Saturday, October 08, 2005

The great thing about getting older is that you don't lose all the other ages you've been.
- Madeleine L'Engle

remember way back in the day when you would be asked "so what do you want to be when you grow up?" i remember i used to answer with stuff like "the president!" or "an NBA player!" or "a pirate!" either way, i thought to myself, by the time i got to be an adult, i would know the answers to all these questions. i would know:
1) what i was doing,
2) where i was going, and
3) who i really am.

so when exactly does someone morph from being a "kid" into an "adult?" well actually i guess the whole process is a little more complicated than that. this is how i see it:

ages:
0-2 :: baby
3-5 :: toddler
6-12 :: kid
13-19 :: teenager
20-? :: i don't know
?-infinity :: adult

so what is that time period between being a teenager or an adult? or is it just an automatic switch? or does it happen when you turn 21 and become "legal?" well either way, 21 still seems so freaking old to me.

so what now? whether i'm now classified as an adult or not, 21 is the age that i used to think i would just suddenly know it all. but as far as those three questions are concerned, i'm afraid i might be a little behind schedule.

you know, at this point in my life, i can firmly declare that i'm not sure if i ever really know what i'm doing. but then again, if i really did, then life would be oh so boring. so i guess i don't needa worry about that question anymore.

where am i going? haha who knows. i've finally decided on a major, but things could change any moment. i guess i'm in the same situation i've always been in. waiting for God to just flick me in the back of the head in any given direction. not that i don't think i'm going in the right direction right now. i think i am. i'm just not entirely sure what that direction is. so i guess i can throw out this question as well because i am confused just trying to figure out if i've figured it out.

ah, finally, the question where i have somewhat of an answer. i think, after 21 years of existence, i know who i am.

ever since i knew the meaning of the word, i have tried to grasp what being "cool" really meant. unfortunately, the definition constantly changed. in my mind being cool used to be being the fastest kid on the soccer field. then being cool transformed into being kinda calm and collected, with your hands in your pockets to pull off the complete look. i was just getting used to that when being cool changed to having a whole lot of friends to wave to in the hall. and the process just kept repeating. over and over again, like timmy and nelly sang so beautifully.

after so many years of trying so hard, at last it hit me that i would never figure out what being "cool" meant. i was just trying to run after this imaginary goal, and in the end, i realized the entire time that it was nothing but a mirage. being cool was and always will be such a fleeting concept. i just can't believe it took me so very long to figure out that i'm really not that cool at all. on the grand spectrum of coolness, i would actually rank myself on the other end of the scale. i'm more of a dork than anything else. i have dork friends, i do dork stuff, i say dork things, for the most part. but when it all comes down to it, i'm sure the dork life is way cool compared to the cool life, whatever that means.

so there you have it. i have answered the three questions that all people should answer. hooooooray!

i've been in the mood for reminiscing, so since being home, i have enjoyed reading over old blog posts. here's blast from the past..

it's so hard for me to recognize my personal weaknesses and shortcomings. i guess the thing i struggle with most is patience. i realize that no matter how other people may view me, God is the only one who really knows the ways of my heart and the thoughts of my mind. i trust that through time, He will change me into the person He really wants me to be. no matter how long it may take, i can rest assured knowing that it will definitely be worth the wait.
2+ years later, this same thing still holds true. so i guess i haven't really answered any of my questions at all. or at least i hope God's still changing me. cuz He's just faithful like that. run that back.

did this post make any sense at all? or am i just rambling away out here. ah well. much love from the SL.

Tuesday, October 04, 2005

crash

"It's the sense of touch. In any real city, you walk, you know? You brush past people, people bump into you. In L.A., nobody touches you. We're always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something."
is it just me, or did this movie make anyone else just really really really sad? this movie just opens your eyes to just how broken this world is. even people who are deemed to be the "good guys" with good values and intentions and morals and all that gravy allow things like stereotypes and fears to cloud their judgment. so many misunderstandings, so much conflict, so much brokenness.

isn't it sad that we live in such a world where people don't expect anybody to do anything good for them? where a good deed coming from a stranger is almost unheard of? and you know, if someone does in fact help you out with something or start talking to you out of nowhere, you automatically think that they're trying to sell you something or get something from you. or where people just turn down someone's helping hand because of a lack of trust -- afraid that somehow, someway, trusting someone they don't know will find a way to screw them over.

Where is the Love
- black eyed peas

What's wrong with the world, mama
People livin' like they ain't got no mamas
I think the whole world addicted to the drama
Only attracted to things that'll bring you trauma
Overseas, yeah, we try to stop terrorism
But we still got terrorists here livin'
In the USA, the big CIA
The Bloods and The Crips and the KKK
But if you only have love for your own race
Then you only leave space to discriminate
And to discriminate only generates hate
And when you hate then you're bound to get irate, yeah
Badness is what you demonstrate
And that's exactly how anger works and operates
Nigga, you gotta have love just to set it straight
Take control of your mind and meditate
Let your soul gravitate to the love, y'all, y'all

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send us some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)

Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love
The love, the love

It just ain't the same, always unchanged
New days are strange, is the world insane
If love and peace is so strong
Why are there pieces of love that don't belong
Nations droppin' bombs
Chemical gasses fillin' lungs of little ones
With the ongoin' sufferin' as the youth die young
So ask yourself is the lovin' really gone
So I could ask myself really what is goin' wrong
In this world that we livin' in people keep on givin'
in
Makin' wrong decisions, only visions of them dividends
Not respectin' each other, deny thy brother
A war is goin' on but the reason's undercover
The truth is kept secret, it's swept under the rug
If you never know truth then you never know love
Where's the love, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the truth, y'all, come on (I don't know)
Where's the love, y'all

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send us some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love (Love)

Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love (The love)
Where is the love
The love, the love

I feel the weight of the world on my shoulder
As I'm gettin' older, y'all, people gets colder
Most of us only care about money makin'
Selfishness got us followin' in the wrong direction
Wrong information always shown by the media
Negative images is the main criteria
Infecting the young minds faster than bacteria
Kids wanna act like what they see in the cinema
Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity
Whatever happened to the fairness in equality
Instead in spreading love we spreading animosity
Lack of understanding, leading lives away from unity
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' under
That's the reason why sometimes I'm feelin' down
There's no wonder why sometimes I'm feelin' under
Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found

People killin', people dyin'
Children hurt and you hear them cryin'
Can you practice what you preach
And would you turn the other cheek

Father, Father, Father help us
Send us some guidance from above
'Cause people got me, got me questionin'
Where is the love


i know i'm probably sounding like mr. cynical right now, but sometimes it's hard to not look at the state of this world and just..sigh. you know? thinking about how messed up this place is just amazes me even more that Jesus would come down to this forsaken world to give his life for me and you and every other jacked up person taking up space here. THAT, my friends, is what love is. 2 eprops for Jesus.