Anna's Essay

Mr. Salsich
October 20th, 2008
Anna Holt
English 9

Stubbornly Ignorant:
An Essay on Appreciation

“Thanks, I appreciate it,” I said as I walked out of the Shell Station, and even as the words slipped through my lips, I didn’t consider their meaning. It was true that I was happy for the unopened gum in my hands, yet as my slipper-clad feet drug across the pavement, what else did I appreciate? Did I notice the wind blowing my hair into an easy river down my back, or the crisp leaves crunching beneath me, or my mother’s face, nonchalant (FAST) and blasé, as she filled the Acura gas tank (Purposeful Repetition)? Perhaps for just one moment, I was struck by the sheer beauty of everything around me; or perhaps this moment was like all the rest, forgotten and ignored, just one of the millions of memories that will make up my life. Perhaps this is one of the moments that exemplify what appreciation is; or perhaps this moment is a perfect example of what I should have been thankful for as I unwrapped my gum.
(TS)In Zora Neale Hurston's essay, "How It Feels to Be Colored Me", she teaches us not about the things she loves in herself, but about the things that should be appreciated by everyone. (SD) She believes that it is important to recognize not only yourself, but your surroundings. (CM)Along with loving her own achievements, she saw what most people miss about the world. (CM) Ms. Hurston saw the sky and the sun and the air and the happiness that floats around like bubbles making their way through the crowded street. (SD) On one occasion, this woman is entirely captivated (FAST) by an explosion of sound, and looks around to discover that "the great blobs of purple and red emotion have not touched (the man beside her).” (CM) He is impervious (CM)Ms. Hurston is able to find the true beauty, the true meaning, the true sensation of the music she is hearing, while her comrade seems entirely immune to the passion of the notes. (SD)In conclusion, Zora believes that deep down, we are all the same. (CM)We are "a jumble of small things, priceless and worthless." (Purposeful Repetition) (CM)From the deep and passionate people who embrace the world with open arms, to those of us who remain stubbornly ignorant to the wonders of life, we are all the same. (CS)Zora Neale Hurston did not need to appreciate herself; she was able to appreciate the whole world.
(TS)After reading Ms. Hurston’s essay, I wish I could appreciate the things she does, but sadly, I find that I appreciate my friends, my family, and myself more than the subtle beauties of the world. (SD)As I look back on my fourteen years, I am thankful for many things. (CM)The things I appreciate the most are the people in my life who illuminate the darker passages of time. (CM)After that come my opportunities, and my world of happiness to fall back on should I fail when I decided to walk through these open doors. (SD) (SD)While these magnificent entities of life are something to notice, something to love, perhaps I am missing the bigger picture. (CM)Perhaps when I walk out of the gas station and sniff at the overflowing garbage can and energy inefficient vehicles, I am missing the things that need to be noticed. (SD) There are times here and there when I stop to look at the bumble bee hovering above the flower, but once in a while isn’t enough. (CM)I am missing the smile from the woman changing the trash bag, and I am missing the clean air flowing in from the sea (Purposeful Repetition). (CM) I am so consumed with myself, my friends, my life, that I forget to notice what is around me. (CS)Perhaps today, while I see myself and my life for all that they are, I miss the inconsequential subtleties (FAST) of the world; the ones that were made to be appreciated, even if it is only by the lucky people who possess the wisdom to do so.
I am almost back at the car now, and as I reach my hand out to open the door of the passenger’s seat, I bite into that first piece of gum. My mouth explodes in a fury of mint, and for just a moment I stop and inhale. The wind is fierce against my skin, the smell of autumn is crisp as it enters my body, and the sky is a shocking blue that I have never truly noticed until this very second. The birds have never sounded so sweet, the grass never looked so green; I have never been so alive. I forget myself, I let go of everything that I am, and in one brilliant moment, I love the whole entire world.
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