What Inspires Kids Today? By Arietta Xylas

Sadeea Morshed, 16, NY

It is no secret that there is a lot of negativity in our world. However, when we surround ourselves with people who want to do good and see good, it becomes all the more manageable. For Sadeea Morshed, this idea encapsulates inspiration: “Inspiration is anything or anyone that pushes someone to do something, and in many cases, that ‘something’ makes the person better.” What I loved about Sadeea’s perspective is that she sees who or what inspires an individual as a window into their soul. As she puts it, knowing what inspires you is the “first step to achieve the dreams one has in life.” These are beautiful perspectives on inspiration as something that drives and motivates us to be in a state of constant metamorphosis and growth. 
For many people, this “first step” can seem daunting. It is not always easy to pinpoint what motivates us. It is a good thing then, that the fuel to our ambition can be almost anything. Upon reflection, despite finding it hard to choose just one thing that inspires her, Sadeea finds that “It's good to be motivated by different aspects of your life, so you can draw inspiration from a variety of places.” People are flexible and constantly changing and that is how it should be. It would be impossible to feel the same about something every single day. Trying to narrow it down, she said: “Sometimes, I’m inspired by my parents, who work so hard to ensure I have a comfortable life. Their example helps me stay on track and maintain a sense of perseverance and integrity in everything I do.” It is a beautiful thing to be able to look at a person you love and be inspired by how they carry themselves. Sadeea, then, puts this wonderfully: “My friends inspire me to be a kinder person, my brother inspires me to let loose a little more, and the natural world around me inspires me to live every moment to the fullest. I try to find a little inspiration everywhere I go, to continue to stay motivated and fulfilled in life!” 

Inspiration and beauty are intrinsically linked. Where we find inspiration and beauty shapes our inner and outer world. When asked what she finds beautiful, Sadeea replied “Companionable silence leaves me in awe whenever I find myself in it. Although it's oddly specific, it just gives me pause when I'm sitting with someone and realize we are simply enjoying each other's company and that's enough. There was a moment when I was on a road trip with my family; music was softly playing from the radio, the sun was bright and shining against our half-open windows, and snowy mountains upon mountains jutted up from the grounds around us. Everyone was silent, but it seemed we were all aware of each other's presence and enjoyed the quiet beauty of it. These types of moments seem to engrave themselves into my mind because, to me, nothing is more beautiful than knowing someone so well that even uneventful times are distinctly memorable.” I am in awe of this response as it really is life’s simplest moments that bring us so much joy. Beauty can be found in anything, even in silence.

One of my favorite quotes is from Steve Irwin who once said “All you have to do in life is be passionate and enthusiastic and you will have a wonderful life.” Coinciding with this mantra, when asked about what makes her passionate, Sadeea spoke about how she considers herself passionate in every activity and relationship she participates in: “I am always excited about anything related to my family, and whatever I do with or for them is done with all my effort, love, and time. Then, when asked what passion means to her, Sadeea articulated the feeling very poetically, “Passion is a rush that I feel when doing something I love, and the feeling that I'm doing it unconditionally. When I eat food, my passion grows with every bite, when I pour a chemical into a beaker, my passion seeps through the pipette, and when I dance on stage, my passion flows through my footsteps. I pride myself on being passionate in my grand dreams, but also in everyday actions, which is what I believe makes me happier as a person, every day.”
Passion can fill us with this incessant desire to make a difference to our surroundings. Sadeea hopes that one day she will be able to make enough money to donate to charity, volunteer for humanitarian organizations, and educate others on world issues. 

She noted that in order to accomplish her goals, she must remain open, kind, and empathetic both as a leader and as an individual. She tries to bring these qualities everyday to the school clubs she participates in, including: Red Cross, Muslim Student Association, and her school’s newspaper. This raises an important message that as we try to learn about and better the world around us, we must never stop seeking to grow and better ourselves. We are all in this together. Sadeea concludes, “The first step to advocacy and change is making proper changes to yourself, so you are fit to spearhead the improvement you want to see in the world.”