Discovering A Journey Through Writing

By Nicole Kiprilov

Nicole Kiprilov reveals, with total transparency, how a teen writer develops through a critical life stage by looking back and reflecting on her writing -- all of it raw, idealistic, sometimes dutiful, and often astonishingly accomplished. The writing serves as a metaphor for a greater life journey that is often arduous and tedious, but also splendid and exhilarating. From flights of creative fantasy to research ventures and political analyses, this book captures the very experience of being a teenager, exemplified through what Kiprilov hopes will resonate with every young writer and serve as inspiration for passionate writing and spiritual, moral, and intellectual growth.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Jan 10, 2015
• ISBN: 9781483548609

Book preview

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1. Inspiration

Introductory Remarks

Man will fail you. He shall talk of your stupidity and uselessness. He will take from you without asking, hurt you without an apology, and hate you without a reason. All you have to do is love and forgive. Inspired by an English project, I wrote this quote in seventh grade. It still amazes me how a simple assignment inspired me to write such an insightful quote. Inspiration makes us go beyond what we think we can do, and I have noticed that every significant, or even brilliant, act starts with a small, simple piece of inspiration. Inspiration is necessary no matter what you do and I fully believe that I have come so far only because I have let inspiration guide the way.

In seventh grade, I decided to start writing about what inspires me so that one day, I can look back on it and have someone to thank. Many think that only famous people can inspire us, and even though I have definitely regarded certain famous individuals as role models, I have also noticed that I feel more inspired when I am able to relate and interact with individuals who are more personal to and prominent in my life. We overlook the inspiration that comes from ordinary people. My parents, for example, have always been my biggest inspiration, as portrayed in my essay My Parents. While I have no doubt that they will continue to inspire me, I have noticed that I have greatly expanded on my sources of inspiration over the years. The more I developed my passions, the more inspiration I found in areas that I was interested in, like politics and simple aspects of nature, like the stars and the crashing waves.

In high school, I began to volunteer for many charitable organizations and I also began to interact with many of the people I was helping. In eleventh grade, I was very fortunate to be able to share the story of a very special and heroic young boy who served as an inspiration for many people. That was when I wrote Bilal: An Inspiring Story of Courage. While I was definitely inspired by this little boy, I was also inspired by the people who supported him and gave him a better life. This example helps me to realize that inspiration inspires more inspiration. One of my goals in life is to create an intricate network of inspiration for myself. This abstract network will become part of who I am, and it would eventually be the reason for, or the motivation behind, my different actions in life.

It’s truly an amazing thing to be inspired—it makes you do things that you never thought you could do. It motivates you to help those who are less fortunate and to continue working hard and pursuing dreams that may seem like the furthest thing from reality.

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My Parents

Grade 7

Throughout the years, there have been many influential people in my life, who have taught me lessons that I will keep with me forever. The two most influential people in my life are my parents. My parents are the reason why I exist and the reason why I have become the person I am today. Without their continuous support and courage, I wouldn’t have been able to survive academically and socially in any way. I think that part of entering a certain gateway in life is realizing just how important one’s parents truly are, and being able to thank them for things that one might have considered to be unimportant. I have always been thankful for my parents, because they have had a tremendous impact on my work and on my life. I know that it is going to be very hard to repay them fully, but I can at least make them proud with my achievements.

My parents have always pushed and motivated me to do my best, so that in the end, I would be happy. They have always known not just what’s best in general, but what’s best for me. They are the only people who understand every single part of me, and who can help me out in a tough situation. If I have a question, they always have the answer. If I am sick, they always have the cure. If I am crying, they always have a joke. They have very carefully explained what the real world is like and what is expected of me.

Both of my parents have had very significant achievements in their lives. By telling me about their strengths and weaknesses, I can better relate to my own. By telling me what choices they made, I get more prepared to make similar choices by myself. My parents have done me an unbelievable favor by preparing me for the real world, being the best teachers anyone can have, and lighting up my path with their incredible beliefs and life lessons. Trying new things is an example of something I learned from them, which is very important. Practice makes life easier, and when life is easier, life is better. They keep me on the right track and use their honesty and intellect to monitor my progress in life.

My whole family is very spiritual, my mother and father have taught me how to have a clear and open mind, and how to let go of my spirit, so that it is able to live freely. They have helped me control my emotions and battle my fears. My mom and dad are always there for me, ready to fight against anyone to protect me. They have shown me the path to success, and it is now my job to follow it. Most importantly, my parents have taught me to understand the difference between positive and negative, right and wrong. I now know what is right in the world and what is not. I know how to believe in myself, which I have learned from my parents’ belief in me.

Looking Back: It’s touching and inspirational to read about how much I looked up to my parents. The presence of sincerity in this piece is undisputable, but I only wish I had given more specific examples of exactly how my parents motivated me to do my best, instead of resorting to clichés. Reading this essay now, I get a sense that it could have been written by any young individual in seventh grade. All kids love their parents, but what is it about my parents and me as an individual that makes this parent-child connection so strong and unique? This question remains only partially answered in this piece.

Nevertheless, as cliché as it sounds, I’m glad I was able to write this article with such passion. My parents are my main source of inspiration to this day. Even if I’m in the middle of a fight with them or disagree with something they’ve said, I never doubt the value of our connection.

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The Mind of a Wise Individual

Grade 7

The theme of wisdom is most clearly epitomized by Mother Teresa, because she has contributed teachings and lessons to the world, strived to make the earth a better place with her humanitarian deeds, and made positive decisions based on her peaceful thinking. To begin, Mother Teresa’s vocation to teach the poor has brought joy to her soul and to the souls of others. She opened a big home to train young women in various skills, such as how to become a nun. Her wisdom, springing from a young age, has motivated her to give religious instruction to younger children.

When Mother Teresa was living in the streets, she was wise enough to teach poor children how to read and write, persuading them to focus on hygiene. Mother Teresa was able to understand the purpose of religion, and therefore taught people how to find God in their minds and hearts. The basic lesson of helping the poor and nurturing the less fortunate has spread throughout the whole world over the years. Therefore, her lesson will never be forgotten.

Mother Teresa was also a teacher to herself. By learning from the mistakes of history, she was able to teach herself how to be a better human being. Specifically, Mother Teresa started participating and leading humanitarian groups while demonstrating female leadership as well as infinite wisdom. Even at a young age, she had visited homes of the destitute and the dying. In her hometown of Calcutta, Mother Teresa cared for children in orphanages and contributed blankets and rice on every Christmas Eve. Her kindness gave care to children all around the globe, even though she never had children of her own. In a sense, Mother Teresa’s wisdom came from her heart. There was a certain kind of love that added to her wisdom, which really made her actions prosperous and successful. For example, her request to feed and nurture children was fulfilled throughout the world. That order reached hundreds and thousands of nuns living in many religious homes. During the Great Famine, over a million people died, including babies and young children. Nothing could have been done about that, but many things could have been done for the starving children of St. Mary’s. Fortunately, those children’s luck came to the surface when Mother Teresa began feeding over two hundred of them. The bread that she earned for herself was given to those children, which shows a great amount of compassion.

Mother Teresa visited men on death row a few years before her death. Those men didn’t wish to see anyone, but Mother Teresa’s spirit left them speechless. She begged for clemency from the government because she knew that those men had families to feed, but her message was not accepted. After seeing some of the cruelties of life, the next day, Mother Teresa opened her first home for the dying. Her wisdom was portrayed there, because she saw a challenge in life and did her best to overcome it. The home of the dying was a comfortable space, where the poor and the less fortunate could rest in peace. Mother Teresa started her own organization to open Missions of Charity. Every abandoned child found was taken in. If there wasn’t enough room, another Mission of Charity was opened. She also started caring for victims of leprosy. Watching innocent people die and suffer is not an easy task. These examples are proof of Mother Teresa’s wisdom over the years.

In addition, Mother Teresa made a tremendous amount of positive decisions in her life, all stemming from her peaceful thinking and indefinite wisdom. A follower of peace is a very wise position to claim. Mother Teresa proved that correct, when she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. That prize was given to her as a reward for her actions.

At age eighteen, Mother Teresa left her family in Zagreb and never saw it again. Her mother rejected the idea of her daughter going off into the world to serve the poor, but Mother Teresa proved her mother wrong. She didn’t want to become a nun, but she knew she had to. Mother Teresa made the wise decision to sacrifice her wants for the people. Throughout that whole process, she still managed to stay connected with God through her prayers.

Mother Teresa turned to God in times of need. She understood that making hard decisions needed wisdom and help. Even at a young age, Mother Teresa made the choice of living and working among the poor. Almost her entire life was spent living in adversity. However, she used her strengths, her wisdom, and her courage to stay committed and help the people. Despite her busy schedule, Mother Teresa made last-minute decisions to offer her help when disaster would strike. Her peaceful mind motivated her to write a heart-breaking letter to Sadam Hussein and George Bush, begging for peace between the two nations. Writing a letter to such people requires wisdom and the knowledge of what to ask for.

A couple of years before her death, Mother Teresa began suffering from heart disease and was well over the age of eighty. Despite her disadvantages, she made her decision to continue traveling around the world and keep over four thousand Missions of Charity under her control.

In conclusion, it is no wonder that Mother Teresa was called Mother. She was like a mother to the whole world. By some, she was even called a living saint. Despite all of that, what most stood out in Mother Teresa’s life was her wisdom. It was the wisdom to make choices for herself and for others in order to make the world a better place.

Looking Back: Even though I never had a personal connection to Mother Teresa, my passion for her and her work was clear. The fact that I probably didn’t understand the true meaning of wisdom back in seventh grade is irrelevant and unimportant in this case. While this piece could have been better written and while I should probably have given it the title of The Heart of a Compassionate Individual instead, what stands out to me most when reading this now is how inspired I was by someone who had no direct effect on my life. There’s nothing wrong with drawing inspiration from many different types of sources (parents, famous people, objects, etc.). It’s all part of the life inspiration network I’m building.

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Sarah Palin

Grade 8

To me, inspiration holds the meaning of something or someone who motivates us to do anything beyond what we may think we are capable of doing. Inspiration can be found in anything, from a simple object to a person. Inspiration is a unifying factor that helps us stand up when we are knocked down by life. I have heard this word in many places, from many people. I have heard this word in school and all over the world. I have even heard this word from people who have been hopeless and uninspired in life. That is what makes it common and unifying.

I am inspired by Sarah Palin, a strong, motivated woman who is determined to change America. Sarah Palin inspires me because, basically, people hate her. A lot. People make fun of her, and curse at her, and talk about her life in a bad way, including David Letterman, who is just a big-shot in the entertainment industry. Even after all of those bizarre comments she got about her kids and her family, Sarah Palin still managed to stay positive and pure and let no one get in her way. She is smart, smarter than most politicians these days, and she is not afraid to speak up for what she believes in. She made the right choice about her kids and the right choice to ignore everyone who just didn’t seem to understand her intelligence.

Sarah Palin has five children, two of whom don’t exactly lead a normal life. One of them, Bristol, got pregnant at seventeen and had many dilemmas with her boyfriend. This pregnancy happened during the election in 2008, and people were really affected by it. I imagine they thought to themselves: Sarah’s daughter is pregnant, which means that Sarah is a bad mother and she can’t be our vice president because she’s too stupid to take care of her kids. Let me analyze that hypothetical thought. First of all, no one wants the press and absolutely random, unimportant people messing up their life. It’s really Sarah’s problem that Bristol got pregnant and it has nothing to do with her campaign or what she would have done if she became vice president. Many teenage girls get pregnant, hundreds of them every single day, and much of the problem is with the actual teenagers and not the parents.

The incident with Bristol received extremely nasty responses from people on TV, in newspapers, and on the internet. All of a sudden, people weren’t really interested in what Sarah Palin would do for her country; all they cared about was her daughter, which in my opinion, is extremely unimportant. David Letterman found a way to be funny and talk about Sarah’s younger daughter in a way that was not only stupid but extremely disgusting. Sarah Palin, however, responded with something that completely blasted Letterman out of the water, and that is an example of why I find her inspiring. According to the Daily News, Palin stated, Laughter incited by sexually perverted comments made by a 62-year-old male celebrity aimed at a 14-year-old girl is … .disgusting. Sarah doesn’t pay attention to people who have no idea what they are talking about, and she finds a way to make it through.

Sarah Palin’s youngest son, Trig, has autism and many people think that Sarah shouldn’t have had Trig in the first place, but I think it’s just another human on this earth who could change the world. Sources have proven that Sarah takes really good care of Trig and he deserves to live. Again, it’s no one’s business whether Sarah decided to give life to Trig or not. All of those horrendous comments that make fun of Trig come from people who have no lives, and Sarah took them really well. She knows that her kid is amazing and she won’t let anyone get in her way.

A lot of people also say that Sarah Palin has no experience whatsoever. Well, Obama has plenty of experience, and what has he done for our country? Sarah Palin is an extremely pure woman with pure ideas and she would have been an amazing vice president. She has a great story—a story of determination and success. She is also one of the people, which is one of the most important qualities a politician should have. Presidents and vice presidents should be one of the people, because in order for them to rule the people, they have to know what the people want, and Sarah Palin knows what the people want. That is why she inspires me. She is strong, stronger than any politician I’ve ever seen. She is smart in a way that can change the world. In a way, I want to be like Sarah Palin when I grow up.

Looking Back: My hat’s off to the eighth-grade version of me for not being afraid to speak my mind. I find this article to be incredibly strong and courageous. Even though I don’t usually doubt my current strength, I probably cannot write such an extreme article about Sarah Palin today. The reason for this is that over the years, I have learned that people tend to judge and criticize, even if they don’t know what they’re talking about. While people tend to be intolerant of others’ views and opinions, that shouldn’t prevent you from speaking your mind out of fear that someone will cut you off. On the other hand, one of the greatest challenges I have faced is learning how to convey my thoughts without sounding too extreme and discounting the opinions of others. While I accept and am tolerant of other’s views, it’s difficult to bring that across through writing. That is why it’s best to find a balance between speaking your mind and also striving to acknowledge the opposing side.

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Bilal: An Inspiring Story of Courage

Grade 11

It all started with a simple dirt road somewhere in the middle of Afghanistan. What began as a brief encounter turned into a life-changing gesture of kindness. American Army Major Glenn Battschinger of the 353rd Civil Affairs Command was performing his duties and going about his normal activities when he noticed a young, sick boy walking along a dirt road. Battschinger, after learning more about the child’s ailment through the child’s father, was eager to help.

Bilal Sharif, a seven-year-old Afghani child, was born in an Afghan refugee camp in Pakistan with a birth defect called bladder exstrophy. This condition is defined by the bladder’s exterior position, preventing normal urination. As a result of his condition, Bilal was constantly wet and in pain. He could not control his urination and he was prone to serious infections.

Army Major Battschinger met with Bilal’s father and was able to obtain a Humanitarian Parole Visa so that Bilal could come over to the United States for medical treatment. He sent about a thousand emails, seeking a host family that would be willing to take care of Bilal during his recovery process. Out of the thousand emails sent, Battschinger received only two replies, one of which was from Mrs. Laureen Dempsey, who would become Bilal’s host mother. Mrs. Dempsey is an active volunteer in the World Links Adoption Agency and has previously worked with many needy children. I have hosted many others before who come from orphanages, but never anything like this. My responsibility as part of a volunteer for World Links is to help needy children find adoptive families, she states.

Bilal was brought to Laureen Dempsey’s home in Pennsylvania immediately after landing in the US. He was sick, wet, he smelled like nothing I ever smelled before. I couldn’t imagine what his condition looked like and I am medically trained. We couldn’t understand how the child lived, says Mrs. Dempsey. She adds, The bladder couldn’t be touched with anything. There was no way to keep him dry. We couldn’t put clothes on him … it was painful. He showed up at my door with an airline blanket.

The next challenge was to find a surgeon who was experienced enough and who would be willing to take on such a risky procedure. Only about three doctors in the United States have performed such surgeries. Major Battschinger stated that most doctors have never seen such a deformity. Fortunately, after some time, Dr. M. Hanna, an experienced physician, contacted Glenn Battschinger and was willing to perform the surgery.

Bilal’s first tough surgery was performed at the Cohen Children’s Medical Center, part of the Long Island Jewish Hospital in New Hyde Park. Fortunately, the surgery was successful and Bilal’s bladder and organs have been restored. Bilal hadn’t seen a physician until he came to the US. He understood why he was here and wanted to have the surgery. He didn’t move or cry. He just wanted to get it over with, states Mrs. Dempsey.

When Bilal first arrived in the US, he was both amused and frightened by what he saw. He had never seen running water and he had no idea how to eat with utensils. Everything was a mystery to him. He didn’t know how to use the toilet … it was a very tedious experience for me. He was afraid of everything. We began with showing him things on the iPad and he adjusted so quickly. I treated him with antibiotics and fed him because he was so thin, says Mrs. Dempsey.

Despite Bilal’s drastic health improvement, there are still more surgeries that await him. The upcoming surgeries will focus on Bilal’s bladder (finishing its repair) and orthopedic issues (he has clubbed feet, a pelvis that is not fused, and problems with his spine).

Bilal’s family is currently in Afghanistan. His parents and nine siblings live in a hut-like structure and are barely able to make ends meet. Every day is a struggle for them, as they do not have guaranteed access to food, clean water, or medical care. Ever since the beginning of his journey, Bilal has expressed his wish to start school and become educated so that he can educate his family. Despite his personal grief and pain, Bilal has never stopped thinking about his family and their struggles, and he wishes to help them someday. He has only spoken to his parents twice since his arrival in the United States. The first time he became emotional and waved his mother away with tears streaming down his face. He was bright enough to understand that he had to be strong.

I asked Mrs. Dempsey what she wanted to see happen for Bilal in the future, and she responded, My focus right now is one procedure at a time. He will start school this week. We keep up with the medical care and hope for the best. I’m confident that we can give him a great state of health. For now, he’s doing really well. He is speaking English. Every day, he comes up with more words than I can count. He loves TV and learns a lot from it. He is very happy.

Bilal’s story has captivated a massive amount of people, including our very own Manhasset elementary and secondary school students. In September of 2013, ESL (English as a Second Language) students at Shelter Rock Elementary School created hand-crafted flashcards to help Bilal become accustomed to the American language. They also made him Get Well Soon cards to show their sympathy and compassion, as they recognized that Bilal had endured all of his hardships without having his parents by his side. Their efforts were aided by Ms. Laurie Lauria, District Coordinator for World Languages. Munsey Park Elementary School students participated in clothing drives that donate to orphanages in Afghanistan as part of the humanitarian effort initiated by Battschinger. Ms. Martine Kruger played a large role in getting and expediting the donations. Students from the middle and high school were eager to support Bilal’s family by donating money raised by extracurricular fundraisers. The Manhasset Schools have donated $1,640 from twelve different student groups so far!

Thanks to the financial help offered by the Manhasset secondary schools, aid has been provided for Bilal’s family. A sewing machine has been bought for Bilal’s mom and a fruit cart has been bought for Bilal’s dad to ensure that the family has somewhat of a stable source of income.

The Manhasset district will be receiving the Seven Seals Award on January 22 at Shelter Rock Elementary School. The Seven Seals Award is the broadest and most inclusive award given by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), and it is typically presented to individuals who have made an effort to advance the ESGR mission. The award will be presented to the Manhasset district in gratitude for the effort provided by the elementary and secondary schools in supporting Army Reserve Major Glenn Battschinger in his mission to save Bilal. Ms. Mara Steindam, District Coordinator of Social Studies and Home and Careers, coordinated all of the efforts on behalf of Bilal, and will be receiving the award on behalf of the district.

Bilal’s journey from Afghanistan to the home of his host family in Pennsylvania is one that has changed his life for the better. Before arriving in the United States, Bilal worked