The other day I saw this video for the first time and it pretty much blew my mind. I mean, we all know how fake magazine pictures are and how airbrushed chicks are in the movies but this short video really brought those ideas to life. Comparing yourself to so-called perfection is a pretty dangerous game. Demi-gods and goddesses show up everyday in our lives on the covers of magazines, gigantic billboards, and on our favorite sitcom. Are there really people out there who never get a blemish? Or have completely styled and coiffed hair, all the time? Welcome to the real world folks and it’s, I would argue, prettier. What if we looked up to authentic, real looking women who didn’t look like they had plastic faces. And dudes, what if you worshipped chicks that had normal chest sizes and only wore heels, say, once a month. I think that we do and it is more of an underlying issue that I am approaching here. We all have those people in our lives that we think are beautiful or good looking because of various reasons. Our friend who is ridiculously funny; Our significant other who knows exactly what to say to make us feel better; our Mother or Father (or both!) who we look up to because they are strong and have faced tough situations. When we really think about beauty in our lives, I don’t think commercial beauty is the first thing that comes to mind. We may appreciate perfection and enjoy looking at it in our monthly Cosmo, but we know true beauty when we see it.
Monthly Archives: January 2012
Cause I need freedom now And I need to know how To live my life as it’s meant to be
Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and thought, “who is this person?” After all the experiences, friends, choices, and happenstance, who is it that I am? Sometimes winter is thought of as a dreary, sad time. Lets rearrange that way of thinking. Winter being in between fall and summer is not only a chance for purification but also rededication. Snow falls delicately, coating the ground with a pure white covering. As snow melts, it makes a bit of a sludgy mess, flowing down sidewalks and streets. Making its way through streams, rivers, oceans, and the inevitable life cycle, that water is transformed. Finding strength in these winter months can be difficult. Remembering this cycle is helpful though because it is a distinct reminder that each day holds the possibility of new ideas, life paths, and inspiration. With perseverance we can see past the sludge to find this beautiful moments, people, and ideas, which enable transformation. New hopes and dreams lead us forward in these cold months have the possibility of covering or replace the running river of melted snow. Something that didn’t work out before can be forgotten or re-worked. Starting a new story with these winter months, or maybe a new chapter within an already exciting and worthwhile story that is already in motion makes me feel alive and inspired. We are who we want to be.
New Friends, Old Friends, and all Those People in Between
When filling out an application the other day, Steve said sort of seriously, “but wait, really, I kind of am like a migrant worker,” when attempting to respond to that question in all honesty. Being somewhat nomadic can be frustrating because you do not lay down roots for too long in any one place but it is also a grand opportunity to meet incredible amounts of, well, incredible people. You live with people for six months or maybe you work with them for a year and if you are being really realistic, there is a chance that you could never see them again. At a presentation the other day an idea of Aristotle’s really caught my attention; his idea was that the things of most worth are those that seem to be most meaningless. Immediately I thought of all of those things we do together that are for no real purpose in the grand scheme of things. Rock climbing, cruising down a river, and good old fashioned front porch sittin’ don’t achieve anything tangible, they don’t create anything you can touch or make money off of. But could be considered by some or even most to be of the highest importance. Why? Because they are what bring us together and solidify the bond of friendship. Its what makes you stay in touch with old friends and infinitely excited to meet new people; inviting them into your adventure. I don’t think there is a formula for staying in touch or for meeting new people. It all lies in being yourself and being generous with yourself whether it be in calling up an old friend to catch up and reminisce or striking up conversation with a new friend.
