The Necessities of Life

When a child is born, another soul leaves this world. We are told numerous times to live life to the fullest because we only live once. We live every time we open our eyes in the morning, and take that first breath of air. We will only die once. No one is promised a tomorrow. God has a plan for us. We do not know what that plan is, or where it will eventually take us, but He does have a plan. No matter how many hardships we will face, or no matter how many times we want to give up, we cannot lose faith in the plan God has in store for us. Instead of looking ahead to the future, let us look at what is in our present. Try doing something that will make an impact on someone's life. Start putting others' needs before your own, and that will slowly start to make the world a better place just one day at a time. Let's put away our phones, computers, and turn off the televisions, and go out and help someone in need. With one small act, we can change the world.

by: Ashley Meecha      There is no greater feeling in the world than seeing a child overjoyed with happiness. Christmas time is the most important time of year because everyone comes together to reunite as a family. It is also the perfect time of year for children because Santa comes and brings them presents that they absolutely want. On December 15, members of the Elyria Catholic community came together to aid less fortunate children in preparation for the upcoming winter season. Families brought their children to JCPenney's in Elyria where they would be accompanied by a student or another adult on a shopping spree for winter clothing apparel. Each child had a specific list that met his or her needs. Items included shirts, jeans, boots, coats, hats, and gloves. The kids were able to form unique bonds with all of the volunteers that they will all never forget. Seeing a child's face when they receive something amazing is one to remember. This Christmas season, let us al...

The most amazing things will happen when you wait You are in a state where everything is going wrong. You cannot seem to find yourself ahead of the game, and you are behind. Everyone around you seems to have their lives figured out, you do not. You find yourself staying up until dawn thinking about what it is you can do to improve yourself and be like everyone else. At work, everyone talks about how great their marriages are, or how well their children are in school. At school, everyone seems to know what it is they are going to college for, or what it is they want to pursue in life. Just because people are ahead does not mean you are behind. It means that you are extraordinary, and you are taking life as it comes. You are weighing out your options, so you can make the most of it. Your time is coming, when you figure everything out, when you find the love of your life, you will appreciate the wait. Do not ever compare yourself to others because there is no other person like you. Yo...

     Love is a necessity. We need love to survive. Without it, the world would be dark and cold, and we would be struggling to survive. People are falling in and out of love everyday. Love is one of the most difficult ideas to adjust to because it is complicated, with twists and turns that are hard to handle. Love will never fail, no matter how many hardships exist, no matter how many heartbreaks you have gone through, love will never fail. It may take years to encounter, and it may take enough years to find, but it is the greatest asset the human race has to encounter. Love is beautiful, love is kind, and love will never abandon you. So when you feel hopeless or saddened by the ones who broke your heart, do not lose hope in what the future holds for you. 

     Christmas time is the most wonderful time of the year, as well as the busiest. Everywhere you look, parking lots are filled with cars and people are running around the stores trying to find a specific present. To some people, gifts are the most important part of Christmas. While that may be true, it is the giving that is most important. As we get older, reality sinks in. It becomes more difficult to incorporate the magic into celebrating Christmas. This is when the "Santa Effect" comes into action.       The Santa Effect is the gift of giving. The spirit of Santa Claus lives in all of us. The Santa Effect is the most important part of the holiday season because it allows us to put others' needs before our own. Whether it is providing your kids with wonderful gifts that they will always remember, or buying gifts for those who are less fortunate and unable to celebrate Christmas, Santa's existence has lived through you.  Santa's existence may ...

With Thanksgiving around the corner, let us just reflect on the true meaning of this holiday season. Every year, families gather around the table and share in a meal representing the foundation of this country and all of the tradition that follows behind. Sometimes, we forget the true meaning of gathering. We can be blindsided by the wonderful smells and the enormous amounts of food. Thanksgiving is so much more than than food. It is primarily focused on the true meaning of family. Family is the most important value we can share in this lifetime. Some families are unable to celebrate with one another because of many obstacles that appear. We must always value the gift of family because without it, we would not be who we are today. Always be thankful for not just family, but for every wonderful thing that has happened to you.

I decide how I am going to live.  I decide who I am going to be.  I decide what color my hair will be next.  I decide what to wear.  I decide how I am going to look. I decide who I am going to love in this world.  I decide my own actions.  I decide where I am going to go.  I make my own decisions based on who I am.  I decide. 

If everything in life is not going as planned, do not give up on yourself, for there is something out there that is waiting for you and calling out your name. You might not realize it for a long time, but to every bad situation comes a good one. No matter how bad the situation is, DO NOT give up. No matter how difficult events can get, no matter what position you are in, you never give up. Giving up is the Devil's way of defeating you. He laughs at you and watches you struggle. He feeds off your broken heart and whispers "You are worthless." He tries to destroy you, until everything in your body stops and gives up all at once. There is nothing left but the last heartbeat. Your existence is only a memory, and you have given up. Do not let the Devil control you and tell you how to live your life. When situations are too tough to handle, turn away from the evil monster who follows you and turn to the angel who has been protecting you  and cheering you on all along. Do not be...

Fall is the most beautiful time of the year. The leaves change into the most extraordinary colors, pumpkins are assorted all over town, girls are wearing their stylish clothes of leggings, flannel tops, and combat boots, and the heat and humidity from summer comes to an end. September in Elyria, Ohio means that the Annual Apple Festival in Ely Square is just around the corner. Civilians of Elyria can come stop by to try assorted foods, such as greasy, delicious elephant ears and funnel cakes, sticky caramel apples that melt your taste buds, twelve inch corn dogs, amazing smitty burgers, Hershey's wonderful ice cream and amazing chicken paprikash, delicious potato pancakes, and refreshing lemonade etc. Halloween decor also starts to appear in stores, around people's yards, and at different parts of the city. Once the cold weather arrives, blankets and  sweaters come out to play. Everywhere you look, someone is wearing a sweater. Fall means sweater weather, and who does not love ...

What Is Life? To most people, life is supposed to be this beautiful thing that makes us joyful in looking to our future. Life is supposed to be this magical journey we go on, learning new things and exploring new places we have never been before; however, the reality part of life is a little scary. We look at all of the wonderful values life has to offer, and most of the time we forget about all of the negative vibes that can occur. Life is not at all perfect. Yes, good things can happen, but dangerous things happen as well. The scary part is when you start to focus on the negative and scary things, and you start to forget how to be happy. How are you supposed to get through life when everything seems down. People experience life differently, and that is normal. Life IS a journey, an emotional journey that is imaged as a roller coaster. Going up is always the scary part because you do not know what to expect. Do not worry about the future, when you can live in the moment. Liv...