A Mind and Its Legos

As much as I feel like giving the readers of this blog an apology for my long absence, I think a new post would suffice :P. The muse in me is a very bipolar creature, and it was in a creative hole for quite a bit. I'm happy to say that it managed to climb out of that hole for the time being. Anyways; onward.

I wish I could say that imagination was somewhat independent. I wish I could say that anyone could generate a fresh and unique idea out of seemingly nowhere. Truth is, our minds are the collective sum of many, many different inputs. Whether we know it or not, everything we see and experience has a place. That place could be temporary, and slip out of your mind five seconds later. It could be permanent; a strong memory firmly entrenching itself into the mysterious mist in your head. But one could almost think of experiences as puzzle pieces. There isn't a specific puzzle to be made; with the right combinations of thoughts, anything can be created. That ability; to combine seemingly non-related ideas into a completely new animal... it never ceases to amaze me. So do I think we are a blank slate? Sure. In the sense that our brains are ready made to receive ideas. But we don't just experience; we memorize and then manipulate our own thoughts. Every invention, every work of art, every piece of writing; you could break them down into their separate parts. But even though those parts existed before, that final product would never have come to fruition without a human mind to sort out the pieces and rearrange it into that insightful novel or sophisticated smart phone. That simple fact; it is humanity's ultimate gift, for better or for worse.

I'm always open to your comments, so fire away! Adios.

"Karma" by G.

I'm a big believer in Karma. Not because I think there's some supernatural force that rewards good and punishes evil. No, I think that the concept of Karma is accurate because bad actions tend to be unwise, and cause new problems to sprout. Bad actions seem to naturally reinforce themselves. Take a lie for instance; one lie leads to another to cover up the original, and the cycle continues. Eventually the whole matrix of lies is busted wide open, and that person pays for their actions. But this is too black and white.

Good and Evil are human concepts, but their lines are often blurred. What if the lie was for a good cause? To prevent hurt feelings or protect another? Is that bad? Could some supernatural karmic force tell the difference between evil and evil for a good cause? Doubt it. It's not so much as people get rewarded for doing good. They get rewarded for making intelligent decisions. Most of the time, a good decision is also an intelligent one. The reward? Not having to take two steps back because a bad decision made them pay big time. I'll use lying as an example again. Building lie after lie isn't very smart; eventually someone is going to pull out a block from that Jenga tower and the whole thing is going to collapse.

Would it be nice to be rewarded for our good actions? Of course. And many people do. But not because of Karma in the ideal sense. Someone could just as easily have done bad deeds their entire life and never have a single misfortune befall them. What is good or bad to us is different to other people; good and bad are constantly shifting. An intelligent decision stays constant, and has a more predictable outcome.

So what are your ideas on Karma?

"The Stars" by G.

Once in awhile, I like to go on the news website Reuters, just to see what's happening out there. I find it interesting; a hub of information on major events that span the entire planet. Sometimes the news is glum, sometimes its hopeful. But it gets rather tedious. The constant conflicts, corruption, and mistakes that we humans make. I would like to think that we are all explorers by heart; naturally curious. You know what I wish I could do? Leave the finances, the heartbreak, the stress and worry, leave them all behind; jump on a rocket ship and fly into the dark void that encompasses our planetary home. They say there are two things that never change; death and taxes. True. But I think the unknown should also never change; that it should never cease to amaze us. I still look up at the stars sometimes with the same awe and wonderment as I did as a little kid. The sky above promises knowledge, adventure, and a peek into the secrets of the universe. All the news on Reuters pales in comparison to the blazing hot Sun or the cold black blanket that's lined with far-away stars. Maybe most of us will never get to go up there for ourselves, but just seeing the night sky is a comforting constant that I constantly draw inspiration from. Change is inevitable; the news is different with each day. But exploring, searching, learning; these are things that ought to always stay the same. A toast to all the explorers, inventors, and those who chose to go beyond; they hold the Olympic flame of humanity.

"Perception" by G.

Perception; how you view the world. Not the official psychological definition, but good enough for my purposes today. But how you view something isn't necessarily what it actually is. If your in a dark room, you would say the room is dark. If a lamp decided to turn itself on, then you would say the room was well-lit. Yet nothing in this room actually changed, only our perception of it. And as we all eventually find out, perception is everything.

Your perception is very easily shaped; almost like some really soft Play-Doh. You probably have some assumptions behind perception too. If it's nighttime, then you would perceive things as dark. But what if that fake Rolex watch your wearing says that it's 9 A.M, and it was pitch black? You would probably be a bit confused. Well for one thing, if you didn't go off buying a fake Rolex you wouldn't have this problem. But the point is, as we live and learn, the rules that guide our perception change and grow bigger in number. But perception isn't just your physical sight you know. It's how you view the world with your eyes and in your mind.

So... how's that economy doing? Most of us would probably give a negative response. But why? It's not just because of prices or our job security. The media has a huge say in our perception of things, whether we like it or not. They can dictate which things will be shown in a positive or negative light. And even with gas prices down, all they need to do is send some impressive looking analyst from Harvard to tell everyone that the Apocalypse is coming, and even YOU will jump out of your pants. Well, isn't that just wonderful? But the Media, like many external influences, shapes your perception of many things.

Is there a "right" way to perceive? Not really. Are there things you can do to improve? You bet. The best thing you can do is to stay open. There are many ways to perceive something, and each way can teach you something different. But perception really is everything, and if you aren't careful then it can be easily manipulated. Thanks for reading; comments are always welcome of course!

"Exertion" by Shinji

Hey everyone! Did you think you would ever see me again? Well here I am with another article. Here goes:

Every day we push ourselves to the limit one way or another. Exertion is just an everyday thing. We stress ourselves physically and mentally to do much more than we are capable of. I know I've even done it today what with getting a week's amount of programming done in one day. The after-effects can be horrible. You feel tired, you don't want to do anything... I'm surprised I'm even writing this article after being unable to write for so long! I suppose exertion unlocks what's hidden inside of you as well. Never before did I think I could write about exertion, much less exert myself at all. But the key to it is to keep pushing yourself all the time. Keep going until you can't take it anymore and then keep going some more. What I've noticed is that if you exert yourself, your limits expand. When your limits expand, you can do much more in less time because you don't have to take breaks or anything of the sort. I'm sure you all know what I mean - athletes exert themselves to train for events by running until they can't anymore. This, in turn, allows them to gradually run longer and faster without stopping or slowing down. That's the way it is for us as well. If you're not the physical type, much like myself, then go for mental exertion - get a hobby or something that is mentally intense and keep working on it. Quite a few times you'll get a headache or you'll develop a mental block but the key here is to rest very shortly and keep going at it. In no time at all, you will notice that you are capable of doing more than what you started off doing. For example, if you worked on a puzzle (let's say sudoku) and you kept going until you couldn't do a single one, in time you would be able to do the toughest sudoku puzzle possible in a matter of minutes. It's all about pushing yourself past your limits, exerting yourself that is, to realize and broaden your potential and ultimately make yourself a better person in the end.

"The Ability" by G.

So I've heard that everyone is good at something. That we each have some kind of skill that makes us unique. Well that makes everyone's self worth go up a fraction of a point, but how do we find this ability?

Well I definitely don't believe that we just have some special skill built into our brains or something ridiculous like that. But I do think that our own traits and mindsets can predispose us to certain things. For instance, someone who has been around books all their lives and reads them regularly probably has a better arsenal and command of vocabulary. This could allow them to be a good writer or a fast reader. People who started playing sports early probably have better coordination and strength. But these are very simple and static examples. We can't possibly know everything about ourselves; there is much in our subconscious that we aren't aware of. So to find what abilities we have, we need to learn more about ourselves. But how do we do this?

Well the easiest way... trial and error. You have to try many new things to learn what your strengths and weaknesses are. Once you have this information, we can try things that fit into that mold and see what we might possibly have a gift for. It's like buying a pair of shoes. You keep trying on different pairs until you find one that fits and is comfortable. You might learn that you don't have the best writing skills, or maybe you can't jump very far. But as you narrow things down, certain things might catch your eye. Maybe you have a knack for writing code, or you can throw a mean punch. Whatever it is, you acknowledge your weaknesses but discover strengths in return.

So you found a new skill... but what to do with it? The possibilities are infinite. But the only way to find the perfect shoe for your mental feet is to keep on trying them until you find the best pair. And when you do, you have gained a possibly interesting new hobby, or even a job opportunity. Maybe we will never know every last thing about ourselves, but we sure as hell can try.

"Self-Restraint" by G.

Just recently I was reading the news and saw yet another incident that caught my eye. A seventeen year old boy was stabbed in a parking lot; it turned out to be over some girl. Anger is one of the most dangerous emotions, but having self-restraint can prevent many things, including extremes like this one. Especially in today's world, with the various diverse thoughts and ideas of the collective, there is bound to be conflict. Many people worry about things that they can't control. But the one thing that is constant is that you are almost always able to control your own actions. We should spend less time worrying about the many factors that are beyond our grasp, and work to shape and control our own behavior. The truth is, we can't truly change other people, but perhaps by controlling ourselves other people will take notice and try to take some kind of action in their own lives. Self-restraint is a powerful skill, and just the act of witnessing it can cause people to think a little bit. If those two guys had the sense to think about what they were fighting about before anger lead one of them to use a knife, a promising future would not have been tragically cut short. It's a extreme example, but we can't deny that we all have our flaws and restraining them is better for ourselves and everyone else.

"Time" by G.

Time is one of the most valuable resources. It's finite, yet required to do anything. Obviously time can't be controlled. But it can be managed. And you have the ability to make the choice on whether to use your time for one purpose or another. I don't think we understand this as kids. I used to think that summertime lasted for about a decade. Now it feels exactly like what it is; those few months. Unfortunately, the hardest goals to achieve always have the highest cost; the time you have to sacrifice. I regret some of the time that I've wasted already that I could have been working toward something instead of nothing. But while we are here dilly daddling away, time keeps ticking by. They say there aren't enough hours in a day; and for many people that's probably true. But then we come to the line drawn in the sand. People should work hard to achieve their goals and keep on living, but at the same time, you should also try to have some fun in life and continue to pursue happiness. Where do we strike the balance? It depends, and it is difficult. Initially, many people are probably on one side of the fence. All work or all play. To balance that requires some sacrifices and some management of your time on your part. But managing your time is one of the smartest things that you can do. So I'm going to go ahead and cut off my rambling with this; don't waste your time. When it's gone, its gone.

"A Whirlwind" by G.

How would you picture your mind? A lighthouse covered in mist? A club with people constantly dancing in it? Maybe a shining tower bathed in heavenly light…*snort*. Well I think that aside from all that, our minds are in a constant state of storm. A Whirlwind. Of thoughts and ideas. Of neurons firing and sending lighting-fast messages to the different parts of your body. The mind has been compared to a computer many times, but it’s obviously more complex. We don’t just make decisions. We also have emotions. Dreams. Imagination. And we can make what we dream into reality. And this is all raging in your head, right now. Now I can’t speak for others, but I’m always thinking, whether I like it or not. Sometimes I wish that I had an “off” switch for my mind. But only for a little while. My ability to think and dream is a special gift that I would rather not relinquish. But sometimes it’s hard to get this whirlwind in any kind of order. It could be so strong that it’s difficult to get the ideas you need out of it. With all the stress and worry in our lives, this isn’t very surprising. If only we could make our mental whirlwind more orderly. Maybe turn it into an assembly line and have all our thoughts lined up in neat little rows. But I would feel kind of like a machine if we thought like that. The beauty of having a whirlwind of a mind is that you never know what amazing ideas could result from it. There is some order to the chaos. But whatever you picture your mind as, don't take it for granted. Let the whirlwind get to work for you.

"Enemies" by G.

Enemies... they aren't very nice are they? And I'm sure many people supposedly have them. But you see, enemies are extremely useful. In fact, they can actually turn out to be more helpful than your friends sometimes. Enemies can reveal things about you that we sometimes choose to deny. But why wouldn't your friends do the same? Well...

I don't know what event or misunderstanding happened to make someone your enemy, or just someone you dislike. But enemies are always eager to point out your flaws, something that most friends wouldn't do. It was once said that we keep other people's flaws in a bag in front of us, and our own flaws in a bag behind us; where we can't see them. But because your enemies highlight your flaws, you now know what they are and you can attempt to fix them.

You can also learn much from your enemies, if you can learn to get past your own pride and accept the views of others. They can show your flaws and problems like no other. You can also see their own and know what traits to avoid. But one thing that many tend to think is that just because someone is a enemy, they are automatically "bad". People have their strengths and weaknesses, and you can learn just as much from their strengths as from their weaknesses. Learn to appreciate the good in everyone, including people you would consider an "enemy".

So like they say, the enemy is the greatest teacher, and it's true to the core. And who knows? Maybe one day you will reconcile with whoever this person is. And from a great enemy you could make a even greater friend. It happens. But regardless, there is much to learn from everyone, especially the ones you dislike.

Your comments are welcome!

"Matters of the Mind and Heart" by G.

This Image is © JoshAbene
We have alot going on inside our heads, you know. Little everyday struggles. The decisions we have to make. Your little angel and your little devil bickering over what to do. Today I want to highlight one of these struggles. The battle between your emotions and your rationality.

So we have the heart, the symbol of emotion. And we have the mind, the embodiment of thought and reason. These things have a big influence on who you are and how you make decisions. Some people are more emotional; others more rational. But is one side more important than the other? The answer can be surprising.

Rational decisions are ones that we make everyday, and very often. What to eat, what to wear, where to go, what to do. Should you go buy that new T.V or save for a rainy day? Should you go for a jog or sleep on the couch? Stuff like that. They can also get more complex, when you have to learn and work. Things like handling finances need a good dose of rationality... that certain people seem to lack :P But rational decisions are constant, and are made all the time.

Emotional decisions are a whole other story. These seem to carry alot more weight. Emotions can be a extremely powerful influence, and can intertwine with Rational decisions; these are the hardest decisions to make. They tug at your heartstrings in some way. Maybe a tragic event has happened in your life. Or you see injustice that isn't being dealt with. Or maybe it is a matter of love. Either way, there is something that triggers an emotion in you.

And its these hybrid decisions; ones that are infulenced by rational AND emotional reasons, that can dictate many things in your life. You need a healthy dose of both sides if you want to keep a healthy balance. Being too rational or too emotional can lead to many problems that really aren't neccesary.

So the struggle between the mind and heart goes on. They are both equally important, and you should try to cater to both sides when possible. Just remember, don't let yourself be overwhelmed. Let your thoughts & emotions work in harmony as much as possible.

As usual if you have something to say just leave a comment :D

"Denial" by G.

What is with people and denying every bad thing that happens in life? Oh I'm in major debt....LET'S BUY A YACHT! I saw my wife kissing that dude down the street... BUT SHE LOVES ME. Ladies and Gentlemen, it is high time to get a grip on yourselves. Now I hear some people say that some denial is healthy. And they are right. "Some" being the key word. If we had to face every single itty bitty problem in our lives at once, your brain's CPU might overheat. But it would be wise not to take that over the deep end. I know that some of our problems may seem like giant hairy monsters that cannot be overcome. But you know what... sometimes we need to grab our clippers and shave that sucker. Denial is something like a temporary Band-Aid. But it delays the inevitable. We can't always do what is convenient for our oh so delicate feelings. Burn that cloak of denial when neccesary. And take down your problems head on.

"Age is Relative" by G.

Age. And the stereotypes associated with it. Almost amusing when you think about it. Because I'm here to tell you that your physical age is irrevelant. Ooh so I won't go bald then? You might be out of luck there. No, what I mean is how old your are in your mind. Time for a little explanation eh?

I've always believed that a person is without a doubt shaped by their experiences in life. What they were and weren't allowed to do. What freedoms they had. And what knowledge they knew. Maturity is a trait that should not be blindly assigned to a certain age group. Because I think you and I both know, who you are really does depend on what has happened to you. I'm sure you've known people that either don't act their age, or act above and beyond. There really isin't anything that shocking about that. We place too much pre-meditated thought on how a person should act according to their age. So when you see people, younger or older, don't be so quick to judge.

Moving along, how do people get their widely varying levels of wisdom and maturity? I say this assuming that Wisdom and Maturity are traits we would associate with a higher age. It really is all about experiences. A person born into a rich family, who has it all and never has to take responsibility for many things, will simply not be the same as a person who had to overcome more struggles in his or her life. I think its unfair to assign teenagers or anyone else for that matter with idiotic stereotypes. You want to know something about a person, look at their character and not their age. Appearances can be deceiving, and unfortunately it is easy to just slap a label on someone. Just don't try to judge a person based on their age; it won't be a very accurate analysis most of the time.

So yes, I have seen kids that act better then college students. Its not a anomaly; the kids are just more mature. Simply put, just don't assume things about people just because of their age. Because the most important age is how old they are inside their minds, and that's one thing you won't be able to see right away. Well there you have it; another bit of loveliness pulled from some crevice in my head. Hope you come back for more sometime; and please, I love to hear your comments.

"Emotion: A Hell of a Balancing Act" by G.

It's one of those crazy things we got that distinguishes us humans from the rest of the pack. Emotions. Raising one's fist in anger. Tears falling down one's face in sadness. Jumping up in surprise, or just randomly dancing in some cornfield. Sounds all fine and dandy, but unfortunately emotions can be a pretty annoying source of trouble if not properly controlled and managed. Let's explore this a little bit.

I said in the title that emotions can be a tough balancing act. This is because if you aren't close to being in a state of emotional equilibrium, your actions and thoughts will be affected by your feelings. An angry person won't think very clearly, while a surprised person will be on high alert for a few seconds trying to find out what the heck is going on. Emotions can be a tough thing to put a handle on for some people. But if you can manage those feelings, then you have just defeated one of the major weaknesses we humans have.

I'm definitely not saying for people to get a heart of stone or become cold or anything of the sort. Being a cold person and having a rein on your feelings are two very different things. But having that kind of self control demonstrates maturity and wisdom, and will be a very big advantage to you in life.

So life is kinda like being that guy walking on the tightrope at the circus. He has to stay balanced to get to the other side. If he doesn't focus, he will have trouble reaching the end. Emotion is another thing that should be kept as balanced as possible. There is no shame in emotion, for females and males. Just don't give it a control over you that won't be very beneficial. That's my two cents for today.

"Listen" by G.

People tend to run their mouths into overdrive without much thought. But you only have one mouth. You have two ears for a reason. We miss so many things because sometimes we just don't listen. Listening can just mean hearing another person out, or "hearing" a hidden message in what people say to you. But you always learn more by using those ears you got.

Why is it that some people just never listen to other people? There are plenty of things that get in the way. A huge one is the ego. They think that they always have the answers, and don't respect the opinions of others. Usually a person you could quickly get into a argument with. Talking over people isn't the most productive thing you can do. Another one could be insecurity. Some people don't want to hear the ideas of others because they might be better than their own. Whatever the reason is, it's safe to say that listening more than you talk is the better choice.

When you listen to someone, you are automatically showing them some respect. And sometimes, people just need to vent. Simply being there and being all ears can help a person out. Usually if you are there for someone they will return the favor.

Listening can be more than just having open ears. Some people are Active Listeners, and can pick up other vibes based of what people say. Most people can "take a hint". But its definitely possible to pick up emotions and feelings when listening to people. These can help you to say the appropriate thing at the appropriate time. So listening actually helps you talk "better" in a way.

So I know you've heard this time and time again. Just a friendly reminder eh? Listen before you speak, and you will learn more; not to mention your own words will have more wisdom behind them.

"Morals" by G.

When does one cross the line of no return? What is the division between right and wrong? Good and Evil? The definitions are limitless, but there are some common traits you can assign to them. The good side usually helps people and is selfless. The bad side is usually more selfish and doesn't put much stock on other people.

I think that everyone has some sort of morals; a code. This code has been slowly written as people have been living their lives and experiencing many different things. Good and Evil may be human ideas, but I think they are necessary for our survival. What kind of moral code a person has really depends on how strong they are on the inside. Life is gonna have stress and suffering, and it discriminates between no-one. But what seems like a petty stress to one person can take down another.

Much of the social power behind good and evil lies in perception. Back in WWII there were many propaganda posters that depicted their enemy more like demons then men, thus giving that "evil" impression. The media today has great power in twisting what they report. But back to the main idea. I think everyone has some good and evil in them. They are fighting for a constant balance. Sometimes the scale will tip in favor of one side, when something needs to be done. This could happen long term if a person does cross the point of no return. A event in their lives that is so emotionally powerful it changes some aspect of them. Balance is very important because it regulates what a person does. Being too "good" or "evil" always leads to drastic actions on that person's part. So lets wrap this up, and say that whatever moral code you have, it should have as much balance as possible. Remember that the evil side isn't necessarily bad. I consider the darker side simply to be the more aggressive and selfish part of our nature, which at certain times we do need. Just learn from your surroundings as you live, and develop your code well. I would love to hear some thoughts on this.

"Action" by G.

A man is running through a dark warehouse. He is being pursued by two armed men. He reaches a dead end, but with spectacular speed runs up a wall and does a flip. He takes out the two men with two well-placed kicks. You then reach for some more popcorn. This is just another old action movie.

What is it about the thrill that is so tempting? Action movies, extreme stunts, and dangerous sports. Many people just can't seem to get enough of it. You could say it goes back to our humble beginnings. People didn't sit in office cubicles or drive bulldozers or argue over laws back then. They were active, 24/7. Looking for food and shelter. Trying to survive. The world is a radically different place today. The middle and higher classes of people don't have to worry much about basic survival like the lower classes. Life becomes a bit of a routine, almost boring.

I believe we all have certain basic drives. To eat, drink, procreate, survive. As humankind as moved along, new drives have emerged. Ambition, Fame, and Wealth to name a few. But I also think that we have a need for action once in awhile. To move and get loose; to be free. You could say action movies are a simple way to add a bit of excitement to a mediocre life, and to give your mind something new to think about. Then there are the thrill seekers who take it up a notch. Bungee jumping, skydiving, rock climbing. Things that have a good amount of risk, but in return provide a even bigger thrill.

So yes, there is a bit of a "action" deficit in the lives of many people today. But that is only if you let it stay that way. Once in awhile we should do something we wouldn't normally do. Not to go overboard; but to feel a little bit of a thrill. It's a healthy thing for the mind. Try something new. You might be pleasantly surprised.

"The Source" by G.

A problem starts from somewhere. Its roots dig into the ground and it starts to grow. It springs forth and causes chaos. And from that single problem, more problems branch out. And one of those branches from the tree will affect someone in some way. So, now what?

A problem can be a tricky little thing indeed. Because you see, I use the word "problem" loosely. A problem can be anything we want or need it to be. To fix a problem, you must find it's source. And that is the hardest part. A problem can cause many side effects. Stress. Anxiety. Fear. Anger. These can manipulate our judgment. Our Logic. Essential things that we need to solve problems. If you try to fix what you only believe to be the source of a problem, you will only slice a branch of the tree.

We have to do our best to look at things clearly and unbiased. We are human and we make mistakes. But the human mind is a powerful entity. If we could only learn to harness our minds and have some control over our emotions, then many of our mistakes will never become problems. But that being said, problems exist, and we should deal with them with caution and a flexible mindset. Sometimes, in the spirit of trying to fix what ails us, we end up doing more harm than good.

Let's say the world finally wants to have peace. All countries disarm their military forces. Sounds good, right? But they could still be attacked. By terrorists or madmen or natural disasters in a way. They think that the source of the "problem", being a lack of peace, is everyone having a military. Do you really think that's true? Most of the time, the source of a problem is very big, sometimes to big to handle. Violence is not caused by guns. It is caused by humans. But that is a hell of a big problem to solve. Finding the source can sometimes be a problem in itself, because it can be very intimating.

So simply, to fix a problem you must find and get the source. But that is easier said than done. The best laid plans don't always translate to real life that well. But lets do our best. To really think about what we do before we do it. To look at solving problems with a fully open mind; a mind open to change. We are all capable of this. I hope one day, humanity will prove me right.

Guest Post: "Instincts" by Cielo

I know someone that might sound familiar to you. He (I'll use the male pronoun for simplicity) and I have been wonderful friends for a long time, and I trusted him more than most of my other friends. Recently, he has done things that have hurt not only me, but my closest friends as well. But, after it all, I can't believe he's a bad person. I can't believe that he has done what he did with the intent of hurting or having things his own way. I believe he makes mistakes.

I make mistakes, too. And I'm not a bad person.

Have you ever noticed that animals rarely make mistakes? Or, when they do something we deem stupid, it can be blamed on their lack of intellectual development as a species.

People don't have that kind of pardon. We screw up, and when we do, it is because of us, just how we are. How we were raised. How we think. Our level of badness. This responsibility we have to take the blame for our behavior is a lovely result of our intellectual development.

With this person, all signs point to "absolute jerk." He pretends to be someone he isn't, and when he is called out on it, he acts out. Though the mistakes he makes are worse than others', I can feel that he's not all bad.

It all comes down to this: anyone can double-cross you. I think trust is important, and in order to be happy in life, you need to have the ability to lay your life in the hands of those you care about most, and who care about you. However, even those you care about most can lie to you, hurt you.

Above all else, you must trust yourself. You must trust your instincts about people. The basis of your belief may not be something you can see, but that's alright. You can feel it. And it is only that feeling that you should allow to tell you what to do and where to go in life.

So I am going to continue to believe that this person is good. My gut tells me it's true, and there is nothing I can do about it, no matter what happens or what people tell me.

Never, as long as you live, allow anyone to tell you something that does not fall in line with your instincts. You are the only person you're going to have to be with the rest of your life, and when you can't trust your instincts, who do you have?

"Nature" by G.

Nature. It's a part of you. It's everywhere around you. And In my opinion, we have a sad lack of it in our lives. Nature has a natural beauty; a almost therapeutic effect on the mind. A breath of fresh air clears the head. A view of a bright red and orange sunset calms the soul. I am not saying to just drop everything and run into the nearest forest. What I am saying is to try and get a little more of nature in your daily life.

Modern life these days can be very hectic. Busy schedules, stressful work weeks, financial troubles; the pressures just add up. It can all be a bit overwhelming sometimes. But once in awhile, we need some time to recharge and relax. You don't need a sack of money or a rent-a-car to do this. Just stepping outside and taking a few deep breaths can work wonders. But what I long for is to visit a truly beautiful place, such as the one pictured above; China. If everyone in the world got the chance to visit a place like that once in awhile, I wouldn't have a doubt that they would find some calm for their mind and body.

Sure this is a bit of wishful thinking, but its benefits can't be denied. The simple truth is, once and awhile we need to leave it all behind and just get back to nature for a tiny bit. Whether your just taking a stroll in the park or visiting the wonders of world, it will only do you good. Anyways, hope you all have a wonderful day, or night.