I Believe..

Ashley Russell

“I Believe”

I believe that books will be there for you when no one else is. What else do you know of that will always curl up with you in the comfort of your own bed and will take your mind off of any situation? Nothing.

Many argue that books are just a distraction that keeps the reader from dealing with their problems. I believe that books allow the reader to see possible ways to deal with their problems and the outcomes associated with each.

I fall in love with these books. They saved me from so many lonely nights full of confused emotions. When my parents decided to argue loud enough for the world to hear, their screams and shouts could only be drowned out by the words on the pages of the many books that I had amassed. They surrounded me and kept me safe. They would never forsake me in my time of need.

Independence. Many of the books that I read were about being your own person. In the book, Something Rising (Light and Swift) the female protagonist came from a bad family. They did not guide her through school. They showed no interest in her life or where she was going but she made it through because she learned to rely on herself.

Perseverance. Cassie, the main character of Something Rising (Light and Swift), overcame many obstacles and never let anything hold her back. She came out on top against all odds without the help of others around her because she trusted in herself. Even when it looked like all hope was gone, she found a way to accomplish her goals.

Courage. Cassie had the nerve to continue to try. She even took a leap of faith when she went down to New Orleans in search of her mother’s old lover to challenge him in pool. She knew he was a renowned pool player but she also believed in herself. The nerve to be persistent, the strength to persevere, and the independence to do it all on your own, that is what these books taught me.

I believe that all of these traits are essential is you want to make it anywhere in life. They all taught me that relying on myself is the best way to go. You cannot expect others in life to put you first, you must put yourself first.

I never realized perfectly I paralleled with Cassie in Something Rising (Light and Swift). She is a strong-willed, stubborn girl who makes her way through life without needing outside support from her family. She always craves for people to care about her feelings and to encourage her BUT she does not need this affirmation to keep chasing her dreams.

My parents always had work on their minds. They were never there for me when I was a child. I would look out into the stands during track meets, and I would never see them. I would pray that maybe this weekend we would go out and have ice cream or just be together but that never happened. And most of all, I wanted someone to tell me that I was doing a good job in school and that it did matter.

When you have nowhere to turn, books will be there. And when you do not have an answer for a situation, they will provide you with the right tools to find it. They have helped me through so many trials. If I had not read about Cassie’s perseverance when no one else stood by her side, then I would have never made it through the obstacles I have endured. I believe that books saved my life.