The Refusal to Return – Blog #16

When the hero has completed his task he can now return home. The hero though might feel that he will no longer be accepted back at home. Because of the trials he had faced he feels that his home will not understand him now.

I have experienced this same feeling when I returned from being active duty military. My experiences were completely different from those of my friends who were in college. I felt that when I would come home I was more mature than my friends, and how I acted would cause conflict with how my friends were.

I also felt that my parents wouldn’t understand what I had done. My perceptions about the world changed, and I felt that might cause some conflict with the way my parents viewed the world. It was a stressful time, thinking nobody would understand my journey.

Characters – Blog #14

Gilgamesh and Enkidu stood trials from the gods, and battled beasts together to save the city of Uruk. Beowulf left his people as a young hero to help the Danish King Hrothgar slay Grendel, the beast terrorizing the Danish King. Dr. Jekyll creates a potion that when taken brings his darker side out, and over time it becomes harder to keep this darker side contained. When his supply of potion runs out and he tries to recreate it, he finds out that it cannot be recreated so he must commit suicide to slay his beast Mr. Hyde. Elle was facing her beast, Chutney Windam, at the trial she was presiding over as a lawyer, trying to prove herself.

In all of these stories, all of these characters face a beast or a trial in their journey that sets them apart from those around them. It’s one high point in the hero’s journey, but not the end. In defeating their beasts, these beasts it allows them to do more and larger things during their journey.

It’s the same in our lives. Consider those beasts as a threshold. Each threshold takes you out of your comfort zone but you gain knowledge to take back when you return home. It’s another step our journey, and in order to defeat a larger obstacle we must work up to that point.

Carpe Diem (Poem #19)

Take the hill gone are they
We survive yet another day
A night of rest deserving
A can of whoop-ass we’ll be serving



Tomorrow again trials ahead
Most of friends lost and dead
I’m still here

Minute Poetry (Poem #18)

Consumed by knowledge of the world

Wait to unfurl

Share with those gone

Thoughts never withdrawn



Lost in those who want to  listen

The sun glistens

Welcoming minds

Enriching the kinds



Surviving through darkest of dark

Reaching the mark

Minds fulfilled

The young we build

Knowledge – Blog #13

Finances.  I’ve learned the hard way over the years that finances are not to be taken lightly.  It’s to easy to get side tracked and focus on what you want instead of what you need.  Especially when you have a job and a check is coming every month.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t buy yourself something every now and again.  What I am saying is set aside some money so you have a fail safe.  The ability to be able to afford something in an emergency (this means not having to use a credit card – bad idea) is such a huge weight off of your shoulders. Living paycheck to paycheck is no way to live.

The ability to manage your money well allows you to live your life with out the great stresses that would accompany debt.  This would allow for a more productive and enriching lifestyle.

Cast Away – Quiz #9

Wilson is created using anthropomorphism, which means giving an inanimate object human or animal like characteristics.  In the movie Wilson is also Chuck’s (Tom Hanks) familiar.

During his trip off of the island, Chuck encounters a whale, which symbolizes a “belly of the whale” situation.  He’s taking a chance leaving the island, a place of safety compared to the ocean, crossing that threshold into the “darkness” of the open ocean. Now this situation could also be consider his Magic Flight, and I would consider Wilson as his protector (or really his sanity).

Harrisham Rhyme(Poem #17)

Hope is never gone only misplaced
exciting and thrilling new things
gained knowledge never in haste
daring to soar on new wings
Going to stop is such a waste

Line Messaging (Poem #16)

Around and around not a care
In the world. Forgetting with time,
The troubles of the day.
Lost in youth days numbered



Children smile lost in thought
Slowly moving to the end
School’s out ready for more
Adulthood slowly approaches



Almost ready to move on
Ready for life to begin anew
Always moving faster then we should
Gone forever is hope

Apotheosis

Before graduating high school I always felt that I was suited for the military.  My freshman year I already made the decision to join the military after high school.  My sophomore year was no different. My junior year however was very different.  Everyone knows what happened on September 11th, 2001, but this only strengthened my intent of joining the military.  I remember sitting in my social studies class when over the intercom they spoke about a plane crashing into the first tower, and everyone was told to turn their televisions on.  Watching the second plane hit, it occurred to me that these acts will continue to happen even if I chose not to enlist.  My thoughts were, if I did join I could have a part in protecting this country from more events like this.  I could help save lives.  I knew this was what I wanted to do.  This was me, I cared about everyone else in this country (world), and I felt I should be part of trying to repair the damage done.

Samsara

Samsara or “wondering-on”, is the interaction between you and those around you (including your environment).  It’s during this wondering-on that you go through experiencing life and eventually finding out who you really are as an individual.  Samsara’s worlds are like the constant thresholds in our lives today.  Always changing but sometimes not for the good.  It’s how we learn from these collapsing worlds and move pass them where will we know ones self.

Every threshold that I’ve crossed could be considered my worlds created and destroyed only to create again.  From my first steps as a child, to being toilet trained, to graduating high school, to entering the military, and to entering college.  Every day is a new threshold, a new time to shine if you will, but it’s if you utilize that time correctly will it benefit you in the future.