Self Discovery Essay -- Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Self Discovery â€Å"What are you going to do after you get your degree?†Whenever I announce my occupation, this trite, well-intentioned question never fails to follow. I am a student, a senior at Metro, studying Literature and History. Not only a student, I am a mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend and female. No, I don’t bring in a paycheck, but my life is fulfilling, gratifying, deserving and challenging. Will I teach, write, join the downtown business crew again, or become a clerk in the bookstore? Maybe I will. Whatever I do, I know I will strive to be a bit more patient, observing the tiniest of details, attempting to be more considerate and understanding of people, honoring their backgrounds and culture. While studying English and History, I have obtained a clearer sense of being. I have repeatedly professed that my family and faith prioritize my life, however, I often found that the chaos of establishing a career and pursuing the ‘American Dream’ clashed with those values. Caught in a whirlwind, life was centered around the present, focusing on the future, without the time or necessity to reflect on the past. The study of liberal arts has opened new windows to the past in my mind, allowing the wisdom and thoughts of many great people circulate and stimulate my efforts, giving credence to many of life’s blessings and insecurities. The struggles, discoveries, confessions, and pronouncements of those who are forged in history often apply to modern day life relationships. A fellow classmate, very intuitively, remarked that my writing always reflects back to my personal life. The impact of history and literature on my life, explains the gift I have found in my studies. Socrates (469-399 B.C.), a professional teach... ... and to idle, but I will try to keep an open mind! The study of literature requires critical reading, understanding the background of the author, being cognizant of the historical culture in which the author wrote to fully comprehend the statement being made. I believe when I finally nail the hole on the study wall when hanging my degree next to that of my husband and daughter, I will apply the skills learned in my Liberal Arts education to my every day life and acquaintances. WORKS CITED Hollister, C. Warren. Medieval Europe – A Short History. USA:The McGraw-Hill Co., 1998. Thoreau, Henry David. â€Å"Walden.† The Norton Anthology – American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. USA:W.W. Norton & Co. 1998. 1768-1820. Woolf, Virginia. â€Å"A Room of One’s Own.† The Longman Anthology – British Literature. Ed. David Damrosch. USA: Addison-Wesley Ed. Publ., 1999. 2465-2499.