Our country, and the world it seems, are on fire. Instead of a spectrum or circle, where you're allowed to be non-linear and unaligned with extremes, to circle back and revisit, reexamine, and refine your own beliefs and progress, you have to pick one of two terrible opposites. Either one you pick, the other will accuse you of horrible, despicable character faults and not want to associate with you -- if you don't pick, they pick the opposite of what they are to further alienate and pressure you to join, which deepens the nausea for their cause and this way of life in general.
Dramatic as it may be, this is the state we seem to be in. I blame our president, but it's much more intricate and firmly rooted than just one person -- he seems to have just ignited the kerosene doused wick on a mound of explosives, but it's been accumulating and was bound to burn, and now we've found ourselves in an untamable wild fire that's engulfing the planet. It's not just the United States either, look at Lebanon and the religious wars in the Middle East, political corruption, and overall human indecency and injustice. I thought it might be enough to be good to the people in our lives, that we care about -- or at least cared about once or might pretend to... but those people turn on you too. We live in such a divided world and become so impassioned by our alliances and political identities that we forget about the humanity and feelings for those in our lives we care about, or at least once cared about, or might pretend to... we fight for the humanity and feelings of others without treating those in our lives right because we think it's for a bigger and better cause, and makes us feel better than actually nurturing the relationships and caring for the people close to us -- instead, just pushing them away and demonizing them for not being 100% like ourselves. I'm tired. I'm tired of feeling torn between both worlds and extremes, and accused of harvesting hatred and negative worldviews I do not. My leftist loved ones think I have hate and ugliness because I am not totally left, and my right-winged loved ones think I have hate and ugliness (or a bleeding heart) because I am not "right." I see hate and ugliness on both sides, and think it's unfair to expect me to abandon the ones I love on either one because you don't agree with and assume the worst of them, and vis versa. I'm tired of giving and giving and giving, and trying, for it to not amount to anything, or enough. I know all of the effort in the world doesn't matter if it doesn't yield the right outcome, but for some reason I still haven't figured out human interaction and relationships -- it's something I have and want to continue to work on, but maybe should just give up on. I've never been good at friendships, romantic relationships, even ones with family, and (sometimes) professionally. I can't figure out what is wrong with me, or what I can do to improve it besides be a more chill, "normal" human being... and just pick a fucking side already.
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" for injured players in the game of life." "let's continue to even the playing field."As of Sunday, August 9, 2020, brought-from-home portrait art and a banner announcing “We’re not going anywhere,” supported by traffic cones now adorn the largest Confederate monument on Monument Avenue, which bears the likeness of Confederate General Robert E Lee. Since the death of George Floyd on May 25 in Minneapolis, MN, nationwide street marches manifested here in Richmond, VA. All summer, the monument pedestal and cement barriers around have been tagged in layers by outbursts of racial justice protesters. If you are in town and unsure of what awaits you on this scene, take a chance! Visit the monument to appreciate what can’t be changed now; and pick up a basketball to support the parks that foster community growth.
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AuthorWe are Kieran and Michelle, two 32-year-old William & Mary grads living in Virginia. Archives
March 2024
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