“The most authentic thing about us is our capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love and to be greater than our suffering.” -Ben Okri

Suicide comes out of desperation, frustration, and lack of motivation. Without the means to go on, why go on? Life will hand you countless problems on a silver platter, should you consume them all, or walk away from the table early? As Okri suggests, suicide is not necessary because of our human capability to overcome our problems, and face them in different ways. Just because life handed you beats for dinner, doesn't mean it won't hand you something incredible for dessert.

Your life is partly what you make it, having a bad attitude or setting yourself up for failure only contributes to existing troubles. Everyone faces this dilemma. "What do I do?" Simple, you put on the combat boots, the helmet and you fight it out, using your strengths. Personally art gets me through almost anything, if I add creativity to my life, my troubles become far more bearable.

Some people however, don't see the light at the end of the tunnel. Even the people who shine. Almost two weeks ago a family friend of mine hung himself from his balcony. All of us were horror stricken. This man was the last person anyone expected to cut his life short. More shocking than that was the way he did it, the image of him dangling from his balcony makes it clear that he didn't just want his life to be over, he wanted to say "screw you, this is for hurting me." I will always remember him as a sweet, friendly, compassionate and downright hilarious guy, he was a pleasure to be around. Since his death I have contemplated on the reasons why he felt nothing he could do would change his circumstances. Marty didn't become greater than his suffering, he became his suffering, and let it comsume him whole.

I guess the point of this post is to emphasize the importance of sticking it out until the end, there's always a way to make a situation better, always a way to raise hopes for the future. The key is to maintain the possibility of a future. Cutting life short is like walking out of a bad movie, there was still the possiblity of a good ending.

“Anyone who says they are not interested in politics is like a drowning man who insists he is not interested in water”

This quote by an unknown author, exemplifies the subconscious need to get interested or involved in the processes and people that govern and potentially dictate one's life. It expresses how those who don't are foolish not to, because whether they do or they don't stay interested they are still subject to the changes made by the government.

The people have always had a say in government in this country, over-time provisions have changed, granting democracy and suffrage to more people. The excuse that one cannot vote, or isn't allowed to, or is too frightened to is invalid in this time era. There is no excuse not to get involved in politics, unless one simply wants to submit their freedoms, their liberties, their privacy, and their lives to the rule of their fellow citizens and those in the government.

If I don't think something is right I'll speak up against it, I've been taught to stand firm to my beliefs, it has always been impossible for me to not be interested in the changing attitudes, and ideologies that spawn conflicts in our society. I have developed my opinions on the current issues such as government power, abortion and women's rights, marriage equality, health care reform, welfare, immigration, relations with other nations, and the economy. I have never sat back and let opinions that disagree with my own take action without at least putting in my two cents first. At the moment I'm a year too young to vote, but I've worked on three presidential campaigns, and currently working on another, along with helping out in local politics since I was old enough to hold signs. Being someone who lives in an area that greatly conflicts with my personal beliefs, it's important to me to TRY to make a dent, to put in an effort.

Not putting in an effort is the worst mistake one can make when it comes to politics, despite individual views, democrat, republican, independent, libertarian, etc, letting oneself be subject to the views of others is worse than fighting for yours and loosing.

In the quote "The love of beauty is taste, the creation of beauty is art.” Ralph Waldo Emerson paints clearly the idea that without art the world lacks beauty, and when you erase beauty from the world you elimate human potential. Picture walking into a room with grey tightly knitted carpeted floors, grey and barren walls, no windows, no pictures, no plants, a bare bulb hanging from a silver wire attached to white ceiling. How do you feel? Inspired perhaps? I doubt that. It takes a touch of color, a creative image, a piece of nature, a touch of passion -of beauty- to really inspire someone.

The world needs beauty to keep people perplexed, to keep them wanting to reach their full potential. Depriving the world of beauty would eventually bring about the downfall of hope and creativiy that's vital to keeping people feeling as if their life is worth living.

During the Great Depression, a time marked for hopelessness, and destitution, Roosevelt not only initiated programs to help aid the umemployed, he sponsored programs to create art in public areas, to make America prettier. Giving people hope was the greatest achievement of his presidency, and beauty greatly aided the attitude of the american people.

Being an artist has made me see the world differently from others. It has made me realize how the incorporation of art in society is an incredibly important asset in the success of the human race. It's vital to achieve happiness, and the most important component in promoting creativity.

Those who advocate for change, reform, and advancement are more often than not doomed to get the short end of the stick. Too many people in the world are intolerant of change, making those who promote it a minority. Albert Einstein once proclaimed, "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds," it's a shame that average ideals have succeeded in dwindling the efforts of those motivated to make a difference. Whether it be social activism, science, technology, or a mere challenge of common or orthodox beliefs, there will always be opponents ready to strike down any change-based ideology. Throughout history we see this in regards especially to religion, and civil rights. Those who found inconsistencies in the church were struck down, and those such as Charles Darwin with new ideas about the world are still ridiculed today. In this country alone it took African Americans almost two centuries before being fully integrated into white society, women as well struggled to create a distinctive place in society, and that battle has yet to be fully won. Technology has surged drastically, and though many take advantage of the advancements, far too many people see it as a threat. It takes a closed mind to see the world from such a limited window. Not accepting or promoting change- especially change for the better, in my eyes is a major personality flaw. Trapping ones self in a bubble may be comforting to some, but for others it may be the only thing holding them back from their full potential. Mediocre minded people need inspiration, ambition and a desire to to reach their limits, the only way for them to embrace change is by letting themselves soar and explore the areas of life that scare them.