FRIENDSHIPBy: Aiza Molinilla
Our friendship will live forever
Breaking it will be never
Challenges from God may be delivered
But we will always stand together
Our friendship will be as precious as gold
We will hold it as we grow old
No one will ever break this chain
We’ll go on even if there is pain
Summer, winter and autumn may pass
But our friendship will forever last
Breaking it will be never
Challenges from God may be delivered
But we will always stand together
Our friendship will be as precious as gold
We will hold it as we grow old
No one will ever break this chain
We’ll go on even if there is painSummer, winter and autumn may pass
But our friendship will forever last
You
By: Aiza MolinillaYou are my shining star
Always with me even though how far
When I cry in the rain
You are always with me to share the pain
You love me for who I amAnd you treasure me for who I Am
When I always fail
You guide me along the sad trail
You catch me when I fall
And you are the best friend of all
Your sweet embrace when I am sad
Will eventually make me glad
You are my friend
Or rather my close friend
You are my best friend
A gift from heaven
“Why Is An Education Important To my Future?”
My future is a place where I have to spend the rest of my life. I have many experiences to look forward to and enjoy, and I'll also have different times when things aren't so good. Education plays a very important role in making my life in the future as complete and fulfilling as possible.
In my future I have to consider many occurrences that I will be required to face. There are goals that need to be attained. I will want to have a beautiful home...a good car...get married...have children..., the possibilities are endless. I will want to give back to my community and join different clubs and organizations. I would like to help children that are in troubled situations and encourage them that there is hope. I want to travel the world and see new places and different cultures. I want to know how technology works. I want to be involved.
How can I accomplish these things? Well, there are two paths I can follow. The first "option" is if I don't consider going to college, I can leave high school and begin working in a difficult job with minimum pay, if I can even find one. This job will cause me to work longer hours, giving me less time. I can probably rent an apartment and only go to it in-between work shifts. I will have less time to look for a wife and get married. Children are now completely out of the question because they need a great amount of time and they are very expensive. I will not be able to take vacation time to see the world as I would like to because I do not have any paid vacation and I can't take time off because the bills are piled high. My low paying job without any benefits and no skill development has caused me to lose the important times of my life and my dreams are shattered.The other path I can take is getting a college education. I can graduate from high school and begin my life as a college student in the city or area I wish. I can learn in and out of the classroom about new and exciting ideas in technology and about my life as well. I can grow into a responsible adult. I can become involved in the college organizations, meet new people, and have fun as well. I can receive my knowledge and degrees and work where I want to work. I will be able to have the time and ability to show the children of my community how important an education really is and become a positive role model to them. I will now be able to afford the home that I have always dreamed of.
I can find the wife of my dreams and have the choice of having children without having to worry as much about bills and problems. I will have the intellectual strength to tackle the difficult times in life and enjoy it more. I will be able to travel to new places and see how different cultures live along with the beautiful sights around the world. I can do what I feel is right for my life and even if I do not accomplish all of my dreams I did better than if I would have never tried at all.
I love to learn new ideas, and I have bright plans for my future. I know that college will offer me a wonderful experience with endless opportunity. I will contribute to society rather than take from it. I will show every person that has ever helped me, that their efforts have paid off on me and that I never gave up when the obstacles stood in front of me. I can have many things that I never had as a child, and I can have knowledge to pass on to the future generations.
My education is important to my future because it is the true line between living a full life with all my dreams at my fingertips, and living with a sense of insecurity and merely getting by.
My Education is the Wise Choice.
In my future I have to consider many occurrences that I will be required to face. There are goals that need to be attained. I will want to have a beautiful home...a good car...get married...have children..., the possibilities are endless. I will want to give back to my community and join different clubs and organizations. I would like to help children that are in troubled situations and encourage them that there is hope. I want to travel the world and see new places and different cultures. I want to know how technology works. I want to be involved.
How can I accomplish these things? Well, there are two paths I can follow. The first "option" is if I don't consider going to college, I can leave high school and begin working in a difficult job with minimum pay, if I can even find one. This job will cause me to work longer hours, giving me less time. I can probably rent an apartment and only go to it in-between work shifts. I will have less time to look for a wife and get married. Children are now completely out of the question because they need a great amount of time and they are very expensive. I will not be able to take vacation time to see the world as I would like to because I do not have any paid vacation and I can't take time off because the bills are piled high. My low paying job without any benefits and no skill development has caused me to lose the important times of my life and my dreams are shattered.The other path I can take is getting a college education. I can graduate from high school and begin my life as a college student in the city or area I wish. I can learn in and out of the classroom about new and exciting ideas in technology and about my life as well. I can grow into a responsible adult. I can become involved in the college organizations, meet new people, and have fun as well. I can receive my knowledge and degrees and work where I want to work. I will be able to have the time and ability to show the children of my community how important an education really is and become a positive role model to them. I will now be able to afford the home that I have always dreamed of.
I can find the wife of my dreams and have the choice of having children without having to worry as much about bills and problems. I will have the intellectual strength to tackle the difficult times in life and enjoy it more. I will be able to travel to new places and see how different cultures live along with the beautiful sights around the world. I can do what I feel is right for my life and even if I do not accomplish all of my dreams I did better than if I would have never tried at all.
I love to learn new ideas, and I have bright plans for my future. I know that college will offer me a wonderful experience with endless opportunity. I will contribute to society rather than take from it. I will show every person that has ever helped me, that their efforts have paid off on me and that I never gave up when the obstacles stood in front of me. I can have many things that I never had as a child, and I can have knowledge to pass on to the future generations.
My education is important to my future because it is the true line between living a full life with all my dreams at my fingertips, and living with a sense of insecurity and merely getting by.
My Education is the Wise Choice.
“Fruit Bowl”
By: Aiza Molinilla
By: Aiza Molinilla
Going back to the years when I was young, back to when an infant's mind can generate worlds of innocent adventures, of fantastical creatures and impossible area. Escaping reality and slipping into another. I return to one summer holiday during which our twin cousins, Bryan and April, were staying with us. My older brother Jhaybhie, I and little sister Gean, combined with the twins, made a great team. Within the first week of the holiday, even as we were all in the woods that surrounded our property we met a girl named Pauling. She told us that she lived there in the forest alone and without family. Looking back now I imagine she were a little older than Jhaybhie, who then had just celebrated his eleventh birthday. In blamelessness we believed all that she said and allowed her to play our games. She soon introduced us to a game of her own which neither one of us had heard of. It was called Fruit Bowl, and the general idea of which was this: As two teams of three we would each construct a camouflage base somewhere around the forest without the opposing team knowing of its location. This housed a chipped fruit bowl that was placed in the center. Both teams would then carry berries, toadstools and broken bark, transferring the lot into the bowl of the opposition when the base was discovered. Simple, granted, though we seemed never to tire of it. Every morning the five of us would leave the table after breakfast and be out heading for the forest before Mom could scream for us to take care. As expected, Pauling would be somewhere around, either up a tree or sitting cross-legged at the base of one. Dressed in her familiar red dress, shiny black shoes, and dark hair bouncing on the wind.
One mid-summer morning, with a burning sun drenching sweet woody smells, we were playing Fruit Bowl. Two teams consisting of myself, Bryan and Pauling, and the other of Jhaybhie, Gean and April. We had built our base near the stream at the edge of my parents’ property; beyond this we never dared risk. Mom and Dad said that an elderly lady owned it, living in a hut somewhere amidst the trees. Jhaybhie had named it Witch Land and this had fuelled our fears. Even the twins were cautious of it, and little Gean simply took it as a bad place.
Whilst the three of us stood there, listening to the stream tickling the bank, we gazed at our base.” It’s excellent." Said Bryan. I nodded and said:” That’s because it’s lower to the ground.” And the roof’s made of so much leaves and stuff, you can hardly see it." Added Pauling. We were all proud of it.” I suppose," Bryan thought aloud, "it’s also near Witch Land, and they won’t go near the river. You know what Gean and April’s like.” That’s true." I replied and noticed Pauling frowning.” Witch Land? Why do you call it that?" She asked. Bryan turned to me and said:” Because that’s what it is, isn’t it Mark?""Yeah!" I replied. "A witch lives somewhere behind those trees.” I pointed and Pauling followed my finger.” Really?" She smiled.” Over the stream and into those woods is all Witch Land." I shrugged, "we never go over there.” It’s not that scary over there!" Pauling giggled pleasantly.” Have you been over there then?” Yes." She said, rather ominously."Oh." Bryan whispered.” I don’t believe you." I said to her, "no one can go there. The Witch will get you.” Don’t be silly," she snorted, "the Witch can’t get you, she’s dead.”Bryan remained silent.” The Witch is dead? How?" I asked, surely I had said the word ‘Witch’ too many times!” She ate some poisonous fruit." Pauling said, somewhat with pride. "We played a game of Fruit Bowl, and I found her base before she found mine. I filled her bowl up with a poisonous mixture I made, mixed it with the fruit and she ate it and died.” She said all this with such sincerity that both I and Bryan remained silent a little while after. Barely above a whisper had Bryan clawed the silence:”Then?” I buried her body and straight away a tree with big red apples grew!” Bryan’ eyes were wide. I believed her although surely it couldn’t be true? How can apple trees grow from where witches were buried?” Is this tree as bad as the Witch?" I asked. Cringing at the realization that I had said the word again.” No," she replied, "the apples are the best I’ve ever eaten!” I shivered and turned to Bryan. He looked ill.” I’ll show you where the tree is. It’s safe over there now and we can have some fun!"Pauling grinned, excitedly clapping her hands. I swallowed and Bryan visibly shakes. Silence fuelled our fears and my mind gave birth to thoughts so crazy I found it impossible to keep afloat with them.
The Witch...Whilst I chewed over my frightened thoughts, I became aware of sounds a little way down the stream. Involuntarily pulling myself from one fear to face another:There were splashes among terrified screams. It was Gean I ran. Following the flow along and into a relatively darker part of the wood, I came to the source of commotion.
Everything escalated from there. My initial discovery was of both Gean and April knee profound in water, whilst Jhaybhie stood on......On Witch Land!" Jhaybhie!" I shouted over sudden furious splashing. The girls appeared to be struggling with a huge mass of branches, whilst Jhaybhie stood silent, entranced by something at his feet. He stood by the trunk of a fallen tree, and on the instant he glanced up, eyes focusing upon my own, he fell backwards in a slap of leaves, his body laying still...A branch had stretched outwards from this tree and coiled itself around the two girls where they wrestled with it. There was too much to take in. I could see the soles of Jhaybhie’s shoes, in front of which the ground heaved and tiny clods of earth clouded the air as if an angry mole surged beneath. From behind me Bryan grunted and flew into my back, obviously losing his footing. I landed blindly into the stream, cracking my forehead against Witch Land. Through dripping hair I saw Bryan climbing up the opposite bank, glancing desperately and with complete disgust behind him, somewhere above my head. With water pouring from my soaked clothes I staggered to my feet, turning to see Pauling. She was standing hand in hand with the Witch. I rubbed water from my eyes and stared in doubt. Where Pauling shone in her red dress, the Witch stood in dull rags. Clumps of earth and leaves attached to the torn garments. Her hair a mass of dirt, lank and tangled, was obscuring wrinkled features.
Her face as drawn as dying flowers, within which sat two sad yellow eyes, a small nose and a withered smile. Fear rooting my limbs solid, I felt myself lifted out of the water, and upontoWitchLand."Did you like my game?" Asked the Witch as she gently dropped me to my knees. I stared up at them, dumb as mud.” I don’t think he understands." Said Pauling. They both smile simultaneously.” Let us show you." Whispered the Witch as she took a side step towards Pauling. In the next moment their bodies touched and slid over one another like two sheets of glass. Pauling’s red dress becoming one with the Witch’s tattered rags in a psychedelic twist, pretty features shifting across a haggard face. Churning colors like spiral rainbows of pink and red, black and brown. Such wonderfully interlacing palettes any artist would adore. As swift as the transition began did it end, and left standing there was the Witch herself. Pauling no longer at her side. She was dressed in almost the adult equal of the child’s dress, with hair as dark.
A good many years had been taken away, and given any other situation she would have appeared as any regular Mother. I found the strength in my legs to stand up.” We are one and the same, Pauling and I." Said the Witch. "Being young again was the only way in which to fulfill my needs and to gain your trust in order to play Fruit Bowl.” I frowned, a question mark hanging from my lips."Every time we played, and both bowls were filled with mud fruits my powers intensified. Finally restored after such a long and painful time.
When Pauling told you that the Witch ate poisonous fruit that was true. I’ve been ill for over a century now, slowly dying. This summer I completed the spell of childhood-regeneration. Casting it upon my withering body, Pauling was temporarily born.” As the Witch looked away from me I noticed that the others had congregated around us. Including Jhaybhie who appeared confused and thankfully unhurt.” I hope I didn’t scare you two." The Witch said to the girls. "I needed you to remain still even as I fed from the earth.” They both stood in silence.” I thank you all.” With that last she touched her lips to her palm and slowly clenched her fist. A second later she vanished, leaving us alone with nothing other than our thoughts. And without further words we strode off towards home, never to see Pauling again. Now, with my thoughts turning over that summer, I wonder if our imagination created that adventure. Although recent events may possibly prove otherwise. Next weekend we are off to stay with Mom and Dad. Earlier today our son, Kurt, was talking to one of his cousins on the telephone. Apparently Jhaybhie arrived there last week, and was now relishing the countryside like any lost addiction. It sounds like the children favor the woods. Of course, I may have been mistaken as to what I overheard. I cannot help feeling slightly concerned as to whether their game of Fruit Bowl shall be entirely innocent...
One mid-summer morning, with a burning sun drenching sweet woody smells, we were playing Fruit Bowl. Two teams consisting of myself, Bryan and Pauling, and the other of Jhaybhie, Gean and April. We had built our base near the stream at the edge of my parents’ property; beyond this we never dared risk. Mom and Dad said that an elderly lady owned it, living in a hut somewhere amidst the trees. Jhaybhie had named it Witch Land and this had fuelled our fears. Even the twins were cautious of it, and little Gean simply took it as a bad place.
Whilst the three of us stood there, listening to the stream tickling the bank, we gazed at our base.” It’s excellent." Said Bryan. I nodded and said:” That’s because it’s lower to the ground.” And the roof’s made of so much leaves and stuff, you can hardly see it." Added Pauling. We were all proud of it.” I suppose," Bryan thought aloud, "it’s also near Witch Land, and they won’t go near the river. You know what Gean and April’s like.” That’s true." I replied and noticed Pauling frowning.” Witch Land? Why do you call it that?" She asked. Bryan turned to me and said:” Because that’s what it is, isn’t it Mark?""Yeah!" I replied. "A witch lives somewhere behind those trees.” I pointed and Pauling followed my finger.” Really?" She smiled.” Over the stream and into those woods is all Witch Land." I shrugged, "we never go over there.” It’s not that scary over there!" Pauling giggled pleasantly.” Have you been over there then?” Yes." She said, rather ominously."Oh." Bryan whispered.” I don’t believe you." I said to her, "no one can go there. The Witch will get you.” Don’t be silly," she snorted, "the Witch can’t get you, she’s dead.”Bryan remained silent.” The Witch is dead? How?" I asked, surely I had said the word ‘Witch’ too many times!” She ate some poisonous fruit." Pauling said, somewhat with pride. "We played a game of Fruit Bowl, and I found her base before she found mine. I filled her bowl up with a poisonous mixture I made, mixed it with the fruit and she ate it and died.” She said all this with such sincerity that both I and Bryan remained silent a little while after. Barely above a whisper had Bryan clawed the silence:”Then?” I buried her body and straight away a tree with big red apples grew!” Bryan’ eyes were wide. I believed her although surely it couldn’t be true? How can apple trees grow from where witches were buried?” Is this tree as bad as the Witch?" I asked. Cringing at the realization that I had said the word again.” No," she replied, "the apples are the best I’ve ever eaten!” I shivered and turned to Bryan. He looked ill.” I’ll show you where the tree is. It’s safe over there now and we can have some fun!"Pauling grinned, excitedly clapping her hands. I swallowed and Bryan visibly shakes. Silence fuelled our fears and my mind gave birth to thoughts so crazy I found it impossible to keep afloat with them.
The Witch...Whilst I chewed over my frightened thoughts, I became aware of sounds a little way down the stream. Involuntarily pulling myself from one fear to face another:There were splashes among terrified screams. It was Gean I ran. Following the flow along and into a relatively darker part of the wood, I came to the source of commotion.
Everything escalated from there. My initial discovery was of both Gean and April knee profound in water, whilst Jhaybhie stood on......On Witch Land!" Jhaybhie!" I shouted over sudden furious splashing. The girls appeared to be struggling with a huge mass of branches, whilst Jhaybhie stood silent, entranced by something at his feet. He stood by the trunk of a fallen tree, and on the instant he glanced up, eyes focusing upon my own, he fell backwards in a slap of leaves, his body laying still...A branch had stretched outwards from this tree and coiled itself around the two girls where they wrestled with it. There was too much to take in. I could see the soles of Jhaybhie’s shoes, in front of which the ground heaved and tiny clods of earth clouded the air as if an angry mole surged beneath. From behind me Bryan grunted and flew into my back, obviously losing his footing. I landed blindly into the stream, cracking my forehead against Witch Land. Through dripping hair I saw Bryan climbing up the opposite bank, glancing desperately and with complete disgust behind him, somewhere above my head. With water pouring from my soaked clothes I staggered to my feet, turning to see Pauling. She was standing hand in hand with the Witch. I rubbed water from my eyes and stared in doubt. Where Pauling shone in her red dress, the Witch stood in dull rags. Clumps of earth and leaves attached to the torn garments. Her hair a mass of dirt, lank and tangled, was obscuring wrinkled features.
Her face as drawn as dying flowers, within which sat two sad yellow eyes, a small nose and a withered smile. Fear rooting my limbs solid, I felt myself lifted out of the water, and upontoWitchLand."Did you like my game?" Asked the Witch as she gently dropped me to my knees. I stared up at them, dumb as mud.” I don’t think he understands." Said Pauling. They both smile simultaneously.” Let us show you." Whispered the Witch as she took a side step towards Pauling. In the next moment their bodies touched and slid over one another like two sheets of glass. Pauling’s red dress becoming one with the Witch’s tattered rags in a psychedelic twist, pretty features shifting across a haggard face. Churning colors like spiral rainbows of pink and red, black and brown. Such wonderfully interlacing palettes any artist would adore. As swift as the transition began did it end, and left standing there was the Witch herself. Pauling no longer at her side. She was dressed in almost the adult equal of the child’s dress, with hair as dark.
A good many years had been taken away, and given any other situation she would have appeared as any regular Mother. I found the strength in my legs to stand up.” We are one and the same, Pauling and I." Said the Witch. "Being young again was the only way in which to fulfill my needs and to gain your trust in order to play Fruit Bowl.” I frowned, a question mark hanging from my lips."Every time we played, and both bowls were filled with mud fruits my powers intensified. Finally restored after such a long and painful time.
When Pauling told you that the Witch ate poisonous fruit that was true. I’ve been ill for over a century now, slowly dying. This summer I completed the spell of childhood-regeneration. Casting it upon my withering body, Pauling was temporarily born.” As the Witch looked away from me I noticed that the others had congregated around us. Including Jhaybhie who appeared confused and thankfully unhurt.” I hope I didn’t scare you two." The Witch said to the girls. "I needed you to remain still even as I fed from the earth.” They both stood in silence.” I thank you all.” With that last she touched her lips to her palm and slowly clenched her fist. A second later she vanished, leaving us alone with nothing other than our thoughts. And without further words we strode off towards home, never to see Pauling again. Now, with my thoughts turning over that summer, I wonder if our imagination created that adventure. Although recent events may possibly prove otherwise. Next weekend we are off to stay with Mom and Dad. Earlier today our son, Kurt, was talking to one of his cousins on the telephone. Apparently Jhaybhie arrived there last week, and was now relishing the countryside like any lost addiction. It sounds like the children favor the woods. Of course, I may have been mistaken as to what I overheard. I cannot help feeling slightly concerned as to whether their game of Fruit Bowl shall be entirely innocent...
