going to respect him/her. And the everything else will follow. Respect comes with trust, and understanding. If you respect a person, you will trust him, that he/she’s doing things for the better. You would come to a deeper understanding because you respect each other, and each other’s opinions. You will be discipline, because you respect your loved one, and if you respect them, you won’t do anything that would bring them harm. All, in all, I think respect is an essential in a mutual loving relationship. After reading the article, honestly, I was left with no words. I was too breathless, too astonished, too bewildered to even speak. I had to process my thoughts, and get the thoughts of the author in synced with my own. I had to clear my head and catch my breath. I’m not saying that the article gave me too much to handle. All I’m trying to say is that the article is something different from all others that I have read. And now that it’s been a while since I last read the article, I can finally confide with my thoughts and put them into words. After reading this article, I have learned so much, and I can easily say that I have more knowledge about love than I could ever imagine. I never thought I’d see myself writing this essay about love, (which isn’t really my specialty), yet here I am, close to my fourth page. I never knew I had so much to say about love until now. I never knew the impact and effect that article had on me. And all my thoughts, put into a statement after reading Love’s Pain is Its Own Redemption is found in the very first sentence of this entire essay. It seems to me like I just went back to where I started, and let me state (or ask) it again. â€Å"What is love?† I learned that no matter how hard we try to define love, it’s just too big of a paradox to start with. It’s too broad of an idea to put in just a few words in the dictionary. It’s too extraordinary to try and figure out. It’s to magical, to be given any scientific explanation. So I want to end my essay the way I started it. After reading the article written by Joseph Rey Celestino, M.A., I’m left with only one question (and a gazillion more underneath it). What is love?