Assignment 19: Ellie Phillips

When I went to TLS, I focused on grades a little too much and got easily stressed out. My 7th grade physics teacher, Mr. Johnson, recognized how this attitude was unhealthy and damaging. One day when I eventually broke down, he pulled me aside to tell me a story about an astronaut named Story. NASA needed to repair the Hubble telescope, and put Story Musgrave to the daunting task. He trained in Florida for months practicing repairs within a strict time limit, and worked tirelessly to perfect his form. His ability to service the entire telescope within about 2 hours was crucial as Story had limited oxygen and the telescope needed to be reentered into its orbit at the correct time. During the mission, Story zoned in and repaired with pace. But about an hour and a half into frantically working, he paused and told himself  to “Look around, Story”. As he took a moment to turn around, he saw the earth and its breathtaking glow. And with that image, a calm washed over him and he finished the repairs rather than caving to pressure. Story succeeded in his task, but more importantly gained perspective. What I gathered that day, changed how I approach life in the general and in the specifics. No matter what I am doing, no matter how important it seems, no matter how much pressure it brings, I always tell myself to “look around”. I thank Mr. Johnson for his advice, but more importantly by bringing my life into perspective.