Sick Sad World
Time is meaningless. Humans in society are slaves to clock…tick tock, tick tock, only so they can get through the hour, day, week, or year…in order to get money, a certificate, or retirement. This endless cycle that we put ourselves in…needs to stop. We have the power to make the most of this life, but only if we chose to do so. Every “day” is an opportunity to do something great, although it is important to remember that life doesn’t begin and end when we fall asleep. Life is in continuous motion, all around the world, people are constantly being born and taking their last breath. Our brief time on this earth should not be spent staring at our phones, comparing ourselves to others, or caring about “tradition”/what people think of us.
Life should be spent dancing barefoot…breathing in warm summer air…loving others regardless of age or gender…creating something new, like an art piece or a beautiful smile…and adding knowledge to this world for the future, as well as learning from the past.
Death has been on my mind recently, due to the back to back funerals that I attended, one in April and one in May. Going to them did make me sad, but because I know that they are now free from pain which is all I could ever want, but they did however remind me how important it is to live without regrets. I recently turned seventeen, which is a landmark age for me. My sixteenth year on this planet was one for the scribes to tell, I grew so much as a person and it is hard to even describe how much these twelve months have meant to me. Looking back to where I was just 365 days ago…it’s utterly remarkable to see the difference. I am grown into my body more (which I never thought was possible), I expanded the horizons of my mind, I gained new interests, and most importantly…I enhanced my character. Looking at myself in the mirror with the glow of my red heart string lights hitting my skin, gazing at all the books, movies, records, and boxes of crayons that I have collected over the past year, and scrolling through my old photos, all give me a sense of nostalgia, along with pride for how far I’ve truly come.
Death is a natural thing…We should not fear it,
Although we cannot forget that in the end, we are all merely mortal.
Another thing that has been on my mind is the idea of “adventure” and the meaning of life. I recently read Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer (a story about the strange, marvelous, and unfortunate journey of Chris McCandless), along with revisiting the 2007 indie film. Reading this story almost brought me to tears and inspired me, while also frightened me. Fun Fact: My AP Lang teacher actually had dinner and still corresponds with his sister, Carine McCandless. My teacher is a women of great intelligence and has helped me so much this past year. She once told our class that we should cherish our time after high school instead of wasting it, because one of her biggest regrets in life is that she did not explore the world early on.
While McCandless’ trip did end with him losing his life (*spoiler alert*), his utter resilience and determination to break away from the beaten path is something to admire. I also re-watched Wild dir. Jean-Marc Vallee this month (along with neglecting to read past the first chapter), which gave me a more hopeful and relatable perspective. Learning about both of these stories has given me a new outlook on life. I still am planning to go to college right after high school, but I know now how important it is to live life to the fullest, by setting priorities. Yes, school IS important, but so is your happiness/mental health (it truly should be your #1). Yes, grades DO matter, but so does your memories and experiences on this Earth. We should all choose the path of success, but in order to reach the destination, we must enjoy the journey. Those who live life with enjoyment and pleasure are truly successful.
“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun.” - Christopher McCandless
This month I learned the importance of spending your time wisely. These can be little things like taking a lavender bath, meditating, watching your favorite movie, drawing a picture, going out with your friends/family, or doing something helpful for your community. We should be spending our days with smiles on our faces, while caring no regrets on our backs. Although I want you all to know that I am not encouraging suppressing feelings, sadness and anger are valid emotions just like any other and need to be expressed every once and awhile, but we must at least try to be happy (even a little effort makes all the difference).
Always remember: Don’t track your life in days, count the moments, sunsets, and joyrides. TODAY was once your future and tomorrow will one day be your past, don’t spend too much time thinking about wither one.
Congrats to those who are graduating! Just remember that this is not the end, this is just one chapter in your life and you have so much beautiful things ahead of you. For my fellow high schoolers and college goers, it will be over before we know it!
Here are some of my favorite movies and songs about LIFE and DEATH
Now and Then (1995) dir. Lesli Linka Glatter
“This wistful drama is set in the summer of 1970 and follows the adventures of four 12-year-old girls as they attempt to solve a murder.”
The Darjeeling Limited (2007) dir. Wes Anderson
“Three brothers re-forging family bonds. The eldest, hopes to reconnect with his two younger siblings by taking them on a train trip across the vibrant and sensual landscape of India.”
Rent (2005) dir. Chris Columbus
“In New York's East Village, a group of bohemians struggle to express themselves through their art and strive for success and acceptance while enduring the obstacles of poverty, illness and the AIDS epidemic.”
One True Thing (1998) dir. Carl Franklin
“The true story of a woman who is forced to put her life on hold in order to care for her mother who is dying of cancer.
Harold and Maude (1971) dir. Hal Ashby
“Harold, the 20-year-old son of a wealthy, neglectful woman, tries to gain attention for himself with various hilariously staged "suicides." Obsessed with death, Harold meets a like-minded 79-year-old woman named Maude.”
Boyhood (2014) dir. Richard Linklater
“Filmed over 12 years with the same cast, a groundbreaking story of growing up as seen through the eyes of a child named Mason (Ellar Coltrane), who literally grows up on screen before our eyes.”
My Girl (1991) dir. Howard Zieff
“Eleven-year-old Vada's (Anna Chlumsky) world is turned upside down when her widowed mortician father Harry (Dan Aykroyd) decides to marry cosmetologist Shelly (Jamie Lee Curtis). Vada is a small-town tomboy who spends most of her time playing with her best friend (Macaulay Culkin), and worrying that she has contracted the ailments of her father's most recent customers.”
The End of the Tour (2015) dir. James Ponsoldt
“The story of the five-day interview between Rolling Stone reporter (and novelist) David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) and acclaimed novelist David Foster Wallace (Jason Segel), which took place right after the 1996 publication of Wallace's groundbreaking epic novel, Infinite Jest.”
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) dir. Lorene Scafaria
“In New York City, a news report is broadcast informing the world that a mission to stop an incoming asteroid has failed, and that the asteroid will make impact in three weeks, destroying all life on Earth.”
Cobain: Montage of Heck (2015) dir. Brett Morgen
“An authorized documentary on the late musician Kurt Cobain, from his early days in Aberdeen, Washington to his success and downfall with the grunge band Nirvana.”
