Matthew F

An Open Letter to My Parents

12/11/2021

Dear Mom and Dad,

Where do I start? You guys have been there for me ever since I was born. I remember when I was a little kid that I had no idea what life was or what I would do with my life, but I'll always remember looking up and seeing you guys next to me. You both gave me courage and strength to persevere.

Mom
You are my rock and the most caring person in my life. I do not know what I would do without you. There have been times when I didn't know where to go or what to do, but then I would talk to you. Somehow you would stay the right thing and put me on the path to success.

One of my favorite memories with you was my 7th birthday party. We didn't have a cake, but we had a cupcake. You put a candle in that cupcake and I blew it out. You kissed me on the cheek and Dad took a photo. That photo is still hanging in my room to this day. I cherish that photograph of us.

Dad
You have always been there for me and provided comedic relief when I needed it. You have always been my coach in sports and with life. I remember when I won my baseball league championship and you were there right by my side. You've always there for me and I don't know what I would do without you. You are the person I want to be one day.

When we went on our D.C. Trip in 8th grade, you taught me how to shave. You also showed me how to look out for myself. I will never forget that experience with you.

I couldn't have asked for better parents!
You guys are my everything and I love you both.

One Last Memory
When I was 3 years old, me and my Mom went to the airport because we were traveling for my sister Megan’s softball games. We were walking in the airport, and then I vanished. I was gone for ten minutes and my mom was freaking out. She thought that she lost her only son. Ten minutes later I came walking up to her, holding the TSA agent's hand and filled with glee.

I love you Mom and Dad, always and forever <3

The Art of Kindness

10/14/2021

Kindness is a word most of us know, but I know the word kindness in a way that makes sense to me. Kindness is a word that is so ingrained into our society that we all know it by heart. I believe that everyone has their own definition of kindness. Here is mine:

K
Kind-hearted. When I was little I learned that a kind-hearted person can make it in the world. I still think that today. The act of a kind-hearted person can change someone’s life. When I was in third grade my teacher showed me their kind-heart and it helped me become the person I am today.

I
Integrity. A person's integrity can get them far in life. Integrity can also be a blessing or a curse to some people. It is a important trait to have because it is what makes a leader, a leader, but it can also make some think they are right even if they are wrong.

N
Nice. A person that is nice is a godsend in my eyes. A nice person can change someone’s day from a rough day to an amazing day. Anytime someone makes a nice comment to me, it changes my day automatically.

D
Dandy. This word because it is unique. It has several meanings. For example, a person that is dandy is very detail-orientated or it can also mean they are excellent. I feel like someone who notices the details and/or is excellent is an individual who would take the time to show people around them kindness.

N
Nifty. This word can mean that a person is skillful and effective. I will never forget when my mother showed my how nifty she was because she showed me that anyone can be or do anything they wanna be. Nifty also can mean fashionable. Wouldn't it be nice to make true displays of kindness fashionable again?

E
Emotion. A person that shows emotion can influence people's lives. When a person shows kindness as an emotion, it can change someone’s day or even their life.

S
Sweet. A person that is sweet is kind to everyone. I knew a person that was the sweetest person in the world! They helped me out so much. They were able to lift me out of a dark place and to see the stars. Everyone needs a sweet person in their life.

S
Smart. Someone who is smart will be ready for the possible outcome of any given situation. Sometimes, they will be so prepared that some people may say that they are overprepared! I believe that a smart individual isn't just someone who is prepared for many situations. I believe the smartest people shows compassion and kindness to make someone else's day brighter.

In my eyes, kindness is the one thing that keeps the world turning. Without kindness, humans wouldn’t be human. The interesting thing about the word is that anywhere you go in the world, people know what kindness is.

I leave you with these final thoughts:

"Be Kind to anyone you see because you don’t know that they might be going through at the moment."

and

Kindness is Kind-Hearted.
Kindness is Integrity.
Kindness is Nice.
Kindness is Dandy.
Kindness is Nifty.
Kindness is Emotion.
Kindness is Sweet.
Kindness is Smart.

Kindness is Kindness, show kindness to someone!

Stay kind, Blue Jays!
Matthew

SUCCESS: It is More Than Just a Word

3/5/2021

What is success? Well, that is a tricky question.

Success can be anything from winning a baseball tournament to waking up in the morning. The word success is a very pliable word. In everyday life, success can be used for a lot of things like running a mile or even having enough food for the day. That word is so critical to our lives that we almost forget about it.

There are small and big successes, but you can’t have the big successes without the small ones. As my Dad tells me, “You can’t build a house without any foundation.” This means that you can’t just go for a big success. You need to build your way up with small achievements or else the house will fall.

What is success to you?

I think that success is like going bungee jumping. Weird, right? But it makes sense. You never know what success feels like until you achieve it, just like with bungee jumping. Ever since I was a child I wanted to go bungee jumping, but I was too scared and would chicken out at the last minute. I would picture myself jumping off a bridge with a rope wrapped around my leg, but I would never feel the sensation of jumping off that bridge. That is what success is to someone that hasn’t felt it before; just a thought, a feeling that they would never know, and all they had to do was jump. When you jump, it is amazing! You want to feel those feelings over and over again. THAT is the feeling of success.

My secret to success is to put myself out there! If I don’t, I will never get that taste for success. I would just stay stagnant.

Success and mental health work hand in hand because we all need to have good mental health to succeed in everyday activities. I will preach this until the day I die, but your mental health is the most valuable thing in life. With good mental health comes success, and with success comes good mental health. It is a cycle that repeats and repeats.

I leave you with these final thoughts. You need to think about the small successes in life for you to live well: waking up in the morning, doing your homework, or exercising; because that all leads to the big successes: going to college, getting a job that you worked hard for, or being with someone that you love.

Success is an amazing thing and I hope that everyone that reads this had at least one success today.

Don’t just dwell on the big successes; think about the little successes that will get you there to that bigger goal.

What are you going to do to succeed in life? What small step can you take now?

Until I write again,
Matthew

What Family Means to Me!

11/21/2020

What’s your definition of family? What does family mean to you?

Family can take many forms such as a tight group of friends, a significant other, two parents, one parent, grandparents, or a guardian. Each person has their own definition of family. For me, that definition is someone that will love you unconditionally and will always be there for you and have your back.

My family is like a circus. My dad is the strongman, always wowing people with his feats of strength and will. My mom is the ringmaster, always keeping everyone in line. My oldest sister, Megan, is the lion. She is always the most fierce and exotic one out of my family. My other sister, Kate, is the clown. She is always making people laugh and brightening up their day in any way possible. As for me? I don’t know my role yet. I might be the magician with all of the tricks and the mischievous attitude, or I might be the trapeze artist, always on a thin line and not knowing if I will fail and fall.

Even though I don’t know my place in my circus, it doesn’t mean that I don't belong there.

A family is like a circus. It’s crazy, hectic, and there will be bumps and falls, but the show must go on! Because in the end there is something beautiful and amazing to watch.

In one word family is love, but it is so much more than just one word, it’s a feeling. The feeling of family is something you can’t describe, it’s like a warm hug, but all around your body and in your heart at the same time. It’s the feeling you get when you make cookies the night before Christmas. It’s the feeling you get when you drop from the Superman ride at Six Flags. Family is all of those feelings wrapped into one.

I want to come back to the question, "What does family mean to you?"

Well, for me, family is a bunch of crazy, loud people put together and somehow they get along and form a deeper connection.

Family is everything to me.

I hope you will choose to spend time with your family and share those lifelong memories with them. Love them unconditionally because family is the backbone of your life and without a backbone, you can’t walk or run, you can’t thrive and be the best version of yourself.

Signing off for now,
Matthew :)

Cutting Out Procrastination

9/8/2020

I should be done with this blog and submitting it to my teacher as I’m typing this, but I am writing this blog one day before it is due. I never realized how bad I procrastinated until writing this blog because I had one whole month to complete this blog and turn it in, but now I’m struggling at the last minute to complete it. This is the war between me and procrastination.

I always procrastinate, whether it is doing homework or yard work. I always find a way to push it off until the last second. Then, I get the homework or yard work done really fast and I feel like I have a burden lifted off my chest.

Why don’t I just get the work done beforehand? I ask myself that question a lot.

I've realized how procrastination affects me mentally and physically. It is not healthy for someone to experience. That is why I’m cutting procrastination out of my life and taking a chance on making better habits. My fingers are crossed I can accomplish this.

Procrastination has a mental effect on the human body because it increases emotions and causes anxiety and nervousness. I never really thought about it before, but the mental aspect of somebody procrastinating is really detrimental. You are telling your brain that you have time to do the work, but you never do it. That’s a bad mental state to live in.

Procrastination also has a physical effect on the human body because it causes fatigue, headaches, and insomnia. The physical effects of procrastination take a toll on my body. It leaves me drained of energy; so I just want to sleep, but then when I try to sleep I can't because procrastination leaves me with insomnia.

For me, the effects of procrastination are hard on my body and that is why I'm going to cut it out of my life. The increase in anxiety, headaches, and insomnia are dreadful and just awful to experience. Without procrastination, my anxiety levels will lower and worrisome insomnia will go away.

Without procrastinating I will be able to live a better life. Without any of the effects of procrastination, I can achieve greater potential in school and live my life worry-free. I'm looking forward to having more stress-free time because I will eliminate procrastination in my life.

Wish me the best as I work on cutting procrastination out of my life! Do you need to do this, too? If so, consider working on this like I am. I think we will all be better for doing it.

Hasta luego,
Matthew

An Open Letter to My Parents

The Art of Kindness

SUCCESS: It is More Than Just a Word

What Family Means to Me!

Cutting Out Procrastination

Matthew

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