By the time I reached Bunchu Road I was huffing and puffing in the June heat. It had taken me thirty minutes to jog from my house to the park where he told me to meet him. Brad appeared from behind a tree and walked towards me with a smirk on his face. “Sorry I’m late,” I stammered as I gulped air into my lungs, “I almost got killed crossing the highway.” “Stop over exaggerating.” He said, and gripped my hand tightly. “I have something to show you.” I stumbled along behind him as he led me to the wooded area behind the playground. Brad held my arm and guided me over tree roots to a small, open area with a picnic table. I had just sat down to rest, when he moved in for a kiss. I leaned away, but didn’t say a word of protest. I didn’t want to …show more content…
When I was very young I believed whatever my parents said I should, as most children do. My parents raised me in the church and told me I was a Christian. In Plato’s work “The Republic” he presents his “Allegory of the Cave”, which describes the education system and how little truth is actually presented. In the selection, Plato describes this scene: “Conceive them as having their legs and necks fettered from childhood, so that they remain in the same spot, able to look forward only, and prevented by the fetters from turning their heads.” My experience with religion has been much the same. I was told exactly how to think and act, and I did it all because I felt accepted. I knew I was pleasing my parents, and I felt like I belonged to something. For the longest time, I honestly did not know any other way to …show more content…
However, in society there are expectations to have a place, and know the rules and expectations. People thrive off of a sense of belonging. We want to feel like we are a part of something, so there is a place for all our pride and dedication to go. We invest ourselves in relationships, even potentially toxic ones, because fitting in or pleasing people is so important. It does make sense to place parts of our identity in things and people we care about. Our environment and people we associate with have a lot of affect on how we develop. We desire to be accepted by our peers, our loved ones, and even people we don’t