hedone-circen said: I’ve always perceived the fact of reading someone’s writings as the equivalent of seeing them in their purest states of nudity. However, yours was rather enjoyable to read. Mind not those who think of your creations as disturbing, little do they know
Aw. Thank you so much, hedone-circen! I’m so happy that you found my work rather enjoyable to read. And I’ll try to keep your advise in mind. Thank you, that really helps. :) Thank you.
Christmas. Usually, whenever that word is mentioned, people think about gifts, parties, some expensive decor, flashy lights and all of those somewhat show-off stuff, that some people use to somehow declare their social status to others. Seriously, do they really think Christmas is just one party for the A-class members of our society?
Dave Barry once said in “Christmas Shopping: A Survivor’s Guide” that “people passing each other on the streets would say ‘Merry Christmas,’ but now, lately, it’s just ‘Look out for the wall!’” mainly because—yes, you guessed it—they have strong hangovers. Nowadays, Christmas—mostly for the youth—is all about parties, the presents you either give or receive and the way you dress-up. It seems that they think that when it comes to the Yuletide Season, “the flashier, the better.”
“Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, and plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.” A well-said quotation by Calvin Coolidge. Peace, goodwill and mercy. Seems these are some of the positive attitudes our society is beginning to accept when it comes to the Holidays. But are those really it? Are we not forgetting something?
Oren Arnold once quoted that “the perfect Christmas gift suggestions are: to your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a customer, great service. To everyone, charity. To every child, a good example. And—finally—to yourself, respect.” It seems the guy was right. How many people know about this quote based on their Christmas attitude? It seems the answer would be so low, that it won’t be worth calculating any longer.
The negative things people do this Yuletide season are just plain mean. They treat their enemies with the “my-house-decor-definitely-looks-a-lot-prettier-than-yours” attitude. They are prepared to go to the extremes just to prove their family has much more money than the ones they are in a quarrel with. Showing-off, is that the right attitude to have during one of the holiest seasons of the year?
And, how do you expect an adult set a good example to a child when he himself stays awake till who-knows-what-time just by drinking with friends? That will just cause kids to think that whenever Christmas arrives, you should be out with your best buds, busy drowning your livers with liquor at bars. Now, who would ever think that would be such an awful example to the next generation of our country? Obviously, everyone who can still think straight.
How can you even start to respect yourself if you aren’t even sure if the bed you woke up in this morning is either located at your own house, the house of your friend, or the property of someone whose name you can still remember—due to constant bar-hopping you and your pals did the other night after your endless Christmas partying?
Are these kinds of things really the kind of Christmas celebrations we should be encouraging? I mean, we should be encouraging the youth to participate in meaningful activities like those charitable events you often hear about—but still go unnoticed due to the people’s too-busy-shopping-schedule.
Thank God some people are still familiar with the “must-have-Christmas-attitudes” up till today. It seems peace and love are the most famous amongst these attitudes. Wait, aren’t they forgetting something?
Of course, love and peace are good “choices,” and we all know those two will never vanish. Even in some “minor-league” beauty pageants, whenever the judges ask “what do you wish for?” or some other question like that, the contestants automatically answer—just like it was programmed in their brains—that they would ask for world peace.
But, in my point of view, one must first reflect—not only to oneself—about everything. Why? ‘Cause, you need to know all the positive and negative things you’ve done within the past year. Not only that, but you should also count—not the problems you’ve received—the blessings you got. This is the time to ask for reconciliation and thank God for everything there is in your life.
“When we were children, we were thankful to Santa Clause and our parents who filled our stockings at Christmas. But, why are we not grateful to God for filling the stockings we wear with legs?” – G.K. Chesterton.
Why do we notice the flashy things? Instead of the important ones—the little things in life you know you can’t go a day living without. Why are we thankful for the new Apple Mac laptop you’ve just received, or the new Porsche your parents gave you, instead of being ever-so-thankful for the fact that you still woke up this morning, or that you were born without any diseases? Do you ever think about the people who can’t even afford to eat the things you just snob at your dining table?
Not everyone can experience the luxuries you have the privilege of enjoying everyday. When you’re walking down the street, the beggar at the corner could have been starving for 2 days now because he can’t afford the cheapest kind of street food, while you just threw away your Big Mac because you didn’t want it anymore. Or the desperate saleslady you yelled at the mall while you were shopping like there’s no tomorrow could be the only bread winner of her family.
Not everyone is like you. So reflect on all your blessings and attitude and do whatever it takes to change the negative ones you might tend to notice. This is what Christmas really should be like.
“I am not alone at all, I thought. I was never alone at all. And that, of course, is the message of Christmas. We are never alone. Not when the night is darkest, the wind coldest, the word seemingly most indifferent. For this is still the time God chooses…and is with us” – Taylor Caldwell
“I write entirely to find out what I’m thinking, what I’m looking at, what I see and what it means. What I want and what I fear.” – Joan Didion.
Writing has always been my sanctuary for as long as I can remember. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I can always say the things I want to say through letters merely engraved on paper. Because, sometimes, I feel like I was only given a mouth in order to keep it shut. Ironic isn’t it? Because you would normally see me as the girl – completely different – noisy and just loitering around. Little do they know, I just don’t speak about the things going on inside my head.
I write almost all the ideas I can think of down. And, when there’s no paper, it becomes etched into the four corners of my mind. Maybe, another reason why I like writing, is the fact that you’re the only one who can criticize yourself. Or you can never get rejected. You can whine. Have a good time. Or shed tears. And nobody will witness you do those stuff.
You will always be alone. Sad, but, there’s nobody who’ll make your life more miserable. To add more wounds into your well injured life.
“You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we’re doing it.” – Neil Gaiman. Daydreaming. It’s my most beloved past time. I dream of my own Xanadu. My haven. Located at the edge of the world. While it’s at the verge of dying. An as I peep through a small hole on one sealed door, I see my life – so peaceful, so quiet, so…normal – as I try to grasp the happenings in my life. Trying to enjoy the last few moments of my life, before it finally comes to an end. But, I guess that’s just way too far away from reality. So, it’s better just to forget it.
Whenever I try to approach people regarding my writing ideas, I only get one feedback. “Do you have problems or something? Because this magnum opus of yours seems rather disturbing.” That’s what they always say. I just can’t seem to get it. How come they ask me whether I have “problems?” and, why do they find it disturbing? I was only just expressing my ideas. This is one more reason why I only write down my ideas. I know I’m the only one who can understand them. And no one ever will. I guess I’ll just have to stick to that fact. Maybe a quote by Isabel Colegate saying “It is not a bad idea to get in the habit of writing down one’s thoughts. It saves one having to bother anyone else with them” really is true.
Are any of you familiar with the quote made by Fran Lebowitz saying “Your life story would not make a good book. Don’t even try”? well, familiar or not, I only have one more question to ask you…Do you think it’s true? Because for me, it isn’t true. It never was. And it never will be true. A person’s life story would make more than a good book. It will be a great one. The making of that book just relies on the one who will write it. And, if by any chance it was badly written, who cares? It your life story. Yours. I mean, look at mine. I’m just filling this with my opinions – especially those that don’t even matter much. But still, I continue writing. “Thus, in a real sense, I am constantly writing autobiography, but I have to turn it into fiction in order to give it credibility.” – Katherine Paterson.
An author. No, A novelist. That’s life career I desire to have someday. “No one ever committed suicide while reading a good book, but many have tried while trying to write one.” – a quote by Robert Byrne. Witty. Because writing a book – or any kind of reading material – isn’t as easy as it seems. Just like Thomas Mann once said… “A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.” Narrating fiction as if it only happened a few moments ago. Illustrating real life stories through an explicit display of words on a blank sheet of paper. Yeah, that’s writing.
Do you find my deep thoughts quitedisturbing too? Well, I’m sorry. You are just like all the others. I guess my writing reflects a lot about me. Like it or not, that’s just who I am. Nothing more; nothing less. And if you seem to agree with my ideas, then, I’m so sorry too. You are as insane as I have become. But, don’t fret…
“I’ve only written a tenth of what I know – and they’re already screaming.” – Albert Camus.
