Needless to say, sometimes I get a little overwhelmed. I look at the world and find so much beauty that I don't know what to do with it. As an Aquarius, (yes I am a crazy astrology nut) it's as much a blessing as a curse. This overwhelming love for humanity overshadows my love for individual people. There is so much fire when I love someone but I have the hardest time expressing it. Also a sign of an Aquarius. I think my family and a few choice best friends recognize how I communicate love and most other people don't understand. It's almost as if, as strongly as I can feel it, I assume people can see it. The way it burns me it must show upon my face. Alas, it does not. I often come off as cold and aloof. "That Shalese girl sure is funny but she has as much emotion as a Barbie."
If you are having a hard time connecting or understanding someone, perhaps it's because they speak in a different language.... Which seems like a no-brainer unless you look at love as a type of language. We all communicate and express ourselves differently. It is no different for love. When approaching someone with a closed off mind, you will never pick up on what they are trying to say. You may see some emotions or actions that have caused you to pass quick judgement that will prevent you from getting to know who the person truly is. I can't express enough my beliefs in the betterment of humanity through an open mind. It's human instinct to read a person's first impressions. We take a brief sketch of the person before us, diagnosing whether we feel they will hurt or harm us. Bring us up or make us fall. I'm not asking you to embrace the fellow in front of you at the checkout line with multiple tattoos who smells like weed. However, to stand there and make rude comments about such an individual is unnecessary. Believe me or not, this happened to me last week as I watched a man and his wife comment on a Hispanic family taking too long in the checkout line. Why must we be rude and hurtful? Do we actually know what's going on behind the walled-up people we see in public? Are we understanding what they are communicating? Please be more open-minded and gentle towards people. It's hard for everyone. There's no need to make it harder.
And, YET AGAIN, I have managed to stray away from my original intent. I kinda like that about free-writing. I always end up somewhere I didn't expect. It's a good journey to take in discovering more about myself. Anyways, I wanted to share with you the prose I wrote around the time when the earthquake happened in Haiti. Kinda give you a bigger picture in my undying love for humanity. Yes.... I'm a hippie. Or some may say. I find it a waste of time to go around bitter and unhappy. Until you make a bad comment about my dog or threaten my family, I will probably like you from the start. Cheers my loves.
Will it sound silly if I say it's beautiful?
If I cry as I hold my pencil hoping I can find the words to express my passion?
If I labor trying to explain to you
The human experience is the ultimate experience
Will it sound silly if I say it's beautiful?
Can I major in life?
We are all connected by the things that make us unique
Our memories. Our hopes. Our dreams
Our anguish. Our lies. Our sorrow
Will it sound silly if I say it's beautiful?
The human element courses through our very souls
Enriching the mind. Fueling the passion
We often stand so far apart
Forgetting what binds us
But when we are called upon
We can join together
Combining our elements for a common purpose
With our efforts all in one, we can accomplish anything
Will it sound silly if I say it's beautiful
No earthquake, no tsunami, no hurricane
Can withstand the power of our joined hands
We love, we fight, we cry, we laugh
We cherish
We live
We live the human experience
Embracing the journey
It is hard to see the bad when there is
so much good
So much love
Unite. Fight. Appreciate what is right
Not who or whom or where or when
What is right?
We stand on the side of love
Blessed by the life that is all around
FIGHT, I say, for your right to live
Live for your right to fight for what you love
Will it sound silly if I say it's beautiful?
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Satirical Shalese
When watching the news who here prefers The Daily Show over Fox News? The Colbert Report over CNN? Would you rather read The Onion over The Times? For me, I'd say yes, yes, and yes.
Blessed, blessed satire.
Dictionary defines satire as the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice or folly. It allows people to look at a situation from a humorous, sarcastic perspective. Often times, when someone is stuck within the walls of their opinions, it takes satire to make them look with new eyes. Satire, to me, is the beautiful awe-inspiring motion to incite action within people that can't be achieved otherwise. It allows them to laugh and then say, "Oh yeah. I do do that."
I'm sure many of us have seen A Knight's Tale. My FAVORITE character is the movie is the poet, Geoffrey. Whenever he speaks, my soul sings. He has the ability to write as well as the ability to speak and is extremely quick witted. The movie is loosely based on the composition of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer called the Canterbury Tales. Using sarcasm and satire, Chaucer manages to poke fun at English Society, focusing on the Church. I remember the day in senior english class when a professor specializing in The Canterbury Tales came to speak to us. I was fully enamored and fell in love with the use of satire.
I'm sure many of you have also come across the movie and/or book Gulliver's Travels, written by Jonathon Swift. Gulliver's Travels examines many different negative themes in society at the time and can still be applied today. When he goes to Lilliput, he meets a small group of people who fight over which side to break their morning eggs. The two political parties are based upon the height of their heels. Elections are based upon show and not fact or reason. Starting to sound familiar? By using comparison, he makes it easy for people to make the connection into their own lives. His second great works is A Modest Proposal. Most certainly one of my favorite articles EVER. Because there are so many poor, starving people, why not just....... eat the babies. Surely it's foolproof! The people have a source of income and food and it prevents the population from growing out of control. Just be sure to cook them right because you can't eat a baby when it's...
Starting to feel disgusted? Well, that's the point. It pointed out the nobility's heartless attitudes towards the poor. From the standpoint of A Modest Proposal it seems as if, "Hey we already despise the poor. Why not take rude and heartless to a whole new level by buying their children for Sunday dinner." Someone with such a poor attitude before may not feel the same way after taking a look at their own attitude. It is a literary slap to the face. A much needed awakening.
Satire can also be seen today. Such as in the Colbert Report and The Daily Show. Thankfully, it is alive and well. I wish I could fully express how much I love and adore such methods. It sends shivers down my spine and warms my spirit. I hope to one day achieve the same levels of talent as the greats that have come before me. This love, this passion, is the kindling to my fire. My opinions and ideas usually jump off a springboard of satire. I am often told of my very strong use of voice in my writing and I must give thanks to such a high compliment. For those of you who know me only from behind the screen, I have a very dry quick wit that can just as much amuse as it can sting. My friend once said, "I have never heard someone so eloquently express their anger as Shalese." So, whenever I sound sarcastic and dry, it is only in hopes of approaching a sensitive topic in a way that won't turn people away. I want people to look first and process what I have to say. With all the facts, opinions, and angry sayers of nay, it's a refreshing look at what you have to hear about all the time. Or so I hope.
Love you guys.
Blessed, blessed satire.
Dictionary defines satire as the use of irony, sarcasm, ridicule, or the like, in exposing, denouncing, or deriding vice or folly. It allows people to look at a situation from a humorous, sarcastic perspective. Often times, when someone is stuck within the walls of their opinions, it takes satire to make them look with new eyes. Satire, to me, is the beautiful awe-inspiring motion to incite action within people that can't be achieved otherwise. It allows them to laugh and then say, "Oh yeah. I do do that."
I'm sure many of us have seen A Knight's Tale. My FAVORITE character is the movie is the poet, Geoffrey. Whenever he speaks, my soul sings. He has the ability to write as well as the ability to speak and is extremely quick witted. The movie is loosely based on the composition of stories written by Geoffrey Chaucer called the Canterbury Tales. Using sarcasm and satire, Chaucer manages to poke fun at English Society, focusing on the Church. I remember the day in senior english class when a professor specializing in The Canterbury Tales came to speak to us. I was fully enamored and fell in love with the use of satire.
I'm sure many of you have also come across the movie and/or book Gulliver's Travels, written by Jonathon Swift. Gulliver's Travels examines many different negative themes in society at the time and can still be applied today. When he goes to Lilliput, he meets a small group of people who fight over which side to break their morning eggs. The two political parties are based upon the height of their heels. Elections are based upon show and not fact or reason. Starting to sound familiar? By using comparison, he makes it easy for people to make the connection into their own lives. His second great works is A Modest Proposal. Most certainly one of my favorite articles EVER. Because there are so many poor, starving people, why not just....... eat the babies. Surely it's foolproof! The people have a source of income and food and it prevents the population from growing out of control. Just be sure to cook them right because you can't eat a baby when it's...
Starting to feel disgusted? Well, that's the point. It pointed out the nobility's heartless attitudes towards the poor. From the standpoint of A Modest Proposal it seems as if, "Hey we already despise the poor. Why not take rude and heartless to a whole new level by buying their children for Sunday dinner." Someone with such a poor attitude before may not feel the same way after taking a look at their own attitude. It is a literary slap to the face. A much needed awakening.
Satire can also be seen today. Such as in the Colbert Report and The Daily Show. Thankfully, it is alive and well. I wish I could fully express how much I love and adore such methods. It sends shivers down my spine and warms my spirit. I hope to one day achieve the same levels of talent as the greats that have come before me. This love, this passion, is the kindling to my fire. My opinions and ideas usually jump off a springboard of satire. I am often told of my very strong use of voice in my writing and I must give thanks to such a high compliment. For those of you who know me only from behind the screen, I have a very dry quick wit that can just as much amuse as it can sting. My friend once said, "I have never heard someone so eloquently express their anger as Shalese." So, whenever I sound sarcastic and dry, it is only in hopes of approaching a sensitive topic in a way that won't turn people away. I want people to look first and process what I have to say. With all the facts, opinions, and angry sayers of nay, it's a refreshing look at what you have to hear about all the time. Or so I hope.
Love you guys.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Slam Piece
.................
..........
Alright fine. I apologize for the blatant innuendo in my title. However, given the topic today, I felt like it was a clever play on words. I could not resist. With an evil grin and a giggle, let us continue.
Lately I have been entertaining the idea of entering a poetry slam. Generally the poetry I write is very short so I doubt I'd be able to fill three minutes of speaking time. And whenever I do write poetry, it's more often therapeutic. If I'm upset about something and don't understand what or why, a couple free writes with some rhymes and I begin to understand. So, as therapy sessions, they tend to take a dark and depressing turn.
...and frankly I hate that.
I'm not about to stand in front of a group of people for THREE minutes and, for lack of a better term, BITCH about my problems. Often times when people say they're depressed, dramatic, or emotional it's because they want people to know they're depressed, dramatic, or emotional. The whole "Woe is me" is just a facade for attention. The only time I enjoy Woe is Me is when I'm listening to the band. I have no need to proclaim to the public I'm distraught or ill at ease. The people that are close enough to me to care will notice and, together, we'll work through it. I don't need Facebook or Twitter.
Call me old fashioned but sometimes I feel like when it comes to drama rub some damn dirt in it and move on. Yes life is hard and yes sometimes we falter. So take care of yourself and keep moving. Growth never comes from planting your feet in your "miserable" state of mind and making sure everyone around you knows the extent of your misery. Take time to acknowledge your feelings and then fix it. Grow up. Move on. Get over it. "Constantly doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is insanity." I feel like I got this quote from an article in the Onion but I can't remember.
So you can see why I'd be wary of entering a poetry slam. Often times I feel I'm a generally upbeat person in life because I work out my problems on paper. If I'm upset, I acknowledge how I'm feeling and why I'm feeling that way in a safe environment where no one has to listen to my naysaying..... Except perhaps my mom. I feel like the older I get the more often I call her about my problems. Anyways.. I approach my feelings the same way I approach my writing. I allow it to sit in my mind, gaining speed as I analyze the situation from all angles and perspectives. I dissect my actions, reactions, and emotions. And when the burden of my problem weighs too heavily on my mind, I write it down. That way I don't carry it around with me anymore. It's safely tucked away between the pages of a notebook.. Done. Gone. And I can revert to being myself.
I understand some people can't do that or have yet to find a safe outlet for expressing their problems. So instead they grasp at attention anyway they can. If that helps in their current state of mind and place in time, then at least it helps. At least you are receiving the release or the attention that you need to help ease your burden. Just know it's probably not healthy. And I'm sure it's not providing lasting comfort either. So work on your problems the best way you can. Take up gardening. Sew pajama pants. Knit cat sweaters. Turn off your mind and allow your body to take over. Sometimes all your mind needs is a quick session of auto-pilot to correct itself.
Now... for the irony. After much inner turmoil and rant rant ranting... I'm going to share with you a piece of the poem I started. A glimpse into my coping method in hopes that you will find your own. It started as a journey, if you will, to discovering my deeply embedded aversion to lying. Hate it. As tolerant as I can be, I can only take so much of lying before I self destruct. In all honesty, I would prefer an ugly truth to a pretty lie. Living my life through a facade put on by other people... nothing hurts me more. I also hurt for the person who feels the need to lie. Whatever they are covering up must be a heavy burden to carry. With that being said, as I was driving home with my mom, these few stanzas fell into my lap. Here's to raw and beautiful.
I live in fear of when your words turn black
Watching them fall into my lap
What am I suppose to do with these?
Your black words keep mocking me
So I cling to the truth within your eyes
There I go to escape the lies
Listening to your words of white
Knowing the blackness that comes with the night
There on your mouth the lies sit
And from your lips the poison drips
Coloring your words to the blackest of black
And once they're said we can never go back
..........
Alright fine. I apologize for the blatant innuendo in my title. However, given the topic today, I felt like it was a clever play on words. I could not resist. With an evil grin and a giggle, let us continue.
Lately I have been entertaining the idea of entering a poetry slam. Generally the poetry I write is very short so I doubt I'd be able to fill three minutes of speaking time. And whenever I do write poetry, it's more often therapeutic. If I'm upset about something and don't understand what or why, a couple free writes with some rhymes and I begin to understand. So, as therapy sessions, they tend to take a dark and depressing turn.
...and frankly I hate that.
I'm not about to stand in front of a group of people for THREE minutes and, for lack of a better term, BITCH about my problems. Often times when people say they're depressed, dramatic, or emotional it's because they want people to know they're depressed, dramatic, or emotional. The whole "Woe is me" is just a facade for attention. The only time I enjoy Woe is Me is when I'm listening to the band. I have no need to proclaim to the public I'm distraught or ill at ease. The people that are close enough to me to care will notice and, together, we'll work through it. I don't need Facebook or Twitter.
Call me old fashioned but sometimes I feel like when it comes to drama rub some damn dirt in it and move on. Yes life is hard and yes sometimes we falter. So take care of yourself and keep moving. Growth never comes from planting your feet in your "miserable" state of mind and making sure everyone around you knows the extent of your misery. Take time to acknowledge your feelings and then fix it. Grow up. Move on. Get over it. "Constantly doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is insanity." I feel like I got this quote from an article in the Onion but I can't remember.
So you can see why I'd be wary of entering a poetry slam. Often times I feel I'm a generally upbeat person in life because I work out my problems on paper. If I'm upset, I acknowledge how I'm feeling and why I'm feeling that way in a safe environment where no one has to listen to my naysaying..... Except perhaps my mom. I feel like the older I get the more often I call her about my problems. Anyways.. I approach my feelings the same way I approach my writing. I allow it to sit in my mind, gaining speed as I analyze the situation from all angles and perspectives. I dissect my actions, reactions, and emotions. And when the burden of my problem weighs too heavily on my mind, I write it down. That way I don't carry it around with me anymore. It's safely tucked away between the pages of a notebook.. Done. Gone. And I can revert to being myself.
I understand some people can't do that or have yet to find a safe outlet for expressing their problems. So instead they grasp at attention anyway they can. If that helps in their current state of mind and place in time, then at least it helps. At least you are receiving the release or the attention that you need to help ease your burden. Just know it's probably not healthy. And I'm sure it's not providing lasting comfort either. So work on your problems the best way you can. Take up gardening. Sew pajama pants. Knit cat sweaters. Turn off your mind and allow your body to take over. Sometimes all your mind needs is a quick session of auto-pilot to correct itself.
Now... for the irony. After much inner turmoil and rant rant ranting... I'm going to share with you a piece of the poem I started. A glimpse into my coping method in hopes that you will find your own. It started as a journey, if you will, to discovering my deeply embedded aversion to lying. Hate it. As tolerant as I can be, I can only take so much of lying before I self destruct. In all honesty, I would prefer an ugly truth to a pretty lie. Living my life through a facade put on by other people... nothing hurts me more. I also hurt for the person who feels the need to lie. Whatever they are covering up must be a heavy burden to carry. With that being said, as I was driving home with my mom, these few stanzas fell into my lap. Here's to raw and beautiful.
I live in fear of when your words turn black
Watching them fall into my lap
What am I suppose to do with these?
Your black words keep mocking me
So I cling to the truth within your eyes
There I go to escape the lies
Listening to your words of white
Knowing the blackness that comes with the night
There on your mouth the lies sit
And from your lips the poison drips
Coloring your words to the blackest of black
And once they're said we can never go back
Monday, October 8, 2012
Dear Diary
DRUM ROLL PLEASE
At the persistent request of others, I have decided to take a more personal approach towards my blog. Even if it's just a couple sentences, I plan on writing everyday. Keep in mind.. when I use the word PLAN... it's a loose commitment. What with the trying times of a college student with a full time job I'm sure there will be extenuating circumstances preventing me from writing some days. We'll give it a go. Try it out for a week or so. If we don't like it I'll revert back to the once or twice a month formula. A daily free write is also a good "flex" of that writing muscle. Granted, a free write is also very raw. Writing in it's infancy is often not one of brilliance or structure. However, it can create something uniquely beautiful. When I write, I like to write in my head. A seed is planted into my mind that grows and grows until I can bear it no more and give it life upon paper. As to what will happen when I take my daily thoughts and opinions and, without thought, throw them at you on a daily basis, is unknown. It may even be scary.
To be honest... I'm a bit nervous. What will happen when you see who it is that sits behind this computer I do not know. My thoughts may not be as put together or uniform. You may find that often times I'm unsure of where I stand or what I believe in. Sometimes I lose sight of who it is I am and have to find her again. This confident writer you often see here, while still a very strong part of me, is not the whole part. Your opinions of me will probably sway back and forth. My intention is to create a more personal experience. What goes into making me who I am? Where do I get my opinions from? Let's find that out together.
Oh, and.. heads up. I've been reading classic literature lately and I find that it often seeps into my writing. Classic literature turns me into the love child of Yoda and a pretentious British old man. My sentence structure changes and my vocabulary takes a turn for the.. Better? Worse? Who knows...
Cheers my friends.
At the persistent request of others, I have decided to take a more personal approach towards my blog. Even if it's just a couple sentences, I plan on writing everyday. Keep in mind.. when I use the word PLAN... it's a loose commitment. What with the trying times of a college student with a full time job I'm sure there will be extenuating circumstances preventing me from writing some days. We'll give it a go. Try it out for a week or so. If we don't like it I'll revert back to the once or twice a month formula. A daily free write is also a good "flex" of that writing muscle. Granted, a free write is also very raw. Writing in it's infancy is often not one of brilliance or structure. However, it can create something uniquely beautiful. When I write, I like to write in my head. A seed is planted into my mind that grows and grows until I can bear it no more and give it life upon paper. As to what will happen when I take my daily thoughts and opinions and, without thought, throw them at you on a daily basis, is unknown. It may even be scary.
To be honest... I'm a bit nervous. What will happen when you see who it is that sits behind this computer I do not know. My thoughts may not be as put together or uniform. You may find that often times I'm unsure of where I stand or what I believe in. Sometimes I lose sight of who it is I am and have to find her again. This confident writer you often see here, while still a very strong part of me, is not the whole part. Your opinions of me will probably sway back and forth. My intention is to create a more personal experience. What goes into making me who I am? Where do I get my opinions from? Let's find that out together.
Oh, and.. heads up. I've been reading classic literature lately and I find that it often seeps into my writing. Classic literature turns me into the love child of Yoda and a pretentious British old man. My sentence structure changes and my vocabulary takes a turn for the.. Better? Worse? Who knows...
Cheers my friends.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Elephants, Donkeys, and Sheep. Oh My!
We all know what's coming. How could we not? It liters our Facebook stream, the bumpers of our cars, our lawns, and the comic book section of the newspaper. It divides families and unities strangers. It makes us talk to chairs and jump on couches....or maybe that was for something else... anyways..
The Election
The Presidential Race
The Fight Between Blue and Red
The Elephant and the Ass
STOP!! .. BEFORE you walk away, know that I'm not about to tell you who I think you should vote for. Frankly I think there's been enough of that to wrap around the world twice and still have enough leftovers to make me nauseous. There's been so much mudslinging going on I fear that with even the most unbiased attempt I'd still get some on me.
Who you vote for is entirely up to you..
...or is it?
"Ahh, another day at work," says the elephant. He kisses his wife, pats his children on the head, and walks out the door. He nestles his rock safely into his holster. "Can't go anywhere without this," he adds. It's a little known fact that elephants use rocks to protect themselves in times of crisis. "Another fine day at the barnyard," he grumbles. He'd been fighting with the donkeys all afternoon yesterday about drilling for extra watering holes and wasn't ready for another day of bickering. "For the good of society," he says to himself before heading out the door.
"Mr. Donkey!" the kids cry out as he passes by. "Why hello children! Shouldn't you be in school?" "Mr. Donkey don't be silly! It's a Saturday!" Mr. Donkey laughs. "Why yes, I forgot! Well, don't forget to mind your studies." He walks along, thinking to himself the key points in his speech today for the barnyard. He'd been trying to convince the public that the time for a female to carry a child was her own choice. This new birth control thing was heavy stuff and, by golly, he would not stand for infringement upon a women's right!
With these thoughts in mind, he sees Mr. Elephant. "Hello good sir!" he cries out. Despite their differences they were great friends brought together by the common work place. "It's good to se....
"Whoaa, Mr. Elephant man. What's up?" bleats Mr. Sheep standing by his mailbox. "So I heard you like, hate women and stuff." "Hate women?? The audacity! That is not my stance at all. I love my wife!" replied Mr. Elephant, trying to remain calm after such a heinous remark. "Chaa, okay. My neighbor said you were 'shackling the women into submission'." Mr. Donkey stepped in. "I fear your neighbor is a bit misinformed. You see, Mr. Elephant focuses more on the family and feels abstinence should be taught more in schools." The sheep laughed. "Seeing as how you're a pot smoking hippie freakk, I'd say rock on but Mr. Elephant has you fooled." "I beg your pardon?" replied Mr. Donkey. "The legalization of access to the hemp pasture is still in progress. The medicinal purposes and use of taxes are being looked into. How I feel about the issue is beside the point. I have never partaken in such a process in all my life!" "Suure, okay. Well, tell Bob I won't be at the debate today. I decided to, you know, do other things. So I better go." With that, Mr. Sheep scratched his hind quarters and walked into the house.
"Sheep..." grumbled Mr. Donkey. "They'd follow somebody off a cliff." Mr. Elephant chuckled. "Right you are good friend. Let's get to work."
So, to all my elephants and donkeys out there .... who is getting tired of the sheep? The ones who vote based on heresay and the opinions of others. The ones who only look to validate their pre-existing opinions instead of forming new ones based on fact. The ones who heckle you into insanity instead of engaging in proper political debate. I'm sure you're thinking of a specific person right now..
I will give you this. The media blows stories way out of proportions. We are a desensitized overcritical public so who could blame them? Would a mild story about the President's Family make press over his old smoking habits? Unlikely. So take into account it is hard to search out the truth. Often times our media, however much they try not to be, leans towards the left or the right. Radical stories poison our minds with flashy headlines and pictures via photoshop. To find the honest truth and form proper opinions requires a massive amount of work. However, even massive amounts of research will get you nowhere if you are only looking with a pair of blinders. In an article for the New York Times, Paul Croce said "Often times, when we are stuck in our ways, we don't research to learn. We research to have our opinions validated. We all tend to learn what we already know."
Walking into research with your mind already made up is like paying for plastic surgery while thinking you're already pretty. It's a waste of time resulting in an even more obscure unhappy version of the person before. Stand by your values with all your heart, yes, but be wary of what goes on around you. Constantly be perfecting and reevaluating your values into something respectable enough to take out to dinner.
Just as you inherited your eye color or laugh from your parents, you have probably inherited their beliefs and values. Luckily, the gift of beliefs is not so permanent as the gift of genetics. If you have looked into the facts and thought about what they mean to you and still find your beliefs to match up, I say good for you! Elephants produce elephants and donkeys produce donkeys. However, don't be the weird genetic mutation and wind up a sheep. Are you blindly following your parents off a cliff? Simply spewing what you heard last night at the dinner table? Your beliefs are built upon a rocky foundation that will crumble at the first sign of debate, resulting in a bitter and angry person grasping at straws and clinging to what they think is right. Educate yourselves! Be aware of what's going on and up to date on your current events. Engage in educated discussion and watch the debates and read the news articles. I know it takes time and effort. Often times people don't start to politically assert themselves until college. Just don't miss your chance and be the one stuck in their head.
As much positive and negative things to be said about elephants and donkeys, only one real good thing comes from sheep.... the fact they look pretty hilarious naked. Don't end up naked and embarrassed. And heaven forbid don't walk yourself off a cliff because you were following someone else. There's still a little bit of time. If you don't know who you're voting for then look into the stance of each party. Read the articles. Watch the news. Talk to people. Be level headed. Nobody likes a bitter bigot.
Nobody
Stay beautiful, my friends. Happy voting.
The Election
The Presidential Race
The Fight Between Blue and Red
The Elephant and the Ass
STOP!! .. BEFORE you walk away, know that I'm not about to tell you who I think you should vote for. Frankly I think there's been enough of that to wrap around the world twice and still have enough leftovers to make me nauseous. There's been so much mudslinging going on I fear that with even the most unbiased attempt I'd still get some on me.
Who you vote for is entirely up to you..
...or is it?
"Ahh, another day at work," says the elephant. He kisses his wife, pats his children on the head, and walks out the door. He nestles his rock safely into his holster. "Can't go anywhere without this," he adds. It's a little known fact that elephants use rocks to protect themselves in times of crisis. "Another fine day at the barnyard," he grumbles. He'd been fighting with the donkeys all afternoon yesterday about drilling for extra watering holes and wasn't ready for another day of bickering. "For the good of society," he says to himself before heading out the door.
"Mr. Donkey!" the kids cry out as he passes by. "Why hello children! Shouldn't you be in school?" "Mr. Donkey don't be silly! It's a Saturday!" Mr. Donkey laughs. "Why yes, I forgot! Well, don't forget to mind your studies." He walks along, thinking to himself the key points in his speech today for the barnyard. He'd been trying to convince the public that the time for a female to carry a child was her own choice. This new birth control thing was heavy stuff and, by golly, he would not stand for infringement upon a women's right!
With these thoughts in mind, he sees Mr. Elephant. "Hello good sir!" he cries out. Despite their differences they were great friends brought together by the common work place. "It's good to se....
"Whoaa, Mr. Elephant man. What's up?" bleats Mr. Sheep standing by his mailbox. "So I heard you like, hate women and stuff." "Hate women?? The audacity! That is not my stance at all. I love my wife!" replied Mr. Elephant, trying to remain calm after such a heinous remark. "Chaa, okay. My neighbor said you were 'shackling the women into submission'." Mr. Donkey stepped in. "I fear your neighbor is a bit misinformed. You see, Mr. Elephant focuses more on the family and feels abstinence should be taught more in schools." The sheep laughed. "Seeing as how you're a pot smoking hippie freakk, I'd say rock on but Mr. Elephant has you fooled." "I beg your pardon?" replied Mr. Donkey. "The legalization of access to the hemp pasture is still in progress. The medicinal purposes and use of taxes are being looked into. How I feel about the issue is beside the point. I have never partaken in such a process in all my life!" "Suure, okay. Well, tell Bob I won't be at the debate today. I decided to, you know, do other things. So I better go." With that, Mr. Sheep scratched his hind quarters and walked into the house.
"Sheep..." grumbled Mr. Donkey. "They'd follow somebody off a cliff." Mr. Elephant chuckled. "Right you are good friend. Let's get to work."
So, to all my elephants and donkeys out there .... who is getting tired of the sheep? The ones who vote based on heresay and the opinions of others. The ones who only look to validate their pre-existing opinions instead of forming new ones based on fact. The ones who heckle you into insanity instead of engaging in proper political debate. I'm sure you're thinking of a specific person right now..
I will give you this. The media blows stories way out of proportions. We are a desensitized overcritical public so who could blame them? Would a mild story about the President's Family make press over his old smoking habits? Unlikely. So take into account it is hard to search out the truth. Often times our media, however much they try not to be, leans towards the left or the right. Radical stories poison our minds with flashy headlines and pictures via photoshop. To find the honest truth and form proper opinions requires a massive amount of work. However, even massive amounts of research will get you nowhere if you are only looking with a pair of blinders. In an article for the New York Times, Paul Croce said "Often times, when we are stuck in our ways, we don't research to learn. We research to have our opinions validated. We all tend to learn what we already know."
Walking into research with your mind already made up is like paying for plastic surgery while thinking you're already pretty. It's a waste of time resulting in an even more obscure unhappy version of the person before. Stand by your values with all your heart, yes, but be wary of what goes on around you. Constantly be perfecting and reevaluating your values into something respectable enough to take out to dinner.
Just as you inherited your eye color or laugh from your parents, you have probably inherited their beliefs and values. Luckily, the gift of beliefs is not so permanent as the gift of genetics. If you have looked into the facts and thought about what they mean to you and still find your beliefs to match up, I say good for you! Elephants produce elephants and donkeys produce donkeys. However, don't be the weird genetic mutation and wind up a sheep. Are you blindly following your parents off a cliff? Simply spewing what you heard last night at the dinner table? Your beliefs are built upon a rocky foundation that will crumble at the first sign of debate, resulting in a bitter and angry person grasping at straws and clinging to what they think is right. Educate yourselves! Be aware of what's going on and up to date on your current events. Engage in educated discussion and watch the debates and read the news articles. I know it takes time and effort. Often times people don't start to politically assert themselves until college. Just don't miss your chance and be the one stuck in their head.
As much positive and negative things to be said about elephants and donkeys, only one real good thing comes from sheep.... the fact they look pretty hilarious naked. Don't end up naked and embarrassed. And heaven forbid don't walk yourself off a cliff because you were following someone else. There's still a little bit of time. If you don't know who you're voting for then look into the stance of each party. Read the articles. Watch the news. Talk to people. Be level headed. Nobody likes a bitter bigot.
Nobody
Stay beautiful, my friends. Happy voting.
Monday, September 24, 2012
Belief: Fact or Fiction
While gleaming through past essays looking for material to incorporate into a speech, I stumbled upon this gem I wrote in my philosophy class. I find it goes hand in hand with my last blog about religion, but with a more factual approach. It even comes with citations! (*leans over shoulder* "Wait, she's using citations now??" "Well she is in college after all.... now shush, I'm reading.) Granted, they're not really applicable because you don't have the text I was using as a reference but I decided to leave them anyways because it makes me look smart. AND because I'm lazy. But mostly because I'm lazy.
As a kind of background, part of the reason I decided to pursue writing was because of my philosophy teacher. He was a pretentious man who often spoke of his time as a professor in Germany, waved his glasses around to emphasize whatever he was talking about, and had the most unique laugh.... and quite possibly my favorite professor to date. Half the enjoyment from his class came from watching his mannerisms while he taught. And, of course, the other half came from what he taught. He was brilliant and a wonderful man to listen to. After turning in my last essay of the semester, he pulled me aside and asked me what I was going in to. At that time, it was Anthropology. I had hopes of becoming the next Indiana Jones but with curves. He pondered, shook his head, and gave me the kindest compliment of my writing to date. Considering how smart he was and how highly I viewed him in my mind, I was like a starstruck fan. My idol had just told me I was a brilliant writer. "You should pursue writing." For a year that statement followed me. And now here I am.
So for a taste of something different... here ya go
As a kind of background, part of the reason I decided to pursue writing was because of my philosophy teacher. He was a pretentious man who often spoke of his time as a professor in Germany, waved his glasses around to emphasize whatever he was talking about, and had the most unique laugh.... and quite possibly my favorite professor to date. Half the enjoyment from his class came from watching his mannerisms while he taught. And, of course, the other half came from what he taught. He was brilliant and a wonderful man to listen to. After turning in my last essay of the semester, he pulled me aside and asked me what I was going in to. At that time, it was Anthropology. I had hopes of becoming the next Indiana Jones but with curves. He pondered, shook his head, and gave me the kindest compliment of my writing to date. Considering how smart he was and how highly I viewed him in my mind, I was like a starstruck fan. My idol had just told me I was a brilliant writer. "You should pursue writing." For a year that statement followed me. And now here I am.
So for a taste of something different... here ya go
Belief: Fact or Fiction?
“Hurry up,” my mom calls. “Your
macaroni and cheese is about finished.” As an eager five year old child, I rush
down the stairs in time to see my mother taking the pan off of the stove.
Curious as to the magic of cooking macaroni and cheese, I gaze into the pulsing
red coils. “Don’t touch the burner. It’s hot.” Being a young pre-school
student, I didn’t know that red indicated the temperature of an object, nor did
I know that metal could be heated up using various methods. All I knew was that
my mother told me not to touch it. Did I believe her? Being a curious heathen
and the cause for my mother’s gray hair, of course I didn’t. I set my splayed
hand on top of the burned and received welts and blisters that took weeks to
heal. The experience for my brother, however, was different. Being a mama’s
boy, he believed everything she said. When she told him not to touch the hot
burner, he accepted that it was a hot burner because of his trust in our
mother. What worked for him did not work for me. The same goes for the ethics
of belief. Clifford and James are both right; yet they are both wrong. I feel
that a resounding yes, in the case of James, or a resounding no, in the case of
Clifford, cannot be applied straight across the board. Concerning the ethics of
belief, each person is different and requires different amounts of faith or
fact.
Religion has always been a sensitive
subject no matter what the field. In science it is awkward and disregarded, in
philosophy it is as intriguing as it is varying, and in politics it is shunned
like the vegetables on a child’s plate. This attitude has much to do with the
lack of physical proof to the existence of God, revelation, priesthood, and so
on. When someone claims enlightenment, they can only explain how they are
feeling. Religion is based predominantly on warm fuzzy feelings and the soft
whisperings of the Spirit. Never can they present someone with a material
reason to their altered state. Yet, does this prevent us from asking for proof?
In religious texts such as the Bible, the number of devout followers mirrors
the number of the slightly less eager, more doubtful people asking for a sign.
The amount of proof required to believe varies from person to person. With some
individuals a feeling of hope and charity is enough for them to follow someone
like Buddha or Gandhi. With others, it would take heavenly choirs and the
ministering of angels before they were a follower of deity. Clifford mentions
that one should thoroughly investigate a belief before justifying that belief (The Ethics of Belief 1063). However, any
Christian, Hindi, or Pagan would tell you they investigated their belief
through praying, fasting, and reading of scriptural text, proving Clifford’s
point to a certain degree. Yes we need to investigate. Yes we need to ensure
our beliefs to be true. The type and amount of confirmation required for a
belief is where we start entering the gray area. What will work for some will
not work for others; the amount required to testify to some will not testify to
others. Therefore, with the unique conditions of the human mind, it is
impossible to determine one uniform answer upon the ethics of belief.
“This shows that deadness and
liveliness in an hypothesis are not intrinsic properties, but relations to the
individual thinker” (The Will to Believe
1149). With some ideas they are impossible to deny, such as the existence of
Abraham Lincoln or the face value of the change in your pocket (The Will to Believe 1150). Even though
we may say something to that degree, it is within our being that we know this
to be true. This defines the live and dead theory of a hypothesis according to
James. A hypothesis is dead if it has no appeal. A hypothesis is living if
there is some possibility to the statement. With this idea in mind, James also
ventures to say that the liveliness of a hypothesis can vary from one person to
the next. In order to be living it must “appeal as a real possibility to him
whom it is proposed” as well as “make an electric connection with your nature”
(The Will to Believe 1149). He uses
the example of Mahdi. To an individual raised in a predominantly Protestant
country, the idea of the Redeemer makes no connection with what they have been
raised to believe in. To an Arab, however, this idea is very much alive. James
is thus saying that the beliefs of one individual can vary from the beliefs of
another. What applies to one has no application to another. In addition to the idea that our beliefs come
from our genetics, I feel that they also come from our culture, our family, and
the way we are raised. Clifford may turn up his nose as this “may help to kill
or keep alive fatal superstitions which clog his race” but, as with the Mahdi
example, I feel this is not the case. Be it my anthropology influence, I
believe that our beliefs come from several different influences. In this I
agree with James that we cannot choose our beliefs. They are just there in our
subconscious mind, governing our daily actions. Some things may appeal to one
person and not the other due to several deciding factors. Using our earlier examination
of religion, we can then conclude that the existence of deity may be very real
for some but not for others. The idea of hot burning coils and a truthful
mother may appeal to some but not to others. The application of the living/dead
theory as proposed by James can help differentiate the amount of proof needed
to believe in something. If something to us is living then we can easily
believe it with little persuasion. If something is dead then it is near if not
impossible to internalize such a belief. With that being said, the idea of
deity may be living within some while it may lay dormant in others unless acted
upon by a torrential outside force; this outside force being the thorough
investigation mentioned by Clifford. This idea of differentiation reiterates
the absurdity of generalizing everyone’s beliefs opposed to catering them to
situational experiences. “The maximum of liveness in an hypothesis means
willingness to act irrevocably. Practically, that means belief; but there is
some believing tendency wherever there is willingness to act at all” (The Will to Believe 1149).
To say that every individual always
affects the whole is to say that every can of chili always gives you gas. When
it does happen it is unfortunate, uncomfortable, and definitely displeasing to
those around you. However, it only happens occasionally under the right
circumstances. When it doesn’t happen no one is put out and you get to enjoy a
nice can of southern goodness or, in this case, entertain a personal belief. The
methods at which the individual expresses their views can affect the whole but,
again, this does not always happen. Just as beliefs vary from person to person,
so can the degrees at which they affect a group of people vary from person to
person if affected at all. If I were a strong, devout, self-religious
“bible-basher” constantly proclaiming by views in the middle of town square, I
would create a huge impact on the public. However, this may not apply to the
ethics of belief as much as it applies to the ethics of ignorantly stupid
people. If I were to privately entertain a belief in Jesus Christ or Confucius,
what “evil born of such a belief” (The
Ethics of Belief 1064) is yet to be determined by this student of
philosophy. This assumption made by Clifford is the same as all other topics
discussed within my words; they are situational. The world that Clifford
presents concerning the infection of others beliefs is also very bleak and
depressing. Granted, Clifford expresses that this poisonous means of thinking
applies to those who have not thoroughly investigated their beliefs. But who is
to decide what a thorough investigation constitutes? What may seem extensive to
one may be minimal to another and vice versa. So to assume that every idea that
goes without research is hazardous is not without its exceptions. We must take
into account the ethics of the individual and how they govern themselves. In my
experience, I have come across people of the same faith who administer
themselves unto the public in extremely opposite ways. While one may go about
their way quietly, exemplifying the ideals of their religion with actions,
another may be boisterous and judgmental of those who are different. We must
keep in the mind the uniqueness of the human kind and the variations in which
we carry ourselves.
There will always be the exception
in the human experience. “I” does not always come before “E” even before “C”. Ox
to oxen is not as box to boxes. So to say that “it is wrong always, everywhere,
and for anyone, to believe anything upon insufficient evidence” (The Ethics of Belief 1065) is to make a
very irrational and finite judgment. If this were the case, then I would have
been justified in melting my palm into a fleshy wound. If you would have told
me, as I stood there clutching my hand to my chest, crying rivers of tears,
that I did the right thing, I would have placed your hand upon the burned and
asked you how right it felt. Now, with more knowledge to back up my irrational
lash out of anger at your ignorance, I can confidently say that there is a time
and a place for belief and faith as there is for fact and exploration. There is
also variation among what people will and will not believe as well as the proof
required for them to believe. The ethics of belief are entirely personal to the
individual and variable to the whole.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Rated R
Most of the time my writing is persuasive, borderline argumentative, and horribly sarcastic.
Today will not be one of those times.
...well, there will probably be some sarcasm. Let's face it--sarcasm and I are like wine and cheese. You can have one without the other but if you expect to wine and dine at the Ritz with Cary Grant .. expect there to be cheese with your wine.
I'm here to tell you my opinion. I not here to challenge your opinion--mainly because part of my opinion is we should all be entitled to our own opinion. Today's post is Rated R...
... for religion.
Yes. I'm about to take on one of the most talked about subjects in America. Every problem we face seems to boil down to religion. We could sit here and talk over separation of church and state, religion in the workplace, drowning your fellow peers with your Bible bashing, etc, but I'm not about to do that. Granted, we could talk for hours and create some heated discussions but I'm not feeling that today.
"Are you there God? It's me, Shalese."
In case you didn't know, for those of you first timers here, I was raised as a member of the LDS church. I went to sunday school, to girls camp, to seminary, and so on. And I loved it.... usually. There were days I would walk out of seminary with a smile on my face and a glow in my heart. However, there were also some days I would walk out with tears on my face and a storm in my soul. There were so many things I didn't agree with. Often times, when a student or a teacher would say something I disagreed with I would brush it off. The religion is based upon the teachings and not the people.... right? Whenever there would be something I didn't understand I would assume it was because of my limited knowledge and it was God's will. For years I lived this way. I was upset all the time and yet I was upset for being upset. Why am I confused? I must be terrible. Why don't I understand? I must not be spiritual. I was in constant inner turmoil because I was not understanding and hating myself for not being able to understand.
Yeah.. a GREAT way to live. Constantly hating myself. Shalese, how could you ever leave such a lifestyle?? I was terribly unhappy. Sure, there were moments of happiness but there was a shadow always present in the corner of my happiness. For 19 years I lived this way. I went to college, I joined my singles ward, and I withstood the willy evils of a college campus. I did what I was suppose to. I had a great time. I was still so ill at ease with myself. I was constantly afraid of letting people in on the secret called my life--the fact that my family was not conventional, I did not agree with many things we were being taught, and I was so unhappy with myself. I felt like life in the single ward was a constant facade. No one struggled and we were all a happy spiritual bunch of pre-wed wannabes.
Or maybe it was just me. Maybe everyone was happy and I just didn't fit in. I did meet some great people and had some wonderful leaders but I was left feeling empty. It was like a constant roller coaster of happy and rock bottom. Summer came around after my first year of college and I decided to cast out my net. See what else was out there. I took the essentials I still believed in from being raised LDS and headed back to square one. I banished my inner demons and started anew.
Am I declaring the LDS religion to hold no truth? Quite the opposite. I have known some beautiful members of the LDS church who pulled me through some rough times. I'm certain their hearts are made of gold. For them the LDS faith is pure and true. It just isn't always for me. I think that religion speaks differently to each individual. What may be true for some people does not ring true to others and boils down to the goodness of your heart. I'm sure God would prefer a kind-hearted atheist over a hateful Christian. Because according to society such phrases should be considered oxymoron's. I'm sorry if you feel I'm pointing fingers because that's certainly not my intentions. No single religion stands guiltless. It happens all the time. Personally, I just feel like I would rather stand alone than group myself with a belief system I can't commit my whole heart towards.
So where do I stand now? I've talked and talked about what I don't believe in and have yet to mention what I do believe. I believe religion is a unique experience to each individual. God can take on many forms depending on the needs of whoever is looking for him. Do I believe in God? Christ? I believe life is too beautiful for it to simply be happenstance but as to who had a hand in making this crazy thing called life I remain open minded. She? He? Them? I've certainly had to seriously reflect on my beliefs while writing this but honestly I still remain uncertain. Whenever I pray, I pray to the LDS idea of a strong, all-knowing male figure. Whenever I meditate, I envision the enlightened Buddha who believes in dimensions of awareness and peace. Whenever I chant, I think of energetic children. Whenever I think of children, I depict a beautiful woman with withered hands and a giving heart.
To me, God is in everything and everywhere I go. Divinity is all around us here on Earth. I can feel it when I watch a play or read literature. I can see it in the eyes of a scientist when they explain their discoveries. I watch it grow with the new flowers of springtime. I can hear it in the cries of a newborn child and the soft comforting murmurs of their mother. It radiates from the body of a dancer as they express themselves with their movement. It's in the unity of human beings as they rally for the sake of the greater good. I picture it as a warm ripple of light that touches our hearts as it makes its way from person to person. It enlightens us, wakes us up, and brings us together. It is driven by love and motivated by passion.
I'm not so sure if I would call that God so much as spirit. I believe in the spirit of humanity. I believe in love. I believe in us. In me and in you. I may not be religious but I have enough spirituality to join in a community drum circle, meditate with a Buddhist monk, roll down the hill with a group of children, and plant flowers in my garden. Sincerity and kindness are my driving forces. Karma will always play a big part in who I am. Into life I will put my best and wait for it to come back around. I will discipline my mind, my body, and my spirit. I will remain enlightened and open-minded and take life as it comes while trying to be a better person.
I'm still growing. Life is still hard and I seem to learn by trial and error... but I'm learning. I don't feel limited. Maybe one day I will change. Maybe I won't. Right now I know that I'm happy and I feel more like myself than I ever have before. I have the ability to accept people with different views and opinions because I don't adhere to the belief that I am right and you are wrong. When entering a conversation about religion, or simply life in general, I enter with the mindset that I have the opportunity to learn something new.
Just as our appearances will vary, so will our beliefs. If we all looked the same it'd be boring. It goes the same for our beliefs. Just remember to be respectful of those around you. Life has so much to offer it'd be a shame to miss out because we were too busy limiting ourselves. We are all different and that's okay. Simple enough but sometimes we forget.
Stay beautiful kids.
Today will not be one of those times.
...well, there will probably be some sarcasm. Let's face it--sarcasm and I are like wine and cheese. You can have one without the other but if you expect to wine and dine at the Ritz with Cary Grant .. expect there to be cheese with your wine.
I'm here to tell you my opinion. I not here to challenge your opinion--mainly because part of my opinion is we should all be entitled to our own opinion. Today's post is Rated R...
... for religion.
Yes. I'm about to take on one of the most talked about subjects in America. Every problem we face seems to boil down to religion. We could sit here and talk over separation of church and state, religion in the workplace, drowning your fellow peers with your Bible bashing, etc, but I'm not about to do that. Granted, we could talk for hours and create some heated discussions but I'm not feeling that today.
"Are you there God? It's me, Shalese."
In case you didn't know, for those of you first timers here, I was raised as a member of the LDS church. I went to sunday school, to girls camp, to seminary, and so on. And I loved it.... usually. There were days I would walk out of seminary with a smile on my face and a glow in my heart. However, there were also some days I would walk out with tears on my face and a storm in my soul. There were so many things I didn't agree with. Often times, when a student or a teacher would say something I disagreed with I would brush it off. The religion is based upon the teachings and not the people.... right? Whenever there would be something I didn't understand I would assume it was because of my limited knowledge and it was God's will. For years I lived this way. I was upset all the time and yet I was upset for being upset. Why am I confused? I must be terrible. Why don't I understand? I must not be spiritual. I was in constant inner turmoil because I was not understanding and hating myself for not being able to understand.
Yeah.. a GREAT way to live. Constantly hating myself. Shalese, how could you ever leave such a lifestyle?? I was terribly unhappy. Sure, there were moments of happiness but there was a shadow always present in the corner of my happiness. For 19 years I lived this way. I went to college, I joined my singles ward, and I withstood the willy evils of a college campus. I did what I was suppose to. I had a great time. I was still so ill at ease with myself. I was constantly afraid of letting people in on the secret called my life--the fact that my family was not conventional, I did not agree with many things we were being taught, and I was so unhappy with myself. I felt like life in the single ward was a constant facade. No one struggled and we were all a happy spiritual bunch of pre-wed wannabes.
Or maybe it was just me. Maybe everyone was happy and I just didn't fit in. I did meet some great people and had some wonderful leaders but I was left feeling empty. It was like a constant roller coaster of happy and rock bottom. Summer came around after my first year of college and I decided to cast out my net. See what else was out there. I took the essentials I still believed in from being raised LDS and headed back to square one. I banished my inner demons and started anew.
Am I declaring the LDS religion to hold no truth? Quite the opposite. I have known some beautiful members of the LDS church who pulled me through some rough times. I'm certain their hearts are made of gold. For them the LDS faith is pure and true. It just isn't always for me. I think that religion speaks differently to each individual. What may be true for some people does not ring true to others and boils down to the goodness of your heart. I'm sure God would prefer a kind-hearted atheist over a hateful Christian. Because according to society such phrases should be considered oxymoron's. I'm sorry if you feel I'm pointing fingers because that's certainly not my intentions. No single religion stands guiltless. It happens all the time. Personally, I just feel like I would rather stand alone than group myself with a belief system I can't commit my whole heart towards.
So where do I stand now? I've talked and talked about what I don't believe in and have yet to mention what I do believe. I believe religion is a unique experience to each individual. God can take on many forms depending on the needs of whoever is looking for him. Do I believe in God? Christ? I believe life is too beautiful for it to simply be happenstance but as to who had a hand in making this crazy thing called life I remain open minded. She? He? Them? I've certainly had to seriously reflect on my beliefs while writing this but honestly I still remain uncertain. Whenever I pray, I pray to the LDS idea of a strong, all-knowing male figure. Whenever I meditate, I envision the enlightened Buddha who believes in dimensions of awareness and peace. Whenever I chant, I think of energetic children. Whenever I think of children, I depict a beautiful woman with withered hands and a giving heart.
To me, God is in everything and everywhere I go. Divinity is all around us here on Earth. I can feel it when I watch a play or read literature. I can see it in the eyes of a scientist when they explain their discoveries. I watch it grow with the new flowers of springtime. I can hear it in the cries of a newborn child and the soft comforting murmurs of their mother. It radiates from the body of a dancer as they express themselves with their movement. It's in the unity of human beings as they rally for the sake of the greater good. I picture it as a warm ripple of light that touches our hearts as it makes its way from person to person. It enlightens us, wakes us up, and brings us together. It is driven by love and motivated by passion.
I'm not so sure if I would call that God so much as spirit. I believe in the spirit of humanity. I believe in love. I believe in us. In me and in you. I may not be religious but I have enough spirituality to join in a community drum circle, meditate with a Buddhist monk, roll down the hill with a group of children, and plant flowers in my garden. Sincerity and kindness are my driving forces. Karma will always play a big part in who I am. Into life I will put my best and wait for it to come back around. I will discipline my mind, my body, and my spirit. I will remain enlightened and open-minded and take life as it comes while trying to be a better person.
I'm still growing. Life is still hard and I seem to learn by trial and error... but I'm learning. I don't feel limited. Maybe one day I will change. Maybe I won't. Right now I know that I'm happy and I feel more like myself than I ever have before. I have the ability to accept people with different views and opinions because I don't adhere to the belief that I am right and you are wrong. When entering a conversation about religion, or simply life in general, I enter with the mindset that I have the opportunity to learn something new.
Just as our appearances will vary, so will our beliefs. If we all looked the same it'd be boring. It goes the same for our beliefs. Just remember to be respectful of those around you. Life has so much to offer it'd be a shame to miss out because we were too busy limiting ourselves. We are all different and that's okay. Simple enough but sometimes we forget.
Stay beautiful kids.
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