Awareness

Today I saw a fascinating documentary about migrant workers in China. They live such frustrating lives, and remarkably dismal and simple ones at that. I often complain about my life, but after watching this documentary I realized how lucky I really do have it. The girl in the documentary was under some illusion that the only way to be happy in life is to be free, free from the prison of school, and with money from work. Only problem is that she now works hours upon hours at menial laborious jobs, only making enough money for some pleasure. She is missing out on so much joy in life because she dropped out of high school.

Meanwhile here in Washington I sit and whine about my college I am going to and how unsuccessful I am. I bemoan about how pitiful my life is, when other people in the world can only see their loved ones every once in a while and work nonstop to provide for people who they can only meet each new year holiday. I don't have to wait five days to board a train home. I don't have to break my back and eyes to earn $500 for my family. I don't have to work on a farm. I don't have to live without a clean floor. I don't have to live under miserable smog.

I look around me and I despise America sometimes. I hate how we have to take up so much space for our houses. I hate how we complain so much. I hate how my friends can never be happy with their lives. I hate how late everyone is here. I hate how much people judge here. I just hate so much about it. I feel sometimes like we all need to really struggle for a few years to understand the harsh reality of life.

I have had this emotional struggle for years now. This weekend I graduated. This weekend I have closed several miserable chapters of my life. I am ready to roll up my sleeves and face this world, this very new world. Independence is outstretched before me and I have unlimited opportunity. I am not trapped in the smog of China's dependent economy. I am not engulfed by the tensions of Israel. I am not enslaved by AIDS.

I live in a free place. I have all this freedom, but I waste so much of it away. I guess the point of freedom is that you figure out what direction you want to lead. I am not entirely sure of that yet, but I know that I love this planet. What I do with that love will depend on how much I ignite my passion.

This summer is for igniting passion. This summer is for understanding freedom. This summer is for reconciling friendships. This summer is for earning my black belt. This summer is for workin hard. This summer is for building awareness.

"Pyramid" - Charice ft. Iyaz