Their Words for Our Lives...

The events in the Middle East leave us much to ponder about our place in society, about the meaning of power, and the precarious position in which our leaders may find themselves should they ever overstep their bounds.

“Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.” -- Mao Tse-Tung

An unfortunate, and ugly truth, but one we must face. The fact is that those with influence maintain that influence, generally through their ability to dominate opposition through force. In the world, we see countries like the United States dominate the global discussion because of it's vast military presence in the world.

In the revolting Middle Eastern countries, it is the minority, the political elite, which holds power over its citizens via violent force. Rockets, bullets, aircraft, all turned against citizens who are simply calling for a new chance, a new system, and a new life.

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable.”-- John F. Kennedy

Allow us a space to protest, to vent our frustrations, and we shall do so. Provide us with the means to call for reform, and we will call for it. Give us the freedom to speak as we wish about whoever and whatever, with no fear of repercussion, and we the words will flow freely from our lips.

Deny us our rights, and we will do all that and more.



====

This post is not as long as usual, because I really don't have much time on the weekends with work and homework, but I wanted to share this, and it seemed appropriate. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

A light wind swept over the corn, and all nature laughed in the sunshine.
--Anne Bronte

It's spring. Or it soon will be. But here in Florida, it feels as though the earth is waking from a deep slumber. Persephone has returned to Demeter, and the sun is smiling down on us. All the while, a soft breeze weaves it's way across the land, dipping in between houses, exploring the tucked away and hidden places of our civilization, gracing everything it touches with a soft caress.

If you remember from one of my earlier posts, I'm a big fan of wind. It clears my mind and frees me from my burdens, even just for a moment. It has a sort of renewing quality to it that so often we fail to get from the things in our lives.

A wind has blown the rain away and blown the sky away and all the leaves away, and the trees stand. I think, I too, have known autumn too long.
--e. e. cummings

Rejuvenation. Exhilaration. What does it for you? What can you do for an extended period of time that doesn't start to bother you, and helps you relax completely? To survive and be happy in this life, it's essential to find your zen.

I know there are people out there who don't like wind, but for me, it's beautiful. It's a natural manifestation of mother nature, and it's an example of the fact that there is always a dual nature to all things.

We are like the wind, in a way. We can be soft, gentle, exploratory. We can wrap ourselves around someone and caress them. We can be a whisper in the ear of a lover, or a relaxing presence during a time of distress.

We can also be powerful. We can overtake that which stands in our way. We can come out of nowhere, and take people by surprise. We can become a whirlwind of destruction, leaving a path of debris and chaos behind us.

The substance of the winds is too thin for human eyes, their written language is too difficult for human minds, and their spoken language mostly too faint for the ears. --John Muir

It is difficult to truly understand the world around us, sometimes. The most self-analytical person may never know why a song, or an activity, or even the wind, makes them feel as though they've just been born, and the entire world has unfolded in front of them.

Does it matter, though? Must we understand every cog in the machine? Must we break down the beauty of the world, the love in our lives, to the smallest minutia, until it can no longer be broken? I wouldn't. It is often true that the whole is greater than the sum of it's parts. Search out what soothes you, what makes you feel whole, and love it. By all means, try to understand it, to know it more intimately so that you may rejoice more completely in it, but be careful not to ruin it with microscopic analysis.

Here's to hoping you find your soft breeze, your zen moment, and embracing it fully.


I know this post was a little scattered. But hey, the wind does that.

It's St. Paddy's day!





And though it's late in the day, and some of you have already celebrated by pounding back a few beers, don't worry. This post is about something that applies to every day. Holiday or not, special occasion or no occasion, there is one thing that is touted as essential to enjoying yourself and your life.

All good things, as they say, in moderation.

So often we get frustrated with the monotony of life. The days drag on and on, always the same thing day in and day out. Wake up, clean up, dress up, work, come home, eat dinner, take care of business, maaayyyybe do something with friends once in a while if time permits, sleep. Exciting isn't it?

Where is the time for us? When do we get to have some real fun? That's what we ask ourselves in a vain attempt to find a comforting answer. Our solution is simple, and not so surprising. On those nights we have with our friends, or those holidays we get the chance to relax, we go a bit wild. We 'let our hair down,' so to speak.

Throw moderation to the winds, and the greatest pleasures bring the greatest pains. --Democritus

How many times have you heard a woman say that after a night of 'letting her hair down' she had to hold her hair back as she hugged the toilet bowl? How many times have you heard about the man who goes a bit wild right off the side of the road, or out the window of a hotel?

Sure, falling out of a hotel window is not exactly what we might call an epidemic, but drunk driving and puking/hangovers are far from uncommon. The question I've always had is 'How do you enjoy yourself if you can barely remember what's happening?'

It's true, this is a speech, or rant or whatever you may wish to call it, that you've probably heard before. I only single out partying and alcohol because it's Saint Patrick's Day. Like Oktoberfest, it's a beer holiday. But make no mistake, lack of moderation can ruin a million other things in your life.

Only actions give life strength; only moderation gives it charm. -- Jean Paul Richter

The major weakness I have when it comes to moderation is music. The moment I hear a song I love, I find it on youtube, or I download it on iTunes, and the next thing you know, I'm playing it on repeat a billion times, and I'm listening to it every day, and loving every minute of.

That lasts a week. By that point, everything about that week has become so intimately intertwined with that song that the next time I hear it, something feels out of place. The song just doesn't belong to the here and now.

And you don't have to agree with me. But I'd offer you this challenge. Eat your favorite ice cream for every meal for a week, and see how quickly that ice cream starts to bother you.

Because it will.

I can not stress enough the importance of self-analysis and self-awareness. Knowing who you are, how you behave, and most importantly, what your strengths and weaknesses are, allows you to be in control and react more quickly when things go wrong.

With all of that said, I give you one final quote, just to prove that I'm not a complete party pooper.

Be moderate in everything, including moderation. --Horace Porter

And it's true. It would be foolish of me to say that there are not times in our lives where it's okay to go a bit overboard. But you and I both know, there are times when it should be avoided at all costs.

Sure, you may not crash and die when you get drunk. But you don't want to be the one who misjudged the distance to the guy crossing the street and couldn't stop in time. And you may not have been the person to walk out of a hotel window. But you don't want to be the one who told him where the "door" was.

It's simply a matter of judgement, my friends. You know what will impair said judgement, so take the necessary precautions, and have fun tonight. Just be smart about it. If you're already buzzed, don't let your 'friends' convince you that you haven't had enough. Those who care will be content with whatever amount of alcohol you choose to consume, even if it's nothing.

If you take the time out of your day to read what I'm writing, you matter to me, and I will do my best to make sure you stay safe, even if it means posting like a concerned parent.

With that said, have a wonderful St. Paddy's Day, enjoy your time with friends and family, and don't do anything stupid.

Later!

I'm sure many of you have seen the video or heard the story about the overweight kid who was getting bullied and finally had enough. He took his defense into his own hands, and when a younger kid was punching him in the hallway, he picked up the younger kid and slammed him to the ground. Suffice it to say, it is unlikely that the younger kid, or anyone else for that matter, will be doing much bullying from now on. For that, I applaud the poor kid who was getting bullied. He finally said 'No.' He finally refused to be the victim. But one thing struck me about this story.

There was no one to support him. He had no friends to help him deal with the bullying.

A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. --Walter Winchell

For this kid, and a million other kids who are bullied for no other reason than a cruel person's desire to get off on the power trip, the rest of the world had walked away. It was only a stranger, a girl who was not actually his friend, who stepped in to prevent it from escalating even further.

You see, friendship is a powerful thing. It's true, there are lone wolves out there. There are people who prefer the company of themselves to the company of others. And who are we to begrudge them that satisfaction?

But if we are honest with ourselves, were are social creatures. We tend to group together in most situations. We cling to each other like bits of space dust, drawn together by some mysterious force that tells us that being together is the right thing to do.

Friendship is an amazing facet of life that does so many things for us. How fragile is our existence with no base of support? How easily do we crumble when the world presses down on us? The presence of but one friend immediately eases the weight of our burdens. When we talk to our friends, tell them our fears, explain our difficulties, share our secrets, laugh with them, cry with them, dance with them, do something silly or stupid together that becomes the focal point of a long running in-joke, we enrich our souls. We build our lives on a foundation of love and truth that stands strong in the face of adversity.

So often, the phrase used to describe the important people in our lives is 'friends and family,' but for many of us, those two are one in the same. I've heard the story a number of times, of people who grew up feeling like they had two sets of parents because they spent so much time with their best friend. And while it's hard to know just how prevalent this is, I do know one thing.

It's REALLY hard to think of a downside to this scenario, and I have yet to do it. It is a path rife with enrichment, love, and fun for all involved.

While friendships can be supremely powerful bonds, we must remember one thing. As I said before, strong relationships are based on love and truth. Friendships that are full of lies and deceit will be razed to the ground by the slightest pressure.

Sometimes you put walls up not to keep people out, but to see who cares enough to break them down.-- Unknown

How do you build and display a beautiful castle to the world? Do you build a wall around a piece of land and then expect someone to come and do all the work for you? To come and admire your really pretty yard? You need raw materials. You need someone to help you build. To give you advice on when you're doing something wrong. How far should I take this staircase? Where should I put this room in relation to that one? Does this spire make my butt look big?

To create something beautiful, you must first invite beauty in. You must first expose your heart to the world and say, "This is me. Tell me about you. I care."

It's a scary prospect, I know. There is an inherent vulnerability that so many of us are not comfortable with in that scenario. And so we put up those walls. We build those fences and then we expect people to come to us.

This, my friends, is the path to loneliness.

So often I hear the phrase:

To the world you may be just one person, but to one person you may be the world.-- Brandi Snyder

It's probably the most popular quote I've heard that deals with friendship. But I have a problem with it. Even if it's true, sometimes it doesn't seem that way. For those kids out there who are bullied and driven to the edge, the world is an abyss. It doesn't have to be though. All it takes is a smile. I don't know how many times I've heard the story of someone on the edge of suicide who didn't do it because of a random act of kindness.

Be that person. Be the unselfish person who shares their heart and their kindness with those around you. Not only will you attract people to you who will want to be a part of the good things, but you may also unwittingly alter somebody's future in a way you never expected.

Good night, stay strong, love, and be loved. I'll see you soon.

---
One more new blog to share with you, if you're interested. It's a music blog that shares music from around the world. It's inspired by the now defunct music channel IMF: International Music Feed. I wanna explore the different genres, songs, and artists of the world's music scene and share them with you. It can be found at World Music Mix: globalsmash.blogspot.com

I promise.

These two words are tossed around so loosely and quickly that they've begun to lose their gravity. The question we have to ask ourselves is, what is a promise, anymore? All that is left in a promise is the surety of quick acquiescence. That we can get someone to say yes to our request sooner rather than later if we just say "I promise."

I promise to pay you back.

I promise I won't tell anyone.

I promise I'll [insert political policy here] when I am elected.

Eggs and oaths are easily broken. --Danish Proverb

How many excuses do we come up with, to avoid the responsibility we have burdened ourselves with? How many different ways can we find to say "Sorry, I lied"? We find every other way but that. We make excuses. We swear up and down that there is a good reason that our promise was broken. Or worse, maybe we promise that it won't happen again.

Promises are like crying babies in a theater, they should be carried out at once. --Norman Vincent Peale

There are few ways to more quickly ruin a relationship than a broken promise. If you ever watch those court shows on television, you'll see one major theme that spans across all the shows. Somebody either promised something to another person, or is accused of promising something to another person.

The problem is that broken promises, and lies more broadly, not only build upon themselves, making it much more difficult to handle when things become complicated, but they also sow discontent. They create mistrust between peers, acquaintances, friends, family members, and even lovers.

There is a quote that I read once, and while I don't know the origin, and the situation did not deal with promises, I think it fits.

One time is chance, two times is coincidence, three times is enemy action. --Unknown

It is fairly easy to accept excuses for a person's failed attempt to keep a promise. Hell, sometimes we even make the excuses ourselves, hoping not to see the sad truth of the situation. In time, though, the niggling doubt grows. It presents itself more clearly every time we hear the words "I promise," until one day you just don't believe it anymore. And then it's over.

Without trust, there can be no foundation for a lasting relationship, romantic, friendly, or otherwise.

Promises are not obsolete. They are not pointless. But it's time to be more careful with how we use them. Save a promise for a day when you really mean it. For a situation where you fully intend, with 100% of your being, to fulfill said oath. It's not impossible, or even difficult, to express the same amount of sincerity without putting yourself in a tough situation.

The words, "I'll do the best I can," or "I'll see what I can do," or even, "I can't make any promises, but..."

A promise is a bond that is powerful. It connects people on a deeper level, and can lift them up to greater heights of friendship.

But it is also a chain that can be painfully dangerous. It binds two people together, and can drag them both down to despair.

Go easy on the promises. Be completely sincere when you mean them. Trust is essential to survival in such a social civilization as the one we live. Let us not destroy it for the momentary satisfaction of getting what we want.

Thanks for reading, I'll see you soon. :)

---

Thanks again to everyone who commented on the last post. As always, please leave comments letting me know what you think, good or bad. I value your thoughts and view points.

Here is a quote that applies to my life at the moment, and I'm sure many of you are in similar situations in these economic doldrums.

He who will not economize will have to agonize.--Confucius

It's hard sometimes, to manage things. Life is constantly bombarding us with situations that we don't want to deal with, problems that need solving, and just general crap that needs to be handled. But we can't put these things off.

Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday. --Don Marquis

Prioritizing is key. The big problems are not going to go away while we deal with the little things in life. They're going to get bigger.


A professor of philosophy stood before his class with some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks about two inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full.

They agreed that it was full.

So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly and watched as the pebbles rolled into the open areas between the rocks. The professor then asked the students again if the jar was full.

They chuckled and agreed that it was indeed full this time.

The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled the remaining open areas of the jar. “Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar signifies your life. The rocks are the truly important things, such as family, health and relationships. If all else was lost and only the rocks remained, your life would still be meaningful. The pebbles are the other things that matter in your life, such as work or school. The sand signifies the remaining “small stuff” and material possessions.

If you put sand into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks or the pebbles. The same can be applied to your lives. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are truly important. -- Julie Isphording

If there are issues in your life that you know need to be handled, but have been sitting there because they're difficult and bothersome to tackle, make the decision to change that. Take some time, re-evalute the situation, and see if there isn't a way to reorganize and prioritize your life so that you don't wake up one day to find that all the garbage of your life has been left at the foot of your bed.

---

I know this isn't the usual length of my posts, but I've noticed that after I do a big post where I really focus on it, I get kind of lax with this blog. So what I'm going to do is post more quotes and make the posts a bit shorter. This way, I can supply you with more quotes and you'll have more room to interpret things as you wish. I'll still make the longer posts when inspiration strikes, which will hopefully be often. Thanks for sticking with me, and thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your kind words. They mean so much to me.

I'd say good night, but it's 1:28 AM, so good morning. :)

Judge not, that ye be not judged. --Matthew 7:1

Often misquoted as "Judge not, lest ye be judged," this is a phrase that people use quite often, generally as a defense to deter others from criticizing us or someone/something we like.

It's tough. SO tough.

A basic part of human instinct seems to be to judge, and it makes sense. From an evolutionary stand point, the ability to determine the weaknesses of others gives us an advantage in the battle for resources, food, mates, etc. The moment we meet someone new, most of us manage to find both good and bad things about this person, and we all know that a bad first impression can ruin what could have been a fantastic friendship or relationship.

So, whenever I hear someone say, "Judge not, lest ye be judged," my first reaction is 'Hypocrite!' My second reaction is to think, in a very mature and composed manner, of course, what basically boils down to 'No, you!'

I shouldn't, though. Neither should you. You see, here's an easy way to avoid this problem. And you're gonna make a face at me when I tell you, but that's okay.

Block out the crap. Don't judge.

Look, the fact of the matter is that not only is it usually rude and utterly pointless, but most of the time (notice I didn't say all the time), we judge people negatively for minor things, or things that annoy us, rather than for any sort of substantial reason.

Don't misunderstand me, I don't actually expect anyone to stop judging. As I said before, I think it's part of human nature. But let's look at the situation from a pragmatic stand point. We're going to judge people eventually. The problem is that we don't know everyone's entire story. If we know someone's history, we're likely close friends with them, and even less likely to be a harsh critic.

If you have an acquaintance at work who says things that you can't possibly understand the origin of, stop and think for a second. You probably don't know what this person's life is like. What is his/her past like? Why don't they know that France is not even close to being on the same continent as the US? It would be so easy to let these things get to you. It would be so easy to get upset, to argue with this person, to nitpick their ability to do their job, to go home and complain about their incompetence, to get mad when the person you're venting to gets tired of listening, to tell your friend, parent, lover, sibling, etc. that they just don't understand!

Divorced parents, it might have been. A broken home often distracts a person from what would normally take precedence. Maybe the family didn't have much money, or maybe it was a single parent home, and that person spent their school years trying to help keep the family afloat? I don't know. You don't know.

We. Don't. Know.

And if it was you? If you worked with someone, and it just so happened that you had a hard life, or if you struggled to make ends meet, and you couldn't bring yourself to smile and laugh at the jokes, how would you want people to judge you? Should they simply assume that your surface is your soul? That there is nothing underneath to be explored? That you're such a simpleton that all you have is one dimension?

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. --The Ancient World (multiple civilizations)

You see, here's the thing. Casting judgement on others, letting their actions bother you and anger you, they have a powerful effect. The effect, however, is not directed upon the person being judged, but rather he/she who judges. I know from first hand experience that it festers. It sits inside of you, bubbling, the pressure building with every shake like a super-carbonated bottle of soda.

And as you know, the moment the cap is removed, or jostled loose, that anger overflows, bursting forth like a torrent. It makes a mess, leaves those around you covered in the unpleasantness of it all, and could potentially ruin a perfectly good couch! Or worse, a relationship.

We are all bottles of soda. We all bubble and fizz on the inside. That's life. What you don't want to do, however, is get shaken up over and over again. Don't allow yourself to be disturbed by the minor and insignificant actions of others.

Block it out. Shut it down. Put it out of your mind. Take a deep breath. Do what ever it takes to prevent those little niggling nuisances from festering inside you and turning into raging balls of discontent.

When someone else's behavior determines your next move, it's time to reevaluate.


Here's to hoping you had a fun and stress-free weekend. See you soon.

----

While this is a broad topic, I was inspired by personal experiences, and so it may seem more personal or direct than usual. Thanks to all of you who have continued reading, I really appreciate it. I'd love to hear how you handle these sorts of things, if you wouldn't mind sharing. What keeps you focused on yourself, and not on what you perceive as the problems of others?