Colton Kim Simpson

 Parenting: The Power and Responsibility. Superhero movies are all the rage nowadays. They dominate the media and social platforms. Whether you are a die hard fan or merely a casual observer, there is no escaping the presence and influence of the superhero trend. Among these popular characters is one you may have heard of, Spider-man, your friendly neighborhood friend. In an important and character building scene, Spider-man’s uncle tells him this famous quote, “With great power comes great responsibility”. As we get older we can see the truth of this principle highlight our lives. When we own a car, we have the power to go and travel anywhere we want! On the other hand we must do regular maintenance, car insurance, and safe driving. I argue that having children is the biggest responsibility there is. We have so much power as parents; however, power, power is a big word? What is power? Power sometimes has a bad connotation and is portrayed as dangerous in history, stories, and medi...

 Everyone has heard of the following quotes and phrases “work hard play hard” or maybe “work now play later”, I believe there is a deeper life lesson as to why it’s in that specific order, work then play. In life it's inevitable to work, to be tried, to do hard things. When it comes to work, and hard work specifically, there are things we can learn. I argue that hard work can help us see people as they truly are, helps us grow self-confidence, and can better prepare us to serve and help others. Working reveals our true colors: In class we discussed together about the importance of working, working as a couple and working as a family. This conversation was right down my alley. I grew up in the midwest, Missouri, with my hardworking and diligent family. Growing up we were often reminded that two of the most important decisions we make in this life are 1.) Who we marry, and 2.) and the friends we choose. In addition, my father often told me to choose my friends based on not how fun th...

  Nose goes, flipping coins, drawing straws, rock-paper-scissors, and eenie meenie miney mo are all popular methods of decision making; however, the question is, is it the most effective approach? When we were young we learned how to interact with others. When we were younger we were told to “play nice” and “treat others the way you like to be treated”. As children we were more forgiving, accepting, loving, and understanding. I believe all those traits are natural and instinctive for children. I have 20+ nephews and nieces. It's a daily occurrence that they will fight, argue, and bicker on with another. Likewise, it's a daily occurrence that they forgive each other and return back to playing and making messes around the house. My point being, when we were kids it was second nature to be kind, forgiving, and understanding. On the contrary, as I have grown up I have observed that we as adults tend to grow out of these characteristics. What happens in between? What is the differen...

  This week in our lectures Professor Williams took some time during lecture to talk about depression. This topic was beyond intriguing. My Professor revealed that his family and he had struggled with depression throughout their life. He shared about the crippling hardships and difficult hindrances of depression. After battling with depression he has found that there is one specific thing that helped him the most effectively get over his depression. That thing was a change of mindset. My professor believes strongly that depression is not a chemically imbalanced brain, but that instead, it is an overwhelming tendency to feel and think negatively, an attitude. Along with clinical and scientific studies that would prove this principle is also his heartfelt testimony that we as humans have the power and capability to choose--we have agency. We can choose to be happy, and we can choose to have joy. If we believe, and if it's true, that depression is a permanent condition that will ail u...