"Fortunately, the sun has a wonderfully glorious habit of rising every morning. When the sky lightened, when the birds awoke, I knew I would never again see anything so splendid as the round red sun coming up over the Earth." Sam Gribley had an outlook on life that many people fail to see.

We often get stuck in the movements and routines of our day. We forget to live a little and enjoy our time here on our precious Earth. Lately, I myself have fallen into these motions and felt like a puppet in my own life. The simplest of solutions have lifted my spirits and have started to bring me back to my previous ways. Although Sam is a fictional character, he has a lot of truth behind his words. Each day the sun will rise, so no matter how hard yesterday was tomorrow is always a fresh start.

A few changes I have realized in myself are I have been making less negative comments and I have felt more confident. With the negativity changing in myself, I have also tried to make others more positive when they are down. I have had more confidence in my own abilities as a student and with the way, I look each day. Putting my own self down wouldn't get me anywhere in life.

While reading "My Side of the Mountain" by Jean Craighead George, I felt inspired to take on more challenges in life and have higher standards. The life I live will be filled with positive people, good memories, and I will strive each day toward my goals. Each of us has our own mountain to conquer and I take mine day by day with my head high and towards the sun.