MyEagleNews.com
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
Daily Perspective Can Change Your Life
Can one thought change your whole day? If
you could make one simple decision to make each
day great would you? It’s quite easy; I promise you
because it’s all about your perspective. When you
look back on a day you have to make a choice, you
can dwell on the details that make each and every
day bad or choose to look at the wealth of positive
moments that occurred.
I have put a lot of thought in these
statements over the past few years and also into
Erika Dickens
one particular story and together they changed my
Salutatorian
life. As most of you know, I had a twin brother and
his name was AJ. He was my best friend, and you could always find us zooming
around the streets of Mount Vernon in his wheelchair or playing legos. When
we were about six years old, he started to fall a lot and lose control of his
legs. It was a very strange time because we had no idea why he would just
fall at random moments throughout the day. Well, we later found out that my
brother had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. This condition caused his muscles
to quit working essentially, and it started in his lower legs. Later on, he had
to start using a motorized wheelchair to get around as his muscles began to
get weaker and weaker, and he struggled with many different things daily. For
example, watching everyone else get to move and play, not being able to get
his own food or grab a cup of water by himself when he needed it. He never
showed that it was hard for him and not once did I ever hear him complain
about any of it. There is one day in particular that really shows me how much
perspective can have an impact on our lives, and it happened when we were
twelve years old. My brother was playing legos as usual at the table and was
talking to my mother. He said to her, “Mom I have never had a bad day.” What?
Did I hear this correctly? My mom told me the story and I had to stop and think
for a second, “how could my brother who struggled the most out of anyone
I knew have never had a bad day?” It took me until after he had passed away
the next year to truly realize how he had never had a bad day. Those next few
A9
years were tough, and they really taught me to redirect my thoughts about
each day because AJ wasn’t focusing on his legs never working or not being
able to get in bed by himself. He even overlooked how he was unable to go to
a lot of cool places or even to the mountains, things we take for granted, no
he was able to forget all that because his focus was elsewhere. He saw the day
as: I can be awake today, I can play with legos, I can have Tanner Way or Austin
Cates come over to hang out, or at least I still have mobility in my arms. He
was positive, and he saw each day for the good in it. I learned from him that no
matter what life is going to throw my way I can get through it because of one
simple fact, every SINGLE day has something worth appreciating.
This fact can be applied to many things in our lives, probably the greatest,
most recent example is this year. We have had many disappointments in the
past three months and everyone is going through something different. I think
we can all agree it’s sad that we have to end a senior year this way; however,
we can’t be upset with everything and stay absorbed in all these things that
have got us down. There are many things in the past few months that I’m sure
have been amazing, like getting to hang out with your friends more before
we all have to start our lives, or even just hanging out with family. I know that
I look back on all these days and even though they were sad that’s not how I
remember them. In my memory, this entire time has been wonderful. I got to
hang out with my friends and family before I leave in a few days. I’m thankful
I got to have a summer before I don’t see them for a while. These times have
proved to me even more that everyday is what you make it, your thoughts and
perspective on a day.
If everyday is a choice why not choose to remember the good instead
of dwelling on the negative moments. The little moments are sometimes the
best so focus on those and not that you had a bad day at work or got in a fight
with someone. People desire a full and happy life and some will say that comes
with age, money, or fame. But I would argue against their case, to be happy is
to choose to be happy, to be thankful for those little moments that have made
the day hopeful or successful. And when you change your perspective on life
and choose to be happy and remember the days for the good, you can live a
life with no bad days!
Taylor Hunt
Kohlten Jones
Ellie Justice
Mya Kilby
Megan McManama
Baylee Metcalf
Kyllian Moon
Tristan Morris
Brittani Moss
Warner Robertson
Elisha Sheedy
Donavan Smith
Emily Springer
Sequoya Swearingin
Athena Tipton
Tiler Voigt
Emilie Updegrave
Violet Wyatt
Kaytlyn Wells
Cierra Wyllie
Charlee Wolf
Damion Young
Scholar Athlete - Tiler Voigt, Drew Lusco
OASSA Students of Merit - Ericka Dickens (Science, Math, Business/Marketing), Frank Douglas (PE/
Health), Drew Lusco (Social Science), Warner Robertson (Industrial Arts/Vocational Ag),
Ellie Justice (Performing Arts)
School Citizenship Awards - Erika Dickens, Taylor Hunt
School Activities Award - Ellie Justice
Principal’s Leadership Award - Drew Lusco
OSAA Oregon Scholar Athlete - Drew Lusco, Erika Dickens, Donavan Smith, Gage Brandon, Ellie
Justice, Samantha Floyd, Tiler Voigt, Emily Springer
Gold Club - Taylor Hunt, Russell Hodge, Drew Lusco, Mason Gerry, Kaytlyn Wells
S191585-1
