Free Write (CHRISTMAS)

It's Thanksgiving Break which, to me, is the start of the holiday season. I am a christmas fanatic. It's by far my holiday and I obsess over getting the decorations up and decorating the tree. I love coming home after school to a decorated house and a christmas tree. I love the smell of christmas trees and scented pine cones and I love all the traditions that come along with the holidays i.e. ice skating (even though I actually hate ice skating), making cookies, wrapping presents, making puzzles, etc. I start listening to christmas songs in October and the day after thanksgiving I get out the christmas box. As a little kid it was hard for me to wait for christmas day, because I obviously couldn't wait to get presents, but now that I'm older I enjoy the weeks leading up to christmas far more than I enjoy the day itself. Christmas day is honestly kind of disappointing because it is the end of the holiday season and after I've opened my presents I honestly feel sad every year. Believing in Santa Claus is basically the coolest thing on the planet. I don't understand how it's even possible to get millions of kids to believe in something that doesn't exist for so many years, but the fact that they do is so cool. I wouldn't be able to the sleep the night before christmas because I was so excited that Santa was coming, but now that I know he doesn't exist christmas isn't as fun. I would do anything to be able to believe in Santa again, but alas I know he is not real and I'm stuck waiting for the day that I have kids and can play along in making them believe.

Meursault's Essence

In an existentialist's world, Meursault lives the life of a man stuck in the existence phase. He doesn't appear to have many emotions and lives day to day without acknowledging the future or consequences of his actions. He is very observant of the things around him, but doesn't seem have any real connections with the people in his life e.g. he put his mother in a home and never visits her, he has a girlfriend but doesn't love her. He lives in an endless repeating cycle of work and sleep and observing and doesn't seem to realize that he is in any cycle at all. His cycle is broken when he shoots the Arab though. Meursault is put in prison and this is when I think he really starts to determine his essence. As Meursault sits in prison he begins to reflect on his life, seeing as that is about the only thing he can do to occupy his mind. He begins to put in an effort to help pass the time. I think in order to find your essence you have to be aware of yourself, and I think this is when Meursault becomes aware of his thoughts and actions. Although he is thrown into another cycle (being in prison) he is aware of the cycle and constantly strives to keep himself occupied. He even says that he was kind of happy, which is something he never said before in his regular life. He starts to remember little bits and pieces of his life and these little things begin to encompass his essence.