Outline:
Intro:
Introduce title “Being kind is punk rock”
Kindness isn’t soft, its rebellion
In a world full of noise and chaos, choosing kindness is an act of resistance.
Body:
Kindness builds real community (the backbone of punk)
Kindness as a lifeline when you have nothing to give
My dad and his bees (Bees=Kindness)
Kindness as a break in the cycle of hurt
Superman, D.C., and Marvel growing up
Conclusion:
Reaffirm that kindness isn’t weakness
Punk isn’t about being loud; it’s about being alive. And being kind, raw, real, and vulnerable, is the loudest thing a human heart can do.
Draft 1
I believe that being kind is punk rock, and I think of Superman as the best possible example, not as a symbol of hope, but as a lonely figure hovering above a world he cannot fix. Beneath the suit and emblem is someone who trusts everyone and thinks everyone is beautiful. We will never fully know what others are carrying, the exhaustion or stress weighing on them. But we can choose to pause and to show up even when it is hard or inconvenient. These acts do not erase the world’s burdens, yet they are quiet rebellions, fragile, fleeting, and full of meaning. They remind us, and those we reach toward, that even in the midst of chaos, human connection still exists.
I am incredibly lucky to have my very own Superman to look up to: my dad. He is the walking definition of kindness, strong in a way that isn’t loud or flashy. His strength is quiet, patient, and unyielding. He shows me every day that courage is not about invincibility or grand gestures, it is about staying soft-handed in a world that would rather you harden, choosing to give when it costs you the most, and refusing to turn away from the suffering of others.
This year, my dad was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a chronic autoimmune disease that attacks the protective layer around the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Thinking back on all our years in church, he was always the first to hold the door and greet new members, offer help in Sunday school, or step in when someone needed support. He has always been the model of who I hope to be, someone who gives without expectation and leads with quiet kindness. Even now, as he faces this diagnosis, he remains just as open and generous as before
Draft 2:
Being Kind Is Punk Rock
I believe that being kind is punk rock, and I think of Superman as the best possible example, not as a symbol of hope, but as a lonely figure hovering above a world he cannot fix. Beneath the suit and emblem is someone who trusts everyone and thinks everyone is beautiful. We will never fully know what others are carrying, the exhaustion or stress weighing on them. But we can choose to pause and to show up even when it is hard or inconvenient. These acts do not erase the world’s burdens, yet they are quiet rebellions, fragile, fleeting, and full of meaning. They remind us, and those we reach toward, that even in the midst of chaos, human connection still exists.
I am incredibly lucky to have my very own Superman to look up to: my dad. He is the walking definition of kindness, strong in a way that isn’t loud or flashy. His strength is quiet, patient, and unyielding. He shows me every day that courage is not about invincibility or grand gestures, it is about staying soft-handed in a world that would rather you harden, choosing to give when it costs you the most, and refusing to turn away from the suffering of others.
This year, my dad was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a chronic autoimmune disease that attacks the protective layer around the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Thinking back on all our years in church, he was always the first to hold the door and greet new members, offer help in Sunday school, or step in when someone needed support. He has always been the model of who I hope to be, someone who gives without expectation and leads with quiet kindness. Even now, as he faces this diagnosis, he remains just as open and generous as before. When the world gives him every reason to turn hard, he chooses compassion. He still welcomes anyone in need, offering what he can, even on days when he has so little left for himself.
And that’s when I think of Superman again, not the invincible figure in the sky, but the man who keeps falling back to earth because someone needs him. My dad is that kind of hero. Not because he’s unbreakable, but because he keeps choosing to show up. His softness is the last thing he protects. His kindness is the last thing he’ll ever let go of.
Maybe when you give without expectation, you’ll never regret kindness. True courage is staying soft in a world that wants revenge, choosing love when the easiest thing is to look away, offering yourself even when there is almost nothing left to give. That is punk rock. That is heartbreak. That is carrying a heart that could shatter under the weight of the world, and still opening it, again and again, because someone, somewhere, needs it.
Final Draft:
Being Kind Is Punk Rock
I believe that being kind is punk rock, and I think of Superman as the best possible example, not as a symbol of hope, but as a lonely figure hovering above a world he cannot fix. Beneath the suit and emblem is someone who trusts everyone and thinks everyone is beautiful. We will never fully know what others are carrying, the exhaustion or stress weighing on them. But we can choose to pause and to show up even when it is hard or inconvenient. These acts do not erase the world’s burdens, yet they are quiet rebellions, fragile, fleeting, and full of meaning. They remind us, and those we reach toward, that even in the midst of chaos, human connection still exists.
I am incredibly lucky to have my very own Superman to look up to: my dad. He is the walking definition of kindness, strong in a way that isn’t loud or flashy. His strength is quiet, patient, and unyielding. He shows me every day that courage is not about invincibility or grand gestures, it is about staying soft-handed in a world that would rather you harden, choosing to give when it costs you the most, and refusing to turn away from the suffering of others.
This year, my dad was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a chronic autoimmune disease that attacks the protective layer around the nerves in the brain and spinal cord. Thinking back on all our years in church, he was always the first to hold the door and greet new members, offer help in Sunday school, or step in when someone needed support. He has always been the model of who I hope to be, someone who gives without expectation and leads with quiet kindness. Even now, as he faces this diagnosis, he remains just as open and generous as before. When the world gives him every reason to turn hard, he chooses compassion. He still welcomes anyone in need, offering what he can, even on days when he has so little left for himself.
And that’s when I think of Superman again, not the invincible figure in the sky, but the man who keeps falling back to earth because someone needs him. My dad is that kind of hero. Not because he’s unbreakable, but because he keeps choosing to show up. His softness is the last thing he protects. His kindness is the last thing he’ll ever let go of.
Maybe when you give without expectation, you’ll never regret kindness. True courage is staying soft in a world that wants revenge, choosing love when the easiest thing is to look away, offering yourself even when there is almost nothing left to give. That is punk rock. That is heartbreak. That is carrying a heart that could shatter under the weight of the world, and still opening it, again and again, because someone, somewhere, needs it.
Peer review reflection:
I felt very confident after peer review, My essay was very well written and very personal. I was told that my essay was a good mix of personal reflection on not only myself but others. My essay had very good flow and was easy to understand and read as well.
Reflection as a whole:
During this project, I immediately knew who I wanted to write about: my dad. There was never anyone else I would have chosen. The title I landed on “Being Kind Is Punk Rock” comes from the 2025 Superman movie. After that movie was released, people around the world began to recognize that kindness isn’t a weakness but a strength. Watching everyone come to that realization, including myself, was bittersweet. That idea became the foundation of my outline. Writing a short essay about it, though, was surprisingly difficult. This is a topic I could talk about endlessly if I weren’t given a word limit. There’s so much I could say about the way my dad lives out kindness not in loud or showy ways, but in the quiet decisions he makes every day. This wasn’t just an assignment, it was a chance to recognize the person who showed me that kindness truly is punk rock. Looking at my final essay I am really confident that I did a good job at reflecting on something I truly believe in and someone who helped me believe in it even more. My dad has shared countless quotes throughout his life, but one in particular helped guide me as I wrote this essay: “The people who believe most in the principles behind Marvel, DC, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter are the kindest.” He wasn’t wrong. I honestly believe that quotes like “It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live” or “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us” resonate with us more deeply than we realize.
