Be Here Now

Everyone lives in the past. Some more than others, but everyone does it. Everyone automatically relates present experiences to past ones, and new memories always trigger old ones. Once those memories are set free, for the rest of the time you're stuck basking in the hapiness of the old memory, or focusing on the hurt. And that stinks, because then it feels like you can't get over the past and then there's more frustration and, before you know it, the moment for making new memories is wasted. I think people are so preoccupied with the past because it's safe. There's no risk in the past, it already happened. It can't affect you any more, and you can talk and complain about it all you want. It's comfortable, almost satisfying, to focus on a past experience's emotion, such as anger, love, or sadness. Maybe it's your mind protecting you from creating more hurtful memories. Maybe we're just scared of what the present will bring. "Living in the moment" often has a slightly hedonistic association with it, but you can live in the moment while still being mindful of what you do. It's hard staying in the present, but I think more people should try it.

Idle Minds

It seems that today, we are afraid of silence. We are incapable at doing one thing at a time, or doing nothing at all. Even now I'm listening music, typing this line, and thinking about the next one, and thinking about me thinking about the next line and judging how you'll read this, all at the same time. There's always an earbud, a text message, a notification, or a TV show dividing our attention. I once read an article that said these distractions and our habit of multitasking has altered our brains to the point where it is physically harder to give one thing our undivided attention. I completely believe this, coming from the girl who once gave herself a headache trying to meditate. Maybe we can't become idle because we're afraid of what we'll hear. Perhaps the world is forcing views upon us that are so skewed and unnatural that, when we do hear our natural thoughts, they seem too wrong to tolerate. What would happen if we all tried to just BE for twenty minutes? Last time I did that, I came to a substantial religious realization, no joke. That's why after I post this I'm laying down on the floor, looking up to the ceiling and going where it takes me. I'm serious, that's what I'm going to do, and you should join me. Come on, let's ditch this world and start dreaming with our eyes open.

Second Ever Poetry Special!

Sweet Submission

Sleep lures me with her calm breezes, her inviting touch.

“Come,” she whispers, “rest your weary head.”

A drop of sweet blackness trickles down my tongue.

“Leave me temptress, for I am only closing my eyes.”

She laughs.

“Foolish mortal, you kid me not.  Why resist your desire?”

“Because I must work! I must perform. I must satisfy…”

“Give me your burdens, child,” coos the goddess of relief,

“Retreat to your dreams, collapse into quiet oblivion.”

I cling to consciousness with my remaining strength,

Yet I know it’s in vain.

So I curse the blessing as my world fades away,

But not before I notice

Her sly smile of triumph.

The Big Questions

          I have no idea how the study of science can cause anyone to cease believing in God.  Because when studying science, you discover that simple chemicals and compounds work in simultaneous and automatic harmony to create and maintain everything  that exists.  And to me that's incredible and only leaves me in awe of an awesome Creator, who gave everything a system, everything a purpose and everything a partner so that LIFE beautiful LIFE could occur.  And these aren't just basic logical systems, but are complex formulas consisting of millions of tiny parts all somehow able to coexist and function.  Now no one can doubt that a species uses natural selection and evolves. If that wasn't true than all people would look the same and a species would look the same as it did millions of years ago.  It frustrates me when people automatically mistake the process of evolution for the Evolutionary Theory that states that humans evolved from primates, which evolved from some other creature.  You CAN believe in evolution (the changing of a species through natural selection, which is obviously exists) while at the same time believing that God created everything.  While the Evolutionary Theory is logical, there are some some huge and discrediting holes.  For instance, if everything evolved out of the want and need to survive then what about emotions?  Sure, love can be explained by the need to reproduce and protect the species, envy and ambition by the need to win and get resources to survive.  But emotions like sympathy, sadness, and self evaluating my cause us to sacrifice, an action that, in theory, would hurt the species.  And the complexity of genes, personalities, and desires would never be necessary when the need was to simply sustain life and not enjoy or experience it.  Scientists themselves are now discovering that DNA and other systems are so complex that the likelihood of them evolving to that level in the amount of time the Earth has existed is slim.  So while I sit in biology class and learn that every protein  is extremely diverse and complex, but are constructed of just twenty different acids, I don't think that's an accident or a coincidence of any sort, but the handy work of my Father. 

A Little Venting Never Hurt

          Wow, yet again I'm balancing on the edge of fulfilling another stereotype.  I'm actually blogging because I'm angry, like some angsty teenager hidden away in the basement.  But I'm not angsty, just angry, and I am not in a basement, but in a well lit room, which, I must add, is painted pink, if that can tell you anything.  I'm blogging to say it's hard to be a decent person, especially when emotions like anger cloud your mind.  I'm upset because some things were said about my extremely good friend by someone I didn't know, and who didn't have a clue about the situation being discussed. And worse yet, it was on that abomination we call FaceBook, for people like me to see and get violently pissed.  You have no idea how close I got to writing this witty, disapproving comment that would give her a piece of my mind (causing me to fill another stereotype of having prissy word fights on FaceBook. By the way, those things are hilarious to read if you're not the one invoved).  But I decided to talk the friend in question first, but when she couldn't talk I was left to think more about what I would say.  Then the annoying "Don't stoop to her level" thought burst into my head and I knew it was right. If I had said similarly mean things to her, wouldn't that just make  me the same rude, ignorant person she was ?  Even if I had reasons for what I would say, hurt is hurt, all the same.  BUT IT'S HARD.  I know an eye for an eye makes the world blind but losing an eye hurts. And hurt brings anger and anger brings the desire for vengeance.  It's a cycle.  Breaking the cycle is unnatural, against our instincts even. For once I wish I could flow comfortably in the cycle, without morals and guilt holding me back.  Well I guess I feel better now that I've worked through it here. I think that's why people blog when their angry.  It forces them to look at the situation from the reader's angle, and assume that the reader would want them to do the right thing. Thank goodness I worked that one out, sorry you all had to endure my thought process.  I hope you at least had an anger-free day! :)      

That Four-Letter Word

          Love. *GAG* Eww gosh am I really blogging about love? Have I allowed myself to be reduced to the overemotional, hormonal teenager that stereotypes me from every angle?  Maybe, but I definitely haven't crossed that line just yet.
         See, love doesn't have to be romantic to be powerful.  Maternal love drained The Dark Lord of his powers for Pete's sake! (Yes, I have been dragged into Harry Potter.  Goblet of Fire, you're up!)  But here, by powerful I mean able to influence someone into actions normally unconsidered, or able to provoke emotions that could not exist without love.  Romantic love I know nearly nothing about, but I have loved people, (meaning other than family) and the depths at which they have hurt or affected me can only be explained by the fact that I truly loved them.  I am not "in love" with these people, but simply love them, in the literal sense of the word.  The dictionary basically defines love as "a strong affection" for someone.  But I would define love as a strong affection paired with a kind of obsession with the well being of the person and their feelings towards you.  Love hurts, enlightens. inspires, and captivates you all at the same time.  Only love can keep you up at night with only one thing on your mind.  Only love causes some actions to be preformed.  And without love, the world would be a completely different place, if it existed at all.

A Gold Mine Untapped

          At what age does your opinion stop mattering? What is the age limit for some one to contribute to society? After what birthday are you dismissed as "the elderly? What annoys me is that just because an individual can't function as easily as a younger one, people automatically judge them as having lesser value. Shouldn't people who have lived longer be cherished for their knowledge and experience? It seems that we shove "the elderly" aside and focus only on what's good for ourselves.  What happened to the term "respect your elders?"  When did it become "stash anyone over 70 in various forms of confinement and regard their input as inferior?"  No matter what age you are, we are all humans and all hold the same value.  If we turned away from ourselves and sought advice from a more experienced individual, we might just find that they can help us more than ever imagined.  Lets start to show respect for all people, no matter age, race, sexuality, beliefs or any other individualities.