journey conclusion essay

Essays About Journeys: Top 5 Examples and 7 Easy Prompts

Essays about journeys require recounting the events of your travel. Discover our guide with examples and prompts to help you write your essay.

No two journeys are the same, and various factors will always be at play. It’s the reason many documents their expedition through different mediums. Writing about journeys is similar to telling a real-life story that influenced your character or perspective. 

Writing essays about journeys helps to develop your writing and observation skills as you recall and pick the highlights of your travel. Sharing your experiences can entice readers to take on a journey themselves. So, aim to inspire with this exciting essay topic.

5 Essay Examples

1. the best journey in my life by suzanne pittman, 2. road trips: everything you need for a comfortable journey by car by anonymous on gradesfixer.com, 3. the first day of my journey to adulthood by anonymous on papersowl.com, 4. life is a journey essay by anonymous on paperwritings.com, 5. long essay on train journey by prasanna, 1. reasons to go on a journey, 2. trip vs. journey, 3. how to enjoy long journeys, 4. my most memorable journey, 5. what makes a journey meaningful, 6. my dream journey, 7. a hero’s journey.

“I had to save a lot of money because I wanted very much to go on this journey with my friends. We planned our trip to take us around Europe. We were going to stop in various parts of Europe with family members and friends.”

The essay mimics Pittman’s travel itinerary during her journey in Europe. She includes all the trip details from the first to the last day and makes the readers feel as if they’re traveling with them. Pittman also offers some travel tips to help anyone who wants to visit Europe on a budget. These tips include staying with friends and relatives and taking comfortable train rides despite long distances.

“With proper planning, everything else seems effortless. You need to consider all factors when planning in order for you to enjoy a successful, stress-free adventure.”

The author believes that the primary purpose of traveling is to relax and have fun. They use the essay to teach how to plan car trips properly. Travelers must learn to budget and estimate expenses, including accommodation, gas, activities, and food. Picking a transportation means is also crucial as one needs to consider factors such as capacity, range, and utility. 

“Although things didn’t go how I planned I’m still in college bettering myself and furthering my education. Anything is possible with a good support system and positive mindset.”

The essay narrates how the author’s journey into adulthood becomes a mini-vacation in Georgia after their top university rejects their enrollment. This rejection offers the opportunity to understand many great life lessons. Despite having five other universities to choose from, the writer realizes they only provide free tuition for the first semester. Ultimately, the author receives a full scholarship to a university closer to home.

“All people have the same journey to take – their life. As well as in the other journeys, there may be some inconveniences, disappointments and joys, and a lot depends on how we plan this particular journey and what attitude we develop towards it.”

In this essay, the writer shares that the best way to go on a life journey is with the most joy and minor damage you can endure. It’s constant work to continuously improve one’s life while developing positive qualities and thinking. But in doing so, you’ll have a solid foundation to achieve what you want out of life. However, the author still reminds the readers that they should always be ready to face unexpected events and deal with them in the best way possible.

“These days, people prefer traveling via airplanes because it is time-saving. But going by plane gets boring and monotonous. Train journeys are a relief from the monotony.”

For Prasanna, whether it’s a short or extended tour, a train journey offers an exciting travel experience. She talks about the local and regional trains in India, which are often overcrowded but still used by many as they are the cheapest, safest, and fastest mode of transport in the country. She also mentions that you’ll never get hungry when riding their local trains because of the vendors who sell Indian delicacies. 

7 Prompts for Essays About Journeys 

Everyone has different motives for traveling. Some go on a journey to appreciate beautiful sceneries, while some move to attend family or work-related gatherings. Some do so to run away from problems. For this prompt, research the common reasons to travel. You can also interview people on why they go on a journey and add any personal experiences. 

It’s a trip when a person travels from one point to another without any transfers. Meanwhile, a journey is a more extended voyage that includes transfers and several trips. Compare and contrast trips and journeys to make your readers understand their similarities and differences. You can also have the advantages and disadvantages of each in your paper.

If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

The idea of having a long journey and discovering new things is exciting. However, the excitement can disappear when you’re far away from home. This is especially true for longer and farther travels. This prompt will help readers have a safer, more affordable, and more enjoyable trip by discussing the best long-distance travel tips. You can present an imaginary itinerary with estimated costs to make the essay more digestible.

Write about an unforgettable journey you’ve had through this prompt. Include the purpose of your travel, how you planned it, and if your timetable was followed. Share what you’ll improve on next time to make your journey even better; you can also talk about your companions and the activities that make the adventure worthwhile.

Journeys become meaningful when they enrich lives. It can be because of the destination, the people you are with, or the travel’s goal. Use this prompt to suggest how journeys improve us as humans. You can section your piece based on an individual’s objectives. For example, someone who wants to recharge and get away from the city will find meaning in going to a location far from technology.

Although traveling can be tiring, 43% of travelers appreciate the experience they gain. Think of journeys you desire to be in and add your reasons. Then, you can share your plan on how to make it happen. For instance, you want to tour Southeast Asia and visit countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, and Thailand. To make this dream journey come true, you’ll save for an entire year and work around a tight budget.

It’s normal to see the main character in a movie or novel go through a character arc before they become a true hero. Use this prompt to explain a hero’s journey and why the character must go through it. To give you an idea, Peter Parker was a shy and introverted kid who lived an everyday life before becoming Spider-Man. This makes him relatable to the audience and lets them understand his decisions in the following scenes.

For more examples, check out our guide to movies that follow the hero’s journey .

You can also talk about real-life heroes, such as doctors and firefighters. Interview someone with that profession and ask them why they decided to have their current career.

Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.

View all posts

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• How to conclude an essay | Interactive example

How to Conclude an Essay | Interactive Example

Published on January 24, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The conclusion is the final paragraph of your essay . A strong conclusion aims to:

• Tie together the essay’s main points
• Show why your argument matters
• Leave the reader with a strong impression

Your conclusion should give a sense of closure and completion to your argument, but also show what new questions or possibilities it has opened up.

This conclusion is taken from our annotated essay example , which discusses the history of the Braille system. Hover over each part to see why it’s effective.

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

Step 1: return to your thesis, step 2: review your main points, step 3: show why it matters, what shouldn’t go in the conclusion, more examples of essay conclusions, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about writing an essay conclusion.

To begin your conclusion, signal that the essay is coming to an end by returning to your overall argument.

Don’t just repeat your thesis statement —instead, try to rephrase your argument in a way that shows how it has been developed since the introduction.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

Next, remind the reader of the main points that you used to support your argument.

Avoid simply summarizing each paragraph or repeating each point in order; try to bring your points together in a way that makes the connections between them clear. The conclusion is your final chance to show how all the paragraphs of your essay add up to a coherent whole.

To wrap up your conclusion, zoom out to a broader view of the topic and consider the implications of your argument. For example:

• Does it contribute a new understanding of your topic?
• Does it raise new questions for future study?
• Does it lead to practical suggestions or predictions?
• Can it be applied to different contexts?
• Can it be connected to a broader debate or theme?

Whatever your essay is about, the conclusion should aim to emphasize the significance of your argument, whether that’s within your academic subject or in the wider world.

Try to end with a strong, decisive sentence, leaving the reader with a lingering sense of interest in your topic.

The easiest way to improve your conclusion is to eliminate these common mistakes.

Don’t include new evidence

Any evidence or analysis that is essential to supporting your thesis statement should appear in the main body of the essay.

The conclusion might include minor pieces of new information—for example, a sentence or two discussing broader implications, or a quotation that nicely summarizes your central point. But it shouldn’t introduce any major new sources or ideas that need further explanation to understand.

Don’t use “concluding phrases”

Avoid using obvious stock phrases to tell the reader what you’re doing:

• “In conclusion…”
• “To sum up…”

These phrases aren’t forbidden, but they can make your writing sound weak. By returning to your main argument, it will quickly become clear that you are concluding the essay—you shouldn’t have to spell it out.

Don’t undermine your argument

Avoid using apologetic phrases that sound uncertain or confused:

• “This is just one approach among many.”
• “There are good arguments on both sides of this issue.”
• “There is no clear answer to this problem.”

Even if your essay has explored different points of view, your own position should be clear. There may be many possible approaches to the topic, but you want to leave the reader convinced that yours is the best one!

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

• Argumentative
• Literary analysis

This conclusion is taken from an argumentative essay about the internet’s impact on education. It acknowledges the opposing arguments while taking a clear, decisive position.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

This conclusion is taken from a short expository essay that explains the invention of the printing press and its effects on European society. It focuses on giving a clear, concise overview of what was covered in the essay.

The invention of the printing press was important not only in terms of its immediate cultural and economic effects, but also in terms of its major impact on politics and religion across Europe. In the century following the invention of the printing press, the relatively stationary intellectual atmosphere of the Middle Ages gave way to the social upheavals of the Reformation and the Renaissance. A single technological innovation had contributed to the total reshaping of the continent.

This conclusion is taken from a literary analysis essay about Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein . It summarizes what the essay’s analysis achieved and emphasizes its originality.

By tracing the depiction of Frankenstein through the novel’s three volumes, I have demonstrated how the narrative structure shifts our perception of the character. While the Frankenstein of the first volume is depicted as having innocent intentions, the second and third volumes—first in the creature’s accusatory voice, and then in his own voice—increasingly undermine him, causing him to appear alternately ridiculous and vindictive. Far from the one-dimensional villain he is often taken to be, the character of Frankenstein is compelling because of the dynamic narrative frame in which he is placed. In this frame, Frankenstein’s narrative self-presentation responds to the images of him we see from others’ perspectives. This conclusion sheds new light on the novel, foregrounding Shelley’s unique layering of narrative perspectives and its importance for the depiction of character.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

• Choosing Essay Topic
• Write a College Essay
• Write a Diversity Essay
• College Essay Format & Structure
• Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

Your essay’s conclusion should contain:

• A rephrased version of your overall thesis
• A brief review of the key points you made in the main body
• An indication of why your argument matters

The conclusion may also reflect on the broader implications of your argument, showing how your ideas could applied to other contexts or debates.

For a stronger conclusion paragraph, avoid including:

• Important evidence or analysis that wasn’t mentioned in the main body
• Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion…”)
• Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g. “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)

Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.

The conclusion paragraph of an essay is usually shorter than the introduction . As a rule, it shouldn’t take up more than 10–15% of the text.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

McCombes, S. (2023, July 23). How to Conclude an Essay | Interactive Example. Scribbr. Retrieved April 11, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/conclusion/

Is this article helpful?

Shona McCombes

Other students also liked, how to write an essay introduction | 4 steps & examples, how to write a thesis statement | 4 steps & examples, example of a great essay | explanations, tips & tricks, unlimited academic ai-proofreading.

✔ Document error-free in 5minutes ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

• Entertainment
• Environment
• Information Science and Technology
• Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Life

Essay Samples on Journey

Traveling through life: learning, evolving, and reflecting.

Life Lessons Learned on a Journey What is a journey. A journey is an act of traveling from one place to another and the time in between that act. We took a look at many texts relating to people going on a journey such as...

• Life Lesson

My Holiday in Portugal: Reflection on All the Ups and Downs

Now I know, from this title, it sounds like I’m writing about a classic family holiday. I am... until the day we went to the beach. I was unleashing my inner daredevil side - to a point of life or death. It was the summer...

• Personal Experience

The Journey Of Life: Life Is A Journey

Storytelling is the art that separates us from animals. The journey of my life is a story of struggle and obsession at every stage of my life. Framing things positively is an art. This art is very necessary for growth in life. Talking about my...

Hero's Journey In Moby Dick

Moby Dick is a novel written by Herman Melville in 1851. The book is narrated through a minor character called Ishmael who is the only surviving member of the Pequod and the story is about the obsessive Captain Ahab’s quest for revenge on Moby Dick,...

Summary Of Nickel And Dimed By Barbara Ehrenreich

In Nickel and Dimed, Barbara Ehlereich is determined to see what life is like in America as a lower class citizen. She decides to travel to 3 states, spending a month in each, working minimum wage jobs. The states she traveled to were Florida, Maine,...

• Nickel and Dimed

Stressed out with your paper?

Consider using writing assistance:

• 100% unique papers
• 3 hrs deadline option

The Mayflower' by Nathaniel Philbrick: Book About the Pilgrims Coming to America

The Mayflower a Story of Courage, Community, and War was written by the author Nathaniel Philbrick. Philbrick’s motivation for writing this story was because of his curiosity on why Philip travelled such a long distance to reach his hometown, Nantucket. (Philbrick, P.xiii) Majority of Philbrick’s...

• Literature Review

The Motorcycle Girl of Pakistan: Zenith Irfan

After Zenith Irfan's father died, she determined to accomplish his desire to travel around the world on a motorbike. The trip was a tremendous action for a Pakistani girl in a country where it's sometimes considered weird for women to travel alone especially on a...

Romantic Elements Essay - “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”

Rainer Maria Rilke, a British novelist and poet once said, “The only journey is the journey within.” In both “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” and Hercules, they both go on a journey to prove themselves and try to find out who they really are....

• Sir Gawain and The Green Knight

The Pilgrimage to Mecca:The Religious Significance of the Journey

The Pilgrimage to Mecca The pilgrimage to Mecca or Hajj in Arabic, is an annual Islamic pilgrimage as well as mandatory religious duty of a Muslim. It is to be carried out at least once in the adult life of a Muslim, who is financially...

An Airline Industry In Emirates

ARTICLE SUMMARY In Dubai, Emirates Airline goes all in on luxury, betting high-profit margins from first-class tickets and is doubling down on a different strategy. For the past few years, the airline has been investing billions of dollars into its fleet of planes, in-flight entertainment,...

Chengde Mountain Resort In China

One of the top spots in Chengde that you should not miss is the Chengde Mountain Resort. Once a resort for Qing emperors, the mountain resort is now open to the public, so you can visit this mountain resort, walk its paths, and enjoy the...

How Technology Has Transformed The Travel Industry

"Digitalisation has given us a great selection," said Tamara Lohan, co-founder and chief technology officer at the boutique hotel Mr&Mrs Smith. "More people are traveling than ever, and companies like Airbnb encourage younger people to explore earlier, and in a more cost-effective way. Technology has...

How To Take Great Travel Portraits

Travel portraits can be evocative of the places you’ve been and the local people you have met, but it can seem daunting to a beginner. Armed with the hints and tips in this article and a bit of practice, hopefully you’ll soon be taking travel...

Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, Lisse, The Netherlands

An image of the Netherlands imprinted in a lot of people’s minds is that of a field of tulips in various colors bathed in sunshine. The tulips have long been an icon that stands for what being Dutch is. If you are visiting the Netherlands...

Mera Amphu Laptsa Trek Vs Jomsom-Muktinath Trek

Mera Amphu Laptsa Trek Mera (6476m/21,246ft) and Island Peak (6189m/20,305ft) are two of the most well known trekking crests in the Nepal Himalaya and this undertaking joins jumps on the two mountains with a trek through the remote Honku Valley and an intersection of the...

Myanmar – An Incredible Place For Tourists

Everyone knows the popular Southeast Asia destinations — the beaches in Thailand, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the temples in Bali. But one country that’s becoming more popular is Myanmar, or Burma. Until recently, tourists had virtually boycotted visiting the country, not wanting to support the...

Reasons For Travel And Its Documentation

Peter Hulme while implying the significance of travel in writing says travel and movement are so fundamental to literary writing in general, “That there is almost no statuesque literature”. Travel and writing are closely connected because every traveler to an unfamiliar land wants to leave...

The History Of Haj Travelogues

Author Hassan Reza-Rafiei who has written the travelogues Dark City of Lights and a Mosque without Mihrab”is convinced that Iranians are the most active people among the nations of the world in writing travelogues on the Haj pilgrimage that contain in-depth analysis of the pilgrimage....

• Writing Experience

Biography Of Famous American Naturalist John Muir

There is a man in history that has never been easily categorizable, a jack of all trades, that has influenced many in the environmental field. Born into a strict religious farm life, who came to be an explorer who wandered across thousands of miles of...

• Personal Life

The Role Of Christopher Columbus’ First Voyage

In his entries, Columbus wrote about his daily discoveries at what he thought to be the costs of Asia. Columbus expressions of his interests and thoughts on his logbook, helps us understand what was going on in global history at the beginning of our period....

• Christopher Columbus
• Exploration

The Role Of Travelling In Society

The etymological origin of Travel as a word has come from the Middle English word, travailen meaning to toil or to make a toilsome journey. Travel as a process can be defined by Helen Gilbert, “as a broadly defined practice featuring human movement through culturally...

"A Feeling Of Wildness" By David Gessner Book Review

In “A Feeling of Wildness”, David Gessner is trying to persuade his audience that you don’t need to travel to marvelous places such as Mount Everest or the Amazon to experience the feeling of “wildness”. Through the uses of anecdotal stories, vivid imagery and descriptive...

• Book Review

What If We Can Travel In Past And What If We Can Travel In Future

This may be possible through quantum theory and we can also travel with the speed of light through a wormhole it is basically a theoretical idea and scientist start believing in this when they saw this idea in different movies and fiction stories. They believe...

• Personal Philosophy

What To Do In The Atacama Desert

Have you heard of one of the most unique natural places on Earth? If you have never heard of the Atacama desert, it’s time to do some research and see what you are missing out on! Located in northern Chile near the border with Bolivia,...

Where To Go For A Beach Vacation

Are you tired of working? If yes, then you should take a break from work for a while. You can go for a short vacation to somewhere so that you can reduce your stress and anxiety. A vacation is always helpful for us as it...

Zanzibar: General Information, External & Internal Analysis

Introduction Zanzibar, basically known as a tourist destination is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania which is located in the coast of eastern part of Africa in Indian Ocean. The name Zanzibar is basically derived from the Persian word Zang-bâr which is known as “black coast”....

Notes From An Imperfect Journey Around The World By Daniel Baylis

Introduction A good book may have a potential in influencing how we see the world and for me purposely travel books, like others which offer amazing life-changing benefits. The Traveller: Notes from an Imperfect Journey Around the World by Daniel Baylis: experiencing 12 countries would...

Solitude In Traveling: Being Wanderlust

“Travelling has taught me better. Sometimes it is the delayed flights, flat tires, orthodox Indian families or bumpy bullock cart rides. Every bit of my journey has made me a better person.” Wanderlust - A very popular hashtag now mostly making an appearance on people’s...

The Autobiographical Account Of The Journey Of Dr. Paul Kalanithi

The book is an autobiographical account of the journey of Dr. Paul Kalanithi, a young man at the threshold of a promising neurosurgery-neuroscience career when he is diagnosed with stage IV of an inoperable lung cancer at the age of thirty six. There is a...

Best topics on Journey

1. Traveling Through Life: Learning, Evolving, and Reflecting

2. My Holiday in Portugal: Reflection on All the Ups and Downs

3. The Journey Of Life: Life Is A Journey

4. Hero’s Journey In Moby Dick

5. Summary Of Nickel And Dimed By Barbara Ehrenreich

6. The Mayflower’ by Nathaniel Philbrick: Book About the Pilgrims Coming to America

7. The Motorcycle Girl of Pakistan: Zenith Irfan

8. Romantic Elements Essay – “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight”

9. The Pilgrimage to Mecca:The Religious Significance of the Journey

10. An Airline Industry In Emirates

11. Chengde Mountain Resort In China

12. How Technology Has Transformed The Travel Industry

13. How To Take Great Travel Portraits

14. Keukenhof Tulip Gardens, Lisse, The Netherlands

15. Mera Amphu Laptsa Trek Vs Jomsom-Muktinath Trek

• Career Goals
• Perseverance
• Personality

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

Short Essay: As One Journey Ends Another Begins

Three short essay examples on as one journey ends another begins.

Table of Contents

As One Journey Ends Another Begins Essay Example 1

Life is a journey, and every journey has a beginning and an end. Along the way, we encounter challenges, opportunities, and experiences that shape us into the people we are today. Sometimes, these journeys come to an end, and we find ourselves at a crossroads, unsure of what comes next. However, every ending is also a new beginning, and with every new journey, we have the opportunity to learn, grow, and evolve. In this essay, we will explore the end of one journey and the beginning of another, and how these experiences shape us as individuals.

The end of a significant journey can be a bittersweet experience. On one hand, there is a sense of accomplishment and pride in having completed the journey. On the other hand, there may be a sense of loss, as the journey was a significant part of our lives. Emotions associated with the end of a journey can range from sadness to relief, excitement to anxiety. Reflection on the lessons learned during the journey is also an essential part of the process. Every journey has its ups and downs, and it is during these challenging moments that we learn the most. Reflecting on the lessons learned during the journey can help us to grow and evolve as individuals. It can also help us to appreciate the journey for what it was and to recognize the value it brought to our lives.

Starting a new journey can be both exhilarating and daunting. The purpose of the new journey may be different from the previous one, and this can bring up a range of emotions. Excitement, anticipation, and curiosity are common emotions associated with starting a new journey. At the same time, there may be anxiety, fear, and uncertainty about the challenges that lie ahead. Reflection on the potential challenges and opportunities of the new journey is an essential part of the process. Every journey is unique, and there may be challenges that we have not encountered before. However, there may also be opportunities that we have not yet considered. Reflecting on the potential challenges and opportunities of the new journey can help us to prepare for what lies ahead.

Comparing and contrasting the two journeys is an essential part of the process of moving forward. There may be similarities and differences between the two journeys, and it is important to recognize these. Comparison of the lessons learned in the previous journey to those that may be learned in the new journey can help us to identify areas where we need to grow and evolve. Reflection on how the previous journey has prepared for the new journey is also an essential part of the process. Every journey prepares us for the next, and it is important to recognize the skills, knowledge, and experience that we have gained. Reflection can also help us to recognize areas where we may need to seek additional support or resources.

In conclusion, every journey comes to an end, and every ending is a new beginning. The emotions associated with the end of one journey and the beginning of another can be complex, but they are an essential part of the process of growth and evolution.

As One Journey Ends Another Begins Essay Example 2

Life is a journey that is full of ups and downs, twists and turns, and unexpected surprises. We all go through various journeys in our lives, and each one of them has its own unique experiences and lessons. Sometimes, these journeys come to an end, and we are left with a mix of emotions, ranging from accomplishment to sadness or relief. However, as one journey ends, another begins, and we are presented with new opportunities to grow and learn. In this essay, we will explore the end of a journey, the beginning of a new one, and the reflections on the transition between them.

The end of a journey can be a bittersweet experience. On the one hand, it is a time to celebrate the accomplishments and successes that were achieved during the journey. On the other hand, it can be a time of sadness or relief, especially if the journey was challenging or difficult. For instance, graduating from college can be a moment of pride for many students, but it can also be a time of uncertainty and apprehension about the future. Similarly, completing a project at work can be a time of relief, but it can also be a time of sadness if the project was enjoyable and fulfilling. However, regardless of the emotions felt, the end of a journey is always an opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned and the memories made during the journey.

The beginning of a new journey is often a time of excitement and anticipation. It is a chance to start fresh, to explore new opportunities, and to challenge oneself. However, it can also be a time of apprehension towards the unknown. Starting a new job, moving to a new city, or beginning a new relationship can all be overwhelming experiences. Nonetheless, it is important to set goals and aspirations for the new journey. For example, if starting a new job, one might set a goal to learn new skills or to make new connections. If moving to a new city, one might aspire to explore new places or to meet new people. Whatever the new journey may be, it is an opportunity to grow and learn.

Reflections on the transition between journeys can be insightful and thought-provoking. Comparing the old and new journeys can provide a better understanding of how the end of the old journey prepared for the new one. For example, the skills learned during college can be applied to a new job, or the experiences gained from traveling can be used to adapt to a new culture. Moreover, thoughts about the future and what it might bring can be both exciting and daunting. However, it is important to remember that each journey is unique and has its own set of challenges and opportunities.

In conclusion, life is a journey that is full of transitions, and as one journey ends, another begins. The end of a journey can be a time of mixed emotions, but it is always an opportunity to reflect on the lessons learned and the memories made. The beginning of a new journey can be exciting, but it can also be intimidating. Nonetheless, it is important to set goals and aspirations for the new journey.

As One Journey Ends Another Begins Essay Example 3

Life is a journey, and every journey has a beginning and an end. The end of one journey often marks the beginning of another, and this transition can be both exciting and daunting. In this essay, we will explore the emotions and thoughts that come with the end of a journey, the anticipation and challenges of starting a new journey, and the lessons learned and reflections that can guide us as we move forward.

The end of a journey can be a bittersweet experience. On one hand, it is a time to celebrate the accomplishments and milestones achieved throughout the journey. On the other hand, it can be a time of sadness and uncertainty as we say goodbye to the familiar and comfortable. Emotions such as joy, relief, and pride may accompany the end of a journey, but so too can feelings of disappointment, regret, and even grief. For example, graduating from college is an exciting accomplishment, but it also means leaving behind the people and places that have become a significant part of one’s life.

The beginning of a new journey is a time of anticipation and excitement. It is a chance to embark on a new adventure, to explore new possibilities, and to challenge oneself in new ways. However, the start of a new journey can also be filled with challenges and uncertainties. For example, starting a new job may bring excitement about the new opportunities, but also anxiety about the unknown expectations and demands. It is important to approach the new journey with an open mind and a willingness to learn and adapt.

Every journey has its own lessons to teach us, and the end of one journey can provide valuable insights into how we can approach the next one. Reflecting on the lessons learned and the personal growth achieved during the previous journey can help us to set goals and aspirations for the new journey. For example, if the previous journey taught us the importance of time management and prioritization, we can apply those lessons to the new journey to achieve greater success. Reflections on personal growth and development can also provide a sense of confidence and self-assurance as we embark on the new journey.

In conclusion, the end of a journey can be a time of both celebration and uncertainty, but it also marks the beginning of a new adventure. The anticipation and challenges of starting a new journey can be daunting, but the lessons learned and reflections from the previous journey can guide us towards greater success and personal growth. As we move forward, let us embrace the opportunities and challenges that come with each new journey, and let us continue to learn and grow along the way.

About Mr. Greg

Mr. Greg is an English teacher from Edinburgh, Scotland, currently based in Hong Kong. He has over 5 years teaching experience and recently completed his PGCE at the University of Essex Online. In 2013, he graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a BEng(Hons) in Computing, with a focus on social media.

Mr. Greg’s English Cloud was created in 2020 during the pandemic, aiming to provide students and parents with resources to help facilitate their learning at home.

Whatsapp: +85259609792

[email protected]

My journey As a Student Essay

Essay on topic my journey as a student.

Introduction Lines

As a student, my journey so far has been full of challenges, growth, and self-discovery. I have learned a lot about myself, my abilities, and my passions. In this essay, I will reflect on my journey as a student, highlighting the milestones, struggles, and achievements that have shaped my academic life.

Body Paragraphs

My journey as a student started when I was in elementary school. I vividly remember the excitement and nervousness I felt on my first day of school. I was eager to learn and make new friends. As I progressed through the years, I encountered many challenges, such as adjusting to new teachers, making the transition from elementary to middle school, and learning how to manage my time effectively. Despite these challenges, I remained committed to my studies and continued to work hard to achieve good grades.

In high school, I faced a new set of challenges. The workload was more rigorous, and I had to balance academics with extracurricular activities and part-time work. During this time, I also discovered my passion for writing and became an active member of the school newspaper. This experience taught me the value of teamwork, communication, and leadership.

As I entered college, I was both excited and nervous. I knew that college would be a new and challenging experience, but I was determined to succeed. I quickly learned that college required a higher level of dedication, discipline, and self-motivation. I had to learn how to manage my time efficiently, prioritize my tasks, and seek help when needed. Despite the challenges, I thrived in college and became more confident in my abilities. I also discovered new interests and passions, such as studying abroad and volunteering in my community.

Conclusion:

My journey as a student has been a remarkable experience. It has taught me valuable life skills, such as perseverance, time management, and teamwork. I have learned to adapt to new situations and challenges, and to never give up on my dreams. I am grateful for the opportunities I have had and for the people who have supported me along the way. As I continue my academic journey, I am excited to see where it will take me and what new experiences and challenges I will encounter.

Hello! Welcome to my Blog StudyParagraphs.co. My name is Angelina. I am a college professor. I love reading writing for kids students. This blog is full with valuable knowledge for all class students. Thank you for reading my articles.

Related Posts:

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Spiritual Journey Essays Examples: Faith!

Spiritual journey essays are reflective pieces that delve into an individual’s personal exploration of their own beliefs, faith, or spiritual experiences .

These essays often discuss challenges faced, lessons learned, and the personal growth that comes from such journeys.

A spiritual journey essay is a personal narrative that explores the writer’s journey towards a deeper understanding of their spiritual beliefs.

This might mean recounting personal experiences that led to a strengthening of faith, exploring the impact of certain religious practices, or reflecting on how a spiritual journey has influenced personal growth.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaway

5 interpretations: spiritual journey essays examples, personal experiences that shape individual spiritual journeys.

Exploring the intricacies of individual spiritual journeys through personal experiences is a compelling topic in spiritual journey essays.

These essays provide real-life examples that shape and influence one’s unique path to spiritual enlightenment.

Effect Of Life Events On Spiritual Growth:

Personal experiences play a vital role in shaping an individual’s spiritual journey. These life events can significantly impact one’s beliefs, values, and overall spiritual growth.

Life events can be both positive and negative, such as a profound loss, a life-altering epiphany, or a joyful celebration. Each experience brings unique lessons and insights that contribute to the development of spirituality.

Positive life events, like finding true love or achieving personal goals, often evoke feelings of gratitude, contentment, and a deeper connection to a higher power.

These events can fuel spiritual growth by strengthening faith and providing a sense of purpose and meaning in life.

On the other hand, challenging life events like illness, betrayal, or failure can lead to profound introspection and self-reflection.

These difficult moments often prompt individuals to question their beliefs, seek spiritual guidance, and explore new paths of understanding.

Adversities faced during life can act as catalysts for spiritual exploration, allowing individuals to cultivate resilience, compassion, and empathy. They can break down preconceived notions, opening the door to new perspectives and spiritual growth.

Challenges Faced During Spiritual Exploration:

Embarking on a spiritual journey is not always smooth sailing. It comes with its own set of challenges and obstacles that individuals must overcome to deepen their understanding of themselves and their spirituality.

One of the primary challenges is the resistance to change. The comfort of familiar beliefs and religious doctrines can hinder individuals from exploring new philosophies or spiritual practices.

Overcoming this resistance requires openness, curiosity, and a willingness to challenge preconceived notions.

Another challenge is the fear of uncertainty. Exploring the unknown and questioning long-held beliefs can be unsettling.

It requires individuals to confront their fears, embrace ambiguity, and trust in the process of self-discovery.

Societal and cultural pressures can pose obstacles to spiritual exploration. Conforming to societal norms and expectations may discourage individuals from following their own unique spiritual paths.

Breaking free from these external influences can be challenging, but it allows individuals to authentically connect with their own beliefs and values.

Lastly, the quest for spiritual understanding often involves periods of doubt and confusion. The journey may involve encountering conflicting teachings or questioning the existence of a higher power.

These moments of uncertainty can be unsettling but can also lead to deeper insights and a more profound sense of spirituality when embraced with an open and curious mind.

Role Of Introspection In Understanding One’s Spiritual Path:

Introspection plays a crucial role in unraveling the complexities of one’s spiritual journey. It involves examining one’s thoughts, emotions, and experiences to gain deeper self-awareness and understanding.

Through introspection, individuals can reflect on their values, beliefs, and behaviors, allowing them to align their spiritual path with their true selves.

It encourages individuals to question their motives, desires, and intentions, ensuring authenticity and sincerity in their spiritual exploration.

Introspection also facilitates the identification and examination of personal biases and conditioning that may limit spiritual growth.

By examining these subconscious influences, individuals can break free from societal expectations and embrace their own unique spiritual paths.

It allows individuals to uncover patterns and connections between their actions and their impact on their spiritual journey.

Remember, life events can shape our spiritual growth, but it is the challenges faced and the role of introspection that allows us to understand our spiritual path on a deeper level. Let us explore and embrace these aspects to embark on a transformative spiritual journey.

Essay Writing Aids In Self-Reflection And Growth

Essay writing serves as a valuable tool for self-reflection and personal growth on a spiritual journey.

Through thoughtful introspection and expression of our experiences, beliefs, and emotions, we gain deeper insights, expand our understanding, and evolve in profound ways.

Expressing Emotions And Insights Through Essays:

• Writing essays allows individuals to express their thoughts, emotions, and personal experiences, leading to self-reflection and growth.
• Essay writing provides a creative outlet for individuals to articulate their spiritual journey, giving voice to the complexities and nuances of their inner experiences.
• Through the power of words, essays enable individuals to convey their deepest emotions, allowing for a deeper understanding of oneself and one’s spiritual path.
• Essays serve as a platform to explore and share personal insights, helping to foster self-awareness and personal growth.

Developing Clarity And Perspective On Spiritual Experiences:

• Writing essays about spiritual experiences helps to bring clarity and understanding to complex thoughts and emotions that may arise during one’s spiritual journey.
• By putting experiences into words, individuals gain a clearer perspective on their spiritual path, allowing them to uncover deeper meanings and insights.
• Through the process of writing, individuals may discover new connections and patterns in their experiences, leading to a greater understanding of their own spirituality.
• Writing essays provides an opportunity to reflect on spiritual practices, beliefs, and encounters, facilitating personal growth and development.

Finding Support And Connection Through Sharing Personal Stories:

• Sharing personal stories through essays creates a sense of connection and support within the spiritual community, as others may resonate with similar experiences or find inspiration in one’s journey.
• Writing and sharing essays fosters a sense of belonging, as individuals realize they are not alone in their spiritual quest and can draw strength from the shared experiences of others.
• Personal stories shared through essays can provide comfort, guidance, and encouragement to those who may be facing similar challenges or seeking validation on their own spiritual path.
• The act of sharing personal stories through essays allows for a collective sense of empathy and understanding, creating a supportive network of individuals on a shared spiritual journey.

Remember , essay writing serves as a transformative tool for self-reflection, clarity, and connection on one’s spiritual journey.

By expressing emotions and insights, developing perspective, and sharing personal stories, individuals can navigate their spiritual path with greater understanding and growth.

Insights From Real-Life Spiritual Journey Essays

Discover profound insights and real-life examples through spiritual journey essays, exploring the depths of personal transformation and enlightenment.

These soul-stirring narratives offer a unique perspective on the transformative power of spiritual exploration.

Essay Example 1: Overcoming Adversity And Finding Inner Peace

In this essay example, the author delves into their personal journey of overcoming adversity and finding inner peace.

The essay reflects on the challenges faced and the lessons learned along the way. Through their experiences, the author highlights the transformative power of resilience, self-reflection, and spirituality.

Here are the key insights from this spiritual journey essay:

• Coping with loss: The essay explores how the author dealt with the loss of a loved one, sharing their emotional journey and the strategies they employed to navigate through grief.
• Embracing spirituality: The author discusses how they turned to spirituality as a source of solace during challenging times, emphasizing the importance of faith and belief in finding inner peace.
• Practicing gratitude: The essay elucidates the role of gratitude in the author’s spiritual journey, highlighting how focusing on the positive aspects of life helped them cultivate a sense of serenity and contentment.
• Forgiveness and letting go: The author reflects on their process of forgiving others and themselves, realizing that holding onto resentment and past grievances only hindered their spiritual growth.
• Finding purpose: Through their journey, the author discovered the significance of aligning their actions with their values and passions. They discuss how this sense of purpose contributed to their overall well-being and spiritual fulfillment.

Essay Example 2: Rediscovering Faith Through Nature And Solitude

This essay example revolves around the author’s experience of rediscovering their faith through connecting with nature and embracing solitude. It sheds light on the profound impact of natural surroundings and the solitude it offers.

The following insights emerge from this spiritual journey essay:

• Seeking solace in nature: The essay recounts the author’s encounters with nature, emphasizing the sense of peace and spiritual connectedness they felt while immersing themselves in the beauty of the natural world.
• Embracing solitude: The author discusses how solitude allowed them to reconnect with their inner self, providing an opportunity for self-reflection and a deeper understanding of their faith.
• Finding god in the details: Through their experiences, the author discovered the divine presence in the intricate details of nature, recognizing the interconnectedness of all living beings and the universe as a whole.
• Renewed faith: The essay traces the author’s journey of rediscovering their faith and the profound impact it had on their sense of purpose, inner strength, and overall well-being.

Essay Example 3: Seeking Enlightenment Through Mindfulness Practices

This essay example revolves around the author’s quest for enlightenment through mindfulness practices such as meditation, mindfulness exercises, and self-reflection.

It explores how these practices have contributed to their spiritual growth and quest for deeper understanding.

Embracing mindfulness: The author explains how incorporating mindfulness practices into their daily life helped them develop a heightened sense of awareness and presence, enabling them to experience a deeper connection with themselves and the world around them.

Navigating the inner landscape: The essay delves into the author’s process of self-discovery, highlighting the importance of introspection and exploring one’s thoughts and emotions as a means of uncovering truths and attaining spiritual enlightenment.

Letting go of attachments: The author reflects on the significance of detaching from material possessions, desires, and ego-driven ambitions, recognizing that true fulfillment and peace lie in letting go of attachments and finding contentment in the present moment.

Nurturing compassion and gratitude: The essay discusses how mindfulness practices have helped the author cultivate compassion for themselves and others, fostering a sense of interconnectedness and gratitude for the blessings in their life.

By exploring the personal stories and insights shared in these spiritual journey essays, we gain valuable perspectives on the transformative power of resilience, faith, nature, solitude, and mindfulness.

These examples serve as inspirations for our own spiritual journeys, reminding us of the profound potential for growth, peace, and enlightenment that lie within our reach.

Common Threads And Valuable Lessons From Diverse Spiritual Experiences

Discover the common threads and valuable lessons that emerge from a collection of diverse spiritual experiences.

These powerful essays exemplify the transformative nature of the spiritual journey. Explore the rich tapestry of personal insights and reflections that will uplift and inspire.

Spiritual journeys can take many forms, ranging from personal revelations to transformative experiences that shape one’s entire life.

These journeys are highly individual, reflecting the diversity of human experience and the pursuit of higher meaning.

While each spiritual journey is unique, there are common threads that connect them, as well as valuable lessons that can be learned along the way.

Acceptance And Surrender As Catalysts For Spiritual Growth

Acceptance: Embracing life as it is and accepting oneself without judgment can pave the way for spiritual growth.

By acknowledging and embracing our flaws, mistakes, and imperfections, we learn to cultivate self-compassion and develop a deeper understanding of ourselves and others.

Surrender: Letting go of control and surrendering to a higher power or divine guidance can lead to profound spiritual transformation.

It requires relinquishing the ego and trusting in the wisdom of the universe, allowing for greater alignment with one’s true purpose.

Finding Meaning And Purpose In Challenging Times

Resilience: Navigating difficult situations often prompts individuals to reflect on their values and priorities, leading to a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world.

Self-reflection: Challenging times provide an opportunity for introspection and self-discovery. Through introspection, individuals can uncover their core beliefs, values, and passions, enabling them to align their actions with their true purpose.

Inner strength: Adversity can reveal hidden reservoirs of strength that individuals didn’t know they possessed.

Finding meaning in difficult experiences helps cultivate resilience and empowers individuals to navigate future challenges with a sense of purpose and determination.

Developing Connection With The Divine And The Self

Meditation and mindfulness: Practices such as meditation and mindfulness enable individuals to quiet the mind, cultivate self-awareness, and deepen their connection with the divine.

By tuning into the present moment, one can access a profound sense of peace and a deeper connection to their spirituality.

Nature and the sacred: Many spiritual journeys involve finding solace and connection in nature. By immersing oneself in the beauty and awe of the natural world, individuals can tap into a sense of wonder and transcendence that nurtures their spiritual growth.

Authenticity and self-expression: Honoring one’s true self and expressing it authentically allows for a deepening connection with both the self and the divine.

When individuals embrace their unique gifts, talents, and passions, they align themselves with their spiritual essence and invite greater joy and fulfillment into their lives.

Each spiritual journey is a deeply personal exploration , guided by one’s own beliefs, experiences, and yearnings.

What unites these diverse journeys are the universal themes of acceptance, surrender, finding meaning in challenges, and developing a connection to the divine and the self.

Embracing these common threads and integrating the valuable lessons learned along the way can foster spiritual growth and fulfillment on the path to higher consciousness.

How Spiritual Journey Essays Inspire And Provoke Introspection In Others?

These examples of spiritual journey essays inspire profound introspection in readers by delving into the depths of personal experiences, offering insights and wisdom.

Embarking on such a journey through the pages of these essays evokes a sense of connection to something greater, stirring the reader’s own reflective thoughts.

Validation And Resonance For Those On A Similar Journey

• Spiritual journey essays provide a sense of validation and resonance for individuals who are embarking on a similar path of self-discovery and spiritual exploration.
• These essays offer a glimpse into the lived experiences, challenges, and triumphs of others who have walked a similar spiritual path, allowing readers to connect and feel understood in their own journey.
• Through the sharing of personal stories, these essays communicate a deep sense of empathy and companionship, reminding readers that they are not alone in their quest for spiritual fulfillment.
• The relatability of these essays fosters a sense of validation, assuring readers that their questions, doubts, and spiritual experiences are valid and worthy of exploration.

Expanding Perspectives And Challenging Beliefs

• Spiritual journey essays have the power to expand perspectives and challenge established beliefs by offering alternative ways of understanding and engaging with spirituality.
• By sharing their personal experiences, perspectives, and insights, authors of these essays invite readers to question their own beliefs and consider new possibilities.
• These essays prompt readers to critically examine their spiritual frameworks and beliefs, encouraging them to transcend limitations and explore a more expansive understanding of spirituality.
• Through thought-provoking narratives and reflections, spiritual journey essays invite readers to open their minds and embrace new ideas, paradigms, and spiritual paths.

Encouragement To Embark On One Unique Spiritual Exploration

• Spiritual journey essays serve as a source of encouragement and inspiration for individuals who are contemplating embarking on their own unique spiritual exploration.
• Through the sharing of transformative personal experiences, these essays ignite a sense of curiosity and yearning within readers, prompting them to seek their own spiritual paths.
• These essays highlight the transformative power of embarking on a spiritual journey and emphasize the importance of individual agency in forging one’s own path.
• By showcasing the profound personal growth, self-discovery, and fulfillment that often arises from embarking on a spiritual journey, these essays inspire readers to take that first step towards their own unique exploration.

How do African American spirituals reflect the theme of faith in your spiritual journey essays?

In your spiritual journey essays, you can explore the powerful theme of faith through African American spirituals examples . These soulful and emotive songs often express deep faith, resilience, and hope in the face of adversity. By analyzing these spirituals, you can gain valuable insights into the role of faith in your own spiritual journey.

Tips For Creating Impactful And Authentic Spiritual Journey Essays

Discover how to create impactful and authentic spiritual journey essays with these expert tips. Learn how to craft compelling narratives that resonate with readers, using vivid language and personal experiences to bring your spiritual journey to life.

Being vulnerable and sharing personal experiences:

• Share personal moments: Open up about the significant moments and experiences that have shaped your spiritual journey.
• Express emotions: Embrace vulnerability by sharing the emotional impact of your spiritual quest.
• Reflect on personal growth: Discuss the personal growth and lessons learned throughout your journey.
• Connect with readers: Create relatable content that resonates with readers by showcasing your authentic self.

Creating a narrative arc with a clear theme and message:

• Outline the structure: Start with an introduction to set the stage, followed by the development of your journey and its challenges, and conclude with a reflection or resolution.
• Establish a clear theme: Identify the central theme or message of your essay and ensure it is consistently conveyed throughout.
• Build a compelling storyline: Engage readers by crafting a narrative that allows them to follow your spiritual journey.
• Incorporate supporting details: Use vivid descriptions, anecdotes, and examples to enhance your narrative and reinforce your message.

Embracing the power of storytelling to captivate readers:

• Craft a captivating opening: Start with a hook that grabs readers’ attention and draws them into your narrative.
• Use descriptive language: Paint a vivid picture of the people, places, and experiences that have shaped your journey.
• Show, don’t tell: Engage readers through storytelling by providing concrete examples and allowing them to draw their own conclusions.
• Maintain a consistent voice: Establish a unique voice that reflects your personality and allows readers to connect with your story.

Remember, creating impactful and authentic spiritual journey essays requires vulnerability, a clear narrative structure, and the power of storytelling.

By incorporating these tips into your writing, you can captivate readers and leave a lasting impression with your essay.

Embarking on a spiritual journey through essay writing can be a transformative experience. It allows individuals to reflect, analyze, and connect with their inner selves in profound ways.

By reading spiritual journey essays, we gain insight into the struggles, triumphs, and personal growth of others, inspiring us to delve deeper into our own spirituality.

These essays serve as a reminder that everyone’s journey is unique, and there is no right or wrong path to follow.

As we immerse ourselves in these narratives, we discover the power of vulnerability and honesty, paving the way for self-discovery, enlightenment, and a deeper connection with the divine.

Through the power of storytelling, these essays offer solace, guidance, and a profound sense of community.

So, let these examples be a catalyst for your own spiritual exploration, allowing your inner light to shine brightly on your unique odyssey.

Similar Posts

Give Five Examples of Spiritual Parents in the Bible: Moses!

Spirituality in the Workplace Examples: Business Practices!

Examples of Spiritual Bypassing: Psychological Mechanism!

Examples of Spiritual Identity: Religious!

Biopsychosocial Spiritual Assessment Example: Social!

Spiritual Life Map Example: A Guide!

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Ponyboy’s Journey: Understanding the Outsiders

This essay about Ponyboy’s evolution in “The Outsiders” explores his quest for identity, empathy, and resilience amidst social divides. It highlights Ponyboy’s growth through familial bonds and the universal struggle for self-discovery. As he navigates adolescence, Ponyboy challenges prejudices and confronts his own vulnerabilities, ultimately emerging as a symbol of compassion and strength.

How it works

In S.E. Hinton’s classic novel “The Outsiders,” Ponyboy Curtis emerges as a central figure, navigating the turbulent waters of adolescence amidst societal divides and personal turmoil. Set against the backdrop of 1960s Oklahoma, Ponyboy’s narrative transcends mere teenage angst, delving deep into themes of identity, belonging, and the complexities of human connection.

At the heart of Ponyboy’s character lies a profound sense of yearning – a desire to break free from the confines of his social status and forge his own path in the world.

As a member of the Greasers, Ponyboy grapples with the stigma of poverty and the pervasive sense of injustice that permeates his community. Yet, beneath the leather jackets and tough exterior, lies a sensitive soul, eager to find meaning amidst the chaos.

One of the most compelling aspects of Ponyboy’s journey is his quest for understanding and empathy. Despite the animosity between the Greasers and their rival gang, the Socs, Ponyboy refuses to succumb to hatred or prejudice. Instead, he seeks to bridge the divide, recognizing the shared humanity that unites both groups. In doing so, Ponyboy challenges the reader to confront their own preconceptions and biases, urging us to look beyond surface differences and embrace the common threads that bind us together.

Central to Ponyboy’s growth is his relationship with his brothers, Sodapop and Darry. As the youngest member of the Curtis family, Ponyboy grapples with feelings of inadequacy and the weight of expectations placed upon him. However, through the love and guidance of his brothers, Ponyboy learns the true meaning of family and the importance of loyalty in the face of adversity. It is through these bonds that Ponyboy finds the strength to confront the challenges that lie ahead, emerging not as a victim of circumstance, but as a resilient survivor determined to carve out his own destiny.

Moreover, Ponyboy’s journey is emblematic of the universal struggle for self-discovery and acceptance. As he grapples with the loss of loved ones and the harsh realities of the world around him, Ponyboy is forced to confront his own vulnerabilities and insecurities. Yet, it is precisely through these trials that Ponyboy discovers his inner strength and resilience, emerging from the crucible of adversity with newfound wisdom and perspective.

In conclusion, Ponyboy’s journey in “The Outsiders” serves as a poignant reminder of the power of compassion, resilience, and the indomitable human spirit. Through his experiences, we are reminded that true courage lies not in bravado or brawn, but in the willingness to confront our own fears and embrace the inherent dignity of every individual. As we follow Ponyboy’s footsteps through the tumultuous landscape of adolescence, we are invited to reflect on our own journey and the profound impact that compassion and understanding can have on our lives and the world around us.

Cite this page

Ponyboy's Journey: Understanding The Outsiders. (2024, Apr 01). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/ponyboys-journey-understanding-the-outsiders/

"Ponyboy's Journey: Understanding The Outsiders." PapersOwl.com , 1 Apr 2024, https://papersowl.com/examples/ponyboys-journey-understanding-the-outsiders/

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Ponyboy's Journey: Understanding The Outsiders . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/ponyboys-journey-understanding-the-outsiders/ [Accessed: 11 Apr. 2024]

"Ponyboy's Journey: Understanding The Outsiders." PapersOwl.com, Apr 01, 2024. Accessed April 11, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/ponyboys-journey-understanding-the-outsiders/

"Ponyboy's Journey: Understanding The Outsiders," PapersOwl.com , 01-Apr-2024. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/ponyboys-journey-understanding-the-outsiders/. [Accessed: 11-Apr-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2024). Ponyboy's Journey: Understanding The Outsiders . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/ponyboys-journey-understanding-the-outsiders/ [Accessed: 11-Apr-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

• 1(877)219-7556 1(877)733-3925

Fully unique works only

Your privacy is our concern

Writing that is plagiarism free

Free My Journey Essay Sample

Introduction.

The journey connected with the entire life of the human being. In another word life is called as journey. The journey means struggle, Struggle against passions, desires, for achievements, money, thoughts, and dreams etc. In this essay we want to explain that we were going on our own way which we have chosen with our own style. What kind of difficulties that we will face in our entire life. How our life suffers and how we can get something which we want to achieve something in life. The journey of the life is not easy task but every person holds and completed it according to their guards. Life is not easy but became easy.

THE THRESHOLD

There are certain kind of challenges faced such as span of time, suffering, vexations, virtuous deeds and the prim of life. The percentage of the peoples is very short who will trust me and my faith. All the peoples cannot understand my feelings and do not want to support me. The challenge which I have faced is that my family and relatives does not give me morally or financially support. The challenge which I have faced is that my thoughts are rational but any how I want to do with my own desire. The other challenge is live on my own pattern is looking effective but very difficult because you feel lazy from inside peoples do not appreciate you because you are on the patent life pattern but you do on my own pattern. The challenge of starting the journey is every person pinched to you, and you feel shamed on such thing. The other most difficult challenge is how much you will brave but you cannot run the life financial challenges, threats of failure, missing of opportunity and the threats of make the life disaster. The other challenge before starting is that uncertainty factor of life if the life is going to be good or not.

Read also: "Online Research Paper"

THE INNERMOST CAVE

The second stage of the journey says that when you were realizing that you live as you desire but the pressure arises on you. The journey of life never looks so easy as I thought, I have faced lot of difficulties such as, I thought peoples can contribute some kind of part but they never do, I thought I drive my life as my desire so logic is secondary thing but it is not just like that .The point on which you were realize that you will face this time more difficulties in life are that when you were completed your school or college studies and you will face that you want job for filling your desires and needs but you do not find the job. There is some kind of saying on this occasion that on the different side of the college gate we were rolling the life on our fingers. But in practicable life the life rolls us on the tips. The point on which you were facing difficulties is that stage when you were not earning and you are dependant on your father and mother and friends. This stage is most difficult because every person in this stage does not realize that you are becoming bigger in your age so you will try to search the job because when you will earn all the tensions getting treated. The most difficult point to be raised that when I think that I cannot do that kind of the thing no matters what other said for me but life must go on.

THE SEIZING OF THE SWORD

In the third stage of the journey you will find that you have some kind of the inner qualities which you will create yourself, or anyhow you will search the qualities. The Seizing of the sword is that I have my inner qualities such as get out of problems, facing the challenges, drive the life in the persuasive way. You saw that you are self motivated and tried to get rid out of the tensions of life. In this stage you face that nobody is there on your back. The inner qualities you will measure that grief does not harm you because you cannot expect from somebody which is present in your life. The expectation is the basic fatigue in the life this is the good thing for you that you cannot expect from someone. You find that you have some persons which are very humble for you and you make your life easier. The innermost quality that you face in the journey of the life when you saw others that how many persons suffer you will see some kind of inner thinking that you were face that you became strong. The stage on which before getting job you will find that you have such capabilities that you were getting rid out of anything which is not good for you. The inner qualities you do not believe before but this the high times for getting confident on yourself. The qualities you have got but do not realize it that you have the capabilities of doing some kind of work for yourself.

THE REBIRTH

The final stage on which you were getting very happy is that stage where you will find a good job. I have indeed met the challenge and find all the things which are good for life. The good job is necessary for the complete and successful journey of life. The good job means that you will fulfill your desires, your expenditures and the other necessary things. The stage on which you find a job you think that before you get a job you will face certain kind of problems such as frustration, expenditure arises, payment of bills but once you will get a good job life become easy. The structure of the life you saw in your dreams became reality. The reality of the journey is that in every step you do not find yourself alone. The stage of getting a job precious for the persons because every element connected to the money and the money comes from the job or getting earning. You will become independent now and you tried to pay according to your desires. This is the stage which feels a man very proud because every person respects you and your family. Behind this stage you will suffer a lot but if get achieved you will find everything. In this stage you expedite that you will achieve everything now and everything now gets easier for you. The journey of life is not easier thing but you make it easier for you and your family.

The journey of life does not easy target but you are the person who makes it easier for yourself. The life is the journey because every person in his entire life suffers a lot in every manner. The journey of life ends that before starting the journey you will find you are alone, in the second stage you find that where you have committed the mistakes. In the third stage you think that you do it according to your desires. In the final stage you think that you have a good job and this the final season of the day and you will treat as a heart of the family. The time is very precious for achieving something in life. The journey of life suggests that you will respect the time and time will respect you. The most beautiful part of the life journey is that if you will defeat once you do not allow going back and doing it from the beginning. The life is journey, and journey is life. You should learn a lot from the life of the journey.

Have NO Inspiration to write your essay?

Ask for Professional help

Search Free Essay

Please note!

Some text in the modal.

Search Journey with Jesus Website

Translate journey with jesus website.

• Destroying the Devil's Work

Poem for upper right module: https://www.journeywithjesus.net/poemsandprayers/686-edmund-spenser-amoretti-lxviii

Image for upper right module home page: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Christ_triumphing_over_Death_and_Sin_mg_0050.jpg

Teaser text for upper right home page module: The eighty-nine sonnets of Edmund Spenser's Amoretti were written to correspond with the scriptural readings prescribed by the Book of Common Prayer for specific dates in 1594. Of the scriptural selections from a particular day, Spenser generally made use of the daily psalms or New Testament readings, often drawing upon the Gospel or Epistle for Sundays or feast days.

RCL Scriptures for the week

Acts 3:12-19 1 John 3:1-7 Luke 24:36b-48 Psalm 4

From Our Archive

Debie Thomas, Embodied   (2021) and Scarred and Hungry  (2018).

For Sunday April 14, 2024

Lectionary Readings ( Revised Common Lectionary , Year B)

This Week's Essay

THANK YOU to Michael Fitzpatrick for a six-week series of lectionary essays from Easter to Pentecost. Michael was a regular staff writer for JWJ from 2020 to 2023. He is a U. S. Army veteran and philosopher. He served five years in the Army as a Chaplain's Assistant, which included two deployments to Iraq during 2004-05 and 2006-08. Michael is finishing his PhD at Stanford University.

In recent years, reporting from ProPublica has unveiled that across the United States more than $5 billion of federal assistance money set aside for states to assist impoverished citizens and families has gone unused or unclaimed. Some of the reason for this is that many states have been slowly excluding more and more of those in need from eligibility, despite having no shortage of funds available.

Another reason is simple lack of awareness. A lot of people who need assistance either don’t know there are benefits available to them, or they don’t know how to obtain access to those benefits. Josh Hodges, chief customer officer for the National Council on Aging, has examined elderly folk living in poverty, and he estimates that when unclaimed Medicare benefits and premium assistance is included, a whopping $30 billion in both public and private benefits goes unclaimed every year due to lack of awareness or access.

Social policy failures like these illustrate a couple critical truths of human life: we can’t get help when we don’t know help is available. We also can’t get help when help is withheld.

John’s First Epistle teaches us that God’s policies succeed where human policies fall short. God has not withheld help from us and we access this help by knowing who this Jesus is through whom God helps us.

Before we can receive God’s help, we have to appreciate that we need help in the first place! As Alcoholics Anonymous has taught us, the first step is admitting we have a problem. “Everyone who sins breaks [God’s] law; in fact, sin is lawlessness,” John writes (3.4, NIV unless otherwise noted). God’s creation is disordered; God’s image bearers — that’s us, folks — are disordered. But the Good News, John says, is that “Christ appeared so that he might take away our sins” (v. 5). God is not like those state assistance programs who withhold help from those who need it. Through Jesus, God makes salvation possible for every person!

How did lawlessness get into our hearts and relationships in the first place? Barbara Brown Taylor, in her excellent book Speaking of Sin , recalls a line from the classic film Charade in which Audrey Hepburn’s character turns to Cary Grant’s character and asks, “Why do people lie?” Grant replies, “People lie because they want something and fear that the truth will not get it for them.” Barbara Brown Taylor observes, “If he had been a preacher instead of a movie star, he might have said, ‘People sin because they want something and fear that goodness will not get it for them.’”

In one sense, lawlessness is simply the disconnect we discover between our desires and what is true and good for us. What we feel is good or what we want to believe is not always good or true. According to John, our sinful condition is a reflection of our nature, not simply our willful disobedience. We’re like an addict who insists they can quit anytime they want. No, an addict really can’t, because they are not a creature that has control over their urges. Likewise, we can’t simply imitate Jesus’ good example by willing ourselves into a life free of sin. If we could do that, God would not have needed to send Jesus in the first place!

How exactly does Christ take away our sins? Well, John says, “ In him is no sin, and no one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him” (vv. 5–6, emphasis added).

Jesus takes away our sin by taking us into himself, so that we participate in his life. Since his life is free of sin, our lives are free of sin. If our lives are not free of sin, it is because like those who don’t know where to look for needy family benefits, we don’t yet know Christ. John writes, “If you know that Christ is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him” (2.29). We’re born of Christ; that is, we bear Christ’s nature, no longer a sinful nature. This is the “great love the Father has lavished on us,” calling us “children,” so that “all who have this hope in Christ purify themselves, just as he is pure” (3.1, 3).

Knowing Christ is not the same as knowing about Christ. Jesus is not an object of intellectual curiosity, but a living presence who transforms us from being creatures addicted to the desires of this world — “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (2.16) — to being people who love the Father through the Son. For “the world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever” (v. 17).

Unfortunately, there are people who distort God’s message of love. John calls such people “antichrists.” John’s letters are the only place in the Bible this word appears, and it has nothing to do with bizarre theories about the end times. He is not speaking of “ the Antichrist,” a non-biblical fabrication of American fundamentalism. These are “antichrists,” in the plural, people who deny the knowledge we need to participate in Christ’s righteousness.

The spirit of antichrist seeks to lead people astray with lies about God and Jesus. John asks, “And who is a liar? Anyone who says that Jesus is not the Christ. Anyone who denies the Father and the Son is an antichrist” (NLT). Being an antichrist would be like telling a single mother with four children that there is nothing the state can do to help her feed her family. A lie about the saving grace people need destroys lives and cuts people off from desperately needed help. That is why John’s words are so strong for those who deny that “your sins have been forgiven on account of his [Jesus’] name” (2.12). For to deny Jesus is to lose the Father, whose forgiveness comes through participation in the Son. Conversely, “whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father” (2.23).

John is writing to protect his fledgling church community from those antichrists who would take their hope from them. He is writing to people who do know Jesus as the Christ, and therefore have access to the salvation that comes through him. John declares, “I write to you, dear children, because … the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one” (2.14).

Who is this “evil one” we have overcome? Again, Christ’s victory over sin is not simply a matter of us humans trying to do better. It’s not a matter of will, for we have been enslaved by an oppressor. John again warns his flock about antichrists: “Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray” (3.7). To guide them, John distinguishes between those who do what is right (because they are in Jesus, in whom is no sin), and those who continue in sin. If we do what is right, it is in Christ. But if we do what is sinful, such actions are “of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning” (v.8).

The ultimate power that seeks to lead us astray is the devil, that primordial source of lawlessness. Those born of God will no longer sin, unlike those who are children of the devil (vv. 9-10). This is not a license for us to go around in our self-righteousness condemning others, or to expect perfection in ourselves. It is simply John’s way of giving a practical, actionable set of guidelines for novice Christians to not be led astray by antichrists. Become people who are born of God, he says, and do not be led astray by those who deny Christ and continue the devil’s work. And in case we have any uncertainty about who might lead us astray, John suggests two tells:

Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. (v. 10)

So we ask ourselves, is this person teaching us how to believe, or how to not believe in Christ? Are they loving us as their own siblings? In other words, do those who would teach us testify to “the great love the Father has lavished on us” and do they live that love out towards others? That is John’s line in the sand between the children of God and the children of the devil. His aim is not to condemn people, but to emphatically say, “Don’t be like the devil, who has been sinning from the beginning!”

We began with John’s declaration of the Good News that “Christ appeared so that he might take away our sins” (3.5). John now puts the Good News more dramatically: “The Son of God appeared to destroy the devil’s work.” Christ died and was raised so that the devil’s oppression of our souls and our communities might end! Christ died to ransom and set the captives free! Christ died that we addicts to sin might go and sin no more!

We’re in Eastertide, the great 50 days celebrating Christ’s resurrection and appearances. If we know Christ, then we believe in living lives that help destroy the devil’s work. We’ll destroy that devil wherever we see the poor and suffering denied access to resources which might give them life. We’ll destroy that devil wherever we witness people who do not love one another. We’ll destroy that devil wherever we encounter antichrists trying to lure people away from the love of God who has forgiven them of their sins. Get behind us Satan! This is your kingdom no more!

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Note: For a particularly poignant example of destroying the devil's work, see Dan's film review of the documentary  Praying the Devil Back to Hell .

Weekly Prayer William Dunbar (1459-1530) Done is a Battle on the Dragon Black Done is a battle on the dragon black, Our champion Christ has confounded his force; The gates of hell are broken with a crack, The sign triumphal raisèd is the cross, The devils tremble with hideous voice, The souls are redeemed and to the bliss can go, Christ with his blood our ransom does endorse: Surrexit dominus de sepulchro. Beaten is the deadly dragon Lucifer, The cruel serpent with the mortal sting, The old sharp tiger with his teeth bared, Who in wait has lain for us so long, Thinking to grip us in his claws strong: The merciful Lord would not that it were so, He made him for to fail of that prize: Surrexit dominus de sepulchro. He who for our sake allowed himself to be slain, And like a lamb in sacrifice was offered, Is like a lion risen up again, And like a giant raised himself on high: Risen is Aurora radiant and bright, Aloft is gone the glorious Apollo, The blissful day departed from the night: Surrexit dominus de sepulchro. The great victor again is risen on high Who on our behalf to the death was wounded; The Son that waxed all pale now shimmers bright, And, darkness cleared, our faith is now refounded. The knell of mercy from the heav’n is sounded, The Christians are delivered from their woe, The Jews and their error are confounded: Surrexit dominus de sepulchro. The foe is chased, the battle is done, The prison broken, the jailers fled and banished, The war is gone, confirmèd is the peace, The fetters loosed and the dungeon emptied, The ransom made, the prisoners redeemed, The field is won, overcome is the foe, Despoiled of the treasure that he held: Surrexit dominus de sepulchro. This early sixteenth-century poem by William Dunbar of Scotland — who served as poet in the court of King James IV and was also an ordained Catholic priest — is an imaginative retelling of the extrabiblical episode known as the Harrowing of Hell, wherein Christ descends to the realm of the dead on the eve of his resurrection to free the souls being held captive there by Satan. The Latin refrain translates to “The Lord is risen from the grave.” The original poem, in Middle Scots, has been rendered in modern English  by Victoria Emily Jones, a freelance literature scholar, at her blog Art & Theology . All notes are adapted from her introduction to the poem.

Michael Fitzpatrick cherishes comments and questions via [email protected]

Image credits: (1)  Aleteia.org ; (2)  Wikimedia.org ; and (3)  MaggyWhitehouse.com .

Support us on Patreon!

Latest Essays

• The Word of Life
• We Have This Hope
• The Last Week

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Guest Essay

When I Became a Birder, Almost Everything Else Fell Into Place

Mr. Yong is a science writer whose most recent book, “An Immense World,” investigates animal perception.

Last September, I drove to a protected wetland near my home in Oakland, Calif., walked to the end of a pier and started looking at birds. Throughout the summer, I was breaking in my first pair of binoculars, a Sibley field guide and the Merlin song-identification app, but always while hiking or walking the dog. On that pier, for the first time, I had gone somewhere solely to watch birds.

In some birding circles, people say that anyone who looks at birds is a birder — a kind, inclusive sentiment that overlooks the forces that create and shape subcultures. Anyone can dance, but not everyone would identify as a dancer, because the term suggests, if not skill, then at least effort and intent. Similarly, I’ve cared about birds and other animals for my entire life, and I’ve written about them throughout my two decades as a science writer, but I mark the moment when I specifically chose to devote time and energy to them as the moment I became a birder.

Since then, my birder derangement syndrome has progressed at an alarming pace. Seven months ago, I was still seeing very common birds for the first time. Since then, I’ve seen 452 species, including 337 in the United States, and 307 this year alone. I can reliably identify a few dozen species by ear. I can tell apart greater and lesser yellowlegs, house and purple finches, Cooper’s and sharp-shinned hawks. (Don’t talk to me about gulls; I’m working on the gulls.) I keep abreast of eBird’s rare bird alerts and have spent many days — some glorious, others frustrating — looking for said rare birds. I know what it means to dip, to twitch, to pish . I’ve gone owling.

I didn’t start from scratch. A career spent writing about nature gave me enough avian biology and taxonomy to roughly know the habitats and silhouettes of the major groups. Journalism taught me how to familiarize myself with unfamiliar territory very quickly. I crowdsourced tips on the social media platform Bluesky . I went out with experienced birders to learn how they move through a landscape and what cues they attend to.

I studied up on birds that are famously difficult to identify so that when I first saw them in the field, I had an inkling of what they were without having to check a field guide. I used the many tools now available to novices: EBird shows where other birders go and reveals how different species navigate space and time; Merlin is best known as an identification app but is secretly an incredible encyclopedia; Birding Quiz lets you practice identifying species based on fleeting glances at bad angles.

This all sounds rather extra, and birding is often defined by its excesses. At its worst, it becomes an empty process of collection that turns living things into abstract numbers on meaningless lists. But even that style of birding is harder without knowledge. To find the birds, you have to know them. And in the process of knowing them, much else falls into place.

Birding has tripled the time I spend outdoors. It has pushed me to explore Oakland in ways I never would have: Amazing hot spots lurk within industrial areas, sewage treatment plants and random residential parks. It has proved more meditative than meditation. While birding, I seem impervious to heat, cold, hunger and thirst. My senses focus resolutely on the present, and the usual hubbub in my head becomes quiet. When I spot a species for the first time — a lifer — I course with adrenaline while being utterly serene.

I also feel a much deeper connection to the natural world, which I have long written about but always remained slightly distant from. I knew that the loggerhead shrike — a small but ferocious songbird — impales the bodies of its prey on spikes. I’ve now seen one doing that with my own eyes. I know where to find the shrikes and what they sound like. Countless fragments of unrooted trivia that rattled around my brain are now grounded in place, time and experience.

When I step out my door in the morning, I take an aural census of the neighborhood, tuning in to the chatter of creatures that were always there and that I might have previously overlooked. The passing of the seasons feels more granular, marked by the arrival and disappearance of particular species instead of much slower changes in day length, temperature and greenery. I find myself noticing small shifts in the weather and small differences in habitat. I think about the tides.

So much more of the natural world feels close and accessible now. When I started birding, I remember thinking that I’d never see most of the species in my field guide. Sure, backyard birds like robins and western bluebirds would be easy, but not black skimmers or peregrine falcons or loggerhead shrikes. I had internalized the idea of nature as distant and remote — the province of nature documentaries and far-flung vacations. But in the past six months, I’ve seen soaring golden eagles, heard duetting great horned owls, watched dancing sandhill cranes and marveled at diving Pacific loons, all within an hour of my house. “I’ll never see that” has turned into “Where can I find that?”

Of course, having the time to bird is an immense privilege. As a freelancer, I have total control over my hours and my ability to get out in the field. “Are you a retiree?” a fellow birder recently asked me. “You’re birding like a retiree.” I laughed, but the comment spoke to the idea that things like birding are what you do when you’re not working, not being productive.

I reject that. These recent years have taught me that I’m less when I’m not actively looking after myself, that I have value to my world and my community beyond ceaseless production and that pursuits like birding that foster joy, wonder and connection to place are not sidebars to a fulfilled life but their essence.

It’s easy to think of birding as an escape from reality. Instead, I see it as immersion in the true reality. I don’t need to know who the main characters are on social media and what everyone is saying about them, when I can instead spend an hour trying to find a rare sparrow. It’s very clear to me which of those two activities is the more ridiculous. It’s not the one with the sparrow.

More of those sparrows are imminent. I’m about to witness my first spring migration as warblers and other delights pass through the Bay Area. Birds I’ve seen only in drab grays are about to don their spectacular breeding plumages. Familiar species are about to burst out in new tunes that I’ll have to learn. I have my first lazuli bunting to see, my first blue grosbeak to find, my first least terns to photograph. I can’t wait.

Ed Yong is a science writer whose most recent book, “An Immense World,” investigates animal perception.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

Schneier on Security

Home Essays

In Memoriam: Ross Anderson, 1956-2024

• Communications of the ACM
• April 9, 2024

Ross Anderson unexpectedly passed away in his sleep on March 28th in his home in Cambridge. He was 67.

I can’t remember when I first met Ross. It was well before 2008, when we created the Security and Human Behavior workshop. It was before 2001, when we created the Workshop on Economics and Information Security (okay, he created that one, I just helped). It was before 1998, when we first wrote about the insecurity of key escrow systems. In 1996, I was one of the people he brought to the Newton Institute at Cambridge University, for the six-month cryptography residency program he ran (I made a mistake not staying the whole time)—so it was before then as well.

I know I was at the first Fast Software Encryption workshop in December 1993, the first conference he created. There, I presented the Blowfish encryption algorithm. Pulling an old first edition of Applied Cryptography (the one with the blue cover) down from my shelf, I see his name in the acknowledgments. This means that at either the 1992 Crypto conference in Santa Barbara or the 1993 Eurocrypt in Lofthus, Norway, I, as an unpublished book author who had written a few cryptography articles for Dr. Dobb’s Journal , asked him to read and comment on my book manuscript. And he said yes. Which means I mailed him a paper copy. And he read it, and mailed his handwritten comments back to me. In an envelope with stamps. Because that’s how we did it back then.

This is back when "crypto" meant cryptography, and we would laugh when military types said "cyber" or "cybersecurity." We all called it "computer security" and then "Internet security."

I have known Ross for over 30 years, both as a colleague and a friend. He was enthusiastic, brilliant, opinionated, articulate, curmudgeonly, and kind. Pick up any of his academic papers and articles—there are 302 entries on his webpage —and odds are that you will find at least one unexpected insight that will change how you think about security. He was a security engineer, but also very much a generalist. He published on block cipher cryptanalysis in the 1990s, on the security of large-language models last year, and on pretty much everything else in between.

His masterwork book, Security Engineering —1,200 pages in its third edition—illustrates that breadth. It is as comprehensive a tome on computer security and related topics as you could imagine. Twenty-nine chapters cover everything from access control to tamper resistance, from banking security to nuclear command and control, and from psychology to security printing. Every page is infused with his knowledge, expertise, wisdom, and uncanny ability to cut through the nonsense that too often surrounds traditional security disciplines. (Also note his 15-lecture video series on that same webpage. If you have never heard Ross lecture, you’re in for a treat.)

Ross was a pragmatic visionary. His mastery of both the technologies and the underlying policy issues showed a deep command of multiple fields , and a rare capability to both work within them and synthesize around them. He was also able to weave this knowledge into narratives that were both compelling and comprehensible to the layperson. In his 1993 paper " Why Cryptosystems Fail ," he pointed out that both cryptography and computer security got threat modeling all wrong, and that we were solving the wrong problems. It’s not the math, he wrote; it’s the implementation and the people and the procedures. In 2001, he was the first person to recognize that security problems are often actually economic problems , kick-starting the academic discipline of security economics.

He didn’t suffer fools in either government or the corporate world, giving them no quarter by disproving their security claims. As a graduate student, he defended people accused of stealing from ATM machines by banks who maintained that their security was foolproof. It was a pattern that repeated itself throughout his career: analyze a real-world security system from all angles, understand how it fails, and then publish the results—angering the powers in charge of that security system.

Here’s one example of many. In 2014, he was hired as an expert witness to defend people accused of tampering with the curfew tags used for offender monitoring. He studied the physical tags and their security, and also the economic, policy, and security implications of the tagging system. He even went as far as to wear an ankle bracelet himself. It promptly broke, proving his point. You can read the whole story in Chapter 14 of the third edition of his book.

That sense of justice and confronting power infused much of his work. He fought against surveillance and backdoors. He and I were part of the second and third academic take-downs of government attempts to break encryption. His 2022 rebuttal of child protection as a pretense to break encryption is particularly scathing.

Ross also fought for academic freedom, repeatedly publishing his findings in the face of corporate threats. Many things we all use are more secure today because of Ross’s work.

He was a blistering letter writer to those he believed deserved it. Verbally, he could be a hurricane in your face if he disagreed with you, but he would also engage with your points and was always willing to change his mind. And he enthused about, argued with, and listened to everybody: students, colleagues, partners of students and colleagues, random people he crossed paths with. Everyone was a sounding board for whatever ideas he had in is head.

And his head was constantly filled with ideas—mostly good, some not so good—and seemingly inexhaustible energy to implement them. He founded five different conferences, including the Information Hiding Workshop and Decepticon. He co-founded the Cambridge Cybercrime Centre . He founded the U.K.’s Foundation for Information Policy Research , and wrote most of the papers that the organization submitted to Parliamentary Inquiries on dumb legislative ideas. When the legislative center of power moved to Brussels, he helped form the European Digital Rights organization to provide advice there.

All this was part of his gift of fostering community. And it’s nowhere more evident than his legacy of graduate students at Cambridge University. His CV lists thirty-two of them, and seven more that he was currently advising. Many have carried his legacy of pragmatic security analysis of real-world systems.

Ross was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2009. In 2016, he was awarded the British Computer Society’s Lovelace Medal, the U.K.’s top prize in computing. From 2021, he split his time as a professor between the University of Cambridge and the University of Edinburgh and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2023. He was absolutely rageful against Cambridge University for making him retire at 67—and he was right.

He also play ed the bagpipes throughout his life. I dedicated a 1998 cryptography paper, " The Street Performer Protocol ," to him because he "spent some of his youth busking on the streets of Germany with his bagpipes." Those were good stories.

He is listed in the acknowledgments as a reader of every one of my books from Beyond Fear on. Recently, we’d see each other a couple of times a year, at this or that workshop or event. He hosted me at Security and Human Behavor at Cambridge’s Churchill College in 2022. The last time I saw him was last June at SHB in Pittsburgh. We were having dinner on Alessandro Acquisti ‘s rooftop patio to celebrate another successful workshop. He was going to attend my Workshop on Reimagining Democracy in December 2023, but had to cancel at the last minute. The day before he died, we were discussing how to accommodate everyone who registered for this year’s SHB workshop in December. I learned something from him every single time we talked. And I am not the only one.

My heart goes out to his wife Shireen, their daughter Bavani, and the rest of their family. We lost him much too soon.

Categories: Computer and Information Security

Tags: Communications of the ACM

Sidebar photo of Bruce Schneier by Joe MacInnis.

Powered by WordPress Hosted by Pressable

Essay on Journey of My Life

Students are often asked to write an essay on Journey of My Life in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Journey of My Life

Beginning of journey.

My life journey began in a small town. My parents taught me love, respect, and the importance of hard work. They instilled in me the value of education.

Academic Life

School was an exciting place for me. I enjoyed learning new things every day. My teachers played a significant role in shaping my character and intellect.

Life wasn’t always easy. I faced many challenges, but they made me stronger. Each difficulty was a stepping stone towards personal growth.

Future Aspirations

I dream of becoming a scientist. I am working hard to make my dream come true. Life is a journey, and I am excited about the path ahead.

250 Words Essay on Journey of My Life

The early years.

The journey of my life began in a small town, brimming with life and culture. I was a curious child, always eager to learn more about the world around me. This curiosity became the foundation for my lifelong pursuit of knowledge.

Academic Pursuits

As I grew older, my academic interests began to take shape. I was particularly drawn to literature and science, two fields that seemed to offer endless possibilities for exploration. I delved into the works of great authors while simultaneously unraveling the mysteries of the universe.

Overcoming Challenges

However, my journey was not without its challenges. I faced academic hardships, personal losses, and moments of self-doubt. But these trials only served to strengthen my resolve. I learned to view challenges as opportunities for growth and self-improvement.

Life at College

My college years were a time of great personal and intellectual growth. I was exposed to a diverse range of perspectives and ideas, which broadened my worldview and deepened my understanding of various subjects. These experiences shaped me into a more thoughtful and empathetic individual.

Looking Forward

As I embark on the next chapter of my life, I carry with me the lessons I’ve learned and the experiences I’ve gained. I am eager to continue my journey, to learn, grow, and contribute to society in meaningful ways.

In conclusion, the journey of my life has been a rich tapestry of experiences, filled with learning, growth, and resilience. It’s a journey that continues to inspire and shape me, and I look forward to what lies ahead.

500 Words Essay on Journey of My Life

The genesis of my journey.

Life is often compared to a journey, filled with ups and downs, twists and turns. My journey began in a small town, where the essence of community and solidarity was deeply ingrained in me. My parents, both educators, instilled in me the importance of knowledge and the power it holds. They taught me that education is not just about acquiring degrees but about understanding the world around us.

The Pursuit of Knowledge

As I grew older, my thirst for knowledge intensified. I was particularly drawn to the sciences, finding solace in the logic and clarity they provided. I spent countless hours pouring over textbooks, trying to decipher the language of the universe. It was during my high school years that I developed a deep appreciation for physics and its ability to explain the world in such a precise manner. This fascination led me to pursue a degree in Physics at university.

Stepping into Adulthood

University life was a stark contrast to my sheltered upbringing. I was suddenly exposed to a diverse range of ideas, cultures, and perspectives. It was overwhelming, yet exhilarating. I learned to navigate this new world, making mistakes, learning from them, and growing as an individual. I made lifelong friendships, experienced heartbreak, and discovered my passion for research during these transformative years.

Embracing Challenges

Post-university, I faced the harsh realities of adulthood. I struggled to find a job that aligned with my passion and skills. It was a challenging period, filled with self-doubt and uncertainty. However, I held onto the belief that every experience, good or bad, contributes to our growth. I eventually landed a job as a research assistant at a renowned institute. It was a demanding job, but it allowed me to delve deeper into my field of interest.

Continuing the Journey

Looking back, I realize that each stage of my life has been a journey in itself, shaping me into the person I am today. As I continue this journey, I am guided by my passion for knowledge and my desire to contribute positively to the world. I understand that there will be more challenges ahead, but I am ready to face them with courage and determination.

In conclusion, the journey of my life has been a beautiful amalgamation of experiences, each one teaching me invaluable lessons. I believe that life is not about the destination, but the journey itself. It’s about embracing every moment, every experience, and using them to become the best version of ourselves. As I continue on this journey, I look forward to what lies ahead, ready to embrace the unknown with an open mind and a resilient spirit.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Life Is a Journey
• Essay on My First Train Journey
• Essay on An Unforgettable Journey

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.