Number one, I have always been obsessed with sharks. The creature of the deep that people fear so much and a creature that has roamed the Earth’s oceans for millions of years; producing such successful offspring that they have survived to see today’s world. I find them fascinating! As you obviously know, sharks have a bad reputation for “attacking” anything that has a pulse and flowing blood. They are not vampires. They are simply an animal with great agility and intriguing hunting abilities in the water. When we enter their territory, their world, we humans tend to lose respect for this ancient species. There are several reasons a person is “attacked” by a shark. The animal may feel threatened, and use the only form of defense it has, its teeth. The shark may be driven to starvation and be willing to eat anything that will sustain its life. And lastly, their curiosity gets the best of them. They are naturally curious creatures, and due to this fact, they feel the need to examine objects that they cannot touch or see well. (For example a surfer on a surfboard looks similar to a seal. A common instance.) The reason they are forced to bite is because their taste buds are on the back of their tongues. Sometimes a shark will “bump” an object. Their snouts are extremely sensitive. Their skins, specifically an area along their dorsal side called the lateral line, picks up movements and vibrations in the water. So why am I explaining all this to you? I feel it is one of my liabilities to educate people of an essentially less dangerous creature. I don’t just want to study sharks. I want to travel to California, Australia, and South Africa where one of the most feared species of sharks inhabits the salty sea; the great white shark. I desire to help change the possibilities of their extinction due to fishing nets, safety nets, loosing and being food sources. With studies such as tagging, tracking, and observing the lifestyle of this misunderstood animal, I desire to change the minds of the world. From people thinking they are dangerous, bloodthirsty, man killers; to thinking of them as an animal that deserves more respect than they receive.
Number two; I want to fulfill my dream of becoming a Marine Biologist. This includes obtaining my boaters and scuba diving license; and not that I’m materialistic, but I’d adore having a boat! The ocean has always been a mystery to me. So many life forms thrive there. From the microscopic organisms such as viruses, phytoplankton and other bacteria, to the largest, the blue whale. I find ecology – The study of how organisms react and interact to their environment - equally interesting. It may not make a lot of money, but that’s not something I truly care about.
Number three; I want to run a successful organization to rehabilitate abused and abandoned animals, not limited to domesticated pets. I have always been an animal lover. You might even say I like animals more than most people. I watch television shows of people who are eradicated or attacked by wild animals, and the animal is euthanized. Why? Because someone did not understand how to care for it or because someone did not respect it, yet the “beast” is at fault. I remember recently watching an episode of Fatal Attractions. A woman owned a few tigers and at some point lost her job. She could no longer afford to properly take care of her exotic pets and it resulted in her scavenging the streets for road kill to feed them. The tigers became malnourished. One day, this woman was in the process of feeding a rotting cadaver to one of the tigers and she left the gate open. Being a hungry hunter, the tiger attacked her. Not only did he attack her, he killed and ate most of her corpse. Needless to say, the animal was euthanized for being famished. No matter how long you have had an animal, how much you think you have connected with that animal, or how much of its trust you think you have gained, it is still an animal with instincts that have generated through successful breeding over many, many years. Any animal, including domesticated pets have animalistic natures. For example, the best dog I ever had, Shadow, had never bitten me, growled at me, jumped on me, etc. Yet one day when he was a bit older in age and sore, I was petting him and in return I received a snarl. I feel people do not understand their so-called connections to animals and do not respect them properly. Another thing I can’t stand is animal testing. I have never and will never understand or like the process. I do not even like the fact that as a human race, we kill more animals than necessary to eat. It just all seems so wrong. These thoughts have driven me towards this dream of saving animals in hopes that eventually they can be released back into the world they came from, and live safely.
Considering the first three of my Big five for Life were topics of the oceans and animals, this fourth one will seem a little strange. Then again, the oceans play a magnificent part in this and animals are present. Number four; I want to chase storms. Even when I was younger, I found whether interesting. I could watch tornado, tsunami, typhoon, and hurricane stories over and over. Absorbed in the strength of nature. Even though I am currently majoring in Marine Biology, I am considering majoring in meteorology as well, and environmental studies, but that is a different story. Just the thought of storm chasing thrills me and mesmerizes me. Such an exciting profession would be astonishing.
Finally number five; I want to have a happy family. I have always been a family oriented person, but I see no point in trying when I am not financially, emotionally, or any other kind of stable. A successful happy family thrives on connection and even though I hate to say it, money. Expenses for life are high; weddings, houses, bills, children, etc. Not that a family needs money to be happy, but in all honesty, it doesn’t hurt. Considering I am only eighteen, and a college student, I don’t have too much too elaborate this with.
These are my Big Five For Life. The “who’s” that will help me to achieve them are yet to be determined, although I feel my family and some of my teachers will be in that category. If I am able to experience these things I will consider my life successful. Although in school I was taught that seeking higher education and getting a high paying career was the only success, I believe there is so much more that defines my own success. Right now I don’t see my choices changing, but that does not make it impossible. Factors that may cause me to re-evaluate my ideas may be experiences and the unknown. I prefer to live life here and now, rather than seeing my future. If all you concentrate on is what is going to happen later, how can you enjoy what is happening right now?
