Hey guys my name is Amanda Lennox. I was born here and then moved to Hollister, California until I was 8 then I moved back to Idaho. I graduated from Rocky Mountain High school 2015. I do not like reading but I love movies. In my leisure time, I will usually just hang out with friends or go on some weird adventure. It may shape the world in ways of trying to encourage not to be lazy in down time and to show that you always have time for yourself. My perspective on the world used to be very simple. Be happy. As I grew and matured, I realized that that still is a goal of everyday but sometimes it is a little harder to achieve. With experience I have learned to overcome obstacles that are placed in my way. Something that has really shaped my life is my mom specifically. She raised me on her own and so I have learned from her to be confident and independant. She has been through a lot and she is the type of mother who is also my best friend. I can tell her anything and one day, when the day comes, I will raise my own like she did with me. Now that I am older, I also have realized that success takes motivation and time commitment. So many people give up too early because no progress is occurring. Another factor that has made me who I am today, sad to say, is my ex boyfriend. The typical, we were together for all of high school and he taught me to be more selfless and taught me that sometimes people just go in different paths. It was a blessing in disguise. I have a bigger vision in life and bigger goals for myself and  thank him for a lot of it.

Hello my name is Karina Myles and I grew up in Pocatello, ID and surrounding area. The area I grew up and the people influenced me by giving me an appreciation for animals (life in general), outdoor activities and work ethic.

Honestly, I am not much of a reader. When I was in high school I read all of the required textbooks but I don’t remember what any of them would have been about. As I get older I have started reading more action novels and do enjoy reading about European history.

I grew up with a mother who religiously watched the morning and nightly news on NBC. I have since continued this tradition and every morning and evening I am watching NBC news. I do also browse Yahoo news and read articles if I find a subject to be interesting or just want more information.

My leisure time is spent outdoors running, hiking, fishing or some other outdoor activity depending on the season. I do feel that this is a big influence on my “lens” as I am a very healthy, fit and determined individual.

I am not a very religious or spiritual person but I do believe that everyone has a right to believe in whatever helps them navigate through this life.

My family did not come from different cultures so growing up with my family and living in a small town I did not get very much cultural diversity as a child.

When I was 18 years old I joined the Army. From the moment I landed in basic training it was complete culture shock. I was open minded enough that eventually things evened out for me and I went to many different states for training and then I got deployed to Iraq. Being deployed helped to aid my perspective on human behavior and changed my mind on the outlook I have on what the purpose of life is all about. I now find other cultures very interesting and I am open to see how others live and try and incorporate things into my life that I feel are important.

I do have people and experiences that I consider essential in shaping the person I am today. I honestly don’t think there is a single person out there who could say this question does not apply to them. For me there are to many people and events to name but I am glad that I have grown up and had the experience I have had because it has shaped me into a person who is open minded, caring, self sufficient and determined.

I have only been on this earth for 24 years, but I feel like the earth and I are good friends. It seems like time after time good old mother nature likes to remind me of my mortality and how fast your world can change. Perhaps it is my upbringing in the mountains that makes me feel so small. In the day I would see the large majestic mountains and during the night there is nothing to obscure the billions of stars in the sky. Perhaps it is my experience around pain and suffering that causes me to think that life can change in a matter of seconds. Watching four of my friends almost be killed over a stupid decision to drift around dirt corners next to a river wakes you up those thoughts we all must face about our own lives. Perhaps as I first held my two boys, those two small flickers of new life, thoughts of how fragile they were filled my mind. Perhaps those feelings of hopelessness come as I watch movies that depict scenes of terror and the end of the human race. Perhaps I am filled with the feeling of insignificance as I read books with characters that go above and beyond to accomplish things they never knew they could do.

On the other hand, something inside me tells me that life is precious and that it should be celebrated. Something in my heart tells me to enjoy the moments of peace and of joy because those are the gems of my existence. Perhaps it was when I understood my oldest son’s first word and his face lit up with the brightest smile, consequently filling my soul, if you believe in such a thing, with blinding joy. Perhaps it is when I found out that my four friends would live and that there would be no lasting damage to their brains or otherwise so they could continue to be happy and reach their goals. Perhaps when I look up at the night sky I am filled with awe and wonder and when I look at the mountains I see clarity and the desire to climb to the top. Perhaps as I watch apocalyptic movies I am filled with hope watching the survivors fight all odds to live and make a happier future for themselves. Perhaps I am filled with desire to reach my goals and go above and beyond to accomplish when I read books with amazing characters.

 

This is a small glimpse into my contemplative brain.