Relationships
by: Seth Cohen 99'

     We often love most in life the things in life that we can somehow relate to. Somethings can often seem so beautiful, so awesome that we think that there is no way for us to ever connect with them. Often, the reason why we enjoy the company of someone so much is because we have some sort of understanding with them. Someone can be the most awesome person in the world, but if we can't share something with them, the relationship quickly evaporates. In a relationship one gives part of himself to another. You let somebody into your heart and they let you into theirs.

     As I was reflecting on this thought I caught an early case of Senioritis. I began to think about what I would say for my senior quote. I thought how often many people list the initials of the names of certain special people in their life. I began thinking of those I would name. The list went on and on and on. I started first by listing family and close friends, but I found I was quickly listing people I wouldn't have judged myself to be that close to. I found that I was quickly listing every person that had ever been nice to me, then every person that had ever smiled at me. The list continued on until I was listing the majority of people I had had contact with in my life. I was listing every person that I had shared some kind of experience with. I was soon seeing nameless faces in my mind. There were people whom I did not even know that had affected my life. My thought continued on to people who had hated me and hurt me. I had given a part of myself to all these people, (the ones that loved me, the ones that hated me, and the ones I did not even know) and they had given a part of themselves to me. After this exchange, both of our lives had been changed, even if it was in the most minuscule manner.

     The idea that we are all on this earth together affecting and molding each other became more clear. I began to see that the something that I shared with everyone was the simple fact of existence. With some people the sharing had just become greater, and therefore more beautiful. But with everyone I had ever encountered I had shared something and they have helped make me who I am today.

     I think that the development of the self is like the learning process. We don't stop learning once we get out of school All of our lives we are being educated. In the same manner the development of the person continues from the second of conception to the moment of death and even beyond that. The person is forever changing, molded by the sole existence and actions of everything in existence, including the sole existence and actions of oneself. The sole existence of all that exists molds us from the inside and the outside. I will be different today from what I was yesterday and I will continue to change and be molded for eternity.