A loving dedication to the life of
Taylor Donnadio
The River
By: Taylor Donnadio
I slowly fall asleep, unable to clear my head. I see myself running. I’m running to the river. I don’t know why or what for, all I know is that I hear a splash of water. The water tugs and pulls at me. It’s hard to breathe as I’m struggling to survive. A voice calls out my name, “Taylor…Taylor!”. A shadow screams in horror and runs to get my father. My father jumps in to try to save me. I awaken, frightened. Once again I have this dream, and once again I have no idea if I survive. The only thing I know is that I have had this dream multiple times, and so have many others and nobody ever stays asleep long enough to see the ending.
One day, when I went to the river, a few of my friends and I took pictures. I decided to show my dad. He started screaming at me and told me never to go down to the river. He said it’s not safe. I knew there was more to it though, he just wouldn’t tell me. The next day, being a teenager, I disobeyed my dad and went back down; I felt wrong being down there, so I decided to leave. I wanted to tell my dad, only because it didn’t feel right to be by the river, and he eventually decided to tell me why he was so freaked out by the river.
Ever since I was little, my daddy has been having a dream of me drowning in the river. He said it wasn’t a normal dream. He told me that his reoccurring dreams usually have big meanings behind them because he usually never has dreams and every dream that he’s had more than once, something has happened related to that dream. Therefore, he doesn’t allow me near a river without him by my side.
Freshman year, my best friend had the same dream. He woke up crying, saying that it felt so real. I have never once before told him about my dad’s dream, I was too scared to. But, since he experienced the dream too, I built up the courage to tell him about my dad’s dream. Both of our minds were blown.
When I went to Florida this summer, I went to a fortune teller. I didn’t expect her to bring anything up other than my future. But she had said to me, “Water. I see water, maybe a river perhaps.” I was shocked by this. I immediately asked her, “What about it?!” She just told me that I should stay away. It could mean something with my life, good or bad, but she didn’t necessarily know. It was scary to have somebody who doesn’t even know me, tell me not to go near a river.
I just started experiencing this dream. I find it very strange that multiple people have dreamed about me drowning in the river. The thing is that I love the river. I’ve always looked upon it as beautiful and very relaxing. When I go to the river now, I get a weird feeling. No matter who I’m with, I don’t feel safe. I feel as though the river screams out my name. I feel as though the river draws me in. I can’t go to the river without my emotions getting mixed up or my mind going crazy now, thinking of that one dream replaying in everyone’s minds. One part of me feels threatened by it, but one part of me wants to find out what’s the river have to do with my life. One day, good or bad, I will eventually find out; and that one day, will have many answers I’ve been searching for all this time, and maybe it can reassure me about the intimidating thing, known as the river.
Teenage Suicide
By: Taylor Donnadio
Death is a hard, terrible thing to endure, especially if somebody you love has committed suicide. You ask: Why? What made them do it? What led them to feel that ending their life is better than being alive? Why didn’t they come to me? All these thoughts run through your mind. It’s scary to think about, how a person’s pain is too much to handle anymore. It becomes so unbearable, that death is their only option. You wish you could have saved them, but it’s too late. They’re gone. It’s a sad, scary thought, isn’t it?
The teenage years are the most stressful years of one’s life. Between academics, drama with friends and family, personal problems, death of a loved one, alcohol or drug abuse, breakups, unhealthy relationships, or even a feeling of guilt, it can do enough damage to want to end life. Maybe it seems stupid to some of you, but to a stressed, depressed teen, it’s the one thing on their mind that never changes. If a teen is that depressed, to think about ending their life, the littlest thing can trigger death.
Most people thing suicide is just a cry for attention. Nobody really thinks it’s serious, until they have a plan on how they want to do it. But that’s not true. A lot of teens hide it. Some don’t want attention, so they hold it in. They hold it in, until it’s too late.
There are a lot of methods to commit suicide. There is wrist cutting. This is more of self-mutilation than suicide, but if you lose enough blood, it can cause death. Dropping from heights can either cause serious injury or death. Hanging is a cause of suicide. A low drop can cause strangulation and a high drop can cause one’s self to break their neck. Suffocation is another form of suicide. Some people inhale gases to prevent air too. Others use poisons. Dehydration, starvation, and hypothermia are also ways to commit suicide. Jumping in front of a car or truck is a simple way to cause death. Firearms are also an easy way to commit suicide. The most painful way would be to stab yourself. Drowning is the least likely method of suicide.
Suicide is a scary thing. Every 14.6 minutes, somebody commits suicide. Nearly 1,000,000 people, yearly, make a suicide attempt. A lot of things can cause a teen to want to walk off the face of the earth, big or small. Suicide is death. Death means you’re never able to see that person again, unless in memory or photographs. Suicide is preventable. You just have to seek the right help.
Goals
By: Taylor Donnadio
What makes us as humans always set high goals? Even if these goals are so out of reach, we still drive ourselves to the point of insanity to get as close as possible. What if you just step back and watch everything unfold from an outside perspective? This constant struggle against ones self and society seams so unnecessary. In the end what is it worth; is the feeling of accomplishing this goal make up for all the anguish spent on striving for?
These thoughts run trough my mind everyday. When I’m in public I see happy people, sad people, depressed people, people who show their feelings and people that keep to themselves. Every person has a different perspective about the same object. This is called being unique. Is being unique an excuse for being insane? What defines insane? Can one be so creative that it cannot process in the average mind, thus being rejected?
Life cannot be defined; it can only be done. The value of life fluctuates according to the goals set amongst ourselves, brining us back to the theory of goals. The theories and possibilities of ones life are rested in their hands, hence deciding the value of it. “Suicide is not an option”- this is a quote brought forth by a man whose goals and value of life are up to his expectations. But has he experienced the pain and anguish that tears some individuals apart till they cannot withstand their life? Being so down on ones life that goals are just a mere thought that will never be brought into reality.
When one has no goals, no value of life, and nothing to live for, the will to value life is abolished and looked at as an inconvenience. This spins that quote in the other direction. So when everything adds up, life will keep circulating with the infantine outlooks on the value of life and setting goals, the endless of personalities will never let society choose one side, hence…. Life continues for only the strongest.
The Big Day
By: Taylor Donnadio
On Friday September 9th, 2011, was the exciting day the BFHS cheerleaders have been getting prepared for. That day was the dedication for Joe Namath, including the Beaver Falls vs. Aliquippa game, where Joe and the class of ’61 football players were being recognized for their 50th anniversary of an undefeated season.
The cheerleaders really put hard work and dedication into preparing for this important day. We have been making signs since that Tuesday for Namath, the class of ’61 players, Fedko, and the football team to get pumped up on this big day. We each had to make 4 signs a piece, to fit around the whole football field and the dedication field.
The BFHS cheerleaders also had to get a cheer done perfectly but Friday to be performed for Fedko. We had to practice the whole week to get it finished. By the time Friday had come, we hit the mount and our moves flawless every time. Fedko and the fans loved our cheer.
We had to know what we were going to do on the dedication field, and on the football field. We had to know how we were going to stand and what cheers we were supposed to do. All of the cheerleaders got out of eighth period early on Friday, so we could learn how to hold this flag at the football stadium because it was really important to know. We also had to know where we were walking the class of ’61 football players to.
The BFHS cheerleaders really worked hard to make Namath, the class of ’61 football team, our players, and the fans proud. We were very busy the whole week just for one Friday night. But that Friday night, on September 9th, 2011, all that hard work paid off. Everything went smooth and we had a great game. It was a very fun day, and I’m proud to be part of the BFHS cheerleading squad.
Is This Really Love?
By: Taylor Donnadio
As teens, relationships seem to come and go. You might be in multiple relationships before you feel that special feeling with that one other person. Of course, we don’t really know if the love between one another will last or if it will fade. But do we really ever know? Is it really that our elders know more about love than us younger adults, or is it that we actually do experience the full effects of falling in love? Is forever honestly real? I’m not saying that love isn’t as magical as everyone says when you finally meet that right person and make a future with them. I’m just trying to answer this one question: Is this really love?
Love… Love cannot be defined. There is no true definition of love. Love is what you make it, and who says young adults can’t have true love? Why do they say that the youth cannot be in love, and that they don’t know what it really is? I feel as though when you’re first getting involved in a relationship, falling for somebody is simple. But as the relationship grows, so does the love for one another. As time goes on, u fall deeper and deeper into each other. You get that feeling about that person you never have before. This feeling cannot be explained. Sparks fly and you feel like the happiest person in the world. When the two of you honestly truly mean every word you say to each other, how could you possibly say that isn’t true love? When we’re young, it seems as though the feelings seem to take effect more as to if we were older. The older we are, the more we know about love. Is that honestly the truth? Loving one another when we are younger doesn’t really mean it’s “just teenage love.” It could possible mean, by being loyal and honest towards each other and growing to know one another as much as possible is true. If one’s self can honestly look into the future and see their partner there with them, how do we know that isn’t possible? If we can feel no hurt, no worries, and pain, just happiness, how can’t that be love? Love is love. Young or old, it’s bound to be there. Teenage love is, I feel, that it could be true and it could mean something if you make it out to be everything you ever wanted. But who ever really knows, as to the one who is the one falling “in love”. So you tell me; is this really love?
