Just a Thought

What if you could live life without challenges and expect everything to turn out the way you wanted?
You wouldnt have to worry about what the future had to bring because it would turn out as you expected. You'd be able to live life carefree and never have a worry. Sure you'd never stress again but is this really the ideal life? A life in which you never truly function at 100 percent of your potential? One could never demonstrate to themselves what they're really capable of considering there would be no incentive to. I feel everyone needs to challenege themselves even in the slightest ways. Being challenged motivates us to overcome overwhelming obstacles and better ourselves. We all need a little cuts and bruises. It's what makes us who we are today. Henry Miller once said, "The man who looks for security, even in the mind, is like a man who would chop off his limbs in order to have artificial ones which will give him no pain or trouble." There will always be an easy way out for those who cannot achieve what those who defied all odds have. One may ask themselves, "Why should I care about trying in life? I'm just going to be miserable if I do so. I'd rather live care-free and enjoy my life considering we only live once.". I feel this mentality is severely flawed. I'd rather work my butt of right now as an adolescent and grow up to be someone important and reap life's benefits in the futre rather than live in the now and try to get by in the future. This approach is for those who are muture and take into consideration tha one must take advantage of the time they have and be productive with it. People who think this way tend to be those who succeed in life.

Afraid to Love?

Have you ever been in love? You know, nothing like an infatuation or a crush. I'm pretty sure most of you know what i'm talking about, but for those who don't i'm referring to an adoration one develops towards another individual. A feeling so strong, one finds it a myth of having the ability to concentrate on two things at once. You can't help but to constantly think of this person countlessly throughout your days. The way they smile at you after you have just done the silliest thing others would have scolded you for. The way their eyes slowly make the inevitable journey of interlocking with yours. The way their cheeks wrinkle when you have just made them laugh. The warm, blissful, sedated-like feeling you recieve after embracing them with your arms. The way you say their name in a different tone as apposed to the tone you use towards friends and acquaintences. Or maybe you just can't get over how darn great they smell. These thoughts seize and consume every bit of space in your mind for memories and selfishly only make room for themselves. When this person loves you back, it's a blessing. When they do not, it's an ailment. At times one will love you, and sometimes that love will dissipate. Many find it a risk to love because they live in fear of what it's future has to bring. So they just choose not to. And I believe this is not the approach anyone should take. Love bestows upon you a sense of meaning and happiness. But most important of all, it bestows upon you the experience that is life. Having experienced love, one has acquired more knowledged than the person who hasn't experienced it. In order to live life, one must throw themselves out into the world and just live it. Your heart will come out a little bruised, but in the end, your heart will be that of a veteran. Jim Morrison, a wise man whom said, “People are afraid of themselves, of their own reality; their feelings most of all. People talk about how great love is, but that’s bullshit. Love hurts. Feelings are disturbing. People are taught that pain is evil and dangerous. How can they deal with love if they’re afraid to feel? Pain is meant to wake us up. People try to hide their pain. But they’re wrong. Pain is something to carry, like a radio. You feel your strength in the experience of pain. It’s all in how you carry it. That’s what matters. Pain is a feeling. Your feelings are a part of you. Your own reality. If you feel ashamed of them, and hide them, you’re letting society destroy your reality. You should stand up for your right to feel your pain.”  This is a man whom has lived life.

Perseverance.

At times in our lives we experience failure or loss which gives us feelings of hopelessness and lack of  motivation. Lacking this motivation restrains us from persevering and overcoming obstacles of which are placed in front of us everyday. Malcom X, a black American leader who articulated concepts of race pride and black nationalism in the early 1960's, stated, "There is no better than adversity, every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed,its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time." To elaborate on Malcolm X's quote i'd like you to imagine a time where you were in a melancholy due to constant memories you used to adore so much of which you can can no longer enjoy. Are you going to just dwell on these memories forever? If you do so then you will cease to make new memories. All that of which one misses is in the past. To dwell on the past is to remain static without progressing towards the future. Therefore, it's best we try to look beyond the past and make room for new memorries of which we will grow to love as much or even more than the ones you used to miss. So the meaning behind Malcolm X's statement is that one must go through loss in order to progress in life through these experiences.

Rise or Fall.

"I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees." A quote spoken from the courageous minds that are rebels, liberators, and inspirational musicians who's mentalities have had the hugest impact upon my life. This meaning derives from valor, a virtue of which is asscociated with being brave, bold, or courageous . Those whom have quoted this in the past know the feeling that of which oppression afflicts and the struggle one goes through in order to deliver themselves to freedom. Che Guevara was one whom was touched by the social inequalites he witnessed in Latin America. In response he joined a group in 1959 that overthrew Cuba. He strived for freedom his whole life untill he was caught by Baliska's forces in 1967. Before he was executed he asked to speak with the local school teacher. Unselfishly he complained about the horrendous conditions of the children's schoolhouse, a symbol of which he was fighting against. He died a martyr and a brave man. Considering Che Guevara's actions, I immmensely associate this quote with him in order to allude the meaning that is behind this phrase. Everyone should have to strive to better themselves and refuse to be shackled down by society. Equality for all. Discrimination for none. This is what I believe.