Second Chance Summer by Morgan Matson is a perfect summer read. Learning that her father has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer, Taylor has only one summer left to spend time with him and get to know the man who was so often away from the family. Also, she revives old love and friendship and learns that when life gives you problems, you can't just run away. I really liked this book because I could relate to it so much. I would recommend this to those 12 and older. The subject is very deep and it can be sad, and the upbeat pace makes for a fast read. I give it 3 3/4 stars.

Maybe it's not
Getting to the finish line first
Not getting the fame
Money
Ignorance
Or even the PR

The race

Maybe it is
For the team
For doing good
A victory for everyone
Hope
Strength

The race

Starting now, I'm going to compliment someone everyday.

I want to make a difference in the world, and my change starts here. Even if I can't make others be kind, I will be someone's hero.

I want to change the world.

Today on Twitter, someone said "I wish life was easy." You know what? I like a challenge.

Running, I felt like the wind and rain pelting me was Mother Nature pushing me back. I wanted to scream out, and stop running. But I pushed on; off the harsh pavement & onto the soft grass. Looking down, I realized that the grass was green. The whole summer had been a drought, and so seeing green grass was a fair sight! I feel like I should take from this that in life, you will have to push hard. You will be challenged, and you will want to stop. But you will always have to remember that the grass is greener, there is a reward; a bright side to everything. Once you've hit rock bottom, you have nowhere to go but up. Things will always get better. My Spanish teacher told me to always step up, not down.

What I think of when I run.

I don't know. Like I can never make decisions. I don't know if I like you that much.

Once when I was running with the team, I ran past an old lady moseying down her driveway to her mailbox. It was during the part of the run where all the the thoughts in your head run bad and you feel like you could quit. I was feeling like this, but when I ran past this lady, something in me dawned and I changed. I realized how lucky I was to be feeling this tired, this out of breath, for there are millions of people out in this world who would give anything to run. Anything. So I this taught me to not take anything for granted and to be thankful for what I have. Cherish what I am blessed with.

Everyone says that they want to fly, but honestly I would rather just be able to breath under water. There's a whole world down there that we know little about. Who knows, maybe mermaids do exist in the dark depths of the ocean.