Hi Mrs. Cabrera,
My name is Lauren Consuelo Smith; I sit at the first seat - facing the entryway. I've started writing this at 4:18; maybe you can use both that fact and this e-mail to gain some insight into my writing style and thought processes. After all, this is technically an assignment. When you explained this assignment, you said its objective was to help you better understand who we "are". Well Ms. Cabrera, that's just it. That's something that cannot be verbalized - in this case, keyed in - easily. I was actually just talking on this subject. In a vast and extremely enjoyable conversation I was a part of this past Sunday, thoughts trickled down to my personal sentiment on jobs and fate. I had said "Fate. Now that is insane. I get chills. Maybe if it weren't for that C.S. Lewis quote - "You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body."- I wouldn't think the way I think now. Really, I hate it when I am asked who I am. How can you answer that? Most everyone just starts spouting off titles, and things they do. But who we are can't be contained to those titles." It doesn't make sense to define ourselves in titles created by others. That's so...redundant! Our souls are constructed through our personal experiences. We cannot wholly convey our passion, quirks, desires, weakness, strength, intelligence, or ignorance through words. Through words, we can only provide quick flashes of the blindingly divine light otherwise known as "who we are".
It's this frame of thought that keeps me accountable. I will always give every person I meet the benefit of the doubt. There is always something deeper to be found in a human being. If a person cannot express themselves in the same upper-crust vocabulary you do, what grants you the right to invalidate their opinion? This body and these words I speak are merely tools I use in this "life". Yes, you are at an advantage if you can wield your weapons well. Though please, please... don't let that fact get to your head. We all have the same tools; you just learned to use yours better. I believe that the people who say they couldn't care less for their education are simply people who never got past the struggle. They are people who kept stumbling with their words until they got frustrated and gave up. If a person gave up on words...how will you ever see their light? Not everyone is willing to expend such effort into a person who isn't immediately attractive to them. Though what if this person is a beautiful soul on the brink of being someone who you would love ? Unfortunately, people aren't willing to invest so much time in something that isn't already a "sure" thing; those willing are considered an anomaly. They were so rare in fact, that we began calling them "soul-mates". "Beauty is a curse on the world. It keeps us from seeing who the real monsters are." Beauty keeps us from seeing beauty. Can you recite to me a truer or a more saddening paradox?
Who I "am" is something that will never fully be disclosed. You will see my passion in my rage. You will unveil my desires in how I live. You will see my modesty in the manner I treat other people. You will see me when you see me exist when I believe no one is watching. That is just the fact of the matter. I would answer you in more concise form if only I were capable. I feel like I should make clear that I have not a thing against you for asking me that question. I have nothing "against" anything. I just wish nothing more than to communicate to you that you have proposed a question that cannot be answered. I love that. The questions that cannot be answered in a cut-and-dry fashion are the ones we are forced to explore. You've asked me this question, and now look what you have. You have paragraphs of my written thought. You have the words that may provide you with a glimpse of that "light". Every thought we write is a tell, and we're giving ourselves away in every action.
I'll admit that I do dislike writing to you this open-ended letter. I think that's because I'm revealing myself unto you, while I know you won't be able to reciprocate.
You are my teacher, you don't have the time. You are my teacher so you can't really be my friend until I'm no longer your student. (In regards to time, I apologize. I imagine I've probably stalled you a few minutes!) When I walked out of your class on that first day of school, I had the feeling you've dealt with a lot of kids who weren't able to both respect and identify with you. That's understandable. I will never take the class of any of the "teachers I like". (Shhh... its taboo to call them anything other than "teacher".) Miami Springs High School is such an awkward place. Our teachers say "You're old enough to know better!" yet we can't be trusted to wear proper clothing, use the restroom without permission, or "befriend" a fellow stranger who happens to have something to teach us. The students say "To hell with school! We aren't trusted! This is a prison!" yet resist simple and reasonable rules and reject knowledge in favor of the closed-circuit falsity of "high school culture". Hopefully this'll put something positive in the thought bubble: If it helps assure you, I've heard a lot of your students moan and groan about how serious they'll have to take this class and how you're "all business".
Ha! If they ain't fearing you, you ain't doing it right. (I have implemented the use of diction! Hopefully in saying that I'll have saved you from docking my grade for use of the ever-so-informal word "ain't".) I'll conclude this in saying "I am" overly analytical if you hadn't already noticed.
My regards,
Lauren
Oct 28, 2025
Oct 28, 2025 at 12:25 PM UTC
Hi Mrs. Cabrera,
My name is Lauren Consuelo Smith; I sit at the first seat - facing the entryway. I've started writing this at 4:18; maybe you can use both that fact and this e-mail to gain some insight into my writing style and thought processes. After all, this is technically an assignment. When you explained this assignment, you said its objective was to help you better understand who we "are". Well Ms. Cabrera, that's just it. That's something that cannot be verbalized - in this case, keyed in - easily. I was actually just talking on this subject. In a vast and extremely enjoyable conversation I was a part of this past Sunday, thoughts trickled down to my personal sentiment on jobs and fate. I had said "Fate. Now that is insane. I get chills. Maybe if it weren't for that C.S. Lewis quote - "You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body."- I wouldn't think the way I think now. Really, I hate it when I am asked who I am. How can you answer that? Most everyone just starts spouting off titles, and things they do. But who we are can't be contained to those titles." It doesn't make sense to define ourselves in titles created by others. That's so...redundant! Our souls are constructed through our personal experiences. We cannot wholly convey our passion, quirks, desires, weakness, strength, intelligence, or ignorance through words. Through words, we can only provide quick flashes of the blindingly divine light otherwise known as "who we are".
It's this frame of thought that keeps me accountable. I will always give every person I meet the benefit of the doubt. There is always something deeper to be found in a human being. If a person cannot express themselves in the same upper-crust vocabulary you do, what grants you the right to invalidate their opinion? This body and these words I speak are merely tools I use in this "life". Yes, you are at an advantage if you can wield your weapons well. Though please, please... don't let that fact get to your head. We all have the same tools; you just learned to use yours better. I believe that the people who say they couldn't care less for their education are simply people who never got past the struggle. They are people who kept stumbling with their words until they got frustrated and gave up. If a person gave up on words...how will you ever see their light? Not everyone is willing to expend such effort into a person who isn't immediately attractive to them. Though what if this person is a beautiful soul on the brink of being someone who you would love ? Unfortunately, people aren't willing to invest so much time in something that isn't already a "sure" thing; those willing are considered an anomaly. They were so rare in fact, that we began calling them "soul-mates". "Beauty is a curse on the world. It keeps us from seeing who the real monsters are." Beauty keeps us from seeing beauty. Can you recite to me a truer or a more saddening paradox?
Who I "am" is something that will never fully be disclosed. You will see my passion in my rage. You will unveil my desires in how I live. You will see my modesty in the manner I treat other people. You will see me when you see me exist when I believe no one is watching. That is just the fact of the matter. I would answer you in more concise form if only I were capable. I feel like I should make clear that I have not a thing against you for asking me that question. I have nothing "against" anything. I just wish nothing more than to communicate to you that you have proposed a question that cannot be answered. I love that. The questions that cannot be answered in a cut-and-dry fashion are the ones we are forced to explore. You've asked me this question, and now look what you have. You have paragraphs of my written thought. You have the words that may provide you with a glimpse of that "light". Every thought we write is a tell, and we're giving ourselves away in every action.
I'll admit that I do dislike writing to you this open-ended letter. I think that's because I'm revealing myself unto you, while I know you won't be able to reciprocate.
You are my teacher, you don't have the time. You are my teacher so you can't really be my friend until I'm no longer your student. (In regards to time, I apologize. I imagine I've probably stalled you a few minutes!) When I walked out of your class on that first day of school, I had the feeling you've dealt with a lot of kids who weren't able to both respect and identify with you. That's understandable. I will never take the class of any of the "teachers I like". (Shhh... its taboo to call them anything other than "teacher".) Miami Springs High School is such an awkward place. Our teachers say "You're old enough to know better!" yet we can't be trusted to wear proper clothing, use the restroom without permission, or "befriend" a fellow stranger who happens to have something to teach us. The students say "To hell with school! We aren't trusted! This is a prison!" yet resist simple and reasonable rules and reject knowledge in favor of the closed-circuit falsity of "high school culture". Hopefully this'll put something positive in the thought bubble: If it helps assure you, I've heard a lot of your students moan and groan about how serious they'll have to take this class and how you're "all business".
Ha! If they ain't fearing you, you ain't doing it right. (I have implemented the use of diction! Hopefully in saying that I'll have saved you from docking my grade for use of the ever-so-informal word "ain't".) I'll conclude this in saying "I am" overly analytical if you hadn't already noticed.
My regards,
Lauren
This is who I am. Who I’ve been. And who I will always be.
EST. 8-21-2012, baby.
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