The Journey To Discover - Essay
Editor's Note: This is an essay I wrote in January for my English class. The assignment was to choose three animals you believe you closely resemble, and explain why. Please enjoy!
Picture this: You see somebody walking down the street. This is not some ordinary person, there is something about this person that seems intelligent. Maybe it is their posture, the shape of their glasses, or their clothing. Whatever the reason, you associate this person with an owl. Does that person realize it? Have they done any sort of quest to figure out what animals they resemble? “What about you, William?” you ask, “Why are you writing this?” Well, let me tell you. I am a grade nine student that has recently read the novel Touching Spirit Bear. There are many metaphors in that book about animals. An example of this is, how an animal deals with its problems, gives Cole insight on how he can deal with his problems. He even ended up carving a totem with the animals that Cole learned more about himself from onto it. Furthermore, the animals help Cole discover who he is inside. Recently, I have thought about this too. The first animal I came up with was an otter. Otters are incredible swimmers, just like I am (I mean, I like to swim, but I am not incredible at it). An owl was the next animal that came to mind. Some cultures view owls as eloquent and wise. I like to say to myself that I am both of these things - even if they are not quite true one-hundred percent of the time. The last animal that I thought of - which may seem anomalous at first - was the sea lion. Sea lions tend to be charming, plucky animals. Friends of mine have described me like that in a few instances. In the past few days, I have gone on what some would call a ‘journey’ to find what animals l closely resemble, to help me solve my problems and learn more about myself.
Being finicky is a leading trait in otters and myself. An example is that otters only really enjoy seafood. When I was younger, and even now sometimes, I was a finicky eater. I absolutely despised having different types of food touch each other. “You just can’t have the barbecue sauce touching the rice, mom!” I would say. Other people would tell me, “It’s all going to the same place, William. Why does it matter?” To which I would reply, “Well, I can’t taste it when it’s in my belly, now can I?” Finicky eating is not an execrable thing. There are some deep philosophical advantages to it. For example, I learn that I should only do or have things in life that I want to do or have. Settling for what is adequate is not something I should do when I have options that are much more beneficial to me. Another trait otters and I have in common is being unassuming. For whatever reason that is what some spirit animal website said about otters. A little known fact about otters, is that they tend to avoid leadership roles. They are attached to being in groups where all members are equal. Basically, that means that otters clearly do not want to be the center of attention. Otters would rather have someone else be leader while they help them unnoticed, from the sidelines. In the years 2013, 2014, and 2015, I participated in the school’s talent show. Now, that may not sound very modest to you, but it is not the fact I was in the talent show that makes me unassuming. It is what happened after the talent show itself. People would come up to me and tell me what a great job I did, I would reply, “Thanks, but [insert name here] did so much better.” That person would then tell me that I shouldn’t be too hard on myself. The truth of the matter is, I do not want to sound egotistical. I know I am funny (shh! I realize that that was egotistical, but I am trying to make a point, okay?), but saying that to somebody would obviously make them rethink their nice compliment to me. Moreover, a trait I share with an otter is their communicativeness. Did you know, otters can be seen in groups of around eight to twelve members? Therefore, they do not have a care in the world about what the other otters think about them. They are otters! They do not care about anything! If the otters did care about what other otters thought about them, they would not travel in such large groups. They would just stay home and watch Netflix all by themselves (I am kidding, but you understand what I am trying to say). Throughout junior high, I have improved on my confidence. Before I came to this school, I was a lot more insecure about silly little things like my teeth, than I am now. I used to have an inside thought every time I smiled, I should not be smiling right now! What if I creep Jimmy out? Nowadays, I smile 24/7 without a care in the world. I do not care if the other person does not like my teeth, or if they do not like my hair. Those kinds of things do not bother me anymore. Another thing you may not know about otters is that they have incredible swimming ability. Otters live in the water, feed in the water, and do the majority of their other activities in the water (especially if it is a european otter or a sea otter). I relate to otters in that sense because I absolutely love to swim. Sure, I am not quite good at it, but I still love it! My love for swimming is something I have grown into. I consistently failed the grade one swimming level because I was afraid to put my head under the water. The thought of getting water in my eyes, not being able to see where I was swimming frequently made me second guess my choice to get into the pool. It was not until I got my first pair of goggles that I started to pass swimming levels. No longer did I have the fear of the water, and I could enjoy the feeling of a current brushing against me. All in all, there are many traits I share with otters, and there are many things I have learned from comparing myself with them.
The otter is not the only thing that I closely resemble, I also resemble an owl. To start off with, owls are used as symbolism for intelligence and wiseness. Even though it has been proven that owls are not the smartest of animals, they still look wise. In school, my grades have almost always (stupid elementary gym class!) been honours. That is due to my love of learning and how hard I try. Those two things really help me to become wiser and more intelligent in my day to day life. Furthermore, my love of reading has helped me immensely become more wise about life. Reading books such as ‘An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth’ by Chris Hadfield has definitely improved my ability to intelligently give people advice with life problems. I say that because Chris Hadfield’s book focuses a lot on solving life’s problems, so I apply what he advises to my everyday life. In addition, another trait I resemble with an owl is the eloquence that they are said to have. Eloquence usually comes with being wise. If you are wise, you are also eloquent. If you are eloquent, you are also wise. Due to owls being considered ‘wise’ they are therefore also considered to be ‘eloquent’. The reason I consider myself to be eloquent is because I have to be. Every year 4-H Canada holds a public speaking competition. Therefore, eloquence seriously helps a public speaker speak so as to captivate their audience. In closing, eloquence and intelligence are two things you will learn about me when you look at my relations with an owl.
The last animal I have found that I closely resemble is the sea lion. Firstly, this is due to a sea lion’s enthusiasm. Sea lions are known for their ability to perform tricks in front of audiences. Every time I have seen a sea lion perform, they seem eager to do what they are doing. Enthusiasm is a huge part of my life. I believe that enthusiasm in all forms is extremely important. Practically, I solve every problem I have had with enthusiasm. Why? Because enthusiasm is the duct tape of life; you can use it to fix anything! One instance in which I used enthusiasm to fix a problem is when I am stressed out about a test. All I do is think to myself, It will all be over soon, do not worry about it. After thinking that I instantly feel a lot better. Secondly, sea lions and I are both charming. Whenever a sea lion is performing in front of a crowd, they automatically captivate them. Everyone is drawn to the sea lion, and completely enjoy what the sea lion is doing. Who does not? Furthermore, the pleasantness of a sea lion seriously helps to make it more charming. The charming in me truly comes out when I am in a classroom surrounded by other people. My sense of humour is one of those that just about everyone enjoys. I burst out laughing even at the littlest of things (such as somebody stumbling on their words). People that sit next to me usually start to giggle as well, due to my contagious laughter. Lastly, sea lions are considered to be plucky. Essentially, that is because sea lions are able to perform in front of such large groups of people without getting nervous. Sea lions do not care that there could be over one hundred eyes staring at them. Pluckiness in me truly comes out when I am on a stage, just like the sea lion. Whether, that means public speaking or doing a comedy routine, I have high amounts of courage. True, I know that there are around three hundred people staring at me. And true, I know that they are probably both implicitly and explicitly judging me. Even though I know those two things, they just do not really get to me. I understand that other’s opinion of me does not really matter. All in all, my enthusiasm, charmingness, and pluckiness are what you can learn about me by looking at my similarities with sea lions.
Otters, owls, and sea lions define who I am. Throughout this three day quest for the answer to who I am inside I have learned so many things about my personality that I did not know before. They - as well as myself - are unassuming, intelligent, and enthusiastic. In conclusion, comparing oneself to animals really helps a person understand who they are. The use of metaphors help an unbelievable amount in the journey to discover who you are as a person.
Picture this: You see somebody walking down the street. This is not some ordinary person, there is something about this person that seems intelligent. Maybe it is their posture, the shape of their glasses, or their clothing. Whatever the reason, you associate this person with an owl. Does that person realize it? Have they done any sort of quest to figure out what animals they resemble? “What about you, William?” you ask, “Why are you writing this?” Well, let me tell you. I am a grade nine student that has recently read the novel Touching Spirit Bear. There are many metaphors in that book about animals. An example of this is, how an animal deals with its problems, gives Cole insight on how he can deal with his problems. He even ended up carving a totem with the animals that Cole learned more about himself from onto it. Furthermore, the animals help Cole discover who he is inside. Recently, I have thought about this too. The first animal I came up with was an otter. Otters are incredible swimmers, just like I am (I mean, I like to swim, but I am not incredible at it). An owl was the next animal that came to mind. Some cultures view owls as eloquent and wise. I like to say to myself that I am both of these things - even if they are not quite true one-hundred percent of the time. The last animal that I thought of - which may seem anomalous at first - was the sea lion. Sea lions tend to be charming, plucky animals. Friends of mine have described me like that in a few instances. In the past few days, I have gone on what some would call a ‘journey’ to find what animals l closely resemble, to help me solve my problems and learn more about myself.
Being finicky is a leading trait in otters and myself. An example is that otters only really enjoy seafood. When I was younger, and even now sometimes, I was a finicky eater. I absolutely despised having different types of food touch each other. “You just can’t have the barbecue sauce touching the rice, mom!” I would say. Other people would tell me, “It’s all going to the same place, William. Why does it matter?” To which I would reply, “Well, I can’t taste it when it’s in my belly, now can I?” Finicky eating is not an execrable thing. There are some deep philosophical advantages to it. For example, I learn that I should only do or have things in life that I want to do or have. Settling for what is adequate is not something I should do when I have options that are much more beneficial to me. Another trait otters and I have in common is being unassuming. For whatever reason that is what some spirit animal website said about otters. A little known fact about otters, is that they tend to avoid leadership roles. They are attached to being in groups where all members are equal. Basically, that means that otters clearly do not want to be the center of attention. Otters would rather have someone else be leader while they help them unnoticed, from the sidelines. In the years 2013, 2014, and 2015, I participated in the school’s talent show. Now, that may not sound very modest to you, but it is not the fact I was in the talent show that makes me unassuming. It is what happened after the talent show itself. People would come up to me and tell me what a great job I did, I would reply, “Thanks, but [insert name here] did so much better.” That person would then tell me that I shouldn’t be too hard on myself. The truth of the matter is, I do not want to sound egotistical. I know I am funny (shh! I realize that that was egotistical, but I am trying to make a point, okay?), but saying that to somebody would obviously make them rethink their nice compliment to me. Moreover, a trait I share with an otter is their communicativeness. Did you know, otters can be seen in groups of around eight to twelve members? Therefore, they do not have a care in the world about what the other otters think about them. They are otters! They do not care about anything! If the otters did care about what other otters thought about them, they would not travel in such large groups. They would just stay home and watch Netflix all by themselves (I am kidding, but you understand what I am trying to say). Throughout junior high, I have improved on my confidence. Before I came to this school, I was a lot more insecure about silly little things like my teeth, than I am now. I used to have an inside thought every time I smiled, I should not be smiling right now! What if I creep Jimmy out? Nowadays, I smile 24/7 without a care in the world. I do not care if the other person does not like my teeth, or if they do not like my hair. Those kinds of things do not bother me anymore. Another thing you may not know about otters is that they have incredible swimming ability. Otters live in the water, feed in the water, and do the majority of their other activities in the water (especially if it is a european otter or a sea otter). I relate to otters in that sense because I absolutely love to swim. Sure, I am not quite good at it, but I still love it! My love for swimming is something I have grown into. I consistently failed the grade one swimming level because I was afraid to put my head under the water. The thought of getting water in my eyes, not being able to see where I was swimming frequently made me second guess my choice to get into the pool. It was not until I got my first pair of goggles that I started to pass swimming levels. No longer did I have the fear of the water, and I could enjoy the feeling of a current brushing against me. All in all, there are many traits I share with otters, and there are many things I have learned from comparing myself with them.
The otter is not the only thing that I closely resemble, I also resemble an owl. To start off with, owls are used as symbolism for intelligence and wiseness. Even though it has been proven that owls are not the smartest of animals, they still look wise. In school, my grades have almost always (stupid elementary gym class!) been honours. That is due to my love of learning and how hard I try. Those two things really help me to become wiser and more intelligent in my day to day life. Furthermore, my love of reading has helped me immensely become more wise about life. Reading books such as ‘An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth’ by Chris Hadfield has definitely improved my ability to intelligently give people advice with life problems. I say that because Chris Hadfield’s book focuses a lot on solving life’s problems, so I apply what he advises to my everyday life. In addition, another trait I resemble with an owl is the eloquence that they are said to have. Eloquence usually comes with being wise. If you are wise, you are also eloquent. If you are eloquent, you are also wise. Due to owls being considered ‘wise’ they are therefore also considered to be ‘eloquent’. The reason I consider myself to be eloquent is because I have to be. Every year 4-H Canada holds a public speaking competition. Therefore, eloquence seriously helps a public speaker speak so as to captivate their audience. In closing, eloquence and intelligence are two things you will learn about me when you look at my relations with an owl.
The last animal I have found that I closely resemble is the sea lion. Firstly, this is due to a sea lion’s enthusiasm. Sea lions are known for their ability to perform tricks in front of audiences. Every time I have seen a sea lion perform, they seem eager to do what they are doing. Enthusiasm is a huge part of my life. I believe that enthusiasm in all forms is extremely important. Practically, I solve every problem I have had with enthusiasm. Why? Because enthusiasm is the duct tape of life; you can use it to fix anything! One instance in which I used enthusiasm to fix a problem is when I am stressed out about a test. All I do is think to myself, It will all be over soon, do not worry about it. After thinking that I instantly feel a lot better. Secondly, sea lions and I are both charming. Whenever a sea lion is performing in front of a crowd, they automatically captivate them. Everyone is drawn to the sea lion, and completely enjoy what the sea lion is doing. Who does not? Furthermore, the pleasantness of a sea lion seriously helps to make it more charming. The charming in me truly comes out when I am in a classroom surrounded by other people. My sense of humour is one of those that just about everyone enjoys. I burst out laughing even at the littlest of things (such as somebody stumbling on their words). People that sit next to me usually start to giggle as well, due to my contagious laughter. Lastly, sea lions are considered to be plucky. Essentially, that is because sea lions are able to perform in front of such large groups of people without getting nervous. Sea lions do not care that there could be over one hundred eyes staring at them. Pluckiness in me truly comes out when I am on a stage, just like the sea lion. Whether, that means public speaking or doing a comedy routine, I have high amounts of courage. True, I know that there are around three hundred people staring at me. And true, I know that they are probably both implicitly and explicitly judging me. Even though I know those two things, they just do not really get to me. I understand that other’s opinion of me does not really matter. All in all, my enthusiasm, charmingness, and pluckiness are what you can learn about me by looking at my similarities with sea lions.
Otters, owls, and sea lions define who I am. Throughout this three day quest for the answer to who I am inside I have learned so many things about my personality that I did not know before. They - as well as myself - are unassuming, intelligent, and enthusiastic. In conclusion, comparing oneself to animals really helps a person understand who they are. The use of metaphors help an unbelievable amount in the journey to discover who you are as a person.
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