Google

 

So, I went to Google to find drivers for the chipset of a computer I'm working on, and noticed one thing: it's definitely Easter and there's a picture of this Hispanic guy.  No eggs, no bunnies, no Jesus... nothing.  His name is Cesar Chavez, and is known as one of the greatest Latin American Civil Rights Activists.  So, definitely a cool guy.  But no one seems entirely pleased about this.

Everyone thinks that Google purposely promoted Chavez instead of Easter as a smack in the face to Christianity.  Someone even suggested that their team met and thought, "What could we possibly post besides Easter, just to tick people off and be controversial?"

Cool, huh?  Well, Google hasn't done a doodle for Easter since 2000.  Easter in 2012 was on April 8th, and there wasn't anything special then.  However, on April 9th, they did one for Eadweard Muybridge's 182nd birthday.  Here's the last couple years for Easter posts:

April 24th, 2011- Nothing, but it was surrounded by two doodles for the birthday of John James Audobon and Earth Day.

April 4th, 2010- Nothing, again.  Closest dedicated doodle was on April 2nd for Hans Christians Anderson's birthday. 

April 12, 2009- Nothing even close.  Eh.

March 23, 2008 - Nothing, againnnn.  They did a doodle on the 20th for the First day of spring, though.

April 8, 2007 - Nada.

April 16, 2006 - Guess what?  Nothing.

And there's nothing.  Nothing all the way until the year 2000 on April 23rd.  But I think this was their attempt to pull from professing an individual religions.  Google actually doesn't title their doodles for Christmas as "Merry Christmas" but as "Happy Holidays."

No, I'm not saying it's a good thing to not recognize today's holiday.  I was so happy that Radioshack was closed today because of Easter.  Plus, somehow, I get paid extra since I work on the sandwiching days.  I guess it's Google's right to not celebrate Christian holidays with their doodles as a private corporation.  It's guaranteed under the Constitution, and I'm sure there's certain rules within the company that say it can't represent themselves as a dominantly Christian company.

I read a lot of posts or articles by people from Glenn Beck to writers from ABC, and a lot of people don't really approve of this.  I don't really care.

I don't need to see anything about God on Google's homepage to fortify my faith or realize it's Easter, anyway.  So, I'm not disappointed or upset about it.  In fact, I never knew who Chavez was, and he seems like an alright dude.  Definitely not the same guy as Jesus (not even remotely close), but still, a good person to dedicate a doodle to, that all of America will see.

Anyway, everyone: Happy Easter, and happy would-be birthday to Mr. Chavez.

Fact of the day:  I'm so little that sometimes I have to get little kids clothes so they'll fit right.  Don't judge me.

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CHECK OUT MY GIRLFRIEND'S LATEST POST HERE.

 

Limitless

"If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.  Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth.  It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

That scripture is some of the most popular verses throughout the entire Bible, and so many people misunderstand what it really is about.  Anyway, I wanted to let you know right off the bat that this post applies to Christians and non-Christians.  You'll see, soon.

Paul, the author of Corinthians, was basically chewing out the intended readers for being full of self-love, self-righteousness, and abusing their gifts.  He felt that they weren't using them to their full potential.  I guess we're all guilty of doing that at least once in our lifetimes.  We're given these great gifts to lead, be athletes, or gifts of intelligence, and then we waste them.

Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians was his solution.

A lot of people use that chapter as beautiful scripture to read at weddings or anniversaries, but it goes so much more beyond that.  Look at the situation Paul was facing with the people of Corinth.  He had to tell them how to be better people, better Christians, and draw others closer to God.  They weren't using their gifts and abilities correctly or efficiently.  And yes, this does apply to non-Christians.

Most decent human beings try to impact others in positive ways, partly because it's the right thing to do.  Sometimes, it's a matter of our conscious decision to be better-liked instead of despised.  Regardless, this scripture is so key to doing this.

Paul's a genius.  I mean, why spend an entire book trying to explain how to be nice, how to be humble, and how to use the right words?  Beyond that, why spend the time trying to explain the 10 Commandments, proper ways of conduct as Christians, and God knows what else?  Instead, he just jumps into this next chapter about this thing called "love."

Not the feeling.  He doesn't once talk about feeling, but rather in action.  If I can speak all the right languages or say the right words but do not have love I AM NOTHING.  If I can move mountains or if I give all my money to the poor but lack love in those actions, then those things are INSIGNIFICANT.  Without love, everything either initially is or becomes nothing.

He tells them all these characteristics about love to end saying one thing: do all things in love.  Make sure love is your motivation, that it's in your actions.  Love others.  And not just as you want to be loved, but as God loves you.

And that's the other thing about scripture people don't quite get.  The Golden Rule.  Treat others as you want to be treated.  FALSE.  It's love your neighbor as I have loved you.  As Jesus loves you.  Not as you want to be loved, but as God loves.  Agape (ah-GAH-pay).  That's God's love for ya.  Love without conditions or motivations.  Read the Gospel if you're looking for a story that depicts that.

Besides that, Paul is simply saying, in so many words: Disregard the prophecies, and don't worry about what I've taught you before... for now, just love as God loves you, and do all that you do in love.

That's what this scripture is about.  Because that sums up the best (not always easiest) way to be a great person.

If you do all that you do in love, truly and genuinely, the chances that you'll break a Commandment is slim to none.  If you do all that you do in love, you almost can't go wrong.

If you can't figure out how to follow scripture or all the specifics of religion or even living your own life, just make your focus to love others, and you're going to just fine.  Do so without conditions, self-centered motivations, or compensation.  Love in all you do, not just in hugs, kisses, and holding hands... but in all you do.

That's what Paul's saying, I think.  Faith and hope are great things, but love is greater.  Love is limitless.  It enables you to do things that are limitless as well, if you do them in love.

I just wanted to share my thoughts with you on this.  Anyway, have a nice day! :D

Like & share if you agree :p

(Of course, this is my interpretation of what I think Paul meant.  You can draw many things from this, so I suppose there isn't a "wrong" way to interpret, just differing ways.  Just wanted to clear that up.)

Random Fact of the Day: My girlfriend is an amazing and passionate writer.  I envy her.  Check out her latest post on abortion.  It's both moving and factual.  In fact, I'm going to make you want to visit it.

 

DON'T CLICK THE LINK BELOW

 

LINK

Unequal.

Recently, I've seen a million people change their profile pictures on Facebook.  I was like, "Wut?"  So, being the curious guy that I am, I had to find the source and reasoning behind all this nonsense.  I scrolled through my news feed, then found out it's something an equal rights activist group began, and apparently if you support gay marriage you're supposed to make it your profile picture.  Or something like that.

I was thinking about putting this picture on the Facebook page.  Not just to be a troll, because it's a serious issue.

And I'm sure a lot of people would begin rioting or spewing all sorts of hate comments and then disliking everything. I don't think anyone would have quite gotten what I mean by it.  I don't think a single one of you would initially understand what point I'm trying to make.  So, I posted the regular one, and made the cover photo for this post the unequal sign.

Onward to my explanation!

I've heard both sides go back and forth.  Gay-rights activists say that they're discriminated against and hated.  However, it's almost normal  for people, at least the ones in my generation, to support them.  Check out this cool chart I made in Microsoft Excel.  As you can see, the older people get, the more opposed they are.  That being said, gay marriage will be socially accepted by most Americans within a decade or two.  I gotta say to the people who openly oppose it: it's a losing fight given these statistics.

 

Anyway, I don't support gay marriage.  Don't get me wrong; I'm not necessarily against it, either.  By disagreeing, I'm not condemning or acting against it, I'm just saying I don't agree.

As a Christian who was raised Catholic, I believe that marriage is a sacred, holy, and very special union between a husband and a wife. If you Google "define:marriage," the first definition states it's between a husband and a wife.  However, not all of you are Christian.  And as I believe in religious tolerance, I also believe outside of Christianity you can define marriage as whatever you'd like.

I believe also, that marriage is both based on love, which generally results in a child.  No, I'm not going to quote Leviticus, but I will quote Pope John Paul the II.  He said, "No other form of relationship between persons can be considered as an equivalent to this natural relationship between a man and a woman out of whose love children are born."

I also don't think a Church should lock out homosexual individuals... that defeats the purpose of it being there.  We might as well close the doors to everyone if we're going to shut them to specific "sinners" because we all are...

I personally believe this gay marriage war is a waste of the government's time, and it's almost a waste of my time to be writing about it because all I'm saying is that within Christianity, I don't think it matches our definition of it, but outside it can be whatever you please.

And no, I don't hate homosexuals.  I'm not going to picket outside the Supreme Court with signs or ally myself with the West Borough Baptist Church.  I just... I guess I just don't care.

I don't have the right to tell anyone what to do.  Now, there are morals, and there are certain laws.  If you're breaking the law, I'll openly disagree with you.  If you are killing someone, hitting your kid, or cussing out a cashier at McDonald's, I'll probably openly disagree with you or your actions.  Marriage is a union that two people choose to enter into with each other.  I can't tell you who to marry.  I can't tell you who you can't marry.

I don't know if anyone is going to understand this or if they're even going to read all the way through before writing off some comment that I'm some crazy Christian a-hole who hates anything that stretches outside traditional values and that I'm an equal-rights un-activist.  I will say, though, I don't care what you think.

See, it's ironic because if I were to say, "No gay marriage.  That's stupid," people would attack me for being intolerant.  And the funny thing about these controversial dealios is that hating someone for having an opinion that differs from yours is so hypocritical because you're being intolerant of them as well.  Keep that in mind, guys, as this goes on.  I don't know if that'll make sense to you, either.

My point is this: my Christian definition of marriage is that it is between a man and a woman.  A lot you want marriage between two men or two women.  My definition is unequal to your definition.  The people, regardless of their lifestyles, are equal, but the definitions of marriage aren't.  Reiterated: we have different definitions of marriage.  Homosexuals and heterosexuals are equal by rights and as individuals.  Just because my definition, within Christianity, is different from yours, which is more than likely outside of it, it does not mean I think I'm better or they're lesser or whatever.  Get it?

I also believe that marriage is currently based on love for one another.  A friend raised an interesting point about marriage being a union to better raise children, but I believe it's grown to be more than that.  And no, I'm not going to quote Leviticus to defend my Christian beliefs.  I will quote Pope John Paul the II who said, "No other form of relationship between persons can be considered as an equivalent to this natural relationship between a man and a woman out of whose love children are born."  And that's my belief, and you probably disagree.  And that's fine.  You have that right.  But I'm not going to tell you what to think, and I don't expect you to tell me what to think.  Let's agree to disagree, k?

So, the Supreme Court should probably rule that two men or two women can indeed receive a marriage license in a courthouse in California, and if they choose so, the rest of the nation.  (I still, however, feel like this is something that outta be left up to individual states, not the Federal government, but that's a whole different political debate).  At my church, though, don't think the pastor would ever recognize the marriage between two men or women as a covenant before God, and I also don't expect it to become a practice within most churches.

A lot of fellow Christians will probably be upset that I'm writing some of this.  Some feel that I should oppose it within the Church and outside of it for the sake of this nation.  And maybe they're right.  But, I think this relates most to religious tolerance.  I mean, yay for the First Amendment, right?  Based on that, I guess I'll spell out my stance one more time:

I affirm the Constitutional right of any religious hierarchy to define who can wed in its church or whatnot.   I also affirm and understand that the same Constitutional right prohibits that same hierarchy from imposing its own dogma outside its own institution.

You can count me as indifferent of marriages outside my Church.  But my church and my religious hierarchy reserves the right to define it within our own institutions.  Any questions?

And I could possibly be alone in these thoughts or my stance on it.   I guess that's how I feel.  Anyway, hater's are gonna hate.  What can ya do?



I guess I'll close with this: I pray that the Supreme Court reaches a decision that they believe is in agreement with our Constitution, and that the people of this country move forward with open minds, with intentions to reach their own goals peacefully, and with the integrity and humility to not exactly accept other beliefs, but to simply tolerate those that differ from their own.

Random Fact of the Day: Each day you breathe out the equivalent amount of CO2 that a "green" car exhausts after driving about 9 miles.

PS: I know that on the page I posted a picture about not keeping open mind and condemning ideas; that isn't what I'm doing here.  Don't try to paint it as anything else.  Thanks. :]

My Greatest Fear

 

"Do you fear death? Not in particular the action causing it, but the permanent state that exists afterwards?"  A guy asked this on Facebook, and it set off a high-speed train of thought.  His views differ from mine, I suppose.  I'm definitely a Christian, and he stated he was not.  But because of this, I believe that upon death, I'll end up in one of two places.  I believe the outcome is mostly dependent on how well I lived my life and God's mercy.  I hope and pray that I end up in Heaven.

Now, a lot of my readers might not share those beliefs.  I wanted to explain one thought to you.  It is one I've brought up in the past.  There's this thing called the Pascal's wager.  I'm going to explain it like this:  Let's pretend that guy walks up to you and gives you six lottery tickets for free.  Let's say that these tickets are those Illinois Lottery scratch-offs and if each one gives you a chance to win some good cash.  Now, you have two choices.  You could say, "No way man, I don't want those tickets."  If you do that, though, you don't gain anything.  You lose the chance of winning.  If you accept the tickets, you actually don't lose a thing, but you gain the chance of winning.  Now, this isn't the main reason why I believe in Heaven or an afterlife.  But it's an awfully logical reason why you should.

What's the harm in believing?  If you do, and there is, you'll be satisfied and prepared beyond all means.  If there isn't, you could argue disappointment, but if you die and there is no afterlife, you wouldn't know the difference, really.  If you choose not to... I just feel like death looks so much worse.

They say that goodbyes are the worst when you know you'll never say hello again.  It seems, and it becomes more noticeable as we carry on, that death is everywhere.  Sometimes we'll feel like we might be outliving a lot of the people around us.  I like to believe, though, that someday I'll meet them again.  It makes accepting their passing on a lot easier, and I have more peace in hope that the next world is a better place.

A lot of Christian's will offer this question to promote the existence of Heaven: what's the point of life if there's no Heaven?  So, I ask... What's the point of life if there is?  I'm not negating its existence, but saying Heaven doesn't exist to give life a point, necessarily.  I don't like to view it as that.  Some can say life is a testing ground to get to Heaven.  I say the point of life is to live, experience, love and grow beyond all measure and I believe that Heaven is the sum of all those good things.

Anyway.

And no, I'm not telling you to be Christian.  I'm asking you to consider a world beyond this one.  Not just a Christian afterlife, but an afterlife, period.  And that's about it for my little rant on the Pascal Wager.  Let's get back to that guy's question.

I don't fear dying.  I don't fear death, not necessarily.  And as a Christian, I don't know if I'm going to Heaven or not.  I hope so.

I think I fear the same thing he does; I fear leaving behind a world that I didn't positively impact to my best ability.  My greatest fear isn't death, but upon dying I leave no fingerprints of my existence behind me.  So, in order to make up for that, I try to live every day and impact every person I meet positively, whether big or small.  Check out my post on the Butterfly Effect, here.

However, I believe in God and my faith suggests that there is something beyond this world.  Besides that, I believe it because I want to and I hope it is so.

Anyway, what are your thoughts?  What's your answer to this question?

Thanks for reading! :)

Random Fact of the Day: Apples are apparently more efficient in keeping people awake than caffeine is.  I'm still going to choose Red Bull.

The Dark Side

 

I've written a lot about relationships lately, and decided I'd give you guys a list of 4 things you can do to help improve your relationships with everyone you know.  Now, don't get me wrong... I don't follow these all the time and I'm far from perfect.  I guess overall I believe that I'll be a better person if I learn to love and treat others better.  So, take some time and check this out.  You might be having problems with a girlfriend or boyfriend or maybe you have a friend you haven't talked to in a while... Or maybe your relationships are fine.  Who knows. These are just some interesting thoughts that you might benefit from.  Enjoy!

1. I think everyone does this; we like to cut people off before they finish what they're saying.  I remember when I was in high school I was that try-hard kid who always tried to answer the questions first... sometimes I'd blurt out my response before the teacher finished the question.  Listen more, talk less.  Don't interrupt, and hear the other person out.    A lot of relationships thrive on good communication and that simply isn't possible if you won't let the other person speak their mind.  Here's some scripture to back that up for you: Proverbs 18:13, 29:20.  Take your  time with your words, consider them carefully. 


2. When we're angry or upset, it's the easiest thing in the world to fire back something offensive or insulting.  Don't you think that a lot of our falling outs or problems with others would have been resolved a lot easier if we had held our tongue?  When you speak, try to make sure your words aren't laced in anger or frustration.  Again, consider your words, tone, and intent carefully.  If a negative emotion is your main motivation from speaking, don't.  This is something I definitely struggle with and I doubt there's a single person who hasn't lashed out angrily at another at least once.  So, some more scripture for you: James 1:19, Proverbs 29:11.


3. Pray for the other person, or wish them well no matter what.  I've realized one thing in my involvement with political stuff and other things; when you talk badly about someone behind their back I find it nearly impossible to be kind to them in person.  The things you say behind someone else's back resurface when you see them, and you see them in that negative manner.  You're going to be so much more willing to have peace and work things out if you just do your best to not dwell on the negatives and hope that they're doing alright.  Resolutions are most possible when you want them and when you see the that both you and the person you're at odds with are human with plenty of flaws and imperfections.  When someone tells you every day that someone you know is an evil person, you'll begin to consider it, and you may even begin to believe it.  It's worse when you're the one trying to make others believe so, whether it's true or not.  I guess this is hard to do.  Sometimes that other person really is just an unlikable individual or someone you can hardly stand.  But let me put it this way: would you rather that person change for the better, or worsen?  Pray that they better, or that they become happy.  And what's the point of only praying for people who are doing well, or for those you care about?  Here's some scripture to help you out:  Matthew 5:43-48, Colossians 1:9.


4. We have all been wronged by another.  We've done equally as bad things to others, as well (generally speaking).  It's very easy to hold a grudge, refuse to forgive, and live in resentment.  Steven Marboli wrote, "The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward."  I like to think that we sometimes just can't forget what people do to us, wrong or right.  We should forgive, of course, but that isn't the same thing as forgetting.  A lot of people are like, "Oh, forgive, forget..." but frankly, I don't think a lot of things work that way.  When I forgive someone, I accept whatever they did and move on.  Sometimes this takes time, and sometimes it's the hardest thing in the world.  I don't usually forget, but I do move on.  Alexander Pope said, "To err is human, to forgive is divine."  And that's exactly it.  Holding grudges will make it impossible for a relationship to thrive.  So, accept the other persons mistakes and hold them accountable when you must... but move on.  Here's some scripture for you: Collosians 3:13, 1 Corinthians 13:7, Ephesians 4:31-32, Galatians 6:1-2.

I could go on for probably 8 more things, but I'll leave it at this for now.  One thing I wanted to add was Yoda's path to the dark side of the Force.

Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.

It might not always work this way, but Yoda has a point; negative emotions snowball or get more extreme and worse.  3 out of 4 of those were communication tips that when followed can either end or prevent negative feelings.  The last one was about moving on from negative feelings.  Just keep this final thought in mind; bad thoughts and feelings don't stay where they are-- they infect.  The longer you leave the problems or issues unchecked or ignored, the worse they  become and harder it is to heal.

Let me know what you guys think.  I was thinking about some of this stuff the other day, figured I'd share my thoughts.  Have a nice day! :D

 

 

 

Eagle Eggs

It drove me nuts.  I was at Walmart with my girlfriend.  If I remember correctly we had exactly eight items: two things of pizza dough, pizza sauce, two packages of pizza cheese stuff, a box of noodles, some sauce for those noodles, and some cookie dough.  So, naturally we headed to the express check out lane.  I checked over our selection and made sure we had the proper amount... then BAM.  I noticed the lady in front of us had like fifty items and a full cart.  I was like, "Wut.  Are. You. Doing?"

My girlfriend insisted it wasn't a big deal.  But I mean, that's what the express lane is for... It's for people who don't have a lot of things and who want to be in and out.  It's not so people getting their once-a-month groceries can have a nice short line, but so I can get home and make my pizzas at a decent time.  I mean that's like driving under the speed limit in the fast lane.  You DON'T do that.

A friend and I are going to write a book I think.  If anything, it'll be a short sto

ry.  Also, is there anyone out there who does any form of editing?   If so, comment! :D  I need an editor.

I've been asking everyone this:  How many words can you think of that start with the letter "A" and end with an "E?"  And what video games can you think of that don't have the letter "E?"  Have fun. :p

 

I’m incredibly proud of my brother, Victor, who is currently stationed in Afghanistan with the Marine Corp.  (Great job, bro!)  Anyway, I was so surprised a few days ago have him say “I met Peyton Manny!”  I was like, “What?!”  I guess every once in a while, celebrities go out and visit our military servicemen and women overseas and do some sort of special appearance.  When Peyton Manning joined the Denver Broncos, everyone was a little wary about whether or not he was going to positively impact them.  What I’ve seen since was that he’s a great leader and an amazing quarterback.  I guess I can’t get any more impressed with him.  (Check out the picture below.)

I was just so surprised that he’d gone, and Victor was thrilled.  So, guys, become a Denver fan. And maybe you can’t fly overseas and visit them at their base, but keep them in your prayers.  Always be grateful for their sacrifices (past and present) and keep them in your thoughts.  Also, if you’re someone who has serve: Thank you for what you’ve done.

 

Honestly, though, I would’ve signed up right out of high school but because I’m missing an eye, I can’t  join.

I wanted to also do a post about Lent.  I apologize because it's almost over, but better late than never, right?  So, a lot of people like to look at Lent as a time to sacrifice or make yourself suffer so you remember Christ's suffering on the cross.  I personally think that's the wrong attitude to have towards it.  I mean, I could be wrong.  I'm no theologian.  But I believe that God didn't send His only son to die on a cross, and then for us to try to suffer like it.  And if that was the case, giving up pop or dieting isn't going to come close.  (I've done it too, I know...) The point, I think, is to grow closer to God and strengthen your relationship with Him.  Let me put it this way: For Lent, I'm going to make sure I'm at church every Sunday, and I'm going to pray before I sleep and when I wake every day.  Some of these things I don't do regularly, and for Lent I am going to do them, and then continue to do so after.  I picked something that can improve my relationship with God and make me a more  godly person and I'm going to continue to do it after Easter.

If you give up something like watching basketball, all I gotta ask is this: "So what?  Where do you benefit spiritually?"  Instead, make it something like this: I'm going to give up watching basketball for Lent.  In turn, I'm going to pray or read the Bible instead of watching it.  See where I'm going with this?

Anyway, I could be totally off.  And that's okay.  I'm up for any thoughts or feedback.  So, I'm changing my Lenten dealio and I'm probably still not going to drink Mountain Dew, but I'm going to start that praying every day because it's something I've left out in the past.

Also, anyone who reads this... it would mean A LOT if you went to this page (link here) and shared it with your friends.  Basically, I'm trying to build up an audience, which will hopefully result in more feedback and discussion here.

So, thanks for visiting again and checking out what's in my brain.  Have a wonderful day, and may the Force be with you.

 

Random Fact of the Day: You will be fined $250,000 and possibly sentenced 6 months in prison if you destroy a bald eagle egg.  Crazy, right?  What's crazier is that we allow, and practically encourage, abortion.  Eagles may be an endangered species... so are logical people?  Who knows.  Thoughts?

 

π (Pi)

Happy belated Pi Day.  I actually didn't eat any, so I'm awfully disappointed in myself.   And here you are, thinking this post is going to have anything to do with math.  Unfortunately, I didn't decide to stay up this late to blog about math.  Sorry.

Have any of you seen the Life of Pi?  I've been telling everyone I've seen since I watched it to go and see it as soon as possible.  It's an amazing movie.  The CGI is so real... it's unreal.  It was brilliant, gorgeous, and had impact.  Watch it.  And read.  And if you have, then continue. :)

Now, the rest of this post will contain a lot of spoilers for the movie.  So, I'm going to share the YouTube video of the preview's music, and if you have already seen it or don't care, you can continue reading below. :3  This is an awesome song, by the way.  Audiomachine has great and epic instrumental music.

It was a great movie.  And supposedly, most will believe in God after hearing the story.  The twist, though, was that there are two different stories told.  And it's up to the reader to choose.

Pi, the main character of the movie (and novel, which I plan on reading soon), and his family embark on a voyage to Canada from India, fleeing the political unrest in their country.  They brought the animals from their zoo along, hoping to sell them in North America to earn enough money to restart their lives.  In the movie, Pi tells two stories.  Both are similar up to the point of the storm hitting the vessel and sinking it.  Pi survives on a lifeboat, and then both stories stretch out from there.

The movie takes off into the first story.  Pi is a lone survivor along with three animals.  A zebra, an orangutan, a hyena and a tiger named Richard Parker all end up on the same boat.  The hyena kills both the zebra and orangutan.  Richard Parker kills the the hyena.  Pi, who builds a makeshift raft out of paddles and life jackets, floats close to the boat and isolated, fearing the bengal tiger that is looking to him for its next meal.  Their voyage carries on as Pi faces starvation, sea-sickness, and a hungry tiger.  Eventually, he successfully conditions and trains the tiger by giving it treats (fish) and they learn to co-exist on the boat.  Later on they end up on a Mexican beach where the tiger wanders off into the jungle as Pi is rescued.

The movie cuts to a hospital where two interviewers from Japan, officials from their transport offices, ask for a more realistic story.  So, Pi gives them just that.  The second  story is painfully more believable.  When Pi survived in the lifeboat, he wasn't accompanied by animals, but by other survivors.  His mother, a cook from the ship, a sailor, and himself are aboard.  The cook, worried about their limited supplies, kills the sailor along with Pi's mother when she confronts him.  Pi later kills the sailor in vengeance and self-preservation.

In both stories, Pi is a young kid, who survives a voyage of almost 300 days across the Pacific ocean alone, and loses everything he has.  Keep in mind, though, I left out a lot of details from each story, and that's up to you to fill those in.  I just want to jump to the point of this post.

If you don't see the connection between the two stories, I'll show you.  The hyena is the cook.  The orangutan is the mother.  The zebra is the Japanese sailor.  Pi is Richard Parker.  But if you watch/remember the movie, the drawn-out and epic story of Pi befriending the tiger, surviving, and carrying on with it is so much more wonderful than that story of murder, suffering, and loneliness.

Most people will scoff at the first story and say, "Something like that isn't even remotely possible.  This second story, while awful, is more realistic."   And they are so right.   I don't think I could ever tame a tiger, much less live on the same boat with one without getting eaten.

But how logical or realistic each story is isn't exactly the ultimate question of the movie; the ultimate question is which one do we prefer?

And, in essence, the author, or Pi, is asking the reader this: Do you prefer to believe only what you can see or prove, or do you choose to believe in miracles or the unbelievable?  Do we walk this world alone, or is there something beyond ourselves?   Do you live with cold, hard facts, or do you live with wonder and awe?

Regardless of whatever thoughts I have, the facts are these: two stories are told by the same person.  That person is the sole survivor and only witness of those stories.  There is no evidence that can support the events of either story.  Both stories are possible; either could have happened.  (Life of Pi itself is NOT a true story, by the way.)  And with this all in mind, I still pick the story with the tiger because it's just better.

It's almost like Pascal's Wager all over again, to an extent.  This Wager states that we have two choices in life.  The first is to believe in God and the second is to not.  If we believe in God, then we have the opportunity to gain everything if He does exist.  If He doesn't, we don't get hurt, there's just some wasted time and faith.  If we don't believe in God, and he does exist, we could risk damnation.  If he doesn't exist, we don't gain anything.  Believing in God suggests, then, that it's the better option because we either gain everything great after this life, or we lose nothing.  Make sense?  That's just one of many possible approaches to this.

Anyway, Pi asks the writer in the end which story he prefers.  He says the story with Richard Parker because it's better.  He replies, "Thank you, and so it goes with God."  The writer (whom Pi is telling this story to), was searching for something that would make him believe in God.  Sadly, some do not think this movie will do that to a viewer, but rather state that simply humanity believes in God and His story because we want to.  We want God to exist, so we believe in him.  That doesn't mean, though, God does exist.

And some just leave it at that, disappointed in a movie, and they believe it does nothing more for its viewers (and for the book, its readers) except offer up that one pathetic little point; faith is only around so that people can bear life more easily or survive whatever tragedies we go through.

But I think it's more than just that.  When Pi discovers Catholicism earlier in the movie, he meets a priest.  Pi tells him that it makes no sense that an all-powerful God would send his only son to die on the cross.  The priest replies and says something along the lines that God doesn't desire us to understand him, but to know his love, and to love him in return.  He told Pi that it wasn't about finding logic to the story, but the divine and unconditional love at the heart of the story.

This world shouldn't be known or understood through logic or just science, but the heart as well.  The heart of our stories and experiences is what matters, not what's logical about them or what makes sense.

And really, it's just that, isn't it?  The heart of the story makes the best story.  So does this story make you believe in God?  I guess not, but I don't think it's suggesting believing in God is foolish, either.  I think it offers up that question and causes you to reflect on whether or not you should believe in God or a god... And I think just like most people pick the story with Richard Parker, maybe some of us will choose to believe in something with heart as opposed to just logic.

Anyway, just some late night thoughts.  What's your take on this?  Comment below, I'm interested to hear what you think! :) What does Life of Pi mean to you?

Check out my girlfriend's post here :)

 

 

Aim.

 

So, it's another one of those nights.  I look at my work schedule, and realize I don't have a day off for nine days.  I've got more bills, my car was acting up, and the weather sucks.  It's one of those nights where the future obstacles, problems, and stress just piles up and gives me this obnoxious headache that makes sleep practically impossible.  That's what Battlefield 3 is for, I guess.

Today went by so fast.  Emily's dad and I worked on her car a bit then tore up carpet for like four hours.  I mean, the carpet-tearing was cake.  I guess it was the removal of tack strips and all the staples that took forever.

I don't think people understand the difference between someone breaking the law and someone following it.  So, the 2nd Amendment says that we have the right to bear arms.  There are people who own firearms.  The law-abiding citizens own the legal guns, use them legally for either defense, hunting, or recreational purposes, and don't run into shopping centers killing innocent people.  The law-breakers sometimes own legally, sometimes obtain illegally, and are the ones shooting others for wrong reasons.

Yes, there is a right reason to shoot someone.  Yes, if you're trying to hurt me or someone else and you appear to have intent to do so lethally, and if I have a gun, I will shoot you if I cannot disable you otherwise.  


Anyway, so, law-abiding citizens owning firearms are not breaking the law.  This just really ticks me off.  So, I mean, if I own a gun legally, and I never shoot anyone with it, should I have it taken because some idiot decided to kill someone with his?  Just because the dude ahead of me on the interstate is going 30 over doesn't mean everyone near that mile-marker outta be pulled over, too.  Speaking of cars, I believe we had 3x more deaths from traffic accidents than we did in homicides by firearms last year.  Ban guns?  No.  Ban cars, jeez.

The 2nd Amendment says we can own guns.  Some other law somewhere else says we can't kill people, generally speaking.  Anyway, what I'm trying to get at is this idea that it's not the guns that are the problem, it's the fact that people are getting killed.  And heck, I'd rather it be a gun.  I don't want to get chainsawed to death.  Frankly, if someone wants to kill someone, they're going to do it one way or another.  Or they'll try, anyway.

I guess I'll stop talking about this, because people are just going to get annoyed.   Check this out, by the way... it's about assault weapons.  Maybe you'll learn something cool.  (Link here)

So, you heard me talking about my stress and all that.  I saw this quote.

"An arrow can only be shot once pulled backwards. So when life seems likes it's dragging you backwards with difficulties or challenges it's probably gearing up to shoot you into something great. Just focus, and aim high."

I'm going to try to go on with this cool little attitude.  And I suppose it makes sense, right?  Think of it like the graph of sin(x), which is pictured below.



I guess you could think of that graph a measurement of the amount of water in a cup.  Bear with me.  Let's say the graph starts at (o,0), which is the midpoint, origin, whatever, and the cup begins half full.  Or half empty. Ha!  As the graph increases in distance from the x-axis (the horizontal line) the cup is filled.  As in decreases in distance (as in gets closer) to the x-axis, it's emptying.

In other words, as the curve goes up, the cup nears being full, and when it slopes down, it heads back to being half full/empty.  Then, when the curve goes below the line (x-axis), it nears emptiness.

Now, think about this... as the cup nears emptiness, that leaves more room for more Mountain Dew to be poured back in.  Yeah, there's not enough, and maybe it does reach complete emptiness, but... It can't get more empty can it?  (Realistically, things can always get worse)  So, eventually someone's gotta refill it cuz a man's gotta drink!

Anyway, when life starts to empty you out, it just leaves more room for you to be filled.  And this graph shows that idea which is that for every up there's a down of equal or greater magnitude.

Soo, when life drags me back, imagine that you're an arrow... soon it'll fire you off into something great.

I know that whenever I'm down or negative, something good always seems greater than it would be if I were already happy.

I guess that's just life's way of humbling us and making us grateful for everything.  And man, that was an awful way of explaining that.  Leave it to me to use Calculus to explain some philosophical thought...

Yes, I'm okay.  I'm just ready for something good.  I have hope that things will turn for the better soon!

Anyway, my headache's gone, and I'm tired.  I'm going to sleep.  Good night guys.  Like the Facebook page, please! :D

 

Random fact of the day:  When I was writing this I almost typed "bare with me" instead of "bear with me."  Make sure you get those straight.  The proper way is "bear with me" because it's like saying "have forbearance with me."  Or something.  "Bare with me" is a weird way of saying let's get naked.  Not a good thing to say unintentionally.  :D

 

3 AM

 

It's 3 AM.  I guess it's funny that I'm starting this post with that.  I think there's a song by Matchbox Twenty called that.  I'm staring at Facebook.  It's crazy the things people post anymore.  I'm in love with all these memes.  I could probably sit around for an hour and just go through them.

This makes me think, though... we have all this technology.  I have a car that I can hop into and see my grandparents within a couple hours.  I have a cell phone that can text, make phone calls, do Skype, and practically every form of mobile communication.   The internet more or less connects every single person in the world.

There are just so many ways to connect with a person, yet we're so... distant.

We have speed.  I can get to work from my house in exactly three minutes and twenty-two seconds.  I timed it one day.  That was every green light, minimal traffic, and going a tad bit over the speed limit.  Google tells me it should take me ten minutes.  My phone is faster than most people's computers in 2005.

We are always making things faster... yet we still don't have time to really connect.

I mean, we're a bit backwards, aren't we?  We complain about the rich not doing enough to help the poor and then we'll go buy the newest iPad, the newest iPhone, and the newest everything.  We'll spend hundreds of dollars on technology and clothes that we don't need, and we'll still have the nerve to question someone else who's wasting away their wealth on themselves.  And I'm not saying it should be either way, but rather we should stop before we turn into hypocrites.  Heck, we despise the rich.  But we certainly don't want to be poor.  I digress.

We say we have things like Facebook or smartphones to help grow closer to each other, but sometimes we just use it to make connecting to someone faster therefore more artificial.  "Hmm, I haven't talked to that person today, so I'll just like their status."  Maybe that isn't enough.  These little things we use to connect might be making our relationships with other people... less...

I guess all I'm saying is that we're complicating things.  And we're not trying hard enough.   Lately, I've been thinking about who my friends are.  I look through my texts or whatever... it seems that I'm usually the one who texts first.  I'm usually the one who initiates.  If I question why, they whip out the "I'm too  busy..." excuse, and yeah, I guess that's true... but so am I.

I suppose that if someone really wanted to talk to you, they would.  So, I dare you for the next few days, don't text anyone or Facebook or whatever.  Those people you regularly see or talk to... just see if they initiate.  If they do, then that's a sure sign that they really want a relationship with you.  If not... it doesn't necessarily mean they don't, but it could be a sign. Anyway, sorry, I'm getting off track... these things just bother me.

But we outta live more simply.  Social media, cell phones, the internet in general... just slows us down, sometimes.  There's so much distraction.  Like... not many people go out for coffee anymore.  I mean... coffee is good.  Sitting there, in each others' presence, and just, interacting in person is so much better than texting or whatnot.  Isn't it?

They always tell us to live like we're dying.  I think we should do that, yes, but we should always love as though the person we're loving is dying as well.

I guess my overall point is this... with the surplus of ways to connect to others, we just take each other for granted.  So, don't.  Just don't.  Don't let the first time you tell someone you love them be the last time.  I guess you could just watch this little video, and you'll see where I'm going with this.  It's really sad.  I pray you never have to make the choice this guy did, and when you do, that you never tell someone how much they mean to you for the first time when they're dying.  Beyond that, we more or less have no excuses as to why we can't invest time in a relationship because we have so many various ways to genuinely do so.

So, do it today.  There is a such thing as "too late."  Don't be.

I already kind of said this in another post, but tell someone you care about them and how much they mean to you.  Who cares if it's random?  Just do it.  Because maybe they really need to hear it.

Anyway, don't take your loved ones for granted.  I'm going to do my best not to.

Random question of the day: What is a midichlorian?  Don't Google it.  If you know the answer, comment it below, and I'll give you a high five next time I see you.  DON'T CHEAT.  Guesses are allowed. :)

Incredible

I remember learning about Charlie Chaplin when I was in high school.  I can't remember what class it was, but I recall that he was one of the world's most famous actors out of the silent era, in which the movies had no dialogue and sometimes no sound at all.  However, in the movie The Dictator, written in 1940, Chaplin speaks.

In it, he plays two characters.  One is a Jewish barber and a the other dictator who looks like Adolf Hitler. At the end, after some weird events, the Hitler look-alike is replaced by the barber, who is then taken to the capitol to give a speech.  A lot of people describe this as one of the greatest speeches ever.

What's so amazing about it is that I've been trying to draft something like this together, and I stumbled upon it.  Frankly, I couldn't word anything of my own better than this, and practically everything in it is still relevant.  I invite you to read it, or watch the video.

I’m sorry but I don’t want to be an Emperor – that’s not my business – I don’t want to rule or conquer anyone. I should like to help everyone if possible, Jew, gentile, black man, white. We all want to help one another, human beings are like that.
We all want to live by each other’s happiness, not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another. In this world there is room for everyone and the earth is rich and can provide for everyone.

The way of life can be free and beautiful.

But we have lost the way.

Greed has poisoned men’s souls – has barricaded the world with hate; has goose-stepped us into misery and bloodshed.

We have developed speed but we have shut ourselves in: machinery that gives abundance has left us in want. Our knowledge has made us cynical, our cleverness hard and unkind. We think too much and feel too little: More than machinery we need humanity; More than cleverness we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.

The aeroplane and the radio have brought us closer together. The very nature of these inventions cries out for the goodness in men, cries out for universal brotherhood for the unity of us all. Even now my voice is reaching millions throughout the world, millions of despairing men, women and little children, victims of a system that makes men torture and imprison innocent people. To those who can hear me I say “Do not despair”.

The misery that is now upon us is but the passing of greed, the bitterness of men who fear the way of human progress: the hate of men will pass and dictators die and the power they took from the people, will return to the people and so long as men die [now] liberty will never perish…

Soldiers – don’t give yourselves to brutes, men who despise you and enslave you – who regiment your lives, tell you what to do, what to think and what to feel, who drill you, diet you, treat you as cattle, as cannon fodder.

Don’t give yourselves to these unnatural men, machine men, with machine minds and machine hearts. You are not machines. You are not cattle. You are men. You have the love of humanity in your hearts. You don’t hate – only the unloved hate. Only the unloved and the unnatural. Soldiers – don’t fight for slavery, fight for liberty.

In the seventeenth chapter of Saint Luke it is written ” the kingdom of God is within man ” – not one man, nor a group of men – but in all men – in you, the people.

You the people have the power, the power to create machines, the power to create happiness. You the people have the power to make life free and beautiful, to make this life a wonderful adventure. Then in the name of democracy let’s use that power – let us all unite. Let us fight for a new world, a decent world that will give men a chance to work, that will give you the future and old age and security. By the promise of these things, brutes have risen to power, but they lie. They do not fulfil their promise, they never will. Dictators free themselves but they enslave the people. Now let us fight to fulfil that promise. Let us fight to free the world, to do away with national barriers, do away with greed, with hate and intolerance. Let us fight for a world of reason, a world where science and progress will lead to all men’s happiness.

Soldiers – in the name of democracy, let us all unite!

There's really not much I can say to add onto this.  I just really wanted to share this with you all.  I hope it gave you some things to think about.

Together, we can fight for a new world - a decent world... because we have the power to create happiness... we have the power to make life free and beautiful, and a wonderful adventure.

Cheers,

Abe

Hope

I like to think that we are nothing without hope.  Still, people go on and on about how hopeless some situations are.  They'll conclude that there simply is no hope for someone or something, and they'll so easily let go, give up, and walk away.  Whether it's a relationship with someone we love or some sort of challenge ahead of us, we've had that thought at least once.  This. Is. Hopeless.

It's easy to do, isn't it?  When the obstacles are too numerous or you're just too tired to fight on, it's the most painless thing to do.  Sometimes we want to just release it, lay down that burden of it all, and rest.  Don't deny it.  You've been there before, haven't you?  You know exactly what I'm talking about.

Maybe you're doing it right now.  I honestly don't know.  But don't.

Have you ever rooted for your favorite football team and looked at the scoreboard... and seen that they're losing 0-24 and half the game's gone by?  I have.  I deemed that game a loss.  I never imagined anything otherwise or accepted any reality in which my team would come back.  But they did.

Let me tell you a "hopeless" story.  About 20 years ago, on the other side of this planet, about eight thousand miles away from here, a young woman discovered she was pregnant.  She had no money, home, or confidence that she could take care of the baby.  Abortion?  No.  That was illegal in her country.  It wasn't an option.  The father?  Gone.  Medical care?  She couldn't afford it.  It was hopeless.  Where could she go?  How could she raise this child?  On her own?  No way.  No.  Way.  9 months later, she gave birth to a baby boy.  Its face was terribly disfigured, one side a bit lopsided, the skull forming incorrectly and the face oddly balanced due to the lack of an eye.  You see, the human skull, whether you believe it or not, builds itself around the eyes.  Your cheek bone, your forehead, the entire height of the skull on each side is dependent on each eye for symmetry and proper shape.  This baby, however, was missing one.  The socket was open, sensitive to the dirty environment he was doomed to live in.  Hope had set in upon the birth... but as this mother looked upon her newborn baby, she felt, again, hopeless.

Maybe not all of us give birth to baby boys with missing eyes, but we all go through something like this.  We lose hope... and then we lose it more so, even though we thought that wasn't possible.  The problems go from bad to worse.  And we give up.

You see... there's just one part of this equation we leave out.  When we try to calculate how much hope is left, we leave out the primary factor that determines this: ourselves.  There is always hope.  It's never over until it's over.  And we always have a choice to make things better or worse, but that's another post.

The part of ourselves that we leave out is the fact that we're emotional people, and we're too subjective.  All we see are the problems.  We see the missing eye.  The messed up face.  The crying.  The abnormality and, I suppose, freakiness of the lost body part.  We see a mistake.  Something with the odds against it.  We think we can't do it.  That we can't go on.  We jump to the worst-case scenarios, and then the even more worse ones.  And the downward spiral begins.

Notice how I say that.  We lose hope.  Hope is still there.  But we just lose it.  Don't lose hope.

Because, this baby boy is still kicking it.  He's twenty now, and he's alive and well.  His face is normal.  You wouldn't ever know there was an eye missing.  You'd never guess unless you paid the utmost closest attention.  He's only hungry when he chooses to skip a meal. He's only cold when he's outside shoveling or if he forgets to turn on the space heater before he sleeps.  He's surrounded by great people, he has goals to better himself and succeed in the future.

That mother, twenty years ago, might have lost hope.  That story wasn't dramatized.  It's not a fabrication.  It happened.  Her situation is real, and it happens all the time.  It's not a unique problem or challenge.  She might have given up or felt that there was no way out and no possible way that she could make it okay.

I'll admit, I don't know if she felt exactly that way.  I don't know.  I don't know her.  I don't know where she is.  And I may never be able to find her.

But here I am.  I'm here, now.  I'm still breathing.  Most people would deem that as a hopeless situation.  To get the care I need for the eye and the proper shape and color, I have to drive two hours away to a doctor who specializes in making prosthetic eyes for people across the nation.  Did my birth mother, 20 years ago, ever suspect that this was possible?  Probably not.

Subjectivity gets in the way.  And I don't expect it to not.  We don't know all the possibilities because, frankly, it's incomprehensible and there are simply too many.

I don't know how religious you guys are.  But I cling to hope in my God.  I believe that He knows what's coming, and He's with me every step of the way.  No, it's not predetermination, but a confident expectation, a hope, that no matter how low my life gets, His light will shine through and brighten any darkness I'm drowning in.  I don't believe God is going to just lift me up and wipe all my problems away.  No, my problems are still there, and they're very much real and in my face.  I believe, however, that God didn't intend for me to fail, but to succeed against them.  I have hope that I can overcome anything life throws at me.

And here's a scripture plop: "No trial has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tested beyond what you can bear. But when you are tested, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it" (1 Cor. 10:13).

I have hope that I will figure my way through any problems I face, and I have hope that I will never be faced with something I cannot overcome.  I have God.  I have these wonderful people in my life, and I have this story of my birth mother that reminds me this one thing: hope is always there, whether I believe so or not.  I'm a living testimony to this.

In the Walking Dead (yes I'm making another reference), the characters all struggle with hope.  Some consider suicide as the better alternative to surviving.  They question whether God even exists through all the death, suffering, and pain.  Rick, the main character, even voices his loss of hope at the end of season one.

I think that this one of the more appealing and interesting effects of the show; it makes you question that, as well.  If that were to happen, would you fight on, or would you end it and prevent the suffering and fighting?

You know, I'd choose to fight.  Because the safe haven they're after... it's not a pipe dream or impossible goal... look at them and how they interact with each other.  Each person in that group fuels them.  They find their little safe havens in each other.  And that's my ultimate conclusion...

Hope is always there.  We can cling to it or let go.  And our relationships... our families, loved ones, and friends... they are our fuel that will ignite this spark of hope into victory, overcoming of anything and everything, and success over all our trials and obstacles.

Keep calm... and kill the walkers.

Random Fact of the Day: Don't drink Red Bull at midnight.  YOU WILL NOT SLEEP.

 

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the Best Present

 

"I guess you know I like you a lot.  Your friendship is the best present I ever got."

I suppose in life, you're going to run into this little predicament.  Maybe it isn't really a problem, but in a way, it is.  See, we have these opportunities to invest our time, love, and energy into relationships.  Sometimes they go no where, and soon that person's just an awfully distant memory.  Every once in a while, they grow and spark into something you honestly can't do without.  Sometimes, you build up such a relationship with someone that you're just, I guess, wonder-struck by.

My girlfriend and I went out to visit my grandparents.  We had a wonderful time.  On the way out, we were trying to think about what we were going to do and were concerned if we'd be bored or not.  Upon arrival, however, we just jumped into deep conversation about a great variety of things, and the two of us would just smile at each other at how, I suppose, amazing their relationship is.  I think my grandpa was saying that next month they'll be celebrating close to their 55th anniversary.  Imagine that.

I enjoy the visits out there because they provide a golden example of what a good marriage is, and what a loving  relationship is supposed to be like.  From the way they look at each other, it was just apparent that they cared about each other and were beyond comfortable and happy with each other.

This post isn't just about a married or dating type of relationship, but all kinds.  You know, it's that center thing that makes almost every type of relationship the worth something or significant, and that's love.

So, how many of you have asked that?  "What is love?"  A lot, I think.  There are roughly 5 different definitions of it.

1.  Theological: Love isn't clearly defined, but experienced.  It's done so through interactions with another's life in acts of kindness, self-sacrifice, and giving.  It binds us to others, yet sets us completely free.

2. Scientific: Love is a neurological condition and can be compared to hunger or thirst.  It's basically chemistry, and consists of a series of chemicals released in the human brain.

3. Psychological: There are many types of love.  The Greeks developed 6 types.  Agape is best described as unconditional love for all.  Phillia is deep and non-sexual intimacy between two people.  Ludus can be associated with flirting or playful love.  Philautia is love for ones self, so that they can love others.  Eros is sexual passion and desire.   Pragma is a type developed over a long period of time consisting of understanding, compromise, and commitment.

4. Philosophical: Love is a passionate commitment that we nurture and grow over time.  This is a definition that applies to all types.

5. Literature: Love is whatever you make it.  It's relative to where you are in relation to it.  If you're in love, it can feel necessary and mundane.  If you're deprived, it can feel more obsessive and all-consuming.  It's the driver to all great stories.

I look at my own life and the relationships I have.  Do some of these definitions fit them?

I can't even count them on two hands, but I have some people in my life now that I consider as people who are always pushing me forward, lifting me up, and bringing out the best in me.  There are some people in my life who I try to do the same for, and I can honestly and confidently say I love.

I guess being with my grandparents for a day or so made me take a long hard look at my relationships I have.  After 50+ years together, they still look at each other with love, and cherish every moment together.  So, my suggestion to you for today: tell those people you're in relationships with (whether they're family, friends, or someone you're "with" or whatever) what they mean to you.

Anyway, I think you remember me saying that this can be a problem.  I think the issue is that for the people I care about most... I just feel like there's always something more I should do.  Like, have you ever cared so much about someone and you just want to give them the world, except that'll never happen?  And you just strive to do more, to do better, and contribute more to them to make them happier and such, but you feel like you fall short?  Something like that.  If I could give everything, I would.  But I can't.

So, here's an example of a way of telling someone how much they mean to you.  I'll close with this, which is my little dealio for a select few people.  You know who you all are.

I saw that quote the other day, from Tigger.  "I guess you know I like you a lot.  Your friendship is the best present I ever got."  It made me think a lot.  When I was like six, I loved Winnie the Pooh.  And around that time, I was going through that phase of wishing I'd have that best friend who I'd do everything with.  Today, I can honestly say that I'm so satisfied and at peace with the people I have in my life.  You lift me up when I'm down, and you, well, light up my world like nobody else. But, overall, you frankly mean the world to me.  You might get sick of me or you might get tired of me being around.  Understand that that's just me trying to remind you all the time that I'm there.  It might not even be mutual, which would suck, but that's okay.  When you're not around, I feel like something's missing.  When you hurt, I want to fix it and I hurt as well.  If you're happy, I'm.  (House thing).  When you're around, I'm content.  It's not that I need you or I can't live without you... simply put, though, I just don't want to.  Each of you have contributed to my life or helped me in some way and are completely irreplaceable.  And here's another Walking Dead quote: "Words are such meager things."  And they are... they fall short now.  I can't really word it.  I guess I'm just wasting 100 words to say, "You mean a lot to me."  And that's all.

Thank you, friends.

 

Random Fact of the Day: Keep in mind, everyone, that the left lane is for fast traffic.  If you're driving slow or whatever, be in the right lane.  So, do this and help me rage less.  Together we can all make a difference :)

Sources: the five theories

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