The Modern Age

What I  want to discuss is very general, and I can thank my boyfriend for this entry. Sometimes, he and I will be sitting outside in complete silence under the stars (I know, cliche as all get out) and he'll ask me, "Why is life so complex?" or, "There are seven billion people in the world--why does one person and what that person does matter so much?" And when I answer him, he looks at me as if I was the wisest person he had ever met.

There are three different types of people of this generation: those who party, lose themselves under the influence, don't have a care for school or their future; those who waste hours lost in their own minds, constantly over-thinking, yet oversimplifying everything, love tenderly and wastefully, and are open-minded to the point where it feels like there are no wrongs; and then there are a mix of the two. I have noticed this with every person I meet that they absolutely always fall into one of those categories. Of course, though I am contradicting myself, everyone truly is unique, even in the slightest, minutest way. I am just simplifying things.

 When my boyfriend asks me why life is so complex, all I have to say is that it really isn't all so intricate--if we take out all the worries, all the expectations, all the troubles, we have a very simple form left. This form of life is delicate, but sturdier than steel and can take on a beating never seen before. Life is complex, however, because we make it that way. We let our past haunt us and our future peck at us until there's nothing left but bones. Why do we do this? Is it because of what has been drilled into our heads of what a successful and fulfilling life is? Or is it because it's what we secretly like, despite the heartache and pain?

It is questions like these that help me try to understand why our generation is so different. Most of us have survived enticing indoctrination and have learned to think for ourselves--and I thank the good earth for that everyday. Most of us have beaten peer pressure and if we are condemned for our actions, at least we did them not because we wanted to be cool, but because we sincerely wanted to and knew it would help us or make us feel  better (please do not assume I am essentially speaking of drugs and alcohol). I believe this generation has more of a sense of individuality and independence ever seen since the late 60s. The problem is that we are suffocated and that is why life seems so difficult even at such a young age.

Teenagers tend to make decisions based on their situation. I know several that get drunk because they want a relief from all the schoolwork, and I know several that get drunk because they are unhappy. I look at people who smoke weed (and by the way, I do not look down upon anyone who does these things since three fourths of the population does anyways) as, for lack of a better term, afraid of reality. They need an escape. I look at those who smoke tobacco and I think, "These people recognize death and life's limits and do not fear wholly." Obviously my perspective is probably drastically different from yours and his and hers but it's what I think and it's how I view life from the outside. But what do I see from the inside? What does anyone see from the inside? Do we see hate, lust, gluttony? Or love, kindness, and gratitude? This is why life is so difficult. There are so many things to be put into consideration that we become confused, flustered, and often lost in our ways.

When he asked me why one person matters so much I always say the same thing: That person, no matter who he or she was, had an enormous impact on someone else's life. We all affect each other. I know I have personally had big impacts on people, whether through my kindness, my envy, or my love. To a parent, his or her child is typically what has affected him or her most and vice versa. We are all important. We all have that one person we will remember for the rest of our lives and replay memories of them in our heads for years to come. And all of this ties into the complexity of life.

Now, obviously I'm no philosopher. I'm only seventeen and my outlook on this world will almost inevitably change. I am not wise, I am not experienced, and I am not convinced of myself. All of this just happened to weigh on my mind and I wanted to share. I have no closing advice or tips.

First Day on the Job

So, this is my first day on the job. Truthfully, I don't have a clue as to how I should start this! I think maybe explaining my blog title should work just fine, eh?

I'm pretty sure most people believe that there's always something missing from their life. Maybe a relationship, a steady job, or just pure happiness. Surely, there's a key that fits all those messy and intricate locks in life, right? Could it be that we all have to reach a certain, for lack of better term, nirvana in order to become completely satisfied with our situation in life? Or is the human race ever truly satisfied? I say yea! I know for a close enough fact that there is a key to all those locks and it's inner peace and acceptance. 

Now, I know that most people who will even read this will hardly agree with me. Let's face it, though: we all have different types of "inner peaces" and such. We feel happier in different places and around different people. We're comforted by different types of music and different types of moods. But we all have a connection with each other and that's that wanting of love and acceptance. 

Today, the Enlightenment Fest began. Sounds corny, right? In a way, it kind of is. But it really got me thinking. Unfortunately, instead of keeping my thoughts on what the speaker was advising, my mind kept wandering to my aspirations--meditating daily, practicing yoga, actually keeping the house clean, breaking out of my shell. As I should probably explain, the Enlightenment Fest is a set of eight sessions that helps you with all sorts of things. Today, the session was "Conscious Awareness in the Present Moment." To be completely honest, I only listened to the introduction audio. But think about how just an introductory audio can inspire to accomplish goals, no matter how minute! Have no worries, I will be waking up very early in the morning to meditate to these sessions. If you've never meditated before, or you think it's a total joke, let me tell you something.

Meditating has been a practice that, although I do not do it routinely, has helped me tremendously, even if just for a day! When I first began well over a year ago, I started by forgiving those who have hurt me in the past and forgiving myself for hurting those around me. It helped me gain a more positive attitude towards life and my surroundings and taught me to be more understanding. I think that's a problem we all face--understanding people and their situations. Meditating is great for lowering stress levels, focusing on goals, and helping you reach those aspirations and dreams. 

Now, I'm afraid it's too late for any of you to obtain these Enlightenment sessions for free like I can--I subscribed over a year ago and have been getting free sessions since. But if you subscribe (I'll post the link at the bottom of the page) or you wish to buy it, go right ahead. It's something that will help all ages and all races and types and whatever freakish stereotype you can possibly think of. 

But like I was saying, there's a key to all those locks in your life. My hope for this blog is to help others become inspired to accomplish their goals, short and long-term. I want everyone to be happy with themselves and more accepting of others--I'm working on that myself, and it's not as easy as it sounds. I do apologize for this rather bland post... I'm hoping to make this blog a real treat for myself and others!

Surprise! You can receive these lessons for free, but only for a limited time!! Jump in the fire, my friends... don't get burned?!? 

www.EnlightenmentFest.com