Final Post

I have learned alot about myself and others in this class just by understanding motivation. It is now easier to understand why some people procrastinate while others work hard all semester, why some people use drugs and others don't and why we are attracted to the mates we choose. Motivation allows us to set goals for ourselves and others and helps us understand why these things are important. I feel that my favorite topic has been the addictions chapter. My family has a history of addicitons and although I knew from experience that it's not as easy as "just stopping" the chapter helped really send the message home. My aunt and mother were both drug addicts and alcoholics and my aunt quit and went through rehab. Five years later she found out that she had terminal lung cancer and that she would die within a year (it was six months). At this news she decided to start using and drinking again because she said it didn't matter anymore, but I was so hurt because I felt that if I were going to die I would do all the things that I had been afraid of like sky diving, bungee jumping...etc. It has taken almost two years for me to realize that the reason she did this was not only to escape from the reality of death, but also because it gave her some joy that not being an addict I wouldn't understand.