Blog Response One

Ethan Skinner

Mrs. Wagener

AP English

7/5/2013

Blog Response One

To know oneself is a concept which has been incredibly important to cultures across continents and thousands of years. The doorway to the Oracle at Delphi was decorated with the phrase “Know Thyself” and every group of people before and since has had names for individuals, setting them apart from one another and, in a way, defining who they are. Every civilization since the dawn of time has also wondered where the world could have come from. There is evidence of origin stories for the world present in every single civilization in history. As with the cultures of old, I feel that the knowledge of who I am and where the world came from defines my life.

            My name is Ethan Skinner. That much is common knowledge, and totally lacks any form of insight. To really know who I am, you have to look beyond my given and family titles, into how I define myself. First and foremost, I am a Christian. My beliefs are an enormous part of my life, and I devote a large portion of my time to serving my church. I fall short with frustrating frequency, and I know that I will never be perfect, but I strive to be as much like Christ as possible. Second, I am a musician; I play piano, trumpet, and guitar, and I love to sing. I am the leader of the high school band at my church, which is an awesome way to combine these two aspects of my life. The third and final way I define myself is in marching band. For anyone who has never been a part of marching band, it is impossible to understand the bond that forms between members of the band. Through any ups and downs (and there are many in the Green Brigade) the band is there for each other. We are a family, and marching band serves as a home away from home for many of the members. My time in band has shaped me as an individual and formed all of my closest friendships.

            My thoughts on the origin of the world, if the previous section was read thoroughly, shouldn’t be overly difficult to deduce. But I suppose I will clarify on the off chance that someone is not familiar with the Christian belief system. I believe in a literal six day creation, in which God made the heavens and the Earth, and everything therein. I believe that God has a plan and a purpose for my life and the lives of all other people on the Earth, and that we are here to bring honor and glory to him. I also believe that he sent his only son to die on the cross for my sins, and it is for this reason that I devote my life to Christ.