Beastminster!

Tuesday night, the Beastminster team and I had our last game.  The team consists of Annie Williams, Claire Harvin, Margaret Banes Borden, Caroline Schraibman, Abigail Reddic, Bailey DeLoche, Marjorie Anne Foster, and potentially Clara Castles. We had an amazing season, from our traditional team breakfast/lunch/ice cream after each game, to messing around in practice (which probably ticked Mr. Borden off).  Yes, we were not the most serious team, but we are definitely very competitive.  However, we only played the minimum number of games because of our crowded schedules, but in each one we tried our hardest to win.
When I decided to do the team, I was unsure because these girls and I didn't really know each other well.  But after the season, I feel like these are some of my good friends.  Doing the team has expanded my friend relations greatly.  It's really crazy how one day a week with these girls have sparked new friendships among us.  I really look forward to doing Beastminster with them next year!

So basically thank y'all for dealing with my terrible basketball skills, giving me advice, and being a great group of friends to have this season. I hope we can do the same thing again next year!

The Transfiguration: My perspective

Today we had a gospel in church that told the story of the time when Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the top of the Mountain of Transfiguration:

After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. ² There He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. ³ Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

⁴ Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

⁵ While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is My Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!”

⁶ When the disciples heard this, they fell face down to the ground, terrified. ⁷ But Jesus came and touched them. He said, “Get up. Don’t be afraid.” ⁸ When they looked up they saw no one except Jesus.

⁹ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Do not tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.” (Matthew 17:1-9)

Our pastor, Brian, told us about why Peter spoke out.  He had no idea what to say; the two men he had spent years learning about, and his leader were right in front of him.  Wanting to remember this experience forever, he exclaimed that he wanted to build three temples, one for each of them. A cloud then came over them, with the voice of God, saying, "This is my son that I love, listen to him."  The disciples fell to the ground terrified.  Jesus told them to not be afraid, and that they had to leave the mountain, for they had to do work in the valley.  On the way down, Jesus told them not tell a soul what they have seen that day.

Brian referred to that as a 'mountain top experience.'  This wasn't the first time I had heard of such an experience; he had actually referred to it recently, but this was the first time I really understood the phrase.  Have you ever had a moment that you never want to leave? I actually had one yesterday at a horse show. I had just won high point champion, but had to leave that mountain quickly to the valley.  I knew that nothing was going to get done for me to do well at my next show, if I kept basking in the glory of that last event.  

I think this passage is about being humble.  One cannot bask in their glory for too long; they have to go back to the valley and do more work.  Another theory that comes out of this is that there is really no time to relax and rest.  There is no time to completely be satisfied at all you have done, until you have done everything that is to be completed.  

So what is really the moral to this blog? You can interpret it in very different ways.  I think of it as being humble.  This passage applies so much to my life, that now I vow to work to be more humble, because there is always something to do in the valley.

The Help

"The Help" is my favorite movie I have seen; ever.  I saw it recently with my mom when she forced me to watch it with her.  I did not think it would be good, but I ended up loving it!

I never really knew how the white women treated the "help" back in the 1960's.  Seeing the fact that they had to use a separate bathroom because the white women thought they carried diseases was hard for me to take in.  I had always known that the black women were treated like property when they were slaves, but seeing the women ordered around with no "please" or "thank you" made me realize how hard their lives were.  One women even got beaten by her husband, and it showed how independent and strong these women had to be to continue their hard lives.  The girls would have to be maids because they did not have enough money to support their generally large family around the age of 13.  Imagine if it was that way in our society?  We would have 13 year old girls working for lower than minimum wage to take care of our children, and carry out our duties.  It makes me think about if I was a maid; I would have already been one for a year by now.  I would have already finished school, and would be just getting used to living my life that way.

Those black maids probably loved the white children even more than their true mothers.  The white children went to the black maids when they were upset, instead of their biological mothers.  The children treated the help like their mothers, because they were the ones that raised them.  Seeing the sadness on their faces made me think about how much children love their biological mothers now, unlike back when "help" was used.  

"The Help" is a truly remarkable film, and I highly recommend it to everyone.  It has really changed my perspective.

Girl Friends

         Linking arms, skipping through Fantasyland in Disney, falling occasionally, and laughing so hard that we got disapproving looks from passing people.   That's what I was doing two Sundays ago at 3 AM in the morning with Landon and Emma.  My girl friends and I always have the best times together, from tricking the Disney staff with Landon and Emma, or trying to do basket tosses in the pool with Maddy, Emma and Bailey. They are always people I can count on, and I am so blessed to have them everywhere I go.  Joselin, Emma, Abbie, Jessica, Ashley, and Sara at Duke.  Emma, Maddy, Quinn and Bailey at school.  The entire Beastminster team at basketball.  Joy, Taylor, Claire, Elliot, and Ellerslie at the barn.  Landon, Lucas, Kennedy, and Ellie at church.  These are only a few of the girls that I can always count on to be there for me if I get a bad grade, or I need some advice on how to handle a situation.  They are here for me when I need someone to pep talk me through a bad week (thanks Emma!) or just there to entertain me with funny stories about an awkward instance.  My girl friends mean the world to me, and I would never trade them for anything!

                                               

Family Interview

This Thanksgiving weekend I decided it would be interesting to interview all four of my grandparents about their education.  I wanted to see what school was like in the 40's and 50's.  I asked about their high school and college experiences. 

Me: What high school did you go to? Was it large or small?
(Father's Mother) Claire Stuart: Westminster, in Atlanta, GA, it was a private school.  (Interestingly, it is the same school my aunt Glenn Hilliard attended, on the other side of the family.)
(Father's Father) Gene Stuart: I went to Plant High School in Tampa, Florida.  It was a medium sized public school.
(Mother's Mother) Heather Hilliard: I went to TL Hannah, in Anderson, SC; it was a small public school.
(Mother's Father) Glenn Hilliard: Belton High School, a very small public school, near Anderson, SC.

Me: What was your favorite subject?
CS: I loved French, and in fact received the state French award.
GS: Math.
HH: I liked history the most.
GH: English was my favorite subject.

Me: What sports did you do?
CS: Girls weren't allowed to do sports. (laughs)
GS:  I played football, offensive right guard.
HH: The only girls sport was basketball, so that is what I played.
GH: I played basketball for my school.

Me: What arts did you do?
CS: Well, I was president of the drama club.
GS: I didn't do any arts.
HH: I didn't do any arts.
GH: I played the trumpet in the high school band.

Me: What was your first car? 
CS: I had a Lincoln convertible.  It was a really nice car then!!
GS: My first car was a 1946 Hudson that I bought for $50, and sold for $35.
HH: I had a yellow car, I don't remember the name.
GH: I bought a Nash Rambler for $300.

Me: What college did you attend?
CS: I went to Sweet Briar for two years, then went to UNC.
GS: I went to Duke.
HH: I went to Clemson.
GH: I attended Clemson.

Me: What did you do after you graduated from college?
CS: I worked in Grady Hospital in the psychiatric ward.
GS: I became a naval officer.
HH: I was a flight attendant for Delta airlines.
GH: I went to law school at George Washington University.

Me: If you could go back and redo high school, would you?
CS: No, too much drama.
GS: Yes, I would have more fun.
HH: Yes, I would read more and have more fun.
GH: No, I would not.

I am so fortunate to have all four of my grandparents still alive!  They are such great people, and all are still happily married.  Having a good family is one thing I am definitely thankful for. I am pleased to say that I have a great family that is always looking out for me.  It was fun to be able to hear about their high school and college experiences, and to get to know them better.

Forrest Gump

I recently had the pleasure of watching the movie Forrest Gump for the first time. It was an amazing movie, and is now one of my favorites.  It has such a unique plot, and it is so different than any other movie I have ever seen.  One way it is different is that it is a full story of the protagonist's whole life, unlike many other movies where it just shows a snapshot in time.  I loved the longevity of the plot unfolding as the movie develops.


Forrest Gump also showed some particularly difficult experiences, such as the war in Vietnam, that relayed how harsh reality can be, and how many people suffered and died in that war.  Another particularly difficult experience was that Forrest was not like the other children, and he was discriminated against because of his disability.  The movie showed how challenging life can be if one is different.  Forest is able to take these experiences, that could be horrible, and make the best of them.  He show's how to live life to the fullest no matter what a person has to overcome.

Forrest Gump is about making the best of one's life.  But, it is also a story of love.  Jenny loves Forrest despite his disabilities, and she helps him to gain trust and respect.  The relationship between Jenny and Forrest is interesting, for it feels as if their stories are meant to come together.  Jenny is a hippie protesting the Vietnam war, while Forrest is fighting for it.  Yet, they are able to love one another despite their differences.  Forrest also teaches about forgiveness in love.  Jenny leaves Forrest to go with the hippies, and Forrest is left behind at home.  However, they find each other again, and he still loves her.

Forrest Gump is an amazing epic film about love and life.  Forrest has many struggles throughout his life, and this movie teaches the audience to be happy for what we have.

Benardin Presentation

Yesterday, I went to see a presentation on the USC campus lead by Martin Doblmeier, who was talking about his documentary, Benardin, that was originally screened in 1998, which was going to be featured that night on the South Carolina ETV channel.  The intent of the presentation was to discuss religious topics, along with ethical and moral dimensions. He had clearly completed a course on religious studies, for he seemed very smart, and knew information to a great extent on the topic.  He discussed some good points on his religious belief system, along with some movie-making strategies.  He told why he wanted to write religious films, how a movie was filmed "behind the scenes," and told the story of Gandhi, when he tried to overthrow and kill Adolf Hitler, which I found slightly off topic, yet very interesting.  I did not really know about Gandhi; I had heard the name before, but the way Doblmeier told the story made me understand what he was trying to do, and why he was so well known and important.  However, Doblmeier did not seem to hit all the expected points to have a well thought out opinion on his religious views.  He had clearly not prepared for his lecture prior to the presentation.  He focused a great deal on the USC religious studies students, and that made the lecture confusing, because he went off on topics that the Hammond students did not know about.  When someone asked him a question, it was answered  indirectly.  He seemed like a very intelligent man, who knew what he was talking about in the religion department.  He was definitely a successful filmmaker, and his presentation made me more interested in the filmmaking industry.  I look forward to hearing about more of his films in the future.