Week 3

"Don't bother to be better then your contemporaries or your predecessors. Try to be better then yourself."

-William Faulkner



My mother has a bookshelf. Actually, strike that she has many bookshelves. But the biggest one is the one in our living room. We have high ceilings and the giant oak bookshelf reaches the very top of them, and takes up a whole wall. It's filled with books from all three Brontes to the man of the hour Mr. Faulkner.

My mother (along with bookshelves) also has a theory: Most great authors are genius', and raging alcoholics. I think it's safe to say Faulkner was both. But most importantly I think Faulkner really summed up what we [the next generation] is trying to accomplish. There is always a constant battle, with classmates, siblings, friends, but most importantly there has to be one with yourself.

Every person out there has to compete, for something. Whether it be a raise, or a house. Everyone out there is competing against one another. And for what? To be better then everyone else. But as children weren't we told to be the best person we could be? Somewhere in the rat race of our everyday lives, we forgot this important fact. To challenge ourselves. At the end of your life don't you want to know that you were the best person you could be?

I think Faulkner really captures this idea in his quote. It also really pertains to us as Seniors. We are constantly pitting ourselves against each other. For what? 5 years from now you aren't going to remember that kid in math class got into UCSB and you only went to Cal Poly. Faulkner understands (as I'm starting to), that it's up to you to challenge yourself. And do it because you want to, not because of someone else.