Whisper Me A Moonlight: Too school for cool.

I don't watch near as much news as I ought to... or even as much as I care to. I like to think that I get just ::enough:: news from the 3 minute snippet on the radio each morning (well, each Monday through Thursday morning), and that if I did miss anything, the ladies at work will bring it up, and we can discuss it there. :) And if I do happen to turn it on, it's probably because I am waiting on another show to begin, or there is nothing else on. And rarely, I will turn it on because I want to be "in the know". But for the most part, I kind of tend to avoid it.

It's mostly negative though, what can I say?
Honestly, I like to avoid negative things...

And I feel that, in life, there are enough negative things that it feels silly watching the news to find out more of the negative things that occurred while I wasn't watching. I really and truly do see the importance in being educated, and aware, and in tune with what's happening... but isn't there also the side that says that "ignorance is bliss"?

If you think back to when you were a child, there was nothing more important than playing with your toys. I remember when taking a bath was not about getting clean (or even using soap - gasp), but about playing with my barbie dolls, and planning their soap operas. My biggest concern on a daily basis would be whether or not my fort at the school playground survived the night, or if my sister's roll call of stuffed animals would turn up one missing. I had food on the table, a warm bed, and a family. I didn't know any different, and I was none the wiser for a very, very, very long time.

Call me sheltered. A bit, huh?

And seriously, I wouldn't say my viewpoint began to change until I got into college. Okay maybe when I was in middle school, I started becoming aware of other cultures and people - but they lived within the realm of my history and social science book. I rarely had a real-world example, aside from the occasional newspaper article that I had to summarize. But even then, I had no idea what I was reading, and I was trying to make sense of words that didn't make sense to me. It was a weird time, and I didn't know what it meant to understand the world around me, especially places on the other side of the world. But I dare say, I was still happy. I didn't necessarily worry about other people because I didn't necessarily know that there were other people to worry about. I was content in my bubble.

When my views started to change, I began to question things. I was studying religion, and the fact that there were so many different religions and spiritualities out there, was amazing. It was comforting actually. I grew up ::knowing:: that if people did not believe in God, they were going to go to Hell. But with my religious studies, faith took on a new meaning. I began to see myself as being selfish all of those years. How could I dare chastise another person's beliefs, just because they differed my own. And I was fairly vocal about my beliefs, in a passive-aggressive way of course... I would wear Christian themed t-shirts, and that was pretty much the extent of it. But I would go on the mission trips, attend Wednesday and Sunday services, and I belonged to a group - and I think that was the kicker. I had struggled to belong, and at church, I had friends.

But even at church, eventually cliques began to form, and I was once again straddling to the other realms. I found it hard to connect with a religion that wasn't actually living up to it's own principles. How could you preach about loving others, when you couldn't even pretend to be friends with a fellow Christian?

I think the point is that when I was exposed to other religions, my eyes were opened and I was happy that other people found their own strength in other religions, aside from Christianity. It made me feel better about the world. I didn't find myself worrying about everyones souls, because for one, most people can take care of themselves and their souls for that matter. They learn to survive, and they learn to adapt. And they do. People adapt to what they are comfortable with, and by finding religion, a person commits to a faith they are comfortable with, and therefore, they commit to a destiny. I liked this, and so I went with it.

And while I am still a Christian, I am also accepting of others and thankful for the diversity. I appreciate the different faiths, walks of life, and spiritualities in the world. I think we can learn so much from each other, without trying to change each other, and that ultimately, it leads to a harmony that cannot be denied.

Harmony would be / is a positive in a world of otherwise negatives.

And it is the positives that I like to lean towards.

I don't like watching the news, or listening to the news, because it is so much a negative thing. I will admit, there have been attempts on certain stations to make things "happier" but for the most part, news thrives on the negative, and on the stories that will draw the most attention - namely world disasters, murder mysteries, and peoples downward spiral.

I'm sorry, but I like to smile... and I don't when I hear all of this negative stuff.

I think as a "people", we need to try to find as much interesting and positive things on a daily basis as possible, in order to smile, to laugh, and to experience "good". There is not one day that goes by where I do not search for something interesting - which is part of my commitment to this blog. I will find something interesting, talk about it, take pictures of it, and sometimes even relate it to my life...

I have ::really:: enjoyed the journey so far, and I'm glad to have people all around supporting me. It helps having feedback, and suggestions. :)

Tonight, Glee is on! One of my favorite shows ever, I love the quirky mix of song, drama, and comedy. It makes me smile, and it helps me realize some of my favorite songs, and in some excitingly original covers. For instance, I have been a fan of the Pink song "Raise Your Glass", but tonight, when I saw and listened to it performed on Glee, I connected with the lyrics on a different level.

And so, if you want, you can read them here, or watch the music video here. :)
Enjoy!

And here of some of my pictures from today...