We hate because we don’t know where else to place our emotions. We hate because we are fearful. We hate because we have gone too deep. We hate because we love. The energy happiness takes is draining. The energy hates takes is easy. When you hate, you don’t care.
Emptiness, loss, disbelief, hostility, animosity, weakness.
“Hate is the consequence of fear; we fear something before we hate it; a child who fears noises becomes a man who hates noise.”
- Cyril Connolly
Because there is fear in the world, there is hatred. It makes dealing with problems easier. Some of us hate the people of Iraq because we fear for our lives. Some of us hate the people we should love because we fear we aren’t good enough. Some of us just hate because we can’t find any other emotion to hold onto.
However, when hate finds it’s way into our minds it’s difficult to replace. That darkness will always be there. It’s a strong emotion and has the ability to control your every thought, every move, every action. It drives you away from the things and people you love.
Scottish philosopher and historian David Hume believed that hate is an ‘irreducible feeling that is not definable at all’.
If such an emotion can’t be described, it can’t be said that everyone experiences it the same. One thing that is for sure is that at one point or another, hate finds it’s way into our lives. It is up to us to recognize it. It is up to us to attempt to fill that emptiness with something else. Doesn’t matter what it is. But hatred eats you alive. It gets in your head, takes control, and tears you apart.
If there weren’t hatred, there would be peace. If there weren’t hatred, there would be less fear. So, what do you fear? What do you hate?
The answers are probably the same.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Comfort
You reach for it. It touches you in every way. A sheet of comfort overflows. A sense of peace radiates through your body. Your mind flashes back to a time in your life when you were filled with happiness. When things were easy. When you had someone to care for you. When you had someone bigger than you, stronger than you, take you into his or her arms.
No matter what ‘it’ is, we all need it. We all need something to hope for. We all need something to hold onto when things get tough. We all need a reassurance that we are loved.
During some point in the 20th century, Bob Greene said this:
“If you look closely enough, amid the merciless and the bitter, there is always the chance that you may find comfort and the promise of something good.”
We were not created to take care of ourselves. We were not meant to push everyone away. We were not meant to be so independent. Everyone needs someone, everyone needs something to reassure them. Everyone needs to be loved.
We were thrown into a world of corruption, hate, tragedy, and conformity. It is not, by any means, wrong for you to crave love. It is not, by any means, wrong for you to want to have the comfort as you did when you were a baby cradled in your mother’s arms.
This ‘it’ you long for, let it find you. Let it overtake you. It doesn’t matter where you are. It doesn’t matter what point you’re at in your life. If someone is giving, take. If someone needs comfort, give it.
Let a kiss on your forehead be more than a kiss.
Let it bring you back to a time of ultimate happiness.
No matter what ‘it’ is, we all need it. We all need something to hope for. We all need something to hold onto when things get tough. We all need a reassurance that we are loved.
During some point in the 20th century, Bob Greene said this:
“If you look closely enough, amid the merciless and the bitter, there is always the chance that you may find comfort and the promise of something good.”
We were not created to take care of ourselves. We were not meant to push everyone away. We were not meant to be so independent. Everyone needs someone, everyone needs something to reassure them. Everyone needs to be loved.
We were thrown into a world of corruption, hate, tragedy, and conformity. It is not, by any means, wrong for you to crave love. It is not, by any means, wrong for you to want to have the comfort as you did when you were a baby cradled in your mother’s arms.
This ‘it’ you long for, let it find you. Let it overtake you. It doesn’t matter where you are. It doesn’t matter what point you’re at in your life. If someone is giving, take. If someone needs comfort, give it.
Let a kiss on your forehead be more than a kiss.
Let it bring you back to a time of ultimate happiness.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Strays
There are stray animals and those animals that are safe in a loving home. The strays don’t have the necessities. They search for food, a place to stay, love. Nothing is handed to them, nothing at all. At one point or another they were abandoned by their mother, owner, whoever. So they spend their life searching. Just searching. Its all they can do.
At one point or another we all feel like strays. We feel as if we have to search for everything. Sure, love may just be handed to us. But what if it isn’t really the love we’re looking for?
We have the love from our family. Sometimes it’s strong, other times it’s weak. Sometimes it hurts, other times it heals. Sometimes it’s doubtful, other times it clearly shows.
But of course, like everything else, love comes with attached strings. And ultimately, it comes down to whether you choose to be selfish or selfless.
To be selfish in love is to make it easier for yourself, to give yourself all the answers, to give yourself all the control. It’s to make someone somewhat of a prisoner or a slave, to give them no freedom. It’s to take away all the chances for someone to learn the ins and outs, rights and wrongs, limits and breakpoints of life before it hits them hard at the home run.
Or, you can be selfless in love. It’s to give freedom, understanding, space, all of which will eventually lead to greater love. It may cause worry, but that should be nothing compared to what you’re giving the other person.
We are all strays at one point or another, searching for something more, searching for the love we deserve. We don’t deserve to be abandoned. No person or animal deserves that.
So next time you see a stray, don’t just watch it, think about it, or write about it.
Get up and give it what it deserves.
At one point or another we all feel like strays. We feel as if we have to search for everything. Sure, love may just be handed to us. But what if it isn’t really the love we’re looking for?
We have the love from our family. Sometimes it’s strong, other times it’s weak. Sometimes it hurts, other times it heals. Sometimes it’s doubtful, other times it clearly shows.
But of course, like everything else, love comes with attached strings. And ultimately, it comes down to whether you choose to be selfish or selfless.
To be selfish in love is to make it easier for yourself, to give yourself all the answers, to give yourself all the control. It’s to make someone somewhat of a prisoner or a slave, to give them no freedom. It’s to take away all the chances for someone to learn the ins and outs, rights and wrongs, limits and breakpoints of life before it hits them hard at the home run.
Or, you can be selfless in love. It’s to give freedom, understanding, space, all of which will eventually lead to greater love. It may cause worry, but that should be nothing compared to what you’re giving the other person.
We are all strays at one point or another, searching for something more, searching for the love we deserve. We don’t deserve to be abandoned. No person or animal deserves that.
So next time you see a stray, don’t just watch it, think about it, or write about it.
Get up and give it what it deserves.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
CLASS OF 2010
Seniors,
As I write this, we have less than a week before graduation. As you read this, we have less than a day before we graduate. Time is a precious thing in this type of situation. There is something you long for, something that is just a bit out of reach. Yet, you can still see it, bright and clear.
In these past four years we have grown from children to young adults. We’ve become experienced in many things. We’ve learned more than we ever thought our brains could retain and have read books that have made us want to drop dead. But all those things, each day passed, brought us that much closer to where we’re standing today.
In Baz Luhrmann’s “Everyone’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)”, he says, “In 20 years, you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. Do one thing everyday that scares you. Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours. Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. Be careful of whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it.”
Right now, we have countless opportunities to take hold of. Whereas some doors are closing, there are countless others that are opening into a bigger world. It’s up to you to grab onto one of those handles, turn the knob, and start the journey. If you don’t know which door to open, try them all. One is bound to take you to where you wish to be.
You are as good as you make yourself to be. If you don’t think you can do something, no one else will. If you don’t think you can succeed, no company will think you can either. You’re all of what you make yourself to be. Remember that.
Try and look at the positives of life because just as Luhrmann said, worrying will get you no where. Even more, all worrying does is waste precious time. If you focus more on the positives, it’s guaranteed that more positive things will happen for you. Don’t get down on yourself, but remember that if you do, there will always be someone there to help you get back up.
Out of either my sanguinity or my favoritism, I believe the class of 2010 will go on to do great things. Take life by the forefront; don’t stand in the back. After all, there’s no way to stand out and show what you’re made of, what you can do, if you happened to be cast in the shadows of those in front of you.
Always,
Kim Alfred
As I write this, we have less than a week before graduation. As you read this, we have less than a day before we graduate. Time is a precious thing in this type of situation. There is something you long for, something that is just a bit out of reach. Yet, you can still see it, bright and clear.
In these past four years we have grown from children to young adults. We’ve become experienced in many things. We’ve learned more than we ever thought our brains could retain and have read books that have made us want to drop dead. But all those things, each day passed, brought us that much closer to where we’re standing today.
In Baz Luhrmann’s “Everyone’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)”, he says, “In 20 years, you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. Do one thing everyday that scares you. Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours. Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind. Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. Be careful of whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it.”
Right now, we have countless opportunities to take hold of. Whereas some doors are closing, there are countless others that are opening into a bigger world. It’s up to you to grab onto one of those handles, turn the knob, and start the journey. If you don’t know which door to open, try them all. One is bound to take you to where you wish to be.
You are as good as you make yourself to be. If you don’t think you can do something, no one else will. If you don’t think you can succeed, no company will think you can either. You’re all of what you make yourself to be. Remember that.
Try and look at the positives of life because just as Luhrmann said, worrying will get you no where. Even more, all worrying does is waste precious time. If you focus more on the positives, it’s guaranteed that more positive things will happen for you. Don’t get down on yourself, but remember that if you do, there will always be someone there to help you get back up.
Out of either my sanguinity or my favoritism, I believe the class of 2010 will go on to do great things. Take life by the forefront; don’t stand in the back. After all, there’s no way to stand out and show what you’re made of, what you can do, if you happened to be cast in the shadows of those in front of you.
Always,
Kim Alfred
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Building up and Tearing Down.
We all try to protect ourselves from the outside world at one point in our life. Walls are built, there are wars, there are tears, there is death, there is tragedy, there are countless instances where we don't know who we are, where we are, or where we're going. There is a story I know, it's about knowing when enough is enough. It's knowing when to tear those walls down.
I once knew a girl who was depressed, broken, torn, devastated, you name it. She was misery, you could see it in her eyes, feel it in her presence. She wore scars from the past on every single part of her body. She had lost all hope, given up on everything, shut everyone and everything out. She had a chance to change and passed it right up. She thought she liked being how she was, it was all that comforted her.
She never thought of changing for the better; she had tried but never succeeded. It wasn't until she was left alone for the first time in her life by the people who meant the most to her, until she had experienced more downfalls than a girl her age should experience, until she broke down one too many times, that she saw herself in the future as someone she never intended to be. At that time, she tore down her walls and made something of herself. She realized that sometimes you need to be vulnerable, sometimes you need to be dependent, sometimes you need to believe more in yourself. And that girl? She's changed, and she's about to graduate and make something even more of her life.
I once knew a girl who was depressed, broken, torn, devastated, you name it. She was misery, you could see it in her eyes, feel it in her presence. She wore scars from the past on every single part of her body. She had lost all hope, given up on everything, shut everyone and everything out. She had a chance to change and passed it right up. She thought she liked being how she was, it was all that comforted her.
She never thought of changing for the better; she had tried but never succeeded. It wasn't until she was left alone for the first time in her life by the people who meant the most to her, until she had experienced more downfalls than a girl her age should experience, until she broke down one too many times, that she saw herself in the future as someone she never intended to be. At that time, she tore down her walls and made something of herself. She realized that sometimes you need to be vulnerable, sometimes you need to be dependent, sometimes you need to believe more in yourself. And that girl? She's changed, and she's about to graduate and make something even more of her life.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Satisfaction
Stop for a second. Look at your life. Look at where you’ve come from. Look at how you’ve grown up. Look at the decisions you’ve made. Look at your accomplishments, look at your failures. Look at every aspect of your life. Take a second and analyze. Now, answer this. Are you satisfied?
We tend to want what we can’t have and have what we don’t necessarily want.
We all want to be loved. But with love comes so many other things. There is sacrifice and commitment and change. We all want it, but not all of us are willing to give what it takes. We all want to be trusted. Trust is far beyond any other virtue. It screams responsibility, care, comfort, and understanding. Innocent until proven guilty, trust provides. We all want to be strong. We want the strength to pull through and overcome. We want that strength. But it’s something that has to be worked on and built upon.
So, if those are things we want but can’t have in the snap of a finger, then what DO we have?
We have family to guide us. We have music to appease us. We have writing to express ourselves. We have God to pick us up when we need it. We have our life and as terrible as we think it is sometimes, we still have a chance to make a change and find that love, strength, and trust.
Take a second. Stop, and think about your life.
Are you satisfied yet?
We tend to want what we can’t have and have what we don’t necessarily want.
We all want to be loved. But with love comes so many other things. There is sacrifice and commitment and change. We all want it, but not all of us are willing to give what it takes. We all want to be trusted. Trust is far beyond any other virtue. It screams responsibility, care, comfort, and understanding. Innocent until proven guilty, trust provides. We all want to be strong. We want the strength to pull through and overcome. We want that strength. But it’s something that has to be worked on and built upon.
So, if those are things we want but can’t have in the snap of a finger, then what DO we have?
We have family to guide us. We have music to appease us. We have writing to express ourselves. We have God to pick us up when we need it. We have our life and as terrible as we think it is sometimes, we still have a chance to make a change and find that love, strength, and trust.
Take a second. Stop, and think about your life.
Are you satisfied yet?
Monday, March 8, 2010
Appreciation
When will we ever start appreciating things for how they are? When will we start realizing that even though our lives may not be perfect to us, those families who have nothing would die to live as we do? We can see. We can hear. We are completely self sufficient. We have our independence. We have people who love us. We have opportunities thrown at us from every direction, every day. We have the ability to be taught. We can drive our own cars. There are more than many people to lean on around us. There are more than many people who are willing to reach out to help us. We have shelter. We have clothing. We have food. So what’s our excuse? We should appreciate the things we have. We shouldn’t wish and wish for more.
Recently, the people living in Haiti had a devastating earthquake and who have to rebuild their entire lives back up, with nothing but a concrete slate and lack of family members around them. Here, all we do to build back up our lives is to call a contractor and a funeral home. Families in Africa see water as a gift. Here, we pollute it.
When Katrina hit, I think we all got a better glimpse of how we should appreciate our lives. Sadly, those outlooks have changed over the years since the hurricane. It was a time when we realized that even though we didn’t have the material things we loved, we still had people around us who had survived the downfall of the city.
And on that note, relationships. Nothing is ever perfect. No one is ever perfect. No relationship, whether it be friendship or something more, will ever be perfect. But there’s a time to let go of a barrier you put up, a wall that you build inside you to keep you safe and independent, and let someone in. There’s a time to step back and appreciate the amount of people around you who care for you more than anything in the world. If you do that and realize how many people look out for you and only want the best for you, I bed you’d be appalled. Get rid of all the petty bullshit and drama. No one needs that. Look at what would make your life better. Look at who would make your life happier. When you find someone you can lean on and reach out to and who will be willing to help you whenever, wherever? Then you’ve found where you should be.
We have so many things we should be thankful for, but we forget to BE thankful for them. Up there is my list. Where’s yours?
Recently, the people living in Haiti had a devastating earthquake and who have to rebuild their entire lives back up, with nothing but a concrete slate and lack of family members around them. Here, all we do to build back up our lives is to call a contractor and a funeral home. Families in Africa see water as a gift. Here, we pollute it.
When Katrina hit, I think we all got a better glimpse of how we should appreciate our lives. Sadly, those outlooks have changed over the years since the hurricane. It was a time when we realized that even though we didn’t have the material things we loved, we still had people around us who had survived the downfall of the city.
And on that note, relationships. Nothing is ever perfect. No one is ever perfect. No relationship, whether it be friendship or something more, will ever be perfect. But there’s a time to let go of a barrier you put up, a wall that you build inside you to keep you safe and independent, and let someone in. There’s a time to step back and appreciate the amount of people around you who care for you more than anything in the world. If you do that and realize how many people look out for you and only want the best for you, I bed you’d be appalled. Get rid of all the petty bullshit and drama. No one needs that. Look at what would make your life better. Look at who would make your life happier. When you find someone you can lean on and reach out to and who will be willing to help you whenever, wherever? Then you’ve found where you should be.
We have so many things we should be thankful for, but we forget to BE thankful for them. Up there is my list. Where’s yours?
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