"Social Discontent"

A cycle of events
Playing repeatedly in my mind
Create to destroy;
Destroy to create,
Rebel against the divine plan...
Stray from the intended path.

You claim to possess Truth,
Yet divide into factions,
And kill in his name!

Kill yourself with Sin...

But Cause means to take away nothing

Cause brings about effects,
The art of creation,
The gift of life.

So how is it we find
that our answers lie
In the dropping of bombs?
And blood on a sword
Is our show of understanding?

Perhaps we should check the books again.

"Waiting for The End to Come"

Recently, a religious leader began "prophesizing" that the Rapture would occur on May 21, 2011. When it didn't happen, he claimed that there had been a miscalculation on his par and the correct date was to be some time in October. Many factions argue that we are currently living in the End Times prophesied in the Bible. For centuries, there have been "hellfire and brimstone" preachers that spent countless hours talking about the horrors that await the unrepentant.

Now, I am not one to argue Scripture, or try to sway a personal belief. However you choose to think your end will come is your business. My grievance is with the pessimistic attitudes that almost seem to desire the End and mass destruction. I get the feeling many of them are mad at the world, and want to watch it burn.

Is this what we wish to pass onto future generations, dissidence and cynicism? If we are just waiting for the world to end, then what is the point of living?

Fools! Open your eyes. See the realms of possibility and hope. We will create our own destruction by seeking it out. There is an old saying that goes "What you put in is what you will get out..." If we keep instilling a hopelessness in mankind, mankind will continue to not care what happens in this life.

There is beauty in the world, but so many look for its downfall. Why? You could help build it up, instead you look to tear it down. God never said to just sit around waiting for Him to destroy the world. He said "be vigilant". In the meantime, he wants us to be good to each other.

A new Heaven and a new Earth comes not in the flames of destruction. Paradise is not born from falling buildings. Our future is the hope that I see in my Nieces' eyes. It is in the artist's paintbrush, capturing the essence of the human soul. It is the pen's might over the sword. It is life and living to our fullest potential.

Let us begin planting the seeds of a New Eden, rather than fearing a New Babylon.

"Only The Young Die Good"

It's always raining in my mind
Deadly drops of suicide
suffer the puddles of yesterday
Praying to God that the dam will break
And wash away all the pain inside
Cause it's always raining in my mind.

And we all go down
Wishing that we could
Live to be 110
But only the young die good

Now I know the smack is God for some
Look at me, I'm the chosen one
Heaven, it seems, just takes a prick
What gives you the right to say I'm sick?
Judge me to be your forgotten Sun
My God is smack until I'm done

I would rather crash now
Than to fade away
I would rather go out
In a burning blaze

And we all go down
Wishing that we could
Live to be 110
But only the young die good

"What The World Needs Now"

The world needs what it always needs, its heroes. Now, perhaps, more than ever. It is the reason comic book thrill-rides are enjoying such popularity at the box office. We want to cheer for those larger-than-life figures overcoming great transversity. We want to witness the ordinary rise above and become extraordinary.

The problem is that there are no true giants amongst men in this day and age. Don't misunderstand me, now. There are plenty of stars in the sky, but it seems that none are bright enough to light up the world. We are in an era of supernovas that flare up for but a moment, then fade into oblivion. Perhaps this trend is the product of our mass media and technological advancement. Perhaps the heroic spirit has died in the hearts of men.

But what is a hero? A symbol of selflessness and hope? A source of inspiration? A legendary figure that transcends the standards and defeats all odds? I say that a hero may be all of these things, or only one of them. If we look to George Washington as a hero, he certainly embodied these virtues, but can we say the same about James Dean or Kurt Cobaine? How were they selfless? Certainly, they are more symbols of tragedy rather than hope, yet they are heroes in the eyes of many because of the inspiration they have provided through attitude or music.

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes. They are heroes for many different reasons. My dad has always been my greatest source of inspiration, my hero if you will. Not because of anything spectacular, but because of the way he raised my sisters, because of his intelligence and creativity, and because he has always tried to do the right thing. Maybe I didn't always see things that way, but age and maturity has cleared my vision.

But back to the world in general.

Heroes should begin at home with the parents of a child. If we can't be the inspiration our children need, then what future do they have? Men must stop just fathering children and start being good fathers. Women must be mothers after they have given birth. Once a child comes into the picture the parents have to grow up and start showing some responsibility. Then, perhaps we will begin to find our heroes again.

We must bare in mind, though, that heroes are still just human. People have flaws. One of the reasons why I feel we lack Lincolns, or Lennons, or even a Gandhi is because we are so quick to crucify them for the slightest transgression. We look to exploit any weakness. No longer do we find those giants amongst men, for we are too busy tearing each other down.

The world needs its heroes, let us each do our part and may we stop looking for villains. Rise above all expectations and be what the world needs and our children deserve.