Shira's Personal Journal Blog

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The Children of War

August 14, 2017

Introduction The devastation of war is a reality that many children all around the world have lived and are living. Zlata Filipovic and Ishmael Beah are two individuals who endured the horrors of war as adolescents and who chose to share their painful, but compelling stories with the world. Zlata’s story, published in her book, Zlata’s Diary , comes in the form of entries from the journal she kept while she was living in Sarajevo during the Bosnian War. Ishmael, on the other hand, recounts his experiences involved in war in Sierra Leone in his memoir, A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier . Both of these books shed light on what life can really be like for a child during wartime. Although the details of the stories these two books tell are very different, they both unflinchingly expose the ways war can demolish a child’s sense of self and the world and how these children fight to hold onto their true selves throughout the violence. War Changes Children Zlata’s Diary :

Jimmy Kimmel's Emotional Monologue

August 06, 2017

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmWWoMcGmo0 On May 1st, Jimmy Kimmel gave this monologue about his newborn son, Billy, and Billy's life-threatening heart condition. I really like this monologue, because it is so raw and emotional. Jimmy Kimmel is literally holding back tears while he shares details of his experiences-both external and internal-throughout the ordeal. There's something so humanizing about seeing this typically-jovial man be (relatively) vulnerable. I also appreciate that he intersperses some humor into the monologue. Those moments provide needed breaks in such an intense story. At the end of the monologue, Jimmy Kimmel ties his experience to the current healthcare situation in the United States. I like that he chose to do that. I think it's important that the potential consequences of the repeal of The Affordable Care Act are personalized as much as possible. Hopefully, these stories will make it clear that the (many) adults and children who w

When Bananas Were Sacred

July 25, 2017

(TW: Eating disorder) I remember the odd way that I used to eat bananas. Every time I ate a banana, I would pull the peel down about halfway, then, beginning at the exposed end, I’d break off small chunks and eat each one, one at a time. As I pulled apart the banana, I enjoyed seeing its hidden structure. I had never heard anyone mention the banana ’s three distinct sections, so after my discovery, every deconstruction of a banana filled me with excitement as if I was viewing a secret marvel. Additionally, I felt that my process made bananas taste even more delicious, because it allowed me to truly experience and savor each bite. I can’t minimize the significance of that belief. During that time, I was trying to savor every bit of food I put in my mouth. The reason was simple: I didn’t allow myself to eat much, so I wanted, no needed, to truly experience everything I did feed myself. Essentially, I was always trying to extend the eating process. This intention coupled with my ne

Author Bio

July 09, 2017

Shira grew up in Davis, CA, but over the past seven years she has lived in a number of cities across the country, including Northfield, MN; Evanston, IL; and San Luis Obispo, CA. She is very grateful for all of these moves, because they have given her the opportunity to get to know many amazing people with challenging yet inspiration stories. She now enjoys residing in Santa Barbara while she attends Antioch University. She is passionate about her area of concentration, psychology, and plans to eventually work as a Marriage and Family Therapist. Additionally, Shira loves writing, doing arts and crafts, and spending time with her dog and cat.

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