WP1 - Prewriting Assignment

I don't know the girl in the photograph. I don't have any information about her life. I have never spoken to to her, and I probably never will.

I don't have any information about this picture either. I don't know where or when it was taken. To be honest, I found it completely by accident. I was looking for something totally different.

But I had an instant connection with this picture from the moment I looked into this girl's eyes. Even without information or details to put this scene in context, I feel like I already know so much about them.

This innocent little girl is sick. She has cancer and is fighting her disease with chemotherapy. These treatments would be difficult for anyone to endure. But they are especially difficult for a little girl. The pain she is feeling is real. You can see it in her tired eyes. This disease is hurting her, and she wants the cancer to go away.

But this little girl is not alone in this fight. She has a loving mother who has been by her side every step of the way. This girl trusts the mom sitting beside her. She takes comfort in her presence. Their touch and intimacy is visible to the naked eye. And their love radiates powerfully through this still image.

This photograph is black and white, but the moment it captures is filled with color. You can see and feel the love shared between them. This mother and her daughter care about each other. They trust each other. They would do anything for each other.

They look happy in this picture. Happy simply to be together. Happy just because they are alive.

But if you look just a little deeper, you can also see sadness. It's not obvious at first, but it's there. This girl has been through something terrible. She has struggle alone in complete darkness. She has screamed, drowning in hopelessness with no one there to save her.

And this mom has endured unimaginable pain. She has had to watch on the sideline, as her child tries so hard to fight an impossible battle. Tired and broken, this disease is slowly killing them both.

Yet hope can be the light in a dark world. And despite all of the bad, I also see hope in this picture. There image doesn't have a background. There are no scary hospital buildings or nurses with more pills to swallow. No expensive bills to pay with money not had, or a lonely bed to be confined to. That's not what this moment is about. This moment is about love.

Love is beautiful. Love is strong. And love can concur anything. That's what this photograph is about. That's what this moment, frozen in time, is about.

I don't know this girl very well. I don't have any information about her life. I have never spoken to her, and I probably never will.

And yet, I know so much about her.

My Photography Experience

I have had a lot of experience using photography in my life. When I was a kid my mom used to take pictures to document everywhere that we went. Naturally I developed an interest in photography and began asking her if I could use the family camera.

At the time we had a really expensive camera, so instead of letting me use that when I was little (and could potentially break it), she instead bought me those cheap kodak cameras that you use one time, take out the film and throw away.

I remember even after taking my first pictures how amazed and captivated I was by photography. To me it was almost like being able to control time or freeze frame it for a second. I could take a picture of my friends, a building or even animals and know that I could keep that image forever.

I have always been sentimental and photography was also important to me with my friends. I have always taken a lot of pride and interest in photographing memories so that I will never forget them. On vacations or at summer camps I was always the kid with the camera, wanting to have picturesm of the amazing things that we were doing. After all, what if we never get to do them again?

With this knowledge, it's no surprise that I chose Journalism as a career. Documenting events and news stories in my life and in the lives of others just interests me. It was definitely an easy career choice when I was planning out my career in high school. I think my love and interest in photography (and a transition into videography) has had a big effect on the decisions I have made in my later life. I don't know what I would be doing without it.

And so you will probably find me in 15 or 20 years. Documenting the news with my camera by day. And taking pictures with my camera on thenights and weekends with friends and family. I absolutely love pictures, and I don't think that will ever change.

Logos by Brad Prasley

Nothing makes us appreciate something more than losing it forever. And that applies even more so with the time we are given on Earth.

Even at the ripe old age of 19, I sometimes catch myself remember what it was like to be younger. Before I had all of this responsibility. Back when things were different. Those were the good old days it seems. Contrasting our youth when as we get older seems to be one of the most common feelings that people as a whole experience. And it's a form of logos Brad Prasley used to perfection in his hit single "Letter To Me."

As young people the future can seem scary and intimidating. We are so consumed with the here and now that it's hard to think about what could be waiting for us down the road. Perhaps that is one reason activities like sex, underage drinking, alcohol consumption and other illegal activities come so easily to us when we're young. We either don't care or don't want to think about the consequences.

But Brad Prasley forces us to question this thinking between the present and the future. And in doing so he not only makes us think twice about how we live our lives today. He also brings a sense of reassurance and calm so that we can look forward to the future.

"You have so much going for you, going right."

College students have jobs and responsibilities. Most of us try to make good decisions, to work for the future. We try to get good grades and stay out of trouble. Deep down I think most of us want to make our parents proud. But sometimes, it's hard to see the all of the work paying off. That's where Praisley, appearing in this video as a future version of himself who can write a letter to his younger self, is so reassuring to the viewer. We can see how in our older years looking back, how simple things were and the advice we would have given.

"I guess I'll see you in the mirror. When you're a grown man. P.S. go hug Aunt Rita, every chance you get."

I think the biggest form of logos used by Prasley in the song is juxtaposition through hinsight. The knowledge that we gain as we grow up, and the things that we learn through life experience. Even as a college student I have learned so much since started college, or high school for that matter. What advice would I give to myself six years ago, as a 14 year old boy starting high school? What would I have done differently? What did I worry needlessly about. What should I really care about?

That is the ultimate form of logos. Learning from our mistakes, and improving our flaws. And imagine if we really did have an opportunity to write a letter to our younger selves. What would you say? What would you change? Would you change anything? It really makes you wonder about the power of logos.

Pathos and Brad Paisley

Pathos is defined as persuasion through emotion. I believe country music utilizes pathos more than any other genre. Country songs often tell a story and make you feel something, bringing to life our deepest memories, hopes and dreams.

Brad Paisley is especially talented in this area. And it's one of the reasons his music and this song "Letter To Me" really hit home with so many listeners.

"She wasn't right for you, but you still feel like there's a knife sticking out of your back."

Paisley knows the emotion every human being on Earth can relate to. Love. And with love comes terrible heartbreak. Some say you can't live without love. And others know that losing someone we love can make us no longer want to live.

So it's no surprise that Paisley ties such a powerful emotion into almost all of his music. And he's not alone. Just about every song that you hear on the radio is about love. Or sex. But that's for another conversation (or blog post).

"You should really thank Ms. Brinkman. She spent so much extra time. It's like she sees the diamond underneath, and she's polishing you until you shine."

Love isn't always defined as romance between a boy and a girl. There is love for family. Love for a friend or person in our lives. There is even love for a way of life. These feelings are more difficult to sing about. How do you connect with everyone when we are all so different?

The answer is all around us. Paisley reminds us that we often do not appreciate the most important people in our lives. We are greatly influenced by people we often take for granted. We say quick hellos and goodbyes to casual acquaintances at school. And we can often go an entire day without more than few words to our close friends and family.

When you think about it, do you really take the time to appreciate the people around you? To listen and hug and love them? And more importantly, what's stopping you?

"I wish you wouldn't worry and let it be. Have a little faith and you will see."

If there is one universal emotion that might give love a run for it's money, it's the human sense of fear and uncertainty. We often go through our lives feeling lost and confused. Where do we turn next? Are we on the right path?

Concerns over grades, money, relationships and responsibilities sometimes overshadow what is really important in life. "Letter To Me" essentially boils down to a song about making sure the little things don't get in the way of what really matters.

Perhaps the reason Brad Paisley is so popular and successful is his mastery of pathos. I don't think it's coincidence that millions of fans connect with his music so passionately. Emotions like love and fear are what define us and make us human. And the people around us our what make life worth living.

So the next you're drowning in homework, struggling through a bad day or stumbling to find meaning in your life, remember what really matters. Oh, and pop in a Brad Paisley CD while you're at it.

"Letter To Me" by Braid Paisley

As a college student I often feel a little bit lost. Am I on the wrong path? Should I be taking these classes? Have I chosen the right friends?

Life is full of choices and consequences, and as a young person all of it can be overwhelming. It's a theme Brad Paisley captures in perfect context with the song "Letter To Me."

From the opening line about stashing X-Rated content away from my parents, to idea that love and relationships drive most of our young decisions, I connected with every word in Paisley's song. Teenage life is defined by parties, new experiences, and first dates with the cute girl we have a crush on.

Yet we are also burdened by hard classes, broken relationships and never ending fights with our parents. And when something doesn't go right, it can feel like the end of the world.

"I wish you wouldn't worry and let it be. Have a little faith and you will see."

Thinking at this age isn't logical and usually makes no sense at all. We crave responsibility and expect freedom to explore the world for the first time. These years are the most exciting and terrifying part of our lives. And Paisley proves that he gets it with his dead on lyrics and reassuring optimism.

"I know you're wondering if you'll survive the night. But trust me, you'll make it through this and see that you're still around to write this letter to me."

What makes these years so fun and exciting is also what holds us back from realizing our potential. At our age, it really is difficult to see past Friday night. We don't see the new relationships and memories waiting for us down the road. Our graduation and our wedding day. Our children and our grand children.

"You have so much up ahead. These are no where near the best years of your life."

As the song fades to a close, I am left feeling calm and optimistic. Even though in the back of my mind I know it's not possible, I feel like a future me has just phoned in for a friendly conversation.

He reassured me that everything will be ok. He encouraged me to have faith and enjoy what I have around me. He asked me to love the family and friends in my life. And he promised me that I'm still around to write this letter to me.