I don't know where this came from. It's one of those times when I can't control the words. They flow like water from a breached levee. Sometimes I notice something that I feel like others notice but can't quite articulate. Much of this may sound cliche or trite, but it isn't. What I have to write is immensely, vastly important. There is almost no way to write this as a male and not sound like I am pandering to females for my own self-aggrandizement.
There are so many girls out there who are desperately seeking to be noticed. So many girls looking for validation in the wrong places, so many rebelling against any and all labels placed upon them, so many that languish in relative obscurity and a daily sense of smallness. I hear their silent screams. I follow their blogs, I look at their uploaded pictures, I read their statuses. And it makes me want to weep for all my powerlessness to do anything about it. If I could tell all the women in the world one thing, it would be: You have worth. It is an intrinsic, inborn, irrefutable worth. And it is immense.
You do not need to have this worth validated by any social, familial, or male groups. If I had the voice, I would shout this from the rooftops; if I had the courage, I would clutch every girl within my grasp and whisper this in their ear; if I had the means, I would start foundations to let every girl know what I know. There is so much more to life than the false hope offered by social media. You deserve more than what your magazines tell you. You are so much more than the narrow picture frames that would trap you. Real men don't want you to look like pornstars and act like immature boys. We want you to be the mothers of our children, our solace in times of trouble, and the sure foundation when the walls around us crumble.
You are wellsprings of power. But make no mistake, this is not power like men have. It is much greater. Not a brute reckless strength, but the innate strength of the hands that have nursed every generation since we began. Your strength waits in an endless reserve of gentle words and caresses. Your strength is not in your iron actions, but your ability to relent, to forgive, to weep, to express emotion. You are brave. Perhaps it is not on the battlefields of great wars, but your bravery is found in silent foxholes of despair where only your consoling embrace can comfort the frightened child, or husband, or stranger. This makes you infinite. This makes you indispensable.
Your body is a temple, respect it. Never apologize for feeling. Run away as fast as you can from any person who makes you feel insignificant, worthless, or anything short of astounding. The same even goes for other girls who make you feel this way. Or any media that does the same. Run away. Run away, and replace it with something positive. There are uplifting things to read, there are better friends out there, and there are some wonderful men out there. (Hint: They are usually not the ones society has programmed you to be attracted to.)
Please women, do not fall to pieces. The rest of us need you too damn much. And in my own insignificant way, I love you all.
[Keep Following.]
17 February 2013
12 February 2013
Things I've Learned From Yoga
First, your body is going to look and feel weird. Get used to it. You wouldn't think it possible to bend and contort in such a lewd and inhumane fashion, but you'd be wrong. Sometimes it's hard to move.
Second, it's impossible not to laugh the first time you do the happy baby pose. Sometimes it's hard to be serene.
And finally, it is very relaxing to breathe deeply. But as the unfortunate, middle-aged woman in my class learned, sphincter control is of the utmost importance.
Sometimes it's hard to breathe deeply.
[Keep Following.]
Second, it's impossible not to laugh the first time you do the happy baby pose. Sometimes it's hard to be serene.
And finally, it is very relaxing to breathe deeply. But as the unfortunate, middle-aged woman in my class learned, sphincter control is of the utmost importance.
Sometimes it's hard to breathe deeply.
[Keep Following.]
06 December 2012
Top 5 Worst Bumper Stickers Of All Time
I haven't had good luck with lists, but this one is short. These are the best of the worst. The ones that make you want to rear-end the car in front of you. The ones that are the source of endless amounts of road rage. The little pieces of sticky paper that endanger peace talks in the Middle East. These are those kind. Here we go:
5. The Apple Logo.We get it. You like Apple products. But since Apple tries to play themselves off as more "intelligent" and "trendy" than the rest of the masses, I would think you would be smart enough to recognize when the company you worship is using you for FREE ADVERTISING. Yeah, that's right. That sticker isn't a prize to show to all your friends that you are better than them. The free sticker that came with your over-priced product is free because they have determined that the benefits of giving away something for free have outweighed the costs. But I guess it serves you right for spending the extra money in the first place. Don't get me wrong. I like Apple products. I just don't like Apple fanboys. Hence the number five worst bumper sticker of all time.
4. Outdated Campaign Stickers. Sorry to burst your bubble but William Jennings Bryan lost. Back in 1908. I get that you don't want to be "mainstream" but you've got to draw the line somewhere. There comes a point at which endorsing the losing candidate doesn't mean anything except you made an unpopular choice. Oh you voted for Nader in 1972? Who is he again? How about endorsing principles rather than candidates. But I digress. It's just lazy. If your candidate lost, I know it is heartbreaking, but stop dwelling in the past.
3. Family Caricatures. Seriously? What is the point of this? "I have a family, and we are cute!" So? First, you know those little pictures will be outdated in like six months right? And if you are dedicated enough to keep a true-to-life stick figure family on the back of your minivan, you need to get a hobby. Second, those things are not true. An accurate representation of your family would have a pregnant teen daughter, a coke-head son, and a snotty eight year-old. Where is that sticker? Oh here it is:
2. Tramp Stamp. I hardly have to write anything about this one. If you and your car have a matching tramp stamp, you need to reorganize your life. Wait. I just realized, when the souped-up Ram down the street with the fake testicles hanging off the hitch and the beat-up Tercel with the tramp stamp get together... the result can only be the Smart car. I don't want to rain on your parade, but do you ever see any nice cars with a tribal design or a butterfly with a fairy princess in the center of the rear window? No? That's because it's trashy. Even on a car. Time to get out the razor blade. For your car this time.
1. Twenty-six point two. AKA 26.2. We get it. You like to run. Awesome. I like to drive. Hence, the reason I am sitting in the car. I resent that I have to look at some conceited sticker bragging about how far you can jog. I feel like real marathon runners would have the decency to at least be a little ashamed about what they do. But just because you decided you could PAY real American dollars to run in a sponsored race doesn't mean you get to visually assault me. Also, I can't tell you the number of times I've passed a "marathon runner" only to see a tubby, worn-out house mom driving with a 40 oz. Sonic Cherry Limeade in one hand. Hmm. You have just removed any shred of legitimacy that sticker never had.
There you are folks. Enjoy. And if any of these apply to any of you, you are hereby no longer my friend until you remove the aforementioned sticker.Who thinks of these things? Oh yeah, I do.
[Keep Following. I swear I'm a gentle person even if my rants aren't. Some things just need to be said.]
5. The Apple Logo.We get it. You like Apple products. But since Apple tries to play themselves off as more "intelligent" and "trendy" than the rest of the masses, I would think you would be smart enough to recognize when the company you worship is using you for FREE ADVERTISING. Yeah, that's right. That sticker isn't a prize to show to all your friends that you are better than them. The free sticker that came with your over-priced product is free because they have determined that the benefits of giving away something for free have outweighed the costs. But I guess it serves you right for spending the extra money in the first place. Don't get me wrong. I like Apple products. I just don't like Apple fanboys. Hence the number five worst bumper sticker of all time.
 |
| Uhh, that would be think differently. But thanks for playing. |
4. Outdated Campaign Stickers. Sorry to burst your bubble but William Jennings Bryan lost. Back in 1908. I get that you don't want to be "mainstream" but you've got to draw the line somewhere. There comes a point at which endorsing the losing candidate doesn't mean anything except you made an unpopular choice. Oh you voted for Nader in 1972? Who is he again? How about endorsing principles rather than candidates. But I digress. It's just lazy. If your candidate lost, I know it is heartbreaking, but stop dwelling in the past.
 |
| Actually, that's kinda rad. |
3. Family Caricatures. Seriously? What is the point of this? "I have a family, and we are cute!" So? First, you know those little pictures will be outdated in like six months right? And if you are dedicated enough to keep a true-to-life stick figure family on the back of your minivan, you need to get a hobby. Second, those things are not true. An accurate representation of your family would have a pregnant teen daughter, a coke-head son, and a snotty eight year-old. Where is that sticker? Oh here it is:
 |
| Hmm. I may have to move this one down a spot. |
2. Tramp Stamp. I hardly have to write anything about this one. If you and your car have a matching tramp stamp, you need to reorganize your life. Wait. I just realized, when the souped-up Ram down the street with the fake testicles hanging off the hitch and the beat-up Tercel with the tramp stamp get together... the result can only be the Smart car. I don't want to rain on your parade, but do you ever see any nice cars with a tribal design or a butterfly with a fairy princess in the center of the rear window? No? That's because it's trashy. Even on a car. Time to get out the razor blade. For your car this time.
 |
| The essence of class. |
1. Twenty-six point two. AKA 26.2. We get it. You like to run. Awesome. I like to drive. Hence, the reason I am sitting in the car. I resent that I have to look at some conceited sticker bragging about how far you can jog. I feel like real marathon runners would have the decency to at least be a little ashamed about what they do. But just because you decided you could PAY real American dollars to run in a sponsored race doesn't mean you get to visually assault me. Also, I can't tell you the number of times I've passed a "marathon runner" only to see a tubby, worn-out house mom driving with a 40 oz. Sonic Cherry Limeade in one hand. Hmm. You have just removed any shred of legitimacy that sticker never had.
 |
| Ugh. TERRIBLE. |
There you are folks. Enjoy. And if any of these apply to any of you, you are hereby no longer my friend until you remove the aforementioned sticker.Who thinks of these things? Oh yeah, I do.
[Keep Following. I swear I'm a gentle person even if my rants aren't. Some things just need to be said.]
12 November 2012
Thank You, Alanis
Sometimes someone has already said it better than you ever could. Thanks Alanis.
How about stopping eating when I’m filled up
How about them transparent dangling carrots
How about that ever elusive kudo
Thank you india
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence
How about me not blaming you for everything
How about me enjoying the moment for once
How about how good it feels to finally forgive you
How about grieving it all one at a time
Thank you india
Thank you terror
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you frailty
Thank you consequence
Thank you thank you silence
The moment I let go of it was
The moment I got more than I could handle
The moment I jumped off of it was
The moment I touched down
How about no longer being masochistic
How about remembering your divinity
How about unabashedly bawling your eyes out
How about not equating death with stopping
Thank you india
Thank you providence
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you nothingness
Thank you clarityThank you thank you silence
[Keep Following.]
05 November 2012
Beautiful People
"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen."
-Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
How true this is. We always tend to glorify others' lives when we see them. It is easy to say, "So-and-so is so great. I wish I had their life." But we forget that most often, the people we idolize have endured the most difficult trials to become the great person that they are. Those special people are the ones who have endured the most refining in the furnace of affliction. So don't wish for a great person's life unless you are willing to suffer.
But the key is not the suffering. It is the "[finding] their way out of the depths" that makes beautiful people beautiful. Any chump can suffer. But it takes a special person to pause, smile at those things that would ruin us, and keep going.
[Keep Following.]
-Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
How true this is. We always tend to glorify others' lives when we see them. It is easy to say, "So-and-so is so great. I wish I had their life." But we forget that most often, the people we idolize have endured the most difficult trials to become the great person that they are. Those special people are the ones who have endured the most refining in the furnace of affliction. So don't wish for a great person's life unless you are willing to suffer.
But the key is not the suffering. It is the "[finding] their way out of the depths" that makes beautiful people beautiful. Any chump can suffer. But it takes a special person to pause, smile at those things that would ruin us, and keep going.
[Keep Following.]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)