Reflection - Week 2

Ben and I decided to do a small interesting experiment. Dr. Walker suggested we write our own obituaries to see what we wanted to get out of our lives, but instead Ben and I took this in a slightly different way. We decided to write each others obituary to see what we've learned about each other since the time we've moved in and from the performances and fronts we've put on.

August 4, 2074

Benjamin Gregory Charpentier died tragically this Thursday due to heart failure in a tragic Wii baseball game with his grandchildren. He left behind his beloved wife Juanita, three kids Anna, Javier, and Benjamin Junior, and 7 grandchildren. The time Ben spent with family was the time he valued most. It was unlikely there was a day where you wouldn't find Ben playing teeball with his grand-sons or playing Barbies with his grand-daughters. He had season tickets at the Washington Nationals stadium and loved taking his family to baseball games. Ben loved nothing more than keeping fit with the family, which was why getting old was so hard for him.

Ben's working life was full of adventure. Graduating from American University from the School of International Service, Ben became a body guard for three different presidents - Sarah Palin (for 2 terms), Mitt Romney, and John Edwards. After 16 years of the service, Ben was 38 years old and decided it was time to let this part of his life go. He decided he wanted more education; he got his Masters in International Relations and went back to teach at the place he felt the most at home - American University. He was a professor in the School of International Service for 30 years before retiring.

All would say that Ben was a family man. The 15 years of his retired life were some of his most treasured. When his grand-daughter interviewed him for an English assignment, one of the questions was "What is the thing you most value?" Ben knew the answer right away: "A barbeque with all of my kids and grandkids is the best afternoon I could ask for." He was a nice man with the warmest heart. He was the type of man that you couldn"t stop smiling around. He'll be greatly missed by all.

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Another thing I wanted to reflect on was another movie I saw. After watching The Breakfast Club at the Tavern, I realized how prominant labeling and fronts are in high school culture. There was a jock, a princess, a nerd, a misfit, and a really odd. During the school day, they all do an incredible job preserving their fronts, but by the time their 8 hours of detention is over one Saturday, they all realize they have stuff in common and they can relate to each other. Their fronts don't seem as important.