Dear Mr Jameson

Dear Mr Jameson,

I know you asked us to write an essay about "The Greatest Discovery" for homework. I needed to write it as a letter to explain what the discovery is. Please forgive me changing the style from what you asked.

I started writing the essay by comparing things like electricity and motor cars and penicillin and trying to work out which one was the best overall. Today though I found it was none of them: there is a discovery that is better than them all put together. Not many people know about it. So, I need to write this letter to explain.

I guess you know I like writing stories, because you do give me good marks generally. I like to write the stories imagining my essay book in front of you on the desk and the writing is so brilliant that it shines like a beam of light, from the page, straight into your face as you read. Bit silly, I guess, but it works for me.

I was imagining all that again as I wrote my essay, but the more I wrote, the duller the light seemed to shine. Then my cat suddenly leapt from the bed in my room and jumped to the window sill to stare at another cat in the garden below. I started wondering why my fluffy little kitten suddenly got so aggressive. That got me to thinking about the news and how people in Burma needed help but weren't allowed it by their government. Then I thought about how aid workers in Somalia were abusing children they were there to help. Suddenly that light from my story faded and the idea of electricity and cars as the greatest ever discoveries also paled.

I came to think that what if there were discoveries that stopped things like that happening and I went through a list: politics; religion, "The pen mightier than the sword" and none of them came up as infallible. Certainly religion and politics fell well short and even peace agreements written down on paper didn't stop innocent children being abused.

I got pretty depressed then and I threw my essay in the bin. I went back to the cat and we went to my bedroom mirror and had a long look at ourselves. I tried to work out why I found news about violence so depressing: it really hurts me inside when there are catastrophes. Murders and wars make me want to cry. I asked Dusty (that's my cat) why some people could hurt others as if it were a game? Dusty didn't seem bothered. She didn't even seem to notice herself in the mirror. In fact she seemed so intent on getting away from me to see to the cat in the garden, she stuck her claws in me. Some friend hmm? I got round to thinking then about my friends in school and how would they stand up for me if I got into trouble somehow. Most of them didn't fare too good. I suppose I need to question myself over my friendship selection procedure.

So who would stand by me? My Dad would! I guess you might already know my mum passed away, but she would have too! My mum and dad would have stood up for each other. I thought you would! I don't intend that to be creeping, I think you know already.
So I went back to the mirror and I looked again, hard. You know I didn't see myself like I normally do. Like is my hair tidy, or is my tie straight or if I smile at the mirror, do I look pretty. I'm not even sure I saw my physical self there. I was looking inside. Would I stand up for my beliefs? Would I help my dad if he got in trouble with a policeman? If one of my friends got pregnant, would she still be my friend? I found these questions very easy to answer. "Oh yes, of course I would!" But would I? Would I really.

Mr Jameson, I don't know the answer! And it hurts so much not even to know myself; maybe even to lie to myself and not even recognize that.

One day, I hope I will be able to say "Yes, I would do that in those circumstances." I can't yet but I am willing to learn. I believe honestly that once I understand myself completely I will understand other people much better. Once I understand others better I can help them and never again be mean, or spiteful or selfish. My mum understood herself; my dad is almost there and I think you belong to that special little club too.

The greatest discovery humankind has made is awarded, by me, to those who understand themselves.

You know I told you about the writing being so brilliant it shone out of my writing. I was wrong. The light goes the other way. Once I understand myself the light will shine from me into the story!
Thanks Mr Jameson.

Jessica (10C)