What's Your True North?

I was searching the library franticly for a good book to read when I came across the book North Of Beautiful. It looked interesting, so I read it. We had a few rainy days this week, which were perfect settings for days of reading. As I opened the book, I noticed something. Justina Chen Headley, the author, talks very intricately. That may not be the best way to describe it. Well, I guess I simply mean that she used big words. But I still enjoyed the book.

Terra Rose Cooper was gorgeous. She had perfect blond hair, and has an almost perfect body. But on her right cheek, there is a flaw-a noticable flaw. She has a large port wine stain that she was born with. Basically, that means she has a pinkish-red mark covering her cheek. She has been labeled as a freak because of one flaw that she cannot change. I don't understand why people can look at outer beauty, rather than inner. I guess this is really what the book is about. Her father and mother have problems, as well. Her father verbally attacks her mother and yells at her frequently, so her home life is no better than her school life. Her mother, who is obese, turns to food to escape from her husband's frequent attacks.

But Terra is a little different than her family. She is very artistic and wants to go to East Coast College to achieve dreams of becoming an artist one day. But her father doesn't want her going there, so she "never gets an acceptance letter"...or so she's told. After a terrible car accident, Terra meets a boy-this is the part of every story that I love! :). Anyway, they have something in common: they both know what it's like to feel different. She goes on a trip with her new friend, Jacob, to Shanghai. They go to visit his older brother. On the trip, they discover a beauty that cannot be seen from the outside. They discover their true beauty.

I enjoyed the book, because I felt as if I was on a journey with Terra. She describes her plan for life-her true north:

"Finish high school in three years, escape to a college far, far away. Graduate in record time, and land a lucrative job where I'd make so much money no one could tell me what to do, where to go."

And then I thought about my true north. My plan for life is to gradaute high school with a 3.0 or higher GPA, go to college, and move to Orlando to either have an acting job at Disney World or The Holy Land (a reinactment of the true Holy Land that Jesus once walked).

What's your true north? Leave a comment and let me know (I want some way of knowing whether or not people are actually reading this).