Oration of Jonas by Ernesto Santana Zaldivar

Blessed are those who come and go but always remain.

Still castaways and sad. Still stained, or blind or crazed with pain.

Blessed are those who die and live and never tire of being born and never tire of being one, of being another. 

Blessed are those who go from the light to the shade without paling and from the shade to the light without losing us.

Those that love the minimal, the beautiful, the rough, the moon, the waves, you.

Blessed are the lips of the wound that opens a shooting star in the sky.

 

Blessed are those who go and come but never stay.

Blessed is he who saves his fistful of earth

and hoards some thread of wind, some verse of love.

Blessed is the breeze that doesn’t wish to be a storm

and the seed in which the making tree sees itself.

Blessed is he who does not hate the pain of living because for him death does not pluck out his eyes.

Blessed is he who finds the world here and the infinite now.

The eternal stranger of oneself, the unsalvageable castaway.

Blessed is he who rips with the mask his own face.

Talentless is the new talented

“The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.”  Socrates

It’s no secret that I can be, and usually am very critical of the society we live in.  Although I believe our values as a unit have deteriorated, it’s probably the same belief that has always existed with each generation.  

Yes, we are more accepting of our differences and diversity and we no longer burn people at the stake (for the most part) for being different. But in my view, we do far worst damage to all of society by being go to the extreme and embracing certain behaviors and attitudes that are damaging.

 When did it become acceptable to lower our standards as a society?  Instead of desiring to excel and accomplish “greatness” as a society, it has become all about living empty lives filled with narcissism, material abundance and lies we tell the world and ourselves.  Nowadays it seems to be wrong to be a person who achieves and contributes with hard work and talent. 

 

There’s an oversaturation on tv and all mass-media of fame-whores, talentless creatures and gold-diggers out there, which to me is unprecedented.  All of the sudden these people who have never read a book land book deals, clothing lines, perfumes, and an abundance of worthless merchandize to sell to those who have no other aspiration but to be equally narcissistic, self-centered and talentless as the stars they admire. 

To label these individuals as “reality stars” (It’s not reality, people!!!)  is preposterous and an insult to those who work very hard and can’t get anywhere.  What do they contribute to our lives and society?  For instant fame we just need to make a fool of ourselves and it is done!  

Again, why have we lowered our standards?  Why is talentless the new talented?  Have we failed as parents or as a society in general?  Have we failed ourselves?  I see a big problem when these lack of values become our values and are transferred on to our daily lives with little regard for the consequences that are real and seldom experienced by the reality stars themselves. 

Stepping off my soapbox now. 

Singular sensation of being single

What kind of creature fights against the norms of society?  I’m one of those who is a rebel looking for a cause. There are exceptions, of course.  I am responsible and a contributing member of the same society I disagree with.  I follow the laws and rules of a civilized land, pay my taxes and put in more than I receive back.  I have never committed any crimes, imposed my views on anyone, and yet there are those who automatically assume that there’s something wrong with men because I’m single.  

There are skeptics who believe that we should all be paired like in Noah’s Ark.  Ironically, many times those who find themselves as unhappily together are the same ones who cannot fathom to be happily single.  I respect myself too much, and equally respect others to not be in an empty, if not toxic relationship.  There’s a difference between being lonely and alone and the worst scenarios are when one is in a “committed” relationship that has no value, other than a ring, and both parties are lonely and yet together.  There’s no need to marginalize those of us who are over a certain age and choose to not settle, who are not desperate for any companionship, have no children, and rather invest in themselves.  (more on this below)

Growing up I was very independent and made a point of being my own person.  My dolls were professionals rather than mommies; they kept a house AND an office, drove cars and did not need a masculine figure.  Perhaps it was the environment I grow up in where women did it all because there was no other alternative.  More than playing house, I felt driven to create art, jewelry, read, and expand my world with creative games of exploring new lands rather than reaching inside a bag and feeding unrealistic doll fake milk.  I had my science kit, a robot and not to mention bikes. I’ve always possessed maternal instincts, and although I am childless, does not mean I’m not motherly.  And just because I did not fit the mold of girly activities does not mean that I am not hetero. 

Yes, I believe in the integrity of certain values established by society, like marriage.  But love, respect and a genuine personal identity are imperative to posses before anyone embarks on a quest to find a “significant other” or whatever the case may be.  Society, including some cultural aspects, has designed my life for me.  The norm is very limiting when it comes to options, therefore, does not fit me.  

  

As a society we are raised to believe and settle for the idea that we are supposed to be paired.  Yet, we are not taught on how to have a relationship with one another, let alone, our own selves.  Someone it is not acceptable to invest in ourselves and our growth as human beings, but at the same time we are supposed to complete one another when so many individuals are empty, if not lost.  I’m of the belief that we are to complement one another, not complete each other. In my view, we are to be complete beings before we decide to join the journey with someone else, or invite them on the journey with us.  

Society is slowly losing the archaic ideologies regarding gender, age and marital status.  Most importantly, we most hold our ground and not change ourselves to please society.  Our actions and mentality has to match the times; we are in a modern and evolved era and it would be ridiculous, not to mention obsolete, to retain the perspective from centuries ago.  We have to make ourselves happy and be at peace- the other pieces will fall into place.