XVI

Past

Upon meditating over the ideals found in the novel Great Expectations, we realize Miss Havisham exhibits a metaphor for our own lives. Left at the altar on her wedding night, she is unable to let go of the past. Instead, she lives the rest of her days hiding in her dark house, still wearing her wedding dress. Though, initially, her character seems quite exaggerated, we live in an identical way. Mrs. Havisham physically portrays our mental ability to cling to tragic events, which plague our lives. Usually, our current actions and ideals result from events of the past. Unable to move on, it dictates our every thought, emotion, action, and word.

Therefore, to fully understand a human being, we must look, not at their outward actions, but to their past and what they find their identity in. Then, and only then, can we claim to understand them, for we know what dictates everything about them.      



XV

Happy Birthday, Eric Clapton

The smell of old record sleeves. The crackling sound of the needle. The excitement and anticipation of the glorious music about to resound from the speakers.

Vinyl records contain a certain ambience to them. Unlike digital music downloads, vinyl is a medium in which the music comes alive, drawing you closer to the music and to the musician. Music you can hold in your hands and a sound your soul can feel. It's utterly beautiul, magical, and romantic.

And, today, in honor of God, Clapton records shall be spinning. 

XIV

Death

Is wanting to grow old with your true love not the same desire as just lying down and dying together? In graveyards, people become immortalized together--laying side-by-side with two names inscribed on a tombstone. Maybe the couple was falling apart or they never truly loved each other, yet, together, they lie for eternity's time.

Perhaps, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet remains regarded as romantic solely because of their tragic death. Rather than live without the other, Romeo and Juliet choose to die with their true love. In a way, isn't death romantic? 

XIII

Ego

If plausible, how opposite would every aspect of life appear if ego was completely abstained from? Because ego obstructs even our noblest of intentions, in its absence, the world surrounding us would be drastically different. The majority of the events that shape history seem to be driven by vain ego--Hitler's invasion of Europe, Napoleon's attempt to conquer Russia, and The American Civil War.
Aside from historical turning points, egotistical vanity plagues modern culture. A plethora of musicians are no longer striving to perfect an instrument. Instead, they are simply attempting to gain wealth and attain fame. Why are we so willing to accept the sub-par music they are producing? Songs consisting of meaningless lyrics in which the singer's voice has been overly auto tuned--that's not art. 
Maybe the modern attraction to bands from earlier eras is based solely on the fact we are intrigued by the stories and ideas the lyrics share and the pure unadulterated talent of the musicians behind it. Music, produced by those who prevented their egos from interfering, allows timeless classics to be formed. Maybe, if we prevented our egos from plaguing us, we ,too, can create something worth noticing.

XII

Want

Eric Clapton's song Layla encapsulates the inward cry of every heart. Driven mad by his longing for Pattie Boyd, Clapton, through his music, exhibits the excruciating ache of his heart, for he seems unable to attain his sole desire. Likewise, every human being has a thirst that cannot be quenched. Willing to sell our souls for what seems to matter most, we still cannot reach what we work so hard to attain, and if we attain it, it never truly satisfies. We live trying to fill a void, which we can never completely fill.  

XI

Struggle

Around us, within us, consuming us exists certain struggles--battles we must fight. In our conscious efforts to conquer our haunting ghosts, we discover more about ourselves, others, and the world around us. We need this struggle, for it keeps us afloat. In the sea of sadness in the world, this battle is our raft keeping us from drowning--keeping us alive. All our demons that hinder us only make us more alive, for in our struggles is formed a wellspring of creative life.  

X

But Now

"Three hundred people living out in West Virginia, have no idea of all these thoughts that lie within you, but now"

This Protector by The White Stripes

 

Interesting how media, like music and writing, contains the power to spread ideas. From the humble origins of simple thoughts within a person's mind, our ideas can develop into something extraordinary. With the aid of the Internet, we can instantly publish our ideas for the masses to marvel at. Our personal epiphanies, when shared, can influence and change the lives of countless individuals. Is it not amazing that we can attain such an influence? And if we can, in this age, so easily attain such power, why are we not sharing our monumental ideals with the masses?

IX

Corruption

Interesting, isn't it, how surprised we act when corruption is exposed? In regards to the government, we never cease to be amazed when political corruption is exposed. Micro forms of corruption are prevalent in our everyday. Yet, we are shocked when those in authority misuse their power. Power is a breeding ground for corruption. Why do we continually act surprised by the inevitable? Ignorance won't solve the looming evil of corruption. 

VIII

Taxes

 Around tax season, we realize how enslaved we truly are. Regardless of the money we make and property we own, we still owe somebody something. Forever, we work with no end to our toil. Forever, we owe a debt. We are never truly free from authority. 

VII

Light

Essentially, darkness is the absence of light. Light defines darkness, not vice versa. With light, we have the ability to observe our surroundings. Our eyes detect shape and color by capturing light. In the absence of light, however, we are stuck blinded, unaware of our surroundings.

Likewise, righteousness and holiness, point out our flaws and brokenness. Without realizing Christ's holiness, we are unable to see our own depravity.