Lately I've had a lot of wisdom shared with me and I've learned a lot about life and loving people and being a respectful human being and it's made me have really complex thoughts that I don't even know if I quite understand.
I'm becoming more opinionated but I can't tell if these opinions are born from ignorance or if they're sound...so I don't know if I should share them or keep them to myself to avoid any possible embarrassment...and even if these opinions are 'sound' well...what does that even mean?
So they're acceptable by society...so what?
I don't need the acceptance of society or my friends and peers to be "right" or "wrong" do I? What's saying they are "right" and "wrong" anyway?
In the end, it's not them who will determine what was right and wrong, what was good and bad, what opinions were 'sound' and what thoughts were revolutionary.
I'm not a super religious person but I have my beliefs about what determines all of this, but who is saying that I'm right about even that? Science can explain many things but there is no way of testing and experimenting to find out what thoughts and opinions are morally correct, or what religion or belief is the truth. Really there is no way for any one human to know what exactly is "right" and what is the "truth" about anything. So why do we spend our lives trying to please other human beings?
Through typing all of this I'm kind of realizing the importance of living for yourself. No matter what you do, someone is going to disagree. Someone is going to disapprove. So instead of living to please others, or do what you think society wants you to, or what society thinks is 'right', do what /you/ think is right. Do what allows you to accomplish what you want to accomplish. Make your own goals and accomplish them. Exceed them. Go beyond your own limits, not those set upon you by people who won't matter in the grand scheme of your life. Ignore the people that tell you that you are doing something wrong. Make your own mistakes and learn from them.
Showing posts with label living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label living. Show all posts
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Outside
Today, I spent a good deal of my day outside, where it was easily in the upper 90s, but with the humidity, it felt even hotter. Anyway, my initial motivation for spending time in the sun was to tan, which, if you know me, is nearly impossible, but I figure if I up the time I spend outdoors each day then slowly I will tan.
So I sat on a bench at a nearby park and kind of just read a book and watched the scenery and whatnot and I realized that being outdoors is really inspiring. It got me thinking about so many things that I've never considered and there was so much going through my mind at once but it wasn't overwhelming like usual- it was peaceful in a way, and felt like I was becoming more knowledgeable of the world just by observation.
I don't recall who but some man in history argued that observation was the key to learning and I'm starting to kind of agree.
Anyway I was going to put my headphones on and escape with the 1200 songs on my ipod to keep my mind busy but I ended up throwing away this idea because the sounds around me were just fine- not too distracting but not silent enough to drive me crazy. This got me thinking; these sounds are so simple and beautiful and so different from the electronics that we allow ourselves to obsess over nowadays and its interesting because if someone tried to reproduce these natural sounds like the sound of a car speeding by or a bird chirping or the grass flowing in the wind or the sound of water trickling, then it would be extremely annoying. Come to think of it, whenever songs or movies try to reproduce these songs I find that I get a huge headache or its just bothersome....
So that was one of my revelations: Sometimes the most natural things are the most calming, and you don't need an "escape from the world" to escape the world. Not sure if that makes much sense but it does to me so I'm going to leave it at that.
So as I was reading and thinking and appreciating these things, I noticed the people around me.
Honestly, I'm not much of a people person and I don't smile at people when they walk by me or whatever and I get extremely offended when people stare at me because I'm probably one of the most self conscious people I have met and idk that's just how it is.
But I noticed a certain man who was running on the circular half mile path around the park who I noticed was struggling greatly and looked tired as hell. He wasn't very fit, but in his workout shorts and oversized T-Shirt I could tell what his goal was. His back was sweaty and his posture was terrible like he had been running for days, and he often tripped over his feet and hung his head down in tire. Somehow I admired this man more than the two girls walking their dog with cute workout clothing on and perfect hair and tans and nice legs and whatnot... Because while they were gossiping and glaring at me like I was some sort of alien for reading or sitting on a bench for godsake or who knows what, this poor man was pushing himself over and over again to do another lap...another half mile...even though he was obviously dead tired.
There were other people there, of course, some running, some walking, some just admiring the lake or the park but to me, it was more interesting that a man, who could so easily give up and just stop, telling himself he's done enough for the day, could roll his eyes, take a deep breath and go another round. The beginning of the lap was probably the hardest, the way he knows he has an entire half mile left until he can take a drink, but it was probably the easiest too, being more shaded or whatnot, which really doesn't have anything to do with anything but I thought it was interesting that the most difficult time can also be the easiest.
I know I seem very creepy right now but I'm usually this observant so don't be surprised.
Anyway as I was leaving I looked at him across the park for one last time and turned away, and an interesting thought crossed my mind.
I will never see this person again. Isn't it strange how the people we encounter in our daily lives are most likely people who will only occupy a couple moments of our entire lives? We may see them a time or two again, but these people are as much a part of our lives as the grass we walk on, the roads we drive on, the air we breathe..they exist, we acknowledge them, but don't give them any real significance. But they are important. Without these little encounters like the one I had today, I wouldn't learn to observe, or appreciate the little things in life.
So I guess what I'm trying to get at is that even if it's a few minutes of your day, being outdoors or observing people or the world around you is so important. And more important is finding meaning in those little things. I find that the more meaning you find in the things that seem not to matter to you, the more you discover about life and yourself.
One last thought before I end this endless ramble of mine... Before I crawled back into the sauna of a car I was driving, I noticed a broken trashcan on the corner of the field. Above it, sitting on a pole, was a bird. I don't know why but this interested me. Right above the gross death of trash, thrown away, never to be used again, was something so alive and lively that it made me realize that life is a neverending cycle of life and death and these little things should be appreciated. Eh. That doesn't sound very profound; I apologize.
Alright, I think I am done.
Have a beautiful day, if you are reading this. And listen to The Script.
So I sat on a bench at a nearby park and kind of just read a book and watched the scenery and whatnot and I realized that being outdoors is really inspiring. It got me thinking about so many things that I've never considered and there was so much going through my mind at once but it wasn't overwhelming like usual- it was peaceful in a way, and felt like I was becoming more knowledgeable of the world just by observation.
I don't recall who but some man in history argued that observation was the key to learning and I'm starting to kind of agree.
Anyway I was going to put my headphones on and escape with the 1200 songs on my ipod to keep my mind busy but I ended up throwing away this idea because the sounds around me were just fine- not too distracting but not silent enough to drive me crazy. This got me thinking; these sounds are so simple and beautiful and so different from the electronics that we allow ourselves to obsess over nowadays and its interesting because if someone tried to reproduce these natural sounds like the sound of a car speeding by or a bird chirping or the grass flowing in the wind or the sound of water trickling, then it would be extremely annoying. Come to think of it, whenever songs or movies try to reproduce these songs I find that I get a huge headache or its just bothersome....
So that was one of my revelations: Sometimes the most natural things are the most calming, and you don't need an "escape from the world" to escape the world. Not sure if that makes much sense but it does to me so I'm going to leave it at that.
So as I was reading and thinking and appreciating these things, I noticed the people around me.
Honestly, I'm not much of a people person and I don't smile at people when they walk by me or whatever and I get extremely offended when people stare at me because I'm probably one of the most self conscious people I have met and idk that's just how it is.
But I noticed a certain man who was running on the circular half mile path around the park who I noticed was struggling greatly and looked tired as hell. He wasn't very fit, but in his workout shorts and oversized T-Shirt I could tell what his goal was. His back was sweaty and his posture was terrible like he had been running for days, and he often tripped over his feet and hung his head down in tire. Somehow I admired this man more than the two girls walking their dog with cute workout clothing on and perfect hair and tans and nice legs and whatnot... Because while they were gossiping and glaring at me like I was some sort of alien for reading or sitting on a bench for godsake or who knows what, this poor man was pushing himself over and over again to do another lap...another half mile...even though he was obviously dead tired.
There were other people there, of course, some running, some walking, some just admiring the lake or the park but to me, it was more interesting that a man, who could so easily give up and just stop, telling himself he's done enough for the day, could roll his eyes, take a deep breath and go another round. The beginning of the lap was probably the hardest, the way he knows he has an entire half mile left until he can take a drink, but it was probably the easiest too, being more shaded or whatnot, which really doesn't have anything to do with anything but I thought it was interesting that the most difficult time can also be the easiest.
I know I seem very creepy right now but I'm usually this observant so don't be surprised.
Anyway as I was leaving I looked at him across the park for one last time and turned away, and an interesting thought crossed my mind.
I will never see this person again. Isn't it strange how the people we encounter in our daily lives are most likely people who will only occupy a couple moments of our entire lives? We may see them a time or two again, but these people are as much a part of our lives as the grass we walk on, the roads we drive on, the air we breathe..they exist, we acknowledge them, but don't give them any real significance. But they are important. Without these little encounters like the one I had today, I wouldn't learn to observe, or appreciate the little things in life.
So I guess what I'm trying to get at is that even if it's a few minutes of your day, being outdoors or observing people or the world around you is so important. And more important is finding meaning in those little things. I find that the more meaning you find in the things that seem not to matter to you, the more you discover about life and yourself.
One last thought before I end this endless ramble of mine... Before I crawled back into the sauna of a car I was driving, I noticed a broken trashcan on the corner of the field. Above it, sitting on a pole, was a bird. I don't know why but this interested me. Right above the gross death of trash, thrown away, never to be used again, was something so alive and lively that it made me realize that life is a neverending cycle of life and death and these little things should be appreciated. Eh. That doesn't sound very profound; I apologize.
Alright, I think I am done.
Have a beautiful day, if you are reading this. And listen to The Script.
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
ramblings about things
I just want to read books and find someone to talk to about them and discuss and argue and learn and test each other and broaden my knowledge of the world...
Then I want to write beautiful things and have someone read them and criticize and help me improve and add their own wisdom to what I write so I can become more open minded...
And then I want to read others' writings and talk about what they love and try to appreciate what is important to them and have them lecture me on life and show me in detail the things they obsess about and why they do and me not understand it but just feeel their love for it and continue to learn...
And then I want to go places with someone and discuss things that are happening in the world and debate and observe things as they happen and study and take photos and just live in the world as it is...
I don't want to go to the movies, or play video games, or go bowling... I just want to talk.
I'm tired of these immature friendships where all we can find to do is talk about the other people around us and the silly drama that goes on in our daily lives that doesn't have any meaning at all in the world so we replace decent, worthwhile conversation with "fun"...
As Eleanor Roosevelt would say, "great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people." I want to have a great mind.
Hanna
Then I want to write beautiful things and have someone read them and criticize and help me improve and add their own wisdom to what I write so I can become more open minded...
And then I want to read others' writings and talk about what they love and try to appreciate what is important to them and have them lecture me on life and show me in detail the things they obsess about and why they do and me not understand it but just feeel their love for it and continue to learn...
And then I want to go places with someone and discuss things that are happening in the world and debate and observe things as they happen and study and take photos and just live in the world as it is...
I don't want to go to the movies, or play video games, or go bowling... I just want to talk.
I'm tired of these immature friendships where all we can find to do is talk about the other people around us and the silly drama that goes on in our daily lives that doesn't have any meaning at all in the world so we replace decent, worthwhile conversation with "fun"...
As Eleanor Roosevelt would say, "great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people." I want to have a great mind.
Hanna
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