Domestic Church

My experience of the 'domestic church' has been very similar to the one described by the Second Vatican Council. My parents have always made it important to my sisters and I that religion and God should be our top prioirity and should be a very strong influence in our lives. My parents are always reminding my sisters and I to act as God would want us and to reflect our values through our daily actions. I think the changing structure of marriage is in due a lot to our changing views as a society. Recently, people have changed their views of a family to a group of people whom they love and care about and the definition is not limited to parents and their children. With these changing views, people are less focused on the fact that family life is to foster the growth of values and family ideals and are more focused on their own personal relationships. 

The news that those with college degree are less likely to experience divorce and multiple marriages then those without a college degree means that I will be more likely to have one long-lasting marriage. I do hope to one day have a husband and multiple children and to establish a domestic church in my home. This statistic reassures me that I will be less likely to experience divorce and hopefully have a strong relationship with someone.

Soul Mates and Love Songs

I think that for a while I, like many others, thought it was common for people to meet their sole mates and marry them. I figured that my husband would be someone that met my every need and filled all of my voids. However, the more I have thought about it the more unrealistic this seems. Though it is important to find someone that does make you happy and someone with whom you are compatible, there will still be things missing in a relationship. What is important though is that the things that you have with the person need to outweigh the things that are missing. I definitely want to find someone that I "click" with and someone who I know I will love than to be completely focused on finding a sole mate.

I see these ideas illustrated in music through many different popular songs. One song that comes to mind is Bruno Mars' "Grenade" where he says he would gladly die for another person. Though I see this as a form of agape and selfless love, he is not talking about a spouse that we know of. I think that this is something that very close couples do feel and parents feel towards their children but I also do not think that people feel this way about someone they have just met or just started dating. Another song is Thompson Square's "If I Didn't Have You" which the couple singing says "This life would kill me if I didn't have you."Again I see this as a very romantic and beautiful song that I do really like, however I think it is a bit dramatic. It is important to have other people and hobbies in your life that make your life worth living. Your entire life cannot revolve around one person. The song "Unstoppable" by Rascal Flats also puts pressure on the idea of love and relationships between people. It says "love will come and make you whole again, it always will it always does, love is unstoppable." Though the song has a strong message and does have truth to it, it can also seem like one should rely on love to fulfill their lives. There are many other things that can make a person happy than love of girlfriend or boyfriend and we must not wait on love to make us happy. One more song that presents somewhat of a negative tone is "Better Dig Two" by The Band Perry. I really have had trouble understanding this song because the words seem like a sappy love song but the music seems sort of angry. Anyways, the singer describes that her only "crutch was loving one man too much" and that she would love him until she dies. This song makes it seem like her only reason for living is again to love this person, and I think that there are more reasons to live than for one person. A song that I really like the message of, however, is "Lucky" by Jason Mraz and Colbie Callait. This song describes the love between a couple and how they are lucky to be in love with their best friend. This shows the friendship and emotional love between the two people that establishes a strong relationship.

Gender and Dating Relationships

While reading the article I had many reactions to different comments and things said by the author. I think that there are definitely a lot of pressures that are placed on couples when getting married, which are usually all known as traditions. I personally see nothing wrong with a female proposing to a male or vice versa. I also think it is important for the couple to discuss marriage before one proposes. I think it should be a mutual decision and that both parties should be expecting to get married in the future. When I thought more about it, I realized that the proposal itself isn't much of a surprise but what is surprising is the manner and time it happens. I also do not see any problems with either the man or woman proposing makes a big romantic deal about the proposal. I think that if the person being proposed to would want something like that then it is a good way to show your love because you know the big production will make that person happy. In reference to taking the surname of the man, I think that this is more of a practical thing than one that shows male dominance and patriarchy. Though I understand how it makes the male dominant in a relationship it also unites the couple as a family and as two people joining together through marriage. When I read that this particular couple each had four names, I just thought that this seemed a little much as they would have to constantly be referred to by both names as to not insult their spouse. Also if they decided to have children it just seems complicated that they would have two last names. I think that some traditions are outdated and do show male dominance but I also do not see why these would need to change forever especially if both people in the couple are okay with them.

Dating: What's the Point?

I think that dating is an important part of our society today. Dating helps people realize what they are looking for in a partner and what kind of a person they want to marry or be with for the rest of their lives. Although most high-schoolers and some college students are not thinking of marriage, dating allows them to figure out the kind of people they are compatible with and what qualities they admire in a person. For those that are ready for marriage, dating allows two people to become closer and gives them time to decide whether they are right to be married. I think that dating is different then hook-ups because it is a more intimate and emotional way for two people to be together.

Little Women

After reading the article and watching the documentary Misrepresentation I have noticed how objectified women are in the media. As the documentary pointed out, women in leadership positions are always critiqued on their appearance and physical attributes while men are not. It is important for documentaries like this to be shown so that people also realize this misrepresentation of women in the media and hopefully end it. Another point the documentary makes that is also made in the article is the sexualization of girls at a very young age. Clothing stores and TV shows sexualize young girls by making and endorsing sexual clothes and behavior. This also needs to be stopped because this behavior leads young girls to constantly focus on looks rather than more important elements of life. This sexualization ties into the first point of objectifying women leaders. As a Mount student, I am called to become a strong, independent, female leader in the future. By reading this article and watching the documentary I see how difficult it may be to do all of this and be perceived well by others. However I hope to help end this discrimination towards women in the workforce through become a female leader in the career I choose. It is important for women to continually condemn the stereotypes of female leaders in order to end this misrepresentation.

Three important things in my life that have shaped my identity are my family, the Mount, and being a member of the crew team. My family has shaped my identity because I have learned many of my habits and actions from being around them. My family consists of my mother, father and three sisters: Katie (23), Molly (19), and Emma (16). My parents have inspired me to become a hard-working and persistent person. They have helped me set my priorities which include my faith, family and friends, schoolwork and my passions. My sisters are also responsible for shaping my identity because I have always looked up to my older sisters and tried to be the same type of role model to my younger sister. It was my mother and sisters who introduced me to the Mount and helped me realize that it was the perfect fit for me.

Going into eighth grade my classmates and I were all applying to different high schools and beginning to look for where we wanted to continue our educations. Because all of my aunts and sisters had gone to the Mount I wanted to be different and desperately wanted to go to Gwynedd Mercy. However, when I visited at Mount I was amazed at the friendliness of the studetns and faculty. I knew that it was the right school for me. Throughout these four years of high school I have made many new friends and been introduced to new experiences. I have been able to explore my interests and realize what I really enjoy doing. I have learned my strengths and weaknesses inside and outside of the classroom. One important part of my experience at Mount that has also helped shape my identity was being a member of the crew team.

Freshman year I had a hard time deciding what I wanted to do, which sports I wanted to play and which clubs I wanted to join. My older sister, Molly, was a part of the team and I loved the competition and unity I saw every weekend. I made many of my close friends through joining this team and really found my place at the school. By becoming a member of this team I also was given many opportunites to travel to places such as Tennessee, Boston, and England. By traveling to Boston I fell in love with the city and realized I wanted to go to college somewhere there. These values and experiences I have gained from my family, school, and team are invaluable and have all helped to shape my identity.

Mission Statement

As John Wooden says, "Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out." I look to this quote on a daily basis and have been for the past four years. To me this quote is my own personal mission statement. It reminds me to stay positive when things get tough. I strive to live out the message of this quote by constantly being optimistic. I will never letting diminishing circumstances get in my way. I strive to overcome my daily obstacles by making the best out of every situation. I plan to live a happy and fulfilling life through capitalizing on whatever life throws my way and living out this quote daily.