In Favor of Social Security Reform :: Economics Politics Argumentative Essays

In Favor of Social Security Reform There are millions of Americans affected by social security. These Americans rely on social security to provide them with financial security. Recently President Bush agreed to proposing a method of privatizing the social security program so that in the future the vast reserves of the social security system would not run out nearly as fast. With the always increasing rise in inflation, and the baby boomer generation reaching ages of retirement fairly soon, this is an issue that needs to be dealt with correctly and rapidly. The way the president is handling the situation is definitely the right way to do it. There are many things and ways in which to do it wrong, but the president seems to be pointing the plans of social security in the right direction. The president’s plans of reforming social security are right because the privatization is the best way to go, changing the rules for those who would apply for it increases the savings and makes the money go farther, a nd working with the distribution of different tax percentages would really make the money go a lot farther. To understand how privatizing social security will help the social security program in the future, first it is important to know what it is and what it does. How social security works now is that everybody that gets benefits from the social security program all get them from one big pot, so to speak. By privatizing the different accounts, they can earn interest faster and make more money for the consumer on an individual basis. This can work better to because the accounts are individualized and earn the right amount of money for the different financial situation that the person is in. This will be a big change for the way that social security is run, but it is for the better and it will help lots of older Americans and the social security program in general for years to come. One of the big questions when dealing with the privatizing of social security is where it leaves the minority groups. All minorities are affected, but the African Americans are most likely the ones that will need to deal with it most.

Conrad vs Holden

Ordinary People and The Catcher in the Rye: Reckless Actions In current day society, people strive for the untangible feeling of happiness. Genuine happiness can develop a person to become lovable; however, the nonexistence of happiness may do the complete opposite. Holden a protagonist from the novel, The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger, and Conrad the main character from the movie, Ordinary People, are searching for this happiness within their own lives. However, they are unable to find it because of the solidarity that they feel between their friends and families.The loneliness and the decreasingly lack of joy in Conrad’s and Holden’s lives triggers them to make decisions that would lead to consequences which would negatively affect their surrounds in the future. The absence of happiness within the lives of Holden and Conrad causes them to act reckless in different ways that ultimately harms himself and people around him. Throughout the movie Conrad makes many i mpulsive decisions that harms his friends, family members, and also himself.The first wrong decision that started the domino effect on the other wrongful decisions that he makes, is the fact that he didn’t come back to shore when he and his brother, Buck, saw â€Å"how bad the weather was becoming† while they were sailing. This decision results to the death of his brother and the event stays in his mind leading to the reckless behavior that begins to engulf his mind. Following, this decision is Conrad’s suicidal attempt by cutting his wrists vertically in his bathroom sink.Although this act puts pain on his family, it mostly affects Conrad physically and emotionally because he has to endure the pain of the slits and the depression that had caused him to make the decision to begin with. Even after Conrad returns from the hospital he continues to feel the lack of happiness within his own life. The depression causes him to not want to eat the breakfast that his mot her makes just for him. Hurt by the rejection, Conrad’s mother dumps the meal into the drain and leaves in an abrupt manner.In addition, much of the bottled up emotions that Conrad keeps causes him to become quite distant with his own family and his friends. This solidarity eventually leads Conrad to lose his past close relationships with them. These impulsive decisions allow Conrad to expand upon his emotions, since in the beginning of the movie he bottles it up and allows it to accumulate over time. Within the novel, Holden displays reckless attitude that results in harming both himself and those around him.The factor of his reckless behavior begins when Holden runs away from Pency Prep due to the fact that he gets kicked out and is afraid that his parents would be upset. In turn, Holden decides to live in the city and waits till he is expected to come home. This act eventually leads him to hurt himself mentally because after a time spent in the city, Holden begins to †Å"feel more depressed.. † and lonely (95). In an act of desperation, Holden tries to fill in his loneliness and sorrows by finding company with a girl named Sally that he â€Å"wasn’t too crazy about† (105).However, as Holden and Sally are still on their date, Holden displays his reckless behavior when he insults Sally calling her â€Å"a pain in the ass† (133). Sally is thus deeply hurt by the insult and â€Å"she was even crying† (134). This act in turn leaves Holden to become lonely and depressed once again. With the feeling of depression weighing on his shoulder, Holden decides to leave town and head for the west. Phoebe, Holden’s kid sister, hearing his plan also wants to tag along as well bringing along her suitcase that contains her personal items.Even though Holden doesn’t want to be alone, he refuses his sister’s plea to run away with him and in turn results him to display another act of recklessness. Holden yells at Ph oebe telling her to shut up which triggers her to â€Å"start to cry† (206). Holden’s consideration of leaving Phoebe hurts Phoebe because she really cares about her brother’s well being. Since Holden’s siblings Allie and D. B are no longer currently living in the household, if Holden were to run away, Phoebe would feel lonely having only her parents as companions.Holden and Conrad are similar types of characters because they both act recklessly and unintentionally hurt themselves and the people that surround them. Both of the characters punch one of their good friends due to immature decisions. Holden gets into a fist fight with Stradlater since Holden continues to invoke Stradlater about his date with Jane, knowing that a punch to the face would follow the dispute. This act displays that Holden makes wrongful decisions knowing the consequences of the act, however still continuing with the act.In addition, Conrad also displays reckless behavior by contin uingly punching Stillman out of the remark that Stillman makes of Jeannine. Conrad punches Stillman out of anger and frustration since Dr. Berger, Conrad’s psychiatrist, unlocks his emotions; it begins pouring out uncontrollably. With this act of violence, Conrad loses many of his once close friends because his friends now perceive him as â€Å"crazy† after the punching incident. Both Holden and Conrad displays thoughtless decisions by punching their friends in an act of rage which results in the consequences of more hurt.Even though Holden and Conrad may be similar they are more different than alike because they exhibit different acts of recklessness. While Holden may use strong words and loud voices to harm others, Conrad uses physical actions to harm the ones around him. When Holden was on his date with Sally in the restaurant, he begins to ramble about the future that Sally and Holden could have together. Holden suggests that Sally runs away together with him howev er Sally rejects his proposal causing Holden to become upset.This urge that is raging inside of him impulses him to say things that he didn’t think through therefore enabling him to insult her. However, this is not the only case in which Holden says things without thinking. In another scenario where he is speaking to Phoebe, Holden tells Phoebe to shut up, he â€Å" didn’t mean to tell her to shut up †¦Ã¢â‚¬  but the impulse enabled him to do so (206). On the other hand, Conrad uses his non-thought out actions to affect the people around him. Having Conrad attempting suicide by cutting his wrists vertically harms his family because it causes them to have to worry about their son.Conrad’s parents have already lost a son and if they were to lose another one then it would further devastate their family’s reputation and the family would thus fall apart. In addition, due to Conrad’s depression it causes him to not have an appetite when eating. Th us, when Conrad’s mom makes him breakfast and he refuses, this act causes his mother to become hurt from the rejection and therefore dump the meal in the garbage dispenser. Even so the slightest of actions of Conrad should effect and hurt the people around him.In conclusion, even though both Holden and Conrad are unintentionally hurting their loved ones, they differently act out recklessly when making out a decision. Both Holden and Conrad are both misunderstood teenagers that are trying find a way to get through the day. This is caused by the fact that their life is missing the genuine happiness that everyone in society searches for. However, at the end of both stories, they eventually achieve their idea of true happiness and therefore can live through the day knowing that they are truly happy.

The Small Business Association Describes Innovation

The Small Business Association describes innovation as â€Å"a process that begins with invention, proceeds with the development of the invention and results in the introduction of a new product, process or services to the marketplace† (Acs Audretsch, 1988). We all play a role in the world’s economic activities. We consume goods and services and often times we have brand preferences based on our affinities and experiences. While many of us enjoy the brands of some of the most prominent companies around the world like Hewlett-Packard for instance, many consumers prefer the niche services of small firms like Origin PC; a company that allows gamers to custom build personal computers based on individual specifications. This example speaks to the†¦show more content†¦Proportion of Large Firms In 1909 Joseph Schumpeter said that small companies (firms with fewer than 500 employees) were more inventive. Several decades later in 1942, he reversed his thought upon further research. He submitted that large firms (firms with more than 500 employees) have more incentive to invest in innovation because they can reach a broader market and recuperate the cost of RD investments more quickly (Canter, 2016). He also believed that the disadvantage of the innovation process to small firms in a competitive market was that inventions could quickly be imitated, cannibalizing potential profits. In recent years Schumpeter’s theory has been challenged and researchers like Acs and Audretsch have expanded upon his findings to reframe the measure of firms’ innovative activities in the context of today’s economic conditions. They believed that the smallest firms’ contributions to innovation across industries were often overlooked due to a lack of quantitative measures in assessing their outputs. The two proposed that small firms are actually more prone to innovate in industries mostly composed of large firms (Acs Audretsch, 1988). From their empirical analysis Acs and Audretsch wrote the following â€Å"The greater extinct to which an industry is composed of large firms, the greater will be the innovative activity, but that increased innovative activity will tend to emanate more

The Use Of Genetics And Reproduction Essay - 1052 Words

The use of genetics and reproduction sciences has been an ongoing debate for years. Some argue that the use of genetics and reproduction sciences are unjust, unethical and inhumane. The other side of the debate argues that the use of such sciences is a â€Å"life saver†, that it will improve medical advancements, health, and society. Genetics and reproduction sciences are used for informing individuals about possible outcomes, abnormalities, and genes of current and future pregnancies. Genetic testing analyzes chromosomes, DNA, proteins, and genes to determine the presences of altering genes that cause disease or disorders. The sole purpose for using genetic testing is that is can confirm or rule out suspected genetic conditions. The test will help determine the probability of chance of developing or passing on the disorder. Genetic testing can be processed in several ways: molecular, chromosomal, and biochemical testing. Molecular genetic testing refers to the study of genes, short strains of DNA used to identify variations or mutations that can lead to a genetic disorder. Chromosomal genetic testing analyzes whole chromosomes, long strains of DNA to identify the presences of large genetic genes and extra chromosomes. Biochemical genetic testing, studies the amount or activity levels of proteins. The presence of abnormalities found in the amount or level can indicate changes to the DNA that can result in a genetic disorder. There are currently over 1,000 genetic testsShow MoreRelatedThe Advantages and Disadvantages of Sexual and Asexual Reproduction1024 Words   |  5 PagesThe Advantages and Disadvantages of Sexual and Asexual Reproduction In order to avoid extinction species must reproduce and pass their genes on to the next generation, thus ensuring the survival of the population. For reproduction to occur cell division is necessary and this can be divided into two categories according to the behaviour of the chromosomes, they are known as mitosis and meiosis. Mitosis is when the daughter cells finish up containing exactly the same number Read MoreAnalysis Of Nick Lanes Life Ascending : The Ten Great Inventions Of Evolution1666 Words   |  7 Pagesanalysed can be viewed as credible. The purpose of this critique is for an in-depth examination of Nick Lane’s views on sexual reproduction. This includes advantages and disadvantages which would provide clarity when compared to asexual reproduction as well as the theories he has stated in the chapter from various other geneticists. 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Hypertrichosis excessive hair on the shoulders, face and ears; implicate it to a rearrangement of chromosome 8. 3. Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disorder born without an effective immune system.    b. Why is genetic drift more significant for small populations? The small population numbers would have resulted in specific genetic traits being passedRead MoreGenetic Engineering : Medical Perfection Or Playing God1280 Words   |  6 PagesThesis Statement â€Å"Genetic engineering differs from cloning in key ways. Whereas cloning produces genetically exact copies of organisms, genetic engineering refers to processes in which scientists manipulate genes to create purposefully different versions of organisms—and, in some cases, entirely new living things†, duplication of genetic cells is known as human cloning. Development of genetic engineering biotechnologies undermines the natural autonomy of life. 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Evolution is often thought of as a natural process, and were it not for humans, this might be true. However, evolution, in the strictest sense, is a change in the genetic structure of a population (Jurmain, et al., 5). While natural selection is a major contributor to the process of evolution, humans are no longer as heavily influenced by these forces, as they once were. In fact, since the dawn of medicine, humansRead MoreSelecting the Gender of a Baby: The issue on whether parents should be allowed to choose the sex1500 Words   |  6 Pagespractice. This issue has received huge attention because of long-term use of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) to help pregnant women in the United States and across the globe. This technology basically involves the transfer of fertilized human embryos into a woman’s uterus through in vitro fertilization (IVF). 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The American Revolution And The Indian War - 1202 Words

The American Revolution took place in 1754-1781. The revolution was marked by the beginning of the French and the Indian war. This war primarily took place in America. The war involved France and Britain. They were fighting for colonial supremacy in the American North. The colonizers that were mostly the British officials who sought the opinions of the general public. This was led to the war in 1754 at the Albany Congress. The American’s fought together with the British while the French joined forces with the different Native tribe. This revolution is referred to as the French and Indian War. The British ended the French-Indian War that lasted for seven years (1754-1763) by capturing Canadian key forts and France key cities in Ohio Valley. During the Pontiac’s Uprising, Pontiac was the chief of Ottawa. Pontiac led native tribes to join together and raided American settlements and British forts in Ohio Valley. These raids were signs of the tribes rebelling against fo reigners, who were stealing tribal lands. The British forces were powerful, and the Pontiac’s rallies were subdued. George Grenville’s solution was a proclamation, issued in 1763, temporarily banning all colonial settlement west of the Appalachian Mountains (Berkin 2014). The Proclamation Line of 1763 was the boundary that Britain established in the Appalachian Mountains, west of which white settlement was banned; it was intended to reduce conflict between Indians and colonists (Belkin 2014).Show MoreRelatedThe French and Indian War and the American Revolution771 Words   |  3 Pages At a surface level, historical accounts of The French and Indian War and the American Revolution are presented as wars between two sides: The British versus the French and the British verus the Americans, respectively. In each war the aforementioned opposing sides held the most crucial roles in each battle that these wars lead to. 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Iron Crowned Chapter 26 Free Essays

â€Å"So, let me make sure I’m following this correctly.† I sighed and shifted on the bed, knowing Dorian was repeating this conversation mostly because he liked seeing my discomfort. â€Å"Your ‘technology’ can tell you you’re having a boy and a girl, when they’re due, and allow you to hear their heartbeats,† he continued. We will write a custom essay sample on Iron Crowned Chapter 26 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"But some medicine inexplicably totally counteracted the other one you take to prevent pregnancy.† â€Å"Took,† I muttered. â€Å"Seeing as it’s kind of pointless now.† Dorian leaned back in a plush armchair, face expressing overly dramatic pondering. After fainting, I’d been given a guest room befitting my status, a good sign since â€Å"hospitality† simply meant protection and in no way related to one’s accommodations. It wasn’t quite as nice as Dorian’s room, of course, but the mattress was thick and fluffy, and the green velvet canopy coordinated with the heavy brocaded bedding. As sick as I’d felt, I honestly would have been content to curl up on the floor somewhere. I’d been awake for about an hour now, alone in the vast room save for Dorian. â€Å"What a fascinatingly bizarre turn of events,† he mused, stroking his chin. â€Å"If you thought the Iron Crown scared people, just wait until this news spreads. Which, of course, it already has.† I draped a hand over my forehead. â€Å"Isn’t it bad enough that I’m carrying a world-conquering prophecy child? Why all the political fallout?† â€Å"Because you’re carrying a world-conquering prophecy child,† he responded. â€Å"It’s the type of thing people tend to have strong feelings about.† â€Å"I thought almost everyone wanted to conquer the human world.† â€Å"Most,† he agreed. â€Å"But not all. Especially those who – after observing your record thus far – might fear you’ll conquer this world first.† I rolled over to my side, giving me a better view of him. Since the earlier spectacle, Dorian had masked whatever personal feelings he had about my pregnancy, switching into cunning ruler mode. â€Å"But not you,† I said. â€Å"You’ve always been in favor of this – fulfilling the prophecy.† â€Å"I’ve never made a secret of that,† he agreed. â€Å"From the moment we met.† That was true, at least. He’d sat on that desire while we were involved, but I’d always known it lurked. â€Å"You’ve just kept other secrets instead,† I blurted out. He didn’t answer me right away, but those green-gold eyes weighed me thoughtfully. â€Å"Yes. Yes, I have. Secrets I now regret.† That silenced me for several moments. I hadn’t expected any kind of apology. Something in me softened toward him. â€Å"Really?† â€Å"If I hadn’t deceived you about the Iron Crown,† he explained, â€Å"we would still be together.† I could only stare. The piece of me that had never stopped loving him tentatively reared its head. It was hard to believe he was here confessing his feelings, admitting that what we’d had had been more important than his scheming. It gave me a new insight into him, one that astonished †¦ yet pleased me. â€Å"And if we’d stayed together,† he continued, â€Å"I would have been the lucky beneficiary of this medicinal slip.† So much for new insight. I groaned and turned away. â€Å"Of course. Of course that’s the real source of your regret. You don’t get to lead the revolution.† I heard him get up and sit on the bed beside me. A few seconds later, he actually had the audacity to lie down. I wiggled over to make room. â€Å"It’s more than revolution,† he said. â€Å"I also told you the first time we met that I’d have a child with you, regardless of any prophecy.† â€Å"I’m not convinced that the ‘with me’ part was so relevant.† Dorian touched my cheek and turned my face toward his. â€Å"Do you really believe that? Do you really believe my feelings for you were so small that your being the mother of my child wouldn’t have meant the world to me?† I started to snarkily correct him with worlds, but it seemed petty. â€Å"I don’t know what I believe,† I said honestly. â€Å"I don’t even know if I have the energy or motivation to analyze our relationship when I have this going on.† I rested my hand on my stomach. Dorian’s eyes followed that motion, utterly captivated. â€Å"Despite your foolish fathering choices, this †¦Ã¢â‚¬  He reached toward my stomach as well, then pulled back. â€Å"This is a miracle. This is a prophecy fulfilled. This is life. And really, Kiyo is no longer relevant. He’s given up any claims to these children. They are yours and yours alone now.† My fingers tightened on my stomach, not painfully, but more in a possessive type of way. My gaze grew unfocused. â€Å"I still can’t believe that. I can’t believe that he’d dismiss his own children so easily. That he’d dismiss me so easily †¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"I doubt it was easy. You aren’t that easy to get over.† A small note of bitterness there. â€Å"But his opposition to the prophecy was too great. Just as my support is great enough to take you in – despite your betrayal – and embark in the madness to come.† Betrayal? I started to tell him he was the last one who should accuse anyone of that – but held back. â€Å"Will people think you’re crazy to do it?† â€Å"Hardly,† he snorted. â€Å"Most will think they’re my children anyway, ironically enough.† No one except Jasmine had heard my brief paternity exchange with Dorian in the hall. I frowned. â€Å"I think sometimes Kiyo does too.† â€Å"They can be.† My first reaction was that this was some sort of joke of his, but all humor had disappeared from his face. â€Å"I don’t think you fully understand genetics.† â€Å"I understand that parenting is more than just blood,† he said, still deadly earnest. â€Å"And as I said: he’s relinquished any claims. You are in control, and if even he and others question the children’s parentage, then so much the better. Simply declare me the father. Have it recorded, and by our laws, the children will be mine for all intents and purposes.† Something about that set off my alarms. â€Å"What do you mean ‘intents and purposes’?† He shrugged – a bit too casually. â€Å"Titles. Prestige. Protection. Inheritance – if either is strong enough to hold my kingdom. Which, according to the prophecy, your son should be.† â€Å"I don’t know,† I said. There might be some safety benefits to this sort of gentry â€Å"adoption,† but I had a feeling that Dorian wasn’t telling me all of them – particularly things that benefited him alone. He was still upset with me. He didn’t like Kiyo. There was no reason that I could see for this. â€Å"I have to think about it.† â€Å"Think fast,† Dorian said. â€Å"Things will be in motion soon, particularly once we get you back to your own lands.† â€Å"Why?† I asked. â€Å"Why would you want to claim someone else’s children? I mean, I get your wanting to see the prophecy come true, but you don’t have to take that extra step.† â€Å"Maybe someone else’s children are better than no children at all,† he said. It was another odd statement from him, a surprising one. Both philosophical and touching. Yet, I still believed there was a deception here. This wasn’t out of love for me. Not anymore. His hand moved toward my stomach again and he didn’t pull it away this time, though he made sure to keep away from my hand. â€Å"Let me ask you a question,† he said when I made no response. â€Å"Why did you choose to keep these children? Do you fear the unholy procedure your people use to end life? Were you unable to live with your daughter’s blood on your hands?† My mind rewound back to that day at the doctor’s. That day? Hell. It had only been earlier today. So much had happened since then that weeks might have gone by. My horrible ordeal with Kiyo had blurred the memories, but now, the ultrasound came back to me, the sights and sounds as real and vivid as though I were experiencing them all over again. â€Å"I heard their heartbeats,† I said at last. â€Å"And I saw them.† Well, kind of. Those blurs still didn’t look like much to me, but the point was irrelevant. â€Å"And when I did †¦Ã¢â‚¬  I groped to explain my feelings. â€Å"I just †¦ I just wanted them. Both of them. None of the rest mattered.† A slow, strange smile spread across Dorian’s face. â€Å"That,† he declared, â€Å"is the most gentry thing I’ve ever heard you say.† Normally, I would have mocked him for using â€Å"gentry† instead of â€Å"shining ones.† It was a slip he sometimes made around me. His words’ content, however, was of more importance. â€Å"That’s ridiculous.† â€Å"Not so. Humans overthink things. They throw away life heedlessly. Honestly, after all this time, I was beginning to think you were more human than shining one.† â€Å"I hate to tell you, but I am,† I said. Dorian made himself more comfortable, and the hand on my stomach moved so that his arm lay over me, almost – but not quite – an embrace. It was possessive, like I was a prize that had fallen into his lap. â€Å"Are you, my dear? You’re expressing philosophies very like my own. You’re carrying a child that will allegedly conquer the human world – a world you can’t go back to for a while, seeing as it would give the kitsune an edge. You’re safer here in this world where, I’d like to add, you rule not one but two kingdoms. That,† he declared triumphantly, â€Å"makes you, by my reckoning, more like a gentry than a human.† I looked away, not meeting his eyes – because I had a crazy feeling he was right. How to cite Iron Crowned Chapter 26, Essay examples

In Tennis I Trust free essay sample

Adrenaline rushed through my veins as I shifted back and forth on the tips of my toes, my feet moving faster than my thoughts. I gripped my trusty steed, familiarizing my hands with the leather handle, the Babolat racquet becoming an extension of my forearm. As my left hand joined the fray, my mind became fully tuned, and my peripheral vision sharpened. The teams were tied, so all the pressure was on Nicole, my doubles partner, and me. The score of the set was 5-3, and the current game was deuced. I took a deep breath and briefly reminded myself of Coach’s encouraging words: â€Å"I don’t care if we’re up against a team of Serenas and Sharapovas, we must treat every point like it’s our last.† The funny thing was this point was our last, as in the deciding point of the deciding game of the deciding set which ultimately would decide whether or not my team would advance to the finals. We will write a custom essay sample on In Tennis I Trust or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Nicole turned her head towards me, giving me an anxious look. I gave her a reassuring wink and smile, and she nodded back at me, her confidence clearly restored. I had always considered myself an independent person. Whenever my class would be assigned a group project, I’d supervise all the work. In addition to being an outside-the-box kind of thinker, I was also very energetic and athletic, but, team sports were never my forte. That’s why I chose to play tennis, just my racquet and me against the opposition. However, I had failed to consider the possibility of playing doubles, but as fate would have it, that’s exactly the position in which I ended up. I peered at my rival as she got ready to deliver yet another striking serve. She bounced the neon-yellow ball three times before tossing it vertically into the air, thereby signaling the start of the game. With one swift motion, she swatted it over the net. Just like that my feet darted towards the service line, my racquet ready to catch the short ball on the rise. I threw my body into the shot, and spun the ball deep into my opponent’s side of the court. And so the rally began. The ball flew back and forth across the net, landing short and far, left and right, all over the court. Nicole and I cooperated very well, carefully reading each other’s body language. There was a ball coming low in between us, and I knew I would have to let her get it. Though she had once expressed how she was uncomfortable at the net, I trusted her. As she approached the ball, we made brief eye contact, and I gave her yet another comforting wink. She got there and smashed it over. Phew. It came right back and she volleyed it cross court. Wow, go Nicole! I backed up and prepared myself for the ball that was rocketing toward me, with all the speed and menace of a bullet. I slammed it back into my opponent’s alley and she hit it right over my head. I ran to get the overhead but it was too high and too far. I swung and missed. The point was over, and so was the game, and the tennis season. I watched as our adversaries roared and cheered, celebrating their victory. Althou gh a part of me envied them, I felt oddly relieved and content, even proud; proud of my partner for those risky shots, proud of my team for making it this far, and proud of myself. Before joining the team, I let my drive to succeed influence my interactions with others. But over time I’ve realized that true success comes from compassion, communication, and most importantly, trust, the essence of teamwork. Without trust there can be no giving, no bonding, no risk-taking. But let’s just say, now, trust is a risk I’m willing to take.