Valentine's Day

...is a very strange concept to me. There is one day out of the year you are expected to say "I love you" to your significant other, and the ONLY way to appropriately say that is to spend lots and lots of money on things that they will appreciate for one hour and then completely forget about. The only exception is jewelry, because that lets women gloat to their friends about how great it is that their man has money. I am a firm believer in love, but I don't agree with the morality of Valentine's Day. Is it so hard to treat your loved ones with respect every day that you're together. And it shouldn't have to just be about the gifts or dinner or how much money you're willing to spend. If you truly care about someone, you should be able to just be together doing anything. If you just end up at home watching TV, it is no less romantic than going out and spending $300 on one evening. If you can just look into their eyes, see who they truly are, and realize that you want to be with them always, the rest just doesn't matter. So, if you're reading this, and you have someone in your life, just let them know that they are enough, that they are your gift, and that you just want to be with them always.

Love

The Beatles says all you need is love, and they may be right. Loving is something we do as humans that we have little to no control over. It is an emotion that terrifies us just as much as it fills us and makes us whole. We are afraid to drop our guard, we are afraid to show the people we truly are underneath. When we are in our schools or workplaces, the guard goes up and no one quite knows who we are. When we block out the world, we block out our love. Loving is something that needs to happen or we slowly deteriorate as people. It gives purpose to the monotony that is life. It fills us up and gives us something to hope for even when all is lost. The problem is when love hurts. Just like every other risk in life, there is the possibility of disappointment. So what do we do when we get knocked down on our asses by love? What if we love and it seems wasted? What if the person we love doesn't want our love? We move on. We move on with no regrets. Many people get very sad and need time for those wounds to heal, swearing they will never love again. But what kind of life would that be? A life of steady depression leading down to loneliness and solitude for the rest of our days. And it will sometime be difficult, but if you try to give your love to someone, and they don't feel the same way, you have to still express it. Love is not always romantic. For example, I can't give my romantic love to the person I want to, so I remember that my friends are who I truly love. The people who have stood by me, through all of my bitching and occasionally crying, and have never asked for anything in return. I wouldn't trade Martin, Ben, Clay, Ambrielle, Kate, Domingo, or Andrew for anyone else, because they are my family. So when love kicks us down, we just have to dust ourselves off and try again. We have to. This world is filled with so much hate and anger already that the only way to combat it is by being with one another. And you never really know just how much love is in your life until you really take a step back and think about it. I am so fortunate to have amazing people that do care about me in my life. Despite our arguments and messing with each other, I know they would do anything for me. And who am I to say I wouldn't do the same? So when the future looks dim, your love life is crashing down around you, you have to save yourself by going back into the world with your heart wide open, ready to let people back into it. And always know that you are loved. Always.

Why Is It Difficult To Care?

People these days can walk by people on the street, homeless and alone, without another thought. I'm not sure when it was we decided that we need Starbucks more than starving people need to eat, but it's just ridiculous. And it's not just larger scale either, people today are so amazingly terrible to one another it gets sickening to even have to listen to. I want there to be a time, hopefully in my lifetime, where we care more about our brothers and sisters as much if not more than ourselves. In my own life, I try to be respectful of people and help as many as possible. It doesn't always show in places like school, where I am forced to have my guard up if I want to survive, but even then, if someone comes to me with a real problem, I make them a priority. But perhaps that is simply the cruelty of this life, our deeds are never always recognized and sometimes our hearts break. Is it fair? No. Does it suck? Yes, very much so. However, we persist even when we may be in our darkest hour. I am currently struggling with several things in my life, things I wish I could change but can't. For example, every day I have opportunities to go out with total sluts and whores, while the only girl I've ever really had feelings for only sees me as "the friend". She'll be leaving to a college this summer, I don't know which, but it will more than likely mean I won't see her again. And as she's walking out of my life, I can only wish her well as she continues to date people that don't fully appreciate her. It is one of the worst feelings in the world, but I carry this burden because I care. It seems that all of her other guy friends have gone up her and told her they loved her, causing some un-needed stress. So who am I, as one of her remaining stable male friends, to do the same? I feel she should be able to have a guy to talk to that isn't constantly trying to hit on her. And I persist. I am putting my emotional needs behind those of one of my dearest friends, because I believe that if we could all value each other over ourselves, this world would easily become a better place to live. Maybe I'm wrong in thinking so, but it's worth a shot.

The Measure of Student "Worth"

I recently took part in a discussion where my teacher asked why students weren't motivated to do their work. I have an idea of why. School work and employment are not an appropriate way to measure a person's value as a human being. They don't have classes on volunteer work, compassion, and supporting people around you. They aren't many high paying jobs that let you flex your creativity, incorporate your own ideas, and help the people around you. How can teachers and bosses possibly determine who we are as people without truly exploring our true passions and purposes in life? There is no one person that should have that kind of power over another person. I earn respectable grades, but thats not what I value in myself, thats not what makes me the person I am. I love being myself because I have the capacity to be a good person and find the good in other people. You can't put a grade on that.

Connection

Hello all, this will be my first blog post, so just stick with me for a bit. My name is Erich, I'm 16, and I want to change the world. I'm tired of having my life ruled by the ignorant, selfish, and hateful. I am putting my foot down, and I want you to join me if you will. I will be using this blog to bring people together, share ideas about how to change this world for the better. I hope that there are still teens and young adults in this world with enough spirit and will to make it a better existence. This will be our planet one day, and I don't want to live in it when it is dying and everyone is too absorbed in their own needs to help each other. So, until a later time, live life, be happy, and never stop hoping.