The Many Wonders of the Human Brain

The human brain is an incredible organ. Containing up to one hundred million neurons and one thousand trillion synaptic connections in about three pounds of matter, the brain controls or regulates nearly all the functions of the human body. It is a marvel—a work of God that no scientist has been able to explain in its entirety, even with the aid of the most advanced technology. But as interesting as the brain is, there is something more abstract—a form that cannot be held, touched, or calculated.

An idea that carries with it the entirety of human nature, thought, speech and personality, in its nearly inaccessible cache. It is a word, an utterance that is used so often that it has lost its meaning. But when it is settled upon, given the time and consideration it deserves, the gravity of such a thing is impossible to ignore.

Ponder with me for a moment the word "mind." Use it in a sentence, put it in context. You will agree that "mind" has connotations of thinking, feeling, and living—more than just the regulation and precision of the brain. The word "mind" is often used in the same breath as "heart" or "spirit," and is utilized constantly in the personification of inanimate objects. This one little word embodies the most important traits of humanity: the ability to observe, think, and adapt. It is our minds that give us the ability to develop new technologies, ideas, products, and even ways of life that make our world what it is today. It is my personal opinion that the mind is the single most discerning feature in any human, and the most important tool in shaping the world.

As a child, I found joy in solving problems. I always wanted to figure out how everything worked, and why it functioned the way it did. My brain was always working, always processing every bit of information it received and trying to make sense of the world. It was fascinating to me just how infinite everything is. No matter how long you stare at something, how many times you dissect or analyze an object, how many books you read; there is always more to learn. I took much comfort in the fact that I would never understand everything. For some reason, knowing that there is always something more to it than what I could see really motivated my thirst for knowledge.

Uncertainty prompted me to look at the world in a new light: I no longer saw with just my eyes, but with my heart as well. This has always been a virtue to me. I believe that my faith has helped me to defend against the idea that I am, in the grand scheme of things, little more than useless. I know that the power of the mind is unbridled and extensive, and I have learned to never underestimate the value of a person, no matter how insignificant they may seem. I am aware that I have generally underrated myself, and it has led me into many failures, and many unexpected successes that have helped to shape the person I am today. I give more than my one hundred percent to any project or task that I set out to complete, and I know that I have what it takes to complete any task that I set myself to.

I have always been told that I look at the world in a different way, that I approach every thought or idea in a way that often warrants an explanation. In elementary school, the class was asked to draw "the view of the ground from the cockpit of an airplane" paralleling the crash scene from the novel Hatchet. In my drawing, I included the window and the buttons. It made sense to me to incorporate everything in the scenario, not just the ground. My teacher asked me why I drew it the way I did, to which I replied simply, "If I was there, I'd see that. So, I drew it." Apparently, that wasn't the norm — not for a girl my age, nor for most adults. My parents were proud, but I wasn't. It meant I was different, even weird. For a considerable time after that experience, I strived to modify the way I thought about things. I aimed to fit in, to comprehend things on the same two-dimensional level as my classmates. However, no matter how hard I tried, I could never embrace the "because I said so" rationality, or believe an idea or fact just because the textbook endorsed it. I questioned everything I learned, and often grew frustrated when no one could provide an answer. Consequently, I embarked on a journey to discover everything independently.

As I matured and encountered more life experiences, I comprehended just how valuable my gift was. My refusal to accept only the obvious implied that I would always be driven to acquire more knowledge and better understand the world. Subsequently, I have chosen a path that I believe will benefit from my unique mindset, virtues, and comprehension of the world. As a member of the Fellows program at Samford, I am confident that I can learn from the established learning environment and also bring my own personal strengths to the table. I am ready to give my all to develop new ideas and expand on existing ones. I understand that this program’s selection is highly competitive and requires only the best. Sincerely, I believe that I will be an invaluable addition to the program, and that Samford Fellows is the perfect platform for me to fully utilize my potential. Eager to share this journey with others as dedicated as I am in seeking knowledge and understanding, I am prepared to contribute all I have for our collective growth in virtues, world understanding, and intellect.

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