Month: September 2017

What is your safe haven?  Do you have a special spot on campus under the trees where you can destress?  Do you have a specific ice cream parlor in your hometown that reminds you of your family?  Saint Mary’s Villa is the safe haven for many abused and neglected children from Philadelphia.  In 1911, Saint Mary’s Villa was founded as an orphanage for boys by the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth. In 1936, the orphanage moved to the Lindenwold castle, which was owned by Richard V. Mattison.  In 1966, this castle became the set for the comedy The Trouble with Angels.  Some individuals visualize this home as a symbol of a popular movie, while others imagine it as the solution to the plight of neglected children.  While supporting the physical, psychological, and emotional needs for children, Saint Mary’s Villa focuses on helping these children fulfill their potential and find their passion in life.

• Pathos’ role in human nature
  • People naturally support children who have experienced trauma through physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
  • This hardwired instinct to protect children extends to all mammals with high levels of awareness.
  • Innately have empathy and sympathy towards children.
  • Compassion toward children, and are shocked by the news of abuse from parents and other relatives.
  • Sense of urgency to protect children has enabled populations to survive.
    • If a built in protective mechanism for children failed to exist, mankind would be extinct.
  • Saint Mary’s Villa’s purpose is to act as a safe and accepting environment for neglected children to find a sense of comfort and acceptance.
• Ideologies
  • Communities should do more to help children so that they can fulfill their potential
  • Cultural “norms”
    • Individuals not only feel the cruelty of child abuse but also are cognitively aware of the detrimental effects
      • Physical, behavioral, and psychological effects such as injuries, brain damage, death, decreased confidence, learning difficulties, and violent behaviors
      • Consequences impact victim and society
  • Governmental laws to prevent child abuse for the culture of society
    • The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) 2003
    • Reflect ideological views on the subject
• Commonplaces that delineate the support for the fight to help abused children
  • Saint Mary’s Villa provides a nurturing environment to support children as they grow
    • Taught about respect, responsibility, and unity
  • Tradition of the significance of family and community
    • Common belief among all people to value their family
    • Family dinners on Sundays
    • Tries to implement this tradition into the abused children’s lives.
      • Necessary for their growth and development
      • To do well in school and to make the best of the opportunities presented to them

Protecting these frightened and tormented children is part of everyone’s civic duty as citizens.  The duty of individuals is to protect them from the evils of the world and to teach the children about healthy familial relationships.  Part of the mission of Saint Mary’s Villa is to provide these children and their families with the hope that they will surpass this problem.  Strengthening the children’s  support system and increasing their trust in others will enable them to pursue their goals in the future.  Since humans value the nourishment and development of children, acting on the issue of children’s safety is vital.

Works Consulted

National Research Council. Understanding Child Abuse and Neglect. The National Academies Press, 1993, 208-225. Web. 18 Sept. 2017. https://www.nap.edu/read/2117/chapter/8

“The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) 2003.” Children’s Bureau: An Office of the administration for Children and Families.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 31 Dec. 2003. Web. 19 Sept. 2017. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/resource/capta2003

The Villa Ambler 2017. The Villa a PHMC Affiliate Program. Web. Sept. 14 2017. http://www.thevillaambler.org/

 

 

The most compelling scenes in It’s What I Do involve the effective use of descriptive language.  When Addario expresses her fear during the first bomb she witnessed, I can clearly imagine her experience.  Within this moment, she realized that she should not enable her nerves to prevent her from fulfilling her passion.  Addario explains to her readers that although this experience was new and frightening, she missed the opportunity to photograph intense images of the dead and injured.

To emphasize the shock that resonated with her while the dead body in the pickup truck passed her, Addario utilizes her strong voice to delineate her genuine concern and passion about spreading the word about the cruelty that she photographs.  Instead of saying that this person suffered from a brain injury, Addario enthusiastically writes, “Brains poured out of a gash in the head.”  Her readers do not lose focus with her writing style because she is trying to portray one of the most heartbreaking and life changing experiences.   This descriptive languages ensures that her readers understand the horrible conditions that Addario, as a photojournalist, is responsible to capture.

In order to cause more people to engage with my passion, I will use more insightful words that will demonstrate my emotions.  I want to convey my interest in dogs so that my readers know that I am genuinely passionate about the benefits of rescuing dogs.  To enable my readers to picture themselves in each of the scenes that I will eventually describe in my blog, I will utilize the importance of specific actions.  I will try to ensure that my blog focuses on my physical experiences and not only on the words that express my love for dogs.  My passion for dogs extends beyond my two dogs because dogs benefit everyone from their loving and optimistic personalities.  Incorporating vivid images of my joyful and playful memories with my dogs will provide my readers with the desire for them to discover their unique passion or dream.

 

Addario mentions the story about her Nana’s lover because she wants to emphasize the importance of passion.  She encourages her readers not only to find their passions but also to invest in them.  Addario nourishes her passion by taking advantage of every opportunity that is presented to her.  Even though these opportunities conflict with her personal life, she chooses her passion for photography because she is certain that photography will be part of her life in the future.

Addario believes that when she finds true love, it will fit into the mold of her life.  True love will not keep her from pursuing her dream of continuing to work as a photographer in a myriad of countries.  I believe that Addario wants her readers to understand that they cannot ignore their passion when there are many chances to live it.

I want to encourage everyone to rescue dogs so that they can have a peaceful, safe, and comfortable home to live in.  By benefiting them with a loving home, we receive the gift of joy and happiness from their positive presence.

Knowing that you are appreciated enhances your ability to appreciate others.  My dogs, Angel and Princess, always wait on the window sill next to our large living room window for my siblings and I to come home from school.  They perch themselves on top so that they can see us walk up our long driveway.  As soon as we open the door, they bark, jump, and run with delight.

What is better than having your dog wait all day for you to come home?  What is better than embracing your dogs after a hard day at school?  What is better than being showered with kisses and hugs at the end of a long day?

I cannot think of anything.