Tuesday, September 17, 2013

Why I love my dirty shoes.



She sat, white-haired and bundled in her blue sweater reading her book that stated the main character had taken off to somewhere incredible. And on this gorgeous September morning, it couldn’t have felt like a more romantic notion. The sun flittered through the trees like water around skin in the ocean for the first time.

“So why just read about taking off?” I wondered to myself. “Why not just go?” and I thought about all the reasons we tell ourselves as humans: “I can’t because of xyz obligations etc” which just seems so sad to me. Books are lovely and a temporary escape, but at some point you have to go. You have to get out there and explore the world you have been brought into. You have only that obligation.

Life will pass quickly, we have all heard this. It does. For some it passes faster than for others I believe. For this woman, all wrapped up in her book, her sweater only gave temporary warmth and her book only gave a momentary escape. Now she sits in a coffee shop thinking the thoughts of those who haven’t lived: “What if I had…?” and “What would have been”, cursing herself inwardly to the point she can no longer smile at a stranger (me) sitting next to her.

Her perfectly white tennis shoes, perfectly tied laces had not experienced the adventures and the happiness of a fleeting moment that my worn shoes and frayed jeans had. “How sad” I thought to myself. And suddenly I was happy at the holes and fraying I had once cursed, for they meant crucial life explorations I had captured.

Monday, September 9, 2013

My thoughts on 9/11

As we enter the 12 year anniversary of 9/11 I've had mixed emotions about the topic.

I've noticed some people are going on with life like nothing happened. They go to work, get married, take their kids to school and live life in general.

Others have no choice but to remember what happened that day as they say silent prayers at gravestones, visit the various sites of attacks or find their own way to remember what happened and say their "Thanks" to the brave men and women who died that day.

Some of you may say that to move on with life as if nothing happened is to show that America will always remain unchanged despite how terrorists try to thwart our unity. Others say that it is somewhat of a "holy" day and should mean we get a day off of school and work to pay tribute to what happened to our country.

I will say that I agree with the latter, but only if people will actually teach their children what happened, why America is important and what our flag stands for. So far, I see kids running around on the 4th of July, Veterans Day, Memorial Day and so forth without realizing any significance.

This is the fault of the parents for not teaching the future generations of our great country any better.

Bear in mind I'm not saying force your children to sit and watch the news footage of current and past wars or what happened on 9/11. What I am saying is that even at the age of 3, children remember a lot of what you say, despite what you think. Just reminding them at a young age that the flag is never to touch the ground and is a very important artifact we use in our country will suffice until they are older.I'm also not saying don't have fun with fireworks and BBQ's on July 4th.

Yes, I personally volunteer with different military groups and am (what I consider anyhow) a diehard patriotic person. Politics has nothing to do with teaching your children the history of the flag or the importance of why we take certain days off of school or work.

I guess what I'm saying is stop running to Wal-mart to make these historical days just another BBQ or party day for your family or friends. Incorporate a moment of silence into the gathering to pay respect and teach children and others to remember that your celebration came at a great cost to many.

Whatever you choose (or have to do that day since not everyone can take off from work or school), just take 30 seconds or a minute of your time and remain silent and say a prayer for those who have had to pick up the pieces as family members were lost. If you want to do something more, write a letter to a service member and express sincere gratitude for what they do. 

Sunday, September 8, 2013

Starbucks and people watching

So I'm sitting here in Starbucks, officially avoiding homework (again) and just people watching. It's amazing to me how people interact with one another. I say "interesting" because the reason people usually come here isn't just for coffee. People don't come to Starbucks just for coffee. They come for a variety of different reasons:

1. To mingle with people they don't see often. It's the universal place to go see someone of the opposite sex without actually having a "date". OR it's the safest place to meet someone before seeing if you want to have a real date with them like dinner. You tell yourself "It's just coffee" and leave it at that. It's the place I know I go to see friends without my boyfriend having to worry and vice-verse. I guess it's "neutral territory" in a way.

2. To take their kids to a place other than the park/usual places and pretend they're doing the kid a favor. The only issue with this is that 99% of the time, kids are left unattended and annoy the crap out of the other patrons. No, you're "little angel" is not behaving behind your back while you gossip with a friend. This goes for dads and moms alike. The last time I experienced this was when a mother of 2 came in (and she was pregnant) and standing in line ordering. Her two children were roaming around trying to open bags of coffee beans, playing with the items in the cold-fridge-like-area for sale, trying to take the balloons, kicking each other and subsequently running into strangers trying to get away from one another. The mother was apparently completely unaware of this activity. Her husband met her out front and asked how the kids were. She replied: "They were perfect little angels as usual". Obliviousness does not mean things aren't going on dear. I truly believe people this unaware of life shouldn't have the ability to drive or vote.

3. To get away from your life and still pretend you're 'socializing' with other people. Don't be mad if this describes you, I do it too.

4. You're trying to study but still feel like you got out of the house.

5. You do your online shopping at another location so nobody finds out at home. (I do this too).

I also go to people watch and just observe where people "are". This means that I watch and try to figure out if they're happy with themselves, sad, what type of profession they do, what type of background they come from and so forth. I apparently also go to Starbucks to write. It's where I can just put my ear-buds in and tune out.

Why do you go to Starbucks?

I have no clue what I'm doing

Seriously. In a world where everyone is tech-savvy, doing things on their phones like email, blogging and the like I find myself doing the opposite. I just barely got my first touch-screen phone in February (an Iphone) and even now all these months later I'm still finding that I have no idea how to use the damn thing half the time.

So why am I writing a blog you ask? I wondered the same thing until I had multiple people tell me I needed to share my writings and thoughts with others that didn't know me. So here I am. This experience is going to be raw, vulnerable and messy. Just like life.

People come to me asking for advice on things a LOT. I'm not really sure why considering all my life-choices and experiences haven't been exactly brilliant. But then again, maybe that's why they ask my advice/opinion on things: who better to ask than someone who has failed continuously and still kept smiling? I've learned a lot and I realize I still have a lot left to learn.

I hope you'll join me on this adventure and keep comments kind and insightful. Opinions are NOT necessarily asked for since everyone has one, just like an @**hole. It doesn't mean everyone wants to hear it.