Growing up is depressing. So is the nostalgia of memories of loved ones and cherished moments. It may seem immature, but I don't want to grow up. I want growing up to take as long as possible. I loathe change. I wish the only way to achieve your goals wasn't through hard work, because I'm just going to end up doing it for the rest of my life. No, monotony drains the soul and chains it down onto the earth. Realism is painful. I do not believe in a life that will always be as easy as following a yellow brick road. Idealism is for people who can't face truth. Nor do I believe in days of constant gloom, drear, and foreboding. Pessimistic notions are no better.
Even though I just said I'm not an idealist, life should be experienced like your favorite TV drama. It would be no fun if you knew a show would follow a sequence of events like power rangers, right? Power rangers good—bad guys evil. Good over evil. People live for twists and turns and sudden plot developments. Sometimes spontaneous action is the key to a great show. Maybe like family guy (but not quite that random and stupid). It's quite ironic then, for someone who loathes change to say that change is the key to a great life or drama or whatever you call it. But that's the truth. It wouldn't be the Wizard of Oz without the cowardly lion, heartless tin-man, brainless scarecrow, or wicked witch of the west.
Change truly is life's only constant, and I am thankful for that. However, as an individual, you have to know what would be better to retain. I come from a pretty traditional Japanese family, with rock solid values, beliefs, and practices. Every Saturday after Christmas, our family and friends from all over the island and sometimes even mainland relatives gather at my grandpa's house to carry out the Japanese tradition of Mochi pounding. The bowl that we pound the rice in has been with our family for over a century, along with the steamer and method of cooking the rice. Even though I am a fifth generation Japanese in Hawaii, I'm not into all that samurai death to reclaim honor or whatever. It's just silly. But the point is that the wisdom to know how to change is as important as change itself.
I live everyday of my life as happily as I can. What's the point of being sad? Most importantly, I try to be spontaneous. I don't mean stupid things like jumping off buildings or whatever, but I try not to hang out with the same people everyday at school, and rather maybe talk with this bunch of friends a bit more today and this group tomorrow. If I just stayed in the same place, it would be boring.
Change can be painful and shouldn't be taken lightly either. But it should not be feared as a bringer of death and destruction. Life, when lived to its fullest holds a lot in store for us. But when change is suppressed, all of life's great potential has gone to waste. That's why I loathe change. I want to do as much I can, but I wish change would stop for awhile so I could do more.
I'm still waiting for my endless summer in the sun. But maybe everyday should be like an endless summer. Don't let change get the better of you. Be your own saving grace. Dip your toes in the water and be sure honk as you take your place when the blue of your backdrop changes.
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2 comments:
I like your message, but I feel as though your essay could use a few revisions. I thought that you had too much extraneous information in some areas, such as the part when you mention being spontaneous (yet not like dying for samurai honor or anything). I felt as though that part could be cut out.
Also, it was a little confusing when you mentioned how you loathe change in the second to last paragraph. Since your entire paper was about loving change, it was kind of confusing when you mentioned the exact opposite thing. I think I know what you're trying to get at, but maybe you could make it a little clearer?
Overall, great essay!
oh romantic ross... how your words show that i need a life... (ho hum.. interpretations interpretations...)
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