As I draw nearer to graduation and my inevitable induction into the "real world" shortly thereafter, I find myself (as I'm sure many do) questioning. I question whether or not the path I am choosing is the right one for me, if perhaps there is something, somewhere better for me out there. I suppose the question becomes: what is my passion?
When someone says that they are passionate about something, or someone, what does that mean? Armed with this question both for myself and others, I did some research.
The first place I went to look was the dictionary. The best definition I could find for the word 'passion' was " a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything." That sounds nice, and could work, but when one ponders his or her true passion in life, words and definitions such as this just seem not to do it justice. So as I scanned the page further in search of a better listing I found this: " the narrative of Christ's sufferings as recorded in the Gospels."
Think about it. Why would a word for intense fondness and enthusiasm be viewed as equal to the horrific torture of the savior of the world? I did some more digging. It turns out that the root word for our English word 'passion' is the Greek word paschō. This word is a verb. It means "to suffer."
Did you get that? Passion...is a verb. One has to find the one thing that he is willing to suffer for, and DO it. Look at the passion of Christ. For what thing or person do you have that much love for that you would suffer for it to the point of death? Maybe this seems extreme. Maybe it is extreme for our society today. But I don't think that makes this any less true.
After I started writing this blog, a close friend of mine informed me that he had read it. The conversation went like this:
--I read your blog...
----Awesome, what did you think?
--I liked it, but there was a little too much religion and religious angles for me.
----Did that make you uncomfortable?
--Kind of...
----Good, then I did my job.
To the point, I suppose the way I see it is that if you have a passion, don't let anyone tell you that it's wrong or not cool; don't let them tell you to stop because it may upset some people. One of my favorite quotes says "You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in all of us." (emphasis mine)
However you see fit to do this, do it. But remember: make your passion a verb. Make your love action. Make your lives extraordinary.
Carpe diem my friends, may this year be the most amazing of your lives. And, as always, Que Dios Les Bendiga...God bless. -Matt
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
O Me! O Life!
It's been quite some time since I last wrote on this bloggy thingy.
I have in the many days since I began writing this blog heard from many people that they dislike blogs. When I ask them why, most of the time I get an answer about who-cares-about-your-life-or-your-opinions-enough-to-read-them or something of that sort. This is perfectly valid. I don't write as though I expect people to care about my thoughts or opinions. But this does beg the question; why does anyone write?
In asking this question, the responses (as one would imagine) vary greatly. Some write because it helps them. Some write because it helps others. Some write to educate others. Some write just to prove that they think.
The way I see it, we all want to prove that we exist at all. Look at some of the pictures on the walls at your grandmother's house. Save the age of the photos and the perhaps less-than-desiring clothing options they exhibited, how are those people any different from the ones on your facebook homepage?
They're not.
The people in those pictures all have smiles on their faces, frozen in an instant on an infinite timeline. The people in those pictures all have something or someone on their minds at that moment, things they have to do tomorrow or the next day, a person they wronged that day, a worry, a day they are looking forward to, a moment that they are dreading in the future. The difference is this: they are now old, or even no longer on this earth at all.
So what did they leave behind? What did they teach the world? Anything? Nothing?
It is out of both the selfish need to last forever and the overwhelming responsibility to pass on whatever we can to posterity that we write.
I write, just as those before me have, to show that no matter what befalls you, no matter what you think you can never overcome, someone has done it, seen it, lived it before. I write to prove we're not crazy. Mistakes are made, and the sun still rises. Love comes, it is amazing, and it dies, and it is the worst pain you will ever feel. The funny thing is, we've been writing for thousands of years, and feeling the same feelings. You'd think we would run out of things to say. Why haven't we? Because everyone sees it his or her own way. So next time you feel something, hear something, think something, anything...write it down.
One of the best examples of why you should is from the great Walt Whitman. Read this, think about it....then contribute your own verse. :) -Que Dios Les Bendiga (God Bless)
-Walt Whitman
Night world. -Matt
I have in the many days since I began writing this blog heard from many people that they dislike blogs. When I ask them why, most of the time I get an answer about who-cares-about-your-life-or-your-opinions-enough-to-read-them or something of that sort. This is perfectly valid. I don't write as though I expect people to care about my thoughts or opinions. But this does beg the question; why does anyone write?
In asking this question, the responses (as one would imagine) vary greatly. Some write because it helps them. Some write because it helps others. Some write to educate others. Some write just to prove that they think.
The way I see it, we all want to prove that we exist at all. Look at some of the pictures on the walls at your grandmother's house. Save the age of the photos and the perhaps less-than-desiring clothing options they exhibited, how are those people any different from the ones on your facebook homepage?
They're not.
The people in those pictures all have smiles on their faces, frozen in an instant on an infinite timeline. The people in those pictures all have something or someone on their minds at that moment, things they have to do tomorrow or the next day, a person they wronged that day, a worry, a day they are looking forward to, a moment that they are dreading in the future. The difference is this: they are now old, or even no longer on this earth at all.
So what did they leave behind? What did they teach the world? Anything? Nothing?
It is out of both the selfish need to last forever and the overwhelming responsibility to pass on whatever we can to posterity that we write.
I write, just as those before me have, to show that no matter what befalls you, no matter what you think you can never overcome, someone has done it, seen it, lived it before. I write to prove we're not crazy. Mistakes are made, and the sun still rises. Love comes, it is amazing, and it dies, and it is the worst pain you will ever feel. The funny thing is, we've been writing for thousands of years, and feeling the same feelings. You'd think we would run out of things to say. Why haven't we? Because everyone sees it his or her own way. So next time you feel something, hear something, think something, anything...write it down.
One of the best examples of why you should is from the great Walt Whitman. Read this, think about it....then contribute your own verse. :) -Que Dios Les Bendiga (God Bless)
| --O ME! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; | |
| Of the endless trains of the faithless—of cities fill’d with the foolish; | |
| Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?) | |
| Of eyes that vainly crave the light—of the objects mean—of the struggle ever renew’d; | |
| Of the poor results of all—of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me; | 5 |
| Of the empty and useless years of the rest—with the rest me intertwined; | |
| The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life? | |
That you are here—that life exists, and identity; | |
| That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse. |
-Walt Whitman
Night world. -Matt
Thursday, April 23, 2009
People
So, here I am, a few weeks left before summer. I'm in the library on campus, pulling what is looking like an all nighter.
Straight to the point though, storytime. I went outside just a minute ago, to get some fresh air and clear my head. I sat down on the steps out front looking around, just minding my own. A guy came up and was smoking a cigarette and sat down a few feet from me. So, I started talking to him. I made a general conversational remark, "Long night huh?" and he laughed. We started talking and exchanged stories about school work and all of this and talked for a while and then that was it, he went his way and I came back up here.
This is a pretty dull story from the looks of it, I know, but that's not really the point. The point is that everyone, no matter who, has a story. It is never not worth it to exchange with another human being. Like I say a lot now, on this earth, in this life, we're all each other has. Will I ever see that guy again? Maybe, probably not though. When he goes through the rest of this life, he may not even ever think of this night again. However, if I can be a person that is never afraid to reach out, to touch another life, to breathe in the fact that we share the same hopeless and beautiful human condition, then I will never be without.
The way I see it, God has, as I believe, created us all for a purpose, and that purpose is to live out this life for His glory. Not that this means we should all be robots, that is not our purpose. One of the ways that I glorify God is by trying to love, as he loves, his divine and most perfect creation: humanity. This is not easy, nor always the most comfortable thing to do. That said, if I can touch one life, not for my own selfish need to feel important in this life, but to bring to others the knowledge that they are loved and accepted for exactly who they are, then I feel I am living part of MY purpose on this earth.
Everyone has a story, ups, downs, triumphs and failures. With every person you meet, and learn a little bit about, your own story becomes that much richer. Do your best never to be afraid to talk to people, to hear what they have to say, because no matter if you share the same beliefs, socioecomonic status, college major, race, whatever, YOU will always come out of it better for it, and will have left a mark, no matter how shallow or temporary, on another life...and THAT is the point.
Back to this ten page paper...DiosLesBendiga- Matt
Straight to the point though, storytime. I went outside just a minute ago, to get some fresh air and clear my head. I sat down on the steps out front looking around, just minding my own. A guy came up and was smoking a cigarette and sat down a few feet from me. So, I started talking to him. I made a general conversational remark, "Long night huh?" and he laughed. We started talking and exchanged stories about school work and all of this and talked for a while and then that was it, he went his way and I came back up here.
This is a pretty dull story from the looks of it, I know, but that's not really the point. The point is that everyone, no matter who, has a story. It is never not worth it to exchange with another human being. Like I say a lot now, on this earth, in this life, we're all each other has. Will I ever see that guy again? Maybe, probably not though. When he goes through the rest of this life, he may not even ever think of this night again. However, if I can be a person that is never afraid to reach out, to touch another life, to breathe in the fact that we share the same hopeless and beautiful human condition, then I will never be without.
The way I see it, God has, as I believe, created us all for a purpose, and that purpose is to live out this life for His glory. Not that this means we should all be robots, that is not our purpose. One of the ways that I glorify God is by trying to love, as he loves, his divine and most perfect creation: humanity. This is not easy, nor always the most comfortable thing to do. That said, if I can touch one life, not for my own selfish need to feel important in this life, but to bring to others the knowledge that they are loved and accepted for exactly who they are, then I feel I am living part of MY purpose on this earth.
Everyone has a story, ups, downs, triumphs and failures. With every person you meet, and learn a little bit about, your own story becomes that much richer. Do your best never to be afraid to talk to people, to hear what they have to say, because no matter if you share the same beliefs, socioecomonic status, college major, race, whatever, YOU will always come out of it better for it, and will have left a mark, no matter how shallow or temporary, on another life...and THAT is the point.
Back to this ten page paper...DiosLesBendiga- Matt
Monday, April 20, 2009
Training Day
So last night I ended up staying up late and watching the movie Training Day with some friends. IF you've never seen it, Denzel Washington plays a crooked narcotics officer taking a rookie out for his first day on the streets. Pretty flippin' sweet movie.
Anyways, to the point. At one point, it may have been in a deleted scene I watched on the dvd but there is a scene where Denzel's character shows the rookie a tattoo on his forearm that read "Death is certain - Life is not." Within the movie this has a few different meanings, but what does it mean to me, and you?
No matter what one believes, it is an absolute certainty that every man will experience death. What happens at that point or after it is always of course up for debate and no one will ever know that can tell the tale. However, in the face of the inevitable death we will all see, every day we wake and breathe life is an opportunity, a chance, a gift. Life is never certain; there is no guarantee of a tomorrow for anyone. In light of this fact, it is important to make sure that you live each day to its fullest.
What does that even mean though? Live life to its fullest? It for many reasons evokes the sense that I should be taking risks everyday, doing things that I would love to say I have done when I reach the pearly gates, skydiving, base jumping, that sort of thing.
The way I see it, it all starts with stepping outside of one's comfort zone. Everyday doing something, anything, that goes against what you would otherwise be comfortable doing. It could be holding a door open for someone, giving a poor man change, or just smiling at someone on the street. Do what you can to break down these barriers that we are so quick to build to protect ourselves from other's thoughts, opinions and actions. Like I say all the time. In this life, we're all each other has. There is no reason, none, for avoiding interactions and situations that cause you discomfort. What is the cost of a moment of awkwardness, a moment in which you're just not that sure of yourself? It can change your life. Life is too short to care what the person in front of you thinks of you, as long as you can find something in that person to love. Not like, love.
It is my belief that each and every person, no matter how lame, dorky, stupid, annoying, whatever you wanna call them that any person is, they are a divine creation worthy of love. Who am I to say that anyone is unworthy of my love?
The love that I speak of is a difficult thing to understand, let alone practice. Loving people is an active decision that one makes, it is not something that just happens. It is not easy, you're going to meet people that you're just not going to like. But opening up to people and understanding that they, like you have fears, passions, dreams, and scars can change and affect your perspective on things and allows you to be a more open minded person. Not to mention that people will notice this quality. A person who truly makes an attempt to love everyone he meets is a man that people will respect and a man who will in the end be all the wiser. I'll prolly expand on the whole love thing later cause it's really deep stuff but it's late. DLB - Matty P
Anyways, to the point. At one point, it may have been in a deleted scene I watched on the dvd but there is a scene where Denzel's character shows the rookie a tattoo on his forearm that read "Death is certain - Life is not." Within the movie this has a few different meanings, but what does it mean to me, and you?
No matter what one believes, it is an absolute certainty that every man will experience death. What happens at that point or after it is always of course up for debate and no one will ever know that can tell the tale. However, in the face of the inevitable death we will all see, every day we wake and breathe life is an opportunity, a chance, a gift. Life is never certain; there is no guarantee of a tomorrow for anyone. In light of this fact, it is important to make sure that you live each day to its fullest.
What does that even mean though? Live life to its fullest? It for many reasons evokes the sense that I should be taking risks everyday, doing things that I would love to say I have done when I reach the pearly gates, skydiving, base jumping, that sort of thing.
The way I see it, it all starts with stepping outside of one's comfort zone. Everyday doing something, anything, that goes against what you would otherwise be comfortable doing. It could be holding a door open for someone, giving a poor man change, or just smiling at someone on the street. Do what you can to break down these barriers that we are so quick to build to protect ourselves from other's thoughts, opinions and actions. Like I say all the time. In this life, we're all each other has. There is no reason, none, for avoiding interactions and situations that cause you discomfort. What is the cost of a moment of awkwardness, a moment in which you're just not that sure of yourself? It can change your life. Life is too short to care what the person in front of you thinks of you, as long as you can find something in that person to love. Not like, love.
It is my belief that each and every person, no matter how lame, dorky, stupid, annoying, whatever you wanna call them that any person is, they are a divine creation worthy of love. Who am I to say that anyone is unworthy of my love?
The love that I speak of is a difficult thing to understand, let alone practice. Loving people is an active decision that one makes, it is not something that just happens. It is not easy, you're going to meet people that you're just not going to like. But opening up to people and understanding that they, like you have fears, passions, dreams, and scars can change and affect your perspective on things and allows you to be a more open minded person. Not to mention that people will notice this quality. A person who truly makes an attempt to love everyone he meets is a man that people will respect and a man who will in the end be all the wiser. I'll prolly expand on the whole love thing later cause it's really deep stuff but it's late. DLB - Matty P
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Cambiando
I'm at such a strange place in my life right now, and I know people say it all the time and it may be cliche but I really am standing on the line of youth and adulthood. When my advisor told me last week that I'm two ed classes and an exam away from being a teacher, that really hit home to me. I've got to get it together to finish strong.
It's strange how time passes quickly in some places and so slowly in others. I remember thinking I might never survive until high school graduation. And I remember thinking that I had forever in college to figure out the rest of my life. But here I am, and I have to tell you it's scary.
I know most of you probably don't care much for the details of my life, and I won't bore you with them. However I think most of us can relate to a period in life of immense change, when things were moving so fast around us that it seemed we may never find something to hold onto, and that's kind of where I find myself these days.
I'm so over college. There are so many fake and fickle people around here just showing off to one another that genuine people are a commodity. I'm thankful that I have a few great friends. The way I see it, we're here for such a small window of time in this life. There's a point where one has to realize that he can't be concerned with what those around him may think of his beliefs, the music he listens to, what fraternity, if any he's in, who he's dating, how many seconds he can do a keg stand, any of that crap. Everyone else is just as scared of looking dumb or uncool as you are. We're all trying to meet this mutual standard of coolness that we all have set, when we should be worried about outwardly presenting ourselves as people accepting of others, with the ability to see past faults in character, no matter how annoying or uncool, and find something to love. I think people will find that when they let go of the need to meet some imaginary level of awesomeness and begin to just be themselves and see people for who they are, it will have some really cool results. That's my rant for today :) -DiosLesBendiga-Matt
-ps-I'm definitely not saying that I am always, if even often successful at this. But i'm trying my best all the time. That's the point. Just change the way you look at people, it's cool. -DLB-Matt
It's strange how time passes quickly in some places and so slowly in others. I remember thinking I might never survive until high school graduation. And I remember thinking that I had forever in college to figure out the rest of my life. But here I am, and I have to tell you it's scary.
I know most of you probably don't care much for the details of my life, and I won't bore you with them. However I think most of us can relate to a period in life of immense change, when things were moving so fast around us that it seemed we may never find something to hold onto, and that's kind of where I find myself these days.
I'm so over college. There are so many fake and fickle people around here just showing off to one another that genuine people are a commodity. I'm thankful that I have a few great friends. The way I see it, we're here for such a small window of time in this life. There's a point where one has to realize that he can't be concerned with what those around him may think of his beliefs, the music he listens to, what fraternity, if any he's in, who he's dating, how many seconds he can do a keg stand, any of that crap. Everyone else is just as scared of looking dumb or uncool as you are. We're all trying to meet this mutual standard of coolness that we all have set, when we should be worried about outwardly presenting ourselves as people accepting of others, with the ability to see past faults in character, no matter how annoying or uncool, and find something to love. I think people will find that when they let go of the need to meet some imaginary level of awesomeness and begin to just be themselves and see people for who they are, it will have some really cool results. That's my rant for today :) -DiosLesBendiga-Matt
-ps-I'm definitely not saying that I am always, if even often successful at this. But i'm trying my best all the time. That's the point. Just change the way you look at people, it's cool. -DLB-Matt
Friday, April 10, 2009
So here we go....
Hey guys, what's up? So i've been pondering creating one of these for a long time, and now, here we go. I'm just a regular guy, going to college, trying to figure out where I fit in the grand scheme of things. I'm not going to hide it, cause I think it's dumb and pointless to hide important things, I'm a christian. Does this mean I'm going to preach to you in every post? No. That's not conducive to anything. What this blog is really going to be about is my search for meaning in this life. I know where I'm headed in the life after, and I'm sure at some point I'll speak of it and if you want to ask I'll certainly tell you. That said, the point here really is THIS life. What do you have here? We're not here that long, and so why not be the most you can be to your fellow man? Obviously, I don't claim to know any more than anyone else what the meaning of life is or what YOU personally should do in YOUR life. The point is that we as humans have a mutual responsibility and duty to one another, and I try to live my life in such a way that I am the best fellow human I can be. I will, through stories and anecdotes explain how I feel about this, and how I try to do my best each day to fulfill my duty to humanity. As I've said before, I have my own beliefs; you can believe whatever you want I'm not going to hate on anyone for what they believe. However, I feel that christianity has been given such a terrible rap of late because of the way people go about it. If there is one glaring thing from the bible it is this :LOVE YOUR FELLOW MAN. That's it. No matter what. I'm excited to share the ways that I try to do this and hopefully some people who have seen christians and/or religious people in one light can view them from another after reading some of my posts. Que dios les bendiga [God Bless] - matty_p
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