Life - by M.E.

If someone came to me and asked me to use one word and one word alone to describe life I would have to say - war. From my standpoint, and the things that I've endured, I must certainly have to say that life is war. A never ending struggle to survive.

I began fighting grown men when I was thirteen years old, not getting beat up and smacked around actually fighting UFC style. I have felt true hunger as well as true fear and real poverty. Fear unlike anything that many of you can even imagine. I could be wrong about that maybe. I have watched many people that I have met and known die. The loss of my brother has by far been the most devastating. The second largest impact was when my mom's boyfriend passed. The loss alone was huge because of how long I had known him and the fact that he was the only guy that my mom had been with that I liked, but I had actually needed to handle the body. The coldness and stiffness is undescribable. I sit hear and count 23 losses total and all have been close to ME in one way or another. I live 6 blocks from where my Uncle was murdered. The world that I live in the police take advantage of women that are in custody Link, some of the detectives are pimps in disguises Link, the last Broward County Sheriff has been brought up on charges and imprisoned Link, Catholic priest's molest children Link Link Link, everything that you see in the news all the time, every single day you decide to watch it. As a parent asking other parents, is there anyone out there that we do not need to be concered about? School teacher's and their romances with their students Link Link, the other students that bring guns and weapons to their schools Link Link, here in West Palm Beach a group of teens invaded a home and sexually assaulted the mother and forced her to have oral sex with her own son at gun point Link, recently three little boys ages 8 and 9 kidnapped and raped an 11 year old little girl Link, every incident that you can think of from recent headlines. The concerns that us people who really care must concern ourselves with is truly mind boggling isn't it, when you stop and really think about it. All the rules and regulations at work, to the regulations of the housing communities, to the city ordinances, to the county by-laws and regulations, to the state level legislation, to the federal legislation, to the pressures of work and every other issue in the daily life we live. All the while trying to do what is right and legal and be good spouses and good parents. I know most people do not like to think about these things or speak of them, but it is a large part of our daily lives. Each and every single day, and it seems to be getting worse too. This sounds like an intense struggle doesn't it. War is defined as an intense struggle of some, any sort. Whether you are at the top and struggling to maintain what you have acquired while everyone else is trying to take it from you or you are at the bottom struggling to acquire anything at all for your family and no one seems to be willing to throw any breaks your way, or you are simply stuck in the middle and it seems as though everyone is trying to stick it to you. From my observations and experiences, to my knowledge and intelligence, from where I stand - life is war.

If you haven't read the Who Am I page please do. I know that life also has a lot of good in it as well. I see things like the habitat for humanity program and people like Steve Irwin. I know how much people do help one another. I find time in my days to photograph wildlife as I stumble across it and I'm not a bad negative person. Life is existence and the birds and the bees and the trees too. Life is laughter with those that are close to you and all the joyous feelings that you have ever felt. There are so many good things about life that I hold dear and I'm most certainly glad to have had the opportunity to have experienced life. Though I may define and view it as war, I don't imply that it is negative. Why does war need to be negative? To ignore the negative is to dilude yourself and to ignore the positive is to do the same. I most certainly feel as though anything is most certainly better than absolutely nothing at all.

As children, many of us are told to make a wish on a shooting star. We are told to make wishes before we blow out the candles on our birthday cakes. A lot of cartoons and numerous movies involve a genie granting some lucky soul three wishes. If you had three wishes, just three, what would you wish for?

What would it be? Honestly. Would it be money? The cure for a loved one's failing health? World peace? What would it be? Me personally, if I ever had an opportunity to make three wishes and have them come true, they would be.................

Wish #1
I would wish that every living entity from the past, present, and future in all sizes, shapes, forms, and species had knowledge of the term humanity in its' broadest and most expansive definition that can be imagined.
Wish #2
I would wish that every living entitiy from the past, present, and future in all sizes, shapes, forms, and species had a total, full, and complete understanding of the term humanity as it is defined in the broadest and most expansive definition that can be imagined. I know and understand all to clearly the difference between knowing of a concept and thoroughly understanding that concept. So, that is why I would make the second wish.
Wish #3
I would wish that every living entitiy from the past, present, and future in all sizes, shapes, forms, and species would put into practice in all aspects of their lives that concept of humanity that had just been described.

It may sound silly to some of you out there but those would truly be my wishes if I had three to make. The concept of humanity is so important to me that I do not understand why it isn't really taught in school. I feel as though a class should be developed in middle school or high school and available as an elective for students to take. There are so many choices available to them, but why not humanity in a specific, specially structured cirriculum. It has nothing to do with any religion.
So, what would your wishes be?

I believe that, at least for myself, my spirit is almost like a car battery. It is one that never can be discharged or drained. If you've ever been to an auto parts store, you can look and see, all those batteries sitting there, full of energy and life, just waiting to be put into a vehicle. As a mechanic, I've encountered numerous problems with vehicles over time. Though on some rare occasions it has been battery problems, 99.9% of the time it is not. It is some other component on the vehicle that breaks and causes it to stop working. A CV Joint, Rack and Pinion, Struts, Brakes, Valves, Shocks, etc. The battery is still normally fully charged and ready to go. The vehicle broke, not the energy supply. Sometimes bodies break, components go bad. It is unfortunate when it does happen, but just because the body broke, that does not mean that the life force, energy is discharged or gone. I believe that you are still you, you simply need a new house, a new car. Another analogy because I am already on the vehicles. You get in you car, you drive around town, your car does what you tell it to. It goes left when you turn left, right when you turn right. It stops when you brake, and accelerates when you press the gas. It does everything that you tell it to do. Just because you are in your car and it is obeying you, that doesn't make you your car does it? You are driving your car but you are not your car. You are in your car, but you are not your car. You are in your house, but you are not your house. If the house breaks, or the car stops going, simply get out and walk away.

Why do we do the things we do?
Why do we say the things we say?
Why do we think the things we think?

No solutions.
No explanations.
No answers.

Why can't we change the past?
Why is the present the way that it is?
Why can't we predict the future?

No solutions.
No explanations.
No answers.

Or is there but one solution,
One explanation,
One answer.
God's Will.

Copyright 2006