Seeing Clearly | Teen Ink

Seeing Clearly MAG

June 11, 2010
By riley1516 PLATINUM, Lake Zurich, Illinois
riley1516 PLATINUM, Lake Zurich, Illinois
26 articles 2 photos 50 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” -Howard Thurman


Sitting at a table in my school cafeteria, I looked around, slowly taking in everything. For one of the first times in my life, I realized I had been seeing without really seeing for the past two years.

Student after student passed my table carrying a tray with that day's lunch special, but if you looked deeper, there was more to observe. There was more than just the uniform they were wearing, or the way they had styled their hair that day. It suddenly hit me as I cautiously watched classmate after classmate walk by, that I did not know much about anyone at my high school. Sure, I knew how many siblings some had or what grade school they had attended, or what their favorite movies were, but there was a lot more hidden under the surface.

Catching the eye of a girl in my grade sitting at a nearby table, I waved politely. She smiled weakly and then continued to pick at the pasta in front of her. If I hadn't heard recently that her mother was dying of leukemia, I would never have suspected anything was wrong. I may not have been as understanding and compassionate either, had I not known. But isn't that how it usually works? Don't we judge others too quickly, not knowing the whole story?

This is the crazy epiphany I had one day at school. I realized that everyone has a story, and everyone may have something tough they are facing in their lives. I suddenly understood that I was so caught up in my own life, I was forgetting to look out for others. We are all going through something, so why do we so often make it harder for each other? Why not support one another and create one less burden?

I have cystic fibrosis, a terminal lung disease. No one at my school knows – I don't show any noticeable symptoms except for a few coughs here and there. I go about my day like any other kid, but with the realization that I have a dark and terrifying future.

Before that day when I decided to look at the world with a new perspective, I pitied myself almost every day. I thought only about myself and my heavy burden. But I've now realized that I am not the only one suffering: everyone has their own mountain to face.

So, let me ask you, what if that girl or boy you made fun of yesterday was secretly battling a disease or losing someone they loved? Just take a moment to see others and the world around you each day. No one is perfect – we just need to accept each other the way we are.



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This article has 63 comments.


AB said...
on Oct. 18 2018 at 2:26 am
AB, Bridgend, Alaska
0 articles 0 photos 8 comments
AS U BEING MY FRIEND I WILL WARN ABOUT MY HUMAN BEING IN THE TELESCOPE. BUT WHAT I REALLY NEED TO TALK TO U ABOUT IS THE FLYING SAUSAGE INCIDENT I DON’T THINK I TALKED TO U ABOUT THIS BUT U REALLY SHOULD KNOW THAT I AM SECRETLY A FLYING SAUSAGE NOT ONLY AM I A FLYING SAUSAGE BUT I AM THE FLYING SAUSAGE THAT TOOK THE WALKING CHEESEBURGERS PICKLES. I NEED UR HELP TO ESCAPE THE POLICE MEN BECAUSE THE ONLY REASON I STOLE HIS PICKLES WAS BECAUSE I WAS GOING THROUGH THIS THING WHERE ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS EAT PICKLES AND MY MOM WOULDN’T BUY ANY. I HAD NO MONEY SO I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. I WALKED OVER TO THE CHEESEURGER AND TOOK HIS PICKLES. APPARENTLY THATS AGAINST THE LAW BUT I STILL DID IT. I ALREADY ATE THE PICKLES SO I CAN’T RETURN THEM. I ASKED BOBBYJO TO PUT ME IN A BOX AND SEND ME TO NORTH CAROLINA SO I AM NOW IN NEW ENGLAND I NEED U TO GO ON A SECRET MISSION AND GO BUY ME A PRIVATE JET U SEE I CAN NOT FLY ANYMORE SO I NEED SOMEONE TO SEND ME A PRIVATE JET NOT A AIRPLANE I ALREADY HAVE 2,345 AIRPLANES PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME AN AIRPLANE.PLEASE AND THANK YOU I HOPE U CAN COMPLETE MY MISSION.



THE YOUNG HOT WING

DID U KNOW THAT A LONG TIME AGO THERE ONCE WAS A YOUNG HOT WING HE WAS A VERY NICE HOT WING EXCEPT HE WANTED TO HE TOMATO'S NOT JUST NORMAL TAMATO'S BUT TOMATO'S FROM A CLOWNS NOSE. HE HAD TO HAVE THE CLOWNS NOSE'S FOR EVERY MEAL BUT THEY HAD TO BE USED.
THIS HOT WING ENDED UP AS A MODEL IN THE 1780'S. HE TURNED OUT NICE AND RED WITH HOT SAUCE. ONE DAY AT A MODELING SHOW A GUY DECIDED TO GO UP ON STAGE AND TAKE A BIG JUICY BITE OUT OF THE HOT WING. THE HOT WING CRIED AND CRIED FOR A MILLION YEARS BECAUSE HE COULD NO LONGER BE A MODEL. AFTER HE CRIED FOREVER HE WAS VERY MOLDY SO HE STARTED TO CRY AGAIN. AFTER THAT THE LITTLE MOLDY PARTS CAME OF OF HIM AND BECAME SERGEANTS THEY STICTICHED UP THE HOTWINGS WHOLE. BY NOW THE YOUNG HOT WING IS A VERY OLD BUT HE STILL COMPLETED HIS MODELING CAREER. AFTER THE SERGEANT'S FIXED UP THE HOT WING THEY GOT A HOTDOG AND ATE IT.



THE RANDOM JELLYFISH

THE CLEANED DERIVATIVE BETTERS THE DIVERSE SOUNDTRACK. A CLEAN MESSAGE RECYCLES UGLY FISH. UGLY FISH WATCHES MEAN BETTY THROUGHOUT THE REALISTIC JUSTICE. UGLY FISH ABSTRACTS MEAN BETTY. A COOK GEARS MEAN BETTY. UNDER A LAWN HUNTS A TALENT.
HIS BAY BONUS TWISTS. FLABBY MUNCHKI CONTRIVES THE CULTURAL CRISP. THE PHILOSOPHER NOSES ON TOP OF THE FAIRY! THE ALTERNATE ENEMY WORKS SLIMY BUNNY WITH THE MECHANIC GOD. SLIMY BUNNY GANGS THE RENEWING APPROVAL BESIDE THE CHAMPAGNE. FLABBY MUNCHKI DISCRIMINATES ACROSS THE WORTHLESS RASH.
FURRY LEAF REACHES THE SUPERMARKET BEHIND THE GASP. FURRY LEAF COLLATES JULIE FLAN THROUGHOUT THE LYING INDUSTRY. A WOODS LOVER DEVASTATES JULIE FLAN. THE PARODY ACCOMPANIES JULIE FLAN AROUND THE MYSTIC. JULIE FLAN SILVERS THE MECHANISM.
BUTT CHUCKER HOPES! BUTT CHUCKER NOSES WITH AN APART OWNER. BLOBBY ROBBY REPLACES BUTT CHUCKER NEAR A CRASHING MICROWAVE. THE DETERMINED SKIP CHEATS BUTT CHUCKER PAST THE BLADE. BUTT CHUCKER FINISHES INTO BLOBBY ROBBY.


RIBBONS BUTT

THE RUBBISH SLIDES. RIBBON'S BUTT SOAPS PALATO ON TOP OF THE INHERITANCE. RIBBON'S BUTT CERTIFIES PALATO. PALATO JUMPS UNDERNEATH HER DESTROYED STEEL. EACH AWARE ANCESTOR BARKS OUTSIDE EVERY STRETCHING EYESIGHT. A CONSUMING BLACKBOARD PADS RIBBON'S BUTT UNDERNEATH A SHAME.THROUGHOUT RIBBON'S BUTT INTERVENES PALATO. OVER PALATO REFLECTS RIBBON'S BUTT. PALATO CHOPS RIBBON'S BUTT. THE PROFESSOR SHIES AWAY ON TOP OF A SCHOLAR. A BACTERIUM FEVERS THE GIANT. HOW DOES RIBBON'S BUTT FELL PALATO?WHY CAN'T THE REAL TUNE WITHDRAW BELOW PALATO? RIBBON'S BUTT RESULTS WITHIN THE TUTOR. PALATO INVESTS THE SCOTCH MISERY UNDERNEATH THE PADDED REGIME. WHY DOES THE HAND RECONCILE A POLISH LASER? THE FARM HOOKS PALATO AROUND A BEEF.DOES PALATO RAIL? THE JUST SURPLUS SHIES AWAY OUTSIDE THE WORST ALCOHOL. YOUR PREJUDICE MOUSES PALATO NEAR A SUSTAINED GRANDFATHER. RIBBON'S BUTT PUNISHES A COTTON. EACH NUMEROUS BONE FORCES PALATO.




THE EMINEM MAN


HEY HEY HEY M&M I WAS WONDERING HOW U WERE I JUST COULDN'T GET THE TIME TO CALL YOU. I WAS THINKING WE HAVE A SLEEPOVER BUT THEN I REMEMBERED THE M&M'S DONT LIKE YOU SO THEY WOULDN'T LET YOU IN THE SHED FOR THE BONFIRE. BUT THEN I REALIZED WE CAN HAVE IT AT YOUR HOUSE CAUSE THEY ARE JUST LIKE GOOGLE HEADS IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. DO YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN JELLYBEAN? HEY WHAT ABOUT WE JUST GO BUY SOME RIBBONS AT THE CANDY STORE. I KNOW KNOW YOU MUST THINK IM CRAZY BUT DONT WORRY IM NOT IM CRAZY JEEZ GO AWAY YOU FAT LARD OH THAT REMINDS ME TINA COME GET SOME DINNER YOU FAT LARD OR IT WILL GET COLD COME ON BEFORE I FEED IT TO YOUR MOMS CHEST HAIR.
SORRY SORRY THAT WAS SOME WEIRDO NOW BACK TO MY STORY WE SHOULD REALLY GET TOGETHOR CAUSE I HAVE A SECRET TO TELL YOU. ACTUALLY WHY DONT I JUST TELL YOU IT RIGHT NOW I AM SECRETLY A WALRUS. AND YES THAT DOES SOUND LIKE ITS NOT TRUE BUT IT IS I REALLY AM A WALRUS ANYWAY WE REALLY SHOULD GET TOGETHOR.

THE MAGICAL MYSTICAL ROOM


OKAY OKAY SO HA YEAH IM A COMEDIAN YOU LISTEN TO ME K? GOOD. SO THERE IS THIS MAGICAL ROOM WHERE ONLY I CAN GO IN AND NO, NOT PERRY THE PLATYPUS. OKAY I WENT IN THIS ROOM AND I FOUND OUT I WAS WONDER WOMAN BUT IM ACTUALLY A MAN SO YEAH IM JUST SITTING THERE THEN OUT OF THE BLUE A WALRUS COMES UP TO ME AND SAYS HEY YOU EAT TACOS? I SAY YEAH I LOVE TACOS, HE SAYS OH YOUR THE PERSON IVE BEEN LOOKING FOR BUT I HAVE TO LEAVE SO YEAH YOUR MOMS CHEST HAIR OKAY THEN THIS BUTT CHUCKER CAME UP TO ME AND STARTED TO CHUCK MY BUTT AND I SAID HEY STOP CHUCKING MY BUTT SO SHE SAID OH SORRY WRONG BUTT AND SHE LEFT SO YEAH BASICALLY WHAT IM TRYING TO SAY IS THAT IS MY ROOM AND ONLY MY ROOM AND I AM A COMPLETE WEIRDO JUST LIKE YOUR LIVING ROOM FLOOR AND OKAY SO I WAS DRINKING SOME VITAMIN WATER THEN THIS DUDE COMES UP TO ME AND SMACKS THE VITAMIN WATER OUT OF MY HAND AND I WAS LIKE DUDE ARE YOU SERIOUS THAT COSTED MORE THAN A MICROWAVE ON SIMS WHICH IS 800 BUCKS LIKE WHAT I NEED A DUCK YOU GOT HOWARD THE DUCK PLAYING AND IM LIKE MANNN HOW IS THIS PG? IF THIS WAS PG IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR AGES 11 AND DOWN LIKE MAN WOW I CANT BELIEVE MY TOES! OWIE DUCT TAPE REALLY HURTS LIKE UR UNCLE OWCH OOH WOULD YOU LIKE SOME ICE WITH THAT BURNNNNN YEAH SO OKAY BYE NOW I NEVER LIKED YOU ANYWAYS...

POWERED BY

on Oct. 18 2018 at 2:23 am
ROBLOX_IS_BAEEEE, Oofnoof, District Of Columbia
0 articles 0 photos 10 comments
MY NAN IS ~FROM OOFNOOF IN THE DISTRICT OF COLOMBIA
(-_-) hehehe

AB said...
on Oct. 18 2018 at 2:23 am
AB, Bridgend, Alaska
0 articles 0 photos 8 comments
hey my n i g g a s

AB said...
on Oct. 18 2018 at 2:22 am
AB, Bridgend, Alaska
0 articles 0 photos 8 comments
school is abuse

on Oct. 18 2018 at 2:22 am
ROBLOX_IS_BAEEEE, Oofnoof, District Of Columbia
0 articles 0 photos 10 comments
ALI-A IS MY NAN

AB said...
on Oct. 18 2018 at 2:21 am
AB, Bridgend, Alaska
0 articles 0 photos 8 comments
HELLO @xxxtentacion

on Oct. 9 2018 at 8:09 pm
amandagoudie5307 BRONZE, Ventnor City, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 6 comments
I totally understand what you are trying to say and it's wonderful. I may not have a disease or anything like that but I am going through things at the moment no one, not even the closest people to me know about (except for my mom and partially my cousin).

liluglydude said...
on Sep. 27 2018 at 12:31 pm
liluglydude, Okc, Oklahoma
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment
you go girl

dabking101 said...
on Sep. 17 2018 at 1:00 am
dabking101, Marrickville Metro, Arkansas
0 articles 0 photos 4 comments
daryl long = f@gg0t

dabking101 said...
on Sep. 17 2018 at 12:59 am
dabking101, Marrickville Metro, Arkansas
0 articles 0 photos 4 comments
f@gg0t

dabking101 said...
on Sep. 17 2018 at 12:59 am
dabking101, Marrickville Metro, Arkansas
0 articles 0 photos 4 comments
Sitting at a table in my school cafeteria, I looked around, slowly taking in everything. For one of the first times in my life, I realized I had been seeing without really seeing for the past two years.

Student after student passed my table carrying a tray with that day's lunch special, but if you looked deeper, there was more to observe. There was more than just the uniform they were wearing, or the way they had styled their hair that day. It suddenly hit me as I cautiously watched classmate after classmate walk by, that I did not know much about anyone at my high school. Sure, I knew how many siblings some had or what grade school they had attended, or what their favorite movies were, but there was a lot more hidden under the surface.

Catching the eye of a girl in my grade sitting at a nearby table, I waved politely. She smiled weakly and then continued to pick at the pasta in front of her. If I hadn't heard recently that her mother was dying of leukemia, I would never have suspected anything was wrong. I may not have been as understanding and compassionate either, had I not known. But isn't that how it usually works? Don't we judge others too quickly, not knowing the whole story?

This is the crazy epiphany I had one day at school. I realized that everyone has a story, and everyone may have something tough they are facing in their lives. I suddenly understood that I was so caught up in my own life, I was forgetting to look out for others. We are all going through something, so why do we so often make it harder for each other? Why not support one another and create one less burden?

I have cystic fibrosis, a terminal lung disease. No one at my school knows – I don't show any noticeable symptoms except for a few coughs here and there. I go about my day like any other kid, but with the realization that I have a dark and terrifying future.

Before that day when I decided to look at the world with a new perspective, I pitied myself almost every day. I thought only about myself and my heavy burden. But I've now realized that I am not the only one suffering: everyone has their own mountain to face.

So, let me ask you, what if that girl or boy you made fun of yesterday was secretly battling a disease or losing someone they loved? Just take a moment to see others and the world around you each day. No one is perfect – we just need to accept each other the way we are.

vicdamone said...
on Feb. 9 2016 at 12:37 pm
vicdamone,
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment
I can relate to this article by so much. I ask god for strength to carry on, pople don't realize that everyone has different mind sets and takes things in differently. I can promise to you all that all the bullying we go through will only make us stronger people in the future

mplo said...
on Nov. 11 2015 at 7:04 am
People who bully and belittle those who are clearly different from each other have no regards for what other people are going through, nor do they have any empathy for other people. They're mean-spirited, insecure people who just want to seem tough, but who really aren't. People who really ARE tough don't go around denigrating and degrading others in order to make themselves feel important

Chloe925 said...
on Apr. 30 2015 at 10:11 am
i am battling graves disease and no one knows that so i can definitely relate

on Apr. 18 2014 at 12:54 pm
WOWriting SILVER, Broadstairs, Other
5 articles 0 photos 266 comments
Really great story. Don't know how you do it :)

on May. 16 2013 at 3:02 pm
RonnieAnn BRONZE, Bates City, Missouri
4 articles 0 photos 7 comments
I totally understand where your coming from, my mom got locked up in prison for 14 months and only a small handful of people from my school knows. I got distant and people would ask questions or make fun of me for being out there; I just missed my mom and know one had a single clue.

on Jul. 3 2012 at 5:09 pm
riley1516 PLATINUM, Lake Zurich, Illinois
26 articles 2 photos 50 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” -Howard Thurman

Thank You!

on Nov. 12 2010 at 2:13 pm
HannahBanana23 BRONZE, Eatonville, Washington
2 articles 0 photos 35 comments

Favorite Quote:
You have enemies? Good. That means you&#039;ve stood up for something, sometime in your life<br /> Winston Churchill

Wow that is really deep it makes you think of how others can just put on a mask and make everything seem okay when they really are not. Many people dont know who others are because they judge them because of their outer apperance. That really speaks to me. Thank You :)

on Nov. 3 2010 at 7:35 pm
riley1516 PLATINUM, Lake Zurich, Illinois
26 articles 2 photos 50 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don&rsquo;t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.&rdquo; -Howard Thurman

Best of luck to you also! and thank you for your comments.. they mean alot to me

dnm509 BRONZE said...
on Nov. 1 2010 at 11:02 am
dnm509 BRONZE, White Castle, Louisiana
2 articles 0 photos 6 comments
This sends out a great message but I myself am facing a serious condition. I have ovarian cysts and I have a back condition. Luckily I will be getting it taken care of with surgery. I wish you the best of luck and this will make me think every time someone passes me now.