Life is what you make it

Life is Good
I have a philosophy; Life is what you make it. It can be dark clouds and muddy roads, or it can be blue skies and no speed limit. My life is good. I have very little to complain about. I’m well fed, well educated, well treated. I have a job to pay for the things I want. I have a car that doesn’t really run. Okay, that’s not such a good thing, but on the bright side it’s an opportunity to learn how to fix it. I have a good church, and a very good family. My parents have never abused me, or treated me wrong on purpose. I am very blessed.
Last year, a friend of mine from Hillcrest asked me to their Sweetheart Dance, since it was girl’s choice. She asked me quite a while in advance, but I never quite got the date of the dance. I was at a debate tournament at Bonneville High School when said friend calls me up and says, “Hey, I overslept, so we’ll start our day date at 11 instead.” This was news to me! I thought the dance was the following week! I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I felt horrible. Insert my philosophy here. This is where I decided to make life good. I called up my Mom and worked out a very complicated schedule. She scrambled to help me find a corsage (thanks Mom!) that just happened to match my date’s dress perfectly. I changed my tie, brushed my teeth, and set off for Idaho Falls.
The night was a blast. I’m very glad it all worked out, even though I felt terrible for unintentionally standing this poor girl up for our day date. I had a great time, and that just shows how life can either be good or bad, depending on how you make it. I could’ve said forget the whole thing, but thank Heavens I didn’t; I had an incredible time!
Sometimes this philosophy can’t be inserted in a split-second, however. Sometimes it takes grit and effort to make life what you want. I have a friend (we’ll call her Jane) that on the outside would appear to have had a hard time in life. Insert my philosophy here. Jane has decided to make life the best she can. She’s in honor classes, holds a position in her student government, and plays soccer. She’s one of those friends I go to when I need advice. Jane is a year younger than myself, but sometimes I think she is a quote machine. I’ll be whining about how hard life is, and she’ll say, “If life weren’t hard, you would never enjoy the good times.” I recently went through a tough time, and she was there to remind me, “Pain is all a part of growing up.” She is an example of my philosophy; Life is what you make it.
As Americans, we are all blessed beyond comprehension. You have a lot going for you because of that. I get so busy sometimes; life seems to go by in a blur. I have Honor Society meetings, and Pep Band, Debate practices, and Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council meetings, not to mention the test in American Government I forgot about! I have no warrant to complain though. I love my life and wouldn’t trade it with you for anything. So the next time you find yourself wondering why your life always seems to be in a maelstrom, just remember; “Life is what you make it.”

(P.S. i need some ideas for my next article. It's due tomorrow. Got any???)