vendredi 28 septembre 2012

φιλία - friendship

Dear reader,
Today I've talked to a handful of people about life, and philosophical topics. You know that feeling when you want to have a conversation about deep subjects with friends who share the same level of maturity as you. I would like to dedicate this blog to these persons with whom I've had real talk, you guys recognize yourselves. I could mention loads of ideas and thoughts that have been shared this day, but there's this particular topic which caught my attention. It's the concept of friendship. What is friendship? A celebrated greek philosopher by the name of Aristotle once said:
"What is a friend? A single soul, dwelling in two bodies"
 People, especially in our society today, tend to forget that the word friendship is not just a simple concept or idea we live with everyday. It's something profoundSomething that goes through our very soul. I've known people, and I still know some, who think that one is rich in friends when he has a lot in numbers. But I don't think likewise. In my humble opinion, you are rich in friendship not by the total number of friends you have, but by the ones who are firm and stand strong with you. It could be a very poor number of persons, but as I always say, it's not about the quantity, but rather about the quality. You could have loads and tons of so-called "friends" anywhere, but ask yourself : are they really people you will run to in your darkest hours? Will they be the ones to help you in times of need and will they stand by you, at all cost? 

You know I've met a lot of people in my life, and I'm pretty much sure I will still meet more. There are some persons, I've felt like I've known them all my life, and throughout the years, I got to know their ways and attitudes, just like the palm of my hand. But surprisingly, it turns out to be, I didn't even have a clue who they were at all, and shocked me with their real being and identity. It's almost like a slap you get on the face, and you wake up from an illusion you've seen for so long. Sad.  On the other hand, I've met people, not so long ago, maybe a few years ago, and they turn out to be people who aren't scared to show who they really are. They aren't afraid to uncover the mask each and every one of us wears. And they are the ones with whom you can have a real friendship, because there's nothing to hide. Some people say that a friendship is real when it's tested by time. But I object. Time is just a concept. A friendship is real by it's sincerity, honesty, and trust. When you meet someone, you will know by the sincerity, honesty and trust that is gently  being established if the friendship is going to be real or not. Because when you meet someone, it's not just two physical bodies that meet, but two souls that collide and beautifully form one. And as the great and much respected Aristotle said, "a friend is a single soul dwelling in two bodies". The thesis is as it is. 

Do not take your friends for granted. Cherish every moment you spend with them. Reminisce in the times you've shared, for they are presents you will keep forever. Never forget what they stand for in your life, because they won't forget you back when in need. Everything must flow in a reciprocative manner. What you give is what you get. It's okay not to have a lot, but keep a handful of friends you know you can trust and hold on to. Keep them in the very bottom of your heart, and hold them right in the palm of your hand.

Ah! Friendship is one vast subject we could discuss long term. But for the time being, I will stop here and put a suspension point. With all certitude, this topic is to be continued...

Yours truly,
J. Powers 

mercredi 26 septembre 2012

BE YOURSELF

Today, class was interesting. We learned that people [we] have been brainwashed and reformatted to a standard. To the point of forgetting ourselves and wanting to be like what they [society] WANT us to be. We’ve also learned that we have been deprived from showing our real emotions so instead put up a fake identity - what we called moeurs in french, or “morals” in english. You have to be this, you have to be that in front of people, and your attitude must depend on the certain social class you face. I guess that’s why we don’t really know the real identity of people, our closest friends, or even ourselves because we are all afraid to show who we really are. We are unconsciously pushed to put up a front to please what the so-called society expects. I also think that’s one of the multiple reasons why there are so many heartaches. Because in the end we show up who we really are and people will judge us for being ourselves, so we discover that therefore, they are not real friends. In my humble opinion, don’t hide your feelings and emotions. Either you’re a guy or a girl, it’s equal. Cry as if you’ve never shed a tear, laugh as if you’ve never laughed before, smile as if you’ve discovered happiness, and open your eyes as if you’ve never seen before. The world will be so much better if we only be ourselves and learn to accept the personalities of each individual, even with flaws. Because in the end, no-one is perfect. And loving the imperfect is what makes it perfect. For instance, we have always been sinners and full of flaws, yet our God loved us so he chose to send his son to die for us so we could live forever. He chose to hate the sin but not the sinner. Beautiful isn’t it? Think about it.

J. Powers

dimanche 23 septembre 2012

NEVER GIVE UP


We should never give up on the person we love, and we are fighting for. Never forget that miracles happen everyday, and one day that miracle could be for you. So never give up and always keep on fighting.

What If ?

What if. What if you already know the person whom you will share your whole lifetime with? What if she/he's the person sitting right next to you? And what if that person is actually your girl/boy bestfriend. Or perhaps, you've seen that person walking on the street before, and you gently passed by. We never tell ourselves if that person we walk by could be someone very important for us in the near or distant future. We never ask ourselves if that complete stranger could one day be the one who completes us. It's quite funny and bizzare to think that at this very moment there's a person with whom you will cherish life together. But you don't know him/her yet, and that's exactly what's queer. Maybe the girl I will love is reading this blog, or maybe she has no idea I even exist at all. But then one day we will meet, and while we never thought that we would be together, from here are we going to make our "forever". But who is that person? Sincerely, the question arises from the depths of my heart. Do I already know her? I want to know. Because I don't want to have a lot before the right one, there's no need for that kind of waste of effort. I just want to know if I know her, or else, I might have to search fonder and deeper. But I will quest for her heart, anywhere it might be on the face of the earth. And once I captivate her, I won't let go no more. But then, another question arises : What if she has already captivated mine and I just still don't know?

J. Powers

samedi 22 septembre 2012

Everyday is better than the day before.

They always say, "Everyday is better than the day before". 

 If that's the case, then why do we always complain about having a boring, monotone life. Almost as if we were saying that life is a waste of time. I have to admit I sometimes think like that either. But we all, me included, should change our state of mind. No wonder why there are so many suicides in our generation as teenagers. People that can't find their purpose in life, people that don't know they actually have a purpose in life. God didn't put us here on earth just for the heck of it, to be born and to die after a number of years. It's so much more than that you know. In between birth and death, there's this thing we call "life". And by that, I don't mean the mundane sense of it. I even think it's anything but mundane. It's life that you should do something about. It's life that you should make the most of it. Everyday we wake up, it's an opportunity, a blessing for us to open our eyes and to breathe. A lot of people die before they wake up and thus, not having the chance to accomplish what they wanted in life. And here we are, not knowing what to do with it. In my humble opinion, we shouldn't just "go with the flow" of society. Because society itself is broken and ugly. We should go against the stream and be who we want to be, and most especially who God wants us to be. We all should leave our footprints in the sand of time. Pass the baton to the next generation. Steve Green sang in his famous song:

"Oh may all who come behind find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way.
May the footprints that we leave
lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey."

We should not forgot that there is a generation looking up to us. Taking example on us. Wanting to be like us. In Drake's song "The Motto", we always sing/rap the tagline "YOLO: You Only Live Once." But YOLO is not about smoking weed, drinking alcohol, getting wasted and making an ass out of yourself. It's rather about doing something that, when you get old, will make you worth saying "I had a good life." Something that won't make you regret what you've done. Everyday is better than the day before. Let me correct this: Everyday should be better than the day before. The hour you are living right now on this very day will only happen once. So don't hesitate to do something good today. Something good to yourself and something good to someone. Nevertheless, I'm not saying that, sometimes, you won't have a bad day because somehow, that's inevitable. But don't make your bad day feel like you have a bad life. We are only teenagers, we have time, we have energy. So do not hesitate to have goals, ambitions, dreams, and make them come true. Metaphorically, I guess that's why there are millions of stars in the sky. Because each star belongs to one person on this earth, and we can reach that star of ours. And if you are reading this and you're not a teenager anymore, it's never too late. As long as you can breathe and you can see that star every night, it's never too late to reach it.

In parting words, live life to the fullest. Don't hesitate to do what you want to do. Rather have "Oh wells" than "What Ifs?". Love people, love yourself, love God. And reach for your dreams, reach for the skies. Leave your footprints on the sand of time to inspire the next generation. You are a gift sent from heaven here on earth. You are you, and there's no-one else likewise. Make everyday better than the day before, because you only live once.

J. Powers

vendredi 21 septembre 2012

Other Half ?

Haven't you ever felt like there is a missing part in you? As if you were only half a person, that feeling of being incomplete.

"In ancient times people weren't simply male or female, but one of three types: male/male, male/female or female/female. In other words each person was made out of the components of two people. Everyone was happy with this arrangement and never really gave it much thought. But then God took a knife and cut everyone in half, right down the middle. So after that the world was divided just into male and female, the upshot being that people spend their time running around trying to locate their missing other half."

- Kafka On The Shore, Haruki Murakami

Loneliness is one of the many feelings each and every person does not want to feel. It's like we were made to have someone next to us. The thought of a family member, friend or lover being here for us makes us secure. But come to think of it, how come sometimes, even though we have a lot of people around us, we still manage to feel alone? It's almost as if you were the only person left on the face of this earth. You sit there, around a blurred and uncertain kind of crowd, made of some people that pretend to be your friends, some that could seem to be your friends, or some that don't give a damn at all. You see lips and facial expressions trying to communicate with each other and you, yet all you could hear is "blablabla". You catch the sight of sudden movements produced by these people around you. Yet all is very blurred and uncertain. And you also feel like half of you is absent, but you know deep inside, you have to find it. An other half that shares the exact same heartbeat. An other half that will make your soul complete. It's the only thing that you will see crystal clear.  Is this what they notoriously call the "soulmate" or "significant other" ? I guess so. No, I'm even sure. Ever wondered why we have a symmetrical body, two eyes to see, two ears to hear, two hands to touch, two feet to walk, but only one heart ? It's because somewhere on this planet, there's this one person carrying the other part of it. And when you meet that person, two halves of a heart will unite, and two souls will become one.

Dear other half,
I know I haven't met you yet. But regardless of space and time, I know and I have faith that I will find you someday. I can't wait to make your life, heart and soul complete as you will complete mine. And I vow and promise that I will take care of you because you are mine. But for the time being, let's wait for our fate to cross our paths. It might be tomorrow, in a few weeks or maybe in ten years, nevertheless God knows it will happen. Therefore, 'til we finally meet.

Sincerely, J. Powers

Pagmamahal? [excerpt of BUS STOP]


Bakit ganon. Parang nahahati ang sarili ko tuwing kasama ko siya. Tila isang parte ng kaluluwa ko nawawala sa akin. Tila isang parte ng puso ko humihiwalay, at napupunta sa kanya. At parang nararamdaman ko din ang nararamdaman niya. Para akong sinasakop ng makapangyarihan nyang pagmamahal sa akin bilang isang kaibigan. Pagmamahal ? Yun na ba yun ? Hindi ko talaga matalakay ang ganitong feeling pero tuwing magkatabi kami, nakukumpleto namin ang isa't isa. At ito ang nararamdaman ko ngayon, na katabi ko siya. Hindi ko mapaliwanag ng mabuti pero ito talaga yun. Sa lalim ng pagiisip namin, nagparinig ng malakas ang humaharing tahimik sa paligid. Pagmamahal. Umiikot sa isipan ko ang salitang « pagmamahal ». Subalit kahit kailan ni hindi ko pa naramdaman ang ganitong bagay. Hindi ko talaga alam at hindi ko masasabi kung ano ito. Kadalasan tinatanong natin sa sarili, « What is Love ? ». Ano nga ba ito. Isang malalim na tanong na nangangailangan ng kasagutan. May pinagkaiba ba ang pagmamahal bilang magkaibigan at ang totoong pagmamahal ? Pwede ba itong pagsamahin ? Iisa lang ba 'to ? Iba iba ang pananaw ng bawat tao sa salitang « pagmamahal ». Iba ang paraan ng pagmamahalan nila Romeo at Juliet kaila Dingdong Dantes at Marian Rivera. Iba ang nangyaring pagmamahalan na napakasarap ng aking mga magulang, nung buhay pa ang aking ina, sa pagmamahalan ng mga magulang ni Rizza na hindi naman rin tumagal. Iba rin ang pagmamahal natin sa Poong Maykapal sa pagmamahal sa kapwa natin. At hindi rin pareho ang pagmamahal natin sa ibang tao at ang pagmamahal natin sa sarili. Ano nga ba ang tama at ano ang mali ? Tama ba ang nararamdaman ko para kay Rizza, o wala ito sa lugar ? Ito ba talaga ang pagmamahal ?

- Excerpt of Bus Stop