It is December, the sixth to be exact at 2:33 in the morning.
December just happens to be the month of my birthday (20 this year) and Christmas!
Both of them being times when people begin to ask you what you want as gifts. I’ll
get to those but in the mean time I just finished watching the movie Treasure
Island by Disney! I haven’t seen that movie in a long time! I was actually at
the library earlier studying (hard to believe I know) for finals and whilst
listening to a wonderful movie sound track playlist on Spotify, I heard the
theme song to Treasure Island and I decided that I wanted to watch it so I
downloaded it from I tunes and watched it when I got home. I absolutely love
Disney movies, I can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t but I suppose they are out
there. Each movie that Disney releases has a subliminal message in it. I’m not
sure that everyone always understands these messages, these deeper meanings. I
know that I certainly didn’t when I was younger. Now, though as I watch old and
new Disney movies I begin to understand what they mean, the messages they
convey. Wall E, for instance, teaches us about taking notice of what we have
because if we don’t we will soon fall into destructive habits and monotonous routines.
We must open our eyes; see what is out there waiting for us. To see the beauty
of the world around us and of course to love! Treasure Planet teaches us about
adventure, risk, and learning who we are. Jim, the main character, faces tough
choices and a rough road ahead of him. He is not happy with who he is and what
he is doing and so departs on an adventure where along the way he realizes what
he had been missing out on. He begins to understand what he was meant for and realize
his responsibilities as man. He finds the inspiration in his life and in doing
so finds himself. So that brings me to the first thing I want this year, inspiration.
Well not just inspiration but the power to inspire, to be a role model. I have
always wanted to inspire people to do things not matter how big or small. I
think that is why I like to be a leader because I like being a role model. I
want people to look up to me and to be inspired by me. This is why I think I
have always wanted to be a Dad, maybe not this year but some someday for sure!
I think I would be the best Dad there is, I would make sure of it!
The last
year has not been the greatest for me for a lot of reasons. I know that my life
is not all that bad but that does not mean that it is easy. School is tough for
me, it always has been. I would have hoped that by now I would have found a way
to get a grasp on my schooling but such is not the case. I came to college so
excited to start my adult life only to find that I wasn't really ready for it.
Sure college is fun and you get to be independent but I haven’t found myself to
really be enjoying it. It is neither the school nor the location; it is just me
to be honest. Often I think that I may have made a mistake in going to school.
I know that college degrees are everything in this country but I think that I
could manage without one. If it wasn't for my Fraternity I doubt I would even
be here still. My brothers have kept me sane no matter how crazy we get. I love
each and every one of them I hope that they understand that. I have made
friendships here that are stronger than any I have ever had before. That is
what happens when you share a common ritual. It is friendship that brings me to
my second wish this year. I wish that my friends could forgive me for the
mistakes that I have made. I know that I have made many mistakes with my
friends and sometimes I think I have taken them for granted. I have not trusted
them as I should have nor have I loved them the way they deserve to be loved. I
think I am one of the luckiest guys in the world when it comes to friends and I
wish everyone of my friends could understand how I feel about them. So for my
second gift this year I ask for forgiveness.
We live in
one of the greatest countries on this planet yet sometimes it just doesn’t feel
so great. People always say that I should be proud to be an American! But I
have to ask myself, am I? What is the American dream anymore? To own a fast
sports car and a big house to fill with useless junk? What has happened to that
dream of freedom, liberty, and justice? I don’t see much of it anymore that’s for
sure. In the past I have simply turned a blind eye to what happened in Washington,
it never mattered to me until this year. The elections really opened my eyes to
how corrupt and twisted the people of my country are. The elections are
supposed to be seen as a Nation electing the next great leader who will ensure
everything that America is supposed to be. But that is not what I saw this
year. I saw a nation torn in two, contorted into ugly weapons of hate and self-destruction.
I saw hateful advertising, words of cruelty, and empty promises. This wasn’t an
election; it was a cold war that’s what it was. The tension between the parties
(which I find useless by the way) was so thick I couldn’t breathe. The hate
that emanated from the people was so strong I’m surprised that a civil war wasn’t
started. There is no unity here in the United States of America, only chaos
fueled by hate. And so that is my third request this giving season, unity.
Unity among the people of my nation is all that I ask. United we once stood, so
please close your mouths and open your arms so that we may stand United once
again!
It takes a
lot of courage to step out into the world today. Just getting out of bed and
going out into public is easier said than done. Everyone is so demanding of
perfection anymore that we lose sight of who we really are. Courage is required
to stand out from the crowd. One of my favorite quotes comes from Dr. Seuss: “Today
you are you, that is truer than true, there is no one alive who is youer than
you!” These words mean a lot to me because in a world where I am told to fit in
I have chosen to stand out, to set my own path and to create my own future! Who
cares what anyone thinks, I did not ask your opinion and I am sorry if that
offends you but it is my life so get your own! So this time I would like a
little more courage so that I can stand up to the status quo, so that I can
defend myself when I have too. Courage sounds nice to me!
I hope that so far what I have
asked for isn’t too much to give, I’m not big on presents to me it is the
thought that counts. I would rather just spend the holidays with friends and
family! Happy Holidays Everyone!!
