BOOKS!!!!!!

This week in class one of the topics of discussion we had were on books and the influences they have had on our lives.  Three books that have influences my life starting from when I was a child would be, "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein, "Eat Pray Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert and " Go Ask Alice" by Anonymous.

 "The Giving Tree," by Shel Silverstein was first read to me by my grandmother and I loved the story after the first time.  It has taught me and continues to teach children the concept of sharing and how to be compassionate.  For example, sharing is demonstrated through the use of the tree and the boys relationship when she offers the boys numerous items so that he can achieve or be happy.  This not only shows children how to share, but also gives them a sense of compassion for others and how to care for another being other then themselves.
 Eat Pray Love, By Elizabeth Gilbert is a book about one women's adventure after a harsh divorce to find herself and explore the different cultures of the world.  It has been influential to my life because it has reminded me to be more open minded about different cultures and ways of life because you never know what you can learn from them or the influence you can have on them by sharing your own customs and ways of life.  It has also taught me to take more chances and that simply because something may be different or seem hard the challenge may bring something excellent to one's life in return. 

Last but not least the book called Go Ask Alice by Anonymous has been an influential book in my life because it addresses one girls severe inner conflicts and the battles she has with her self to find her place in the world.  She, similar to many other young teenage girls battles with self esteem issues and the overbearing issues of self perception and the urning to be perfect.  She magnifies these issues, and to me by presenting them in such a light it showed me the unhealthy version of such thoughts and how they could possibly be hurtful if not properly dealt with. The book helped me grasp the concept that no one is perfect and that is absolutely OK.