Solitude

in

“Hell is other people at breakfast”

I read that quote today and it made perfect sense. It symbolized feelings I’ve been having for quite some time now.

I have always craved solitude.

It’s calming, comforting, inspiring…it allows me to create space between me and my issues or responsibilities, and see them in a different light. It allows me to take all my aggression, and transform it into something much more soothing, something I can make sense of.

Solitude allows me to make sense of time, to make sense of myself, and to create a plan for the moments that follow. When I wake up I like to do it alone and gradually add people to my experience. I like to come home and work my way into a conversation, I like to have time to unwind and gather my thoughts before I’m asked questions, before I’m encouraged to share all the intricacies of my day.

I enjoy being alone, it’s how I heal, how I rejuvenate.

in

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sinuousmag:

“American Royalty” by Sam Spratt commissioned by Childish Gambino

Sam Spratt’s commissioned illustrations for actor/rapper Donald Glover aka Childish Gambino.

“What began as cover art for his mixtape ‘Royalty’ evolved into a series of Rockwell-esque vignettes on Americana meant to highlight the side of hip-hop that tends to take a back seat to “money, cars, and jewelry” – where you come from.

The collection of 10 illustrations cover a wide-spectrum of the little moments – the struggles, the simple pleasures, the risks, the irony, the humor, the hopes, and the realities of the American life that maybe isn’t quite so cookie cutter.” Prints available at royalty.samspratt.com.

in

thethreeamrants:


maytheangelsprotectyou:

I have only heard the story behind this picture once, but it literally brought tears to my eyes. On September 11, 2001, a hijacked plane knifed into the side of the Pentagon. We all know that. What very few people have heard is shortly afterwards, the director of a nursery in the building stood looking at the children in her charge, wondering how to move all of the babies and toddlers to safety.

A marine rushed into the room and asked if she was alright. She needed help and she told him that. He turned and ran out; the woman assumed that he had gone away for good. As she formulated a plan of action, she heard footsteps in the hall.

The man had returned—this time, though, he was not alone. At least forty other Marines followed him. They picked up the babies in their cribs, the toddlers, the helpless infants. They carried them through the halls and to a nearby park, where they arranged the cribs in a circle and set the toddlers in the middle. Then they stood guard outside, never allowing the children to be unattended.

When I first saw this picture, I thought that the man carrying the children was their father. Now I realize that he was not related to them by blood, but by nationality. He is an American. They are American children. He is not their father, he is their protector. He’s a United States Marine.

in

overloadhappiness:

“Open When” Letters…

Write a bunch of “open when” letters, decorate them, put them in colored envelopes and seal them together in a package to give to someone you care about. Here’s a list of open when letter ideas:

Open when…

  • you need to know how much I love you
  • you’re mad at me
  • you’ve had a bad day
  • you need to laugh
  • you’re sick
  • you need motivation
  • you’re bored
  • you’re worried about the future
  • you feel lonely 
  • you need a hug
  • you miss me
  • you don’t think you’re beautiful
  • you don’t feel appreciated
  • you can’t sleep 
  • you feel lost
  • you feel like giving up
  • you’re stressed out
  • you’re having a good day
  • you want to walk down memory lane
  • you’re scared
  • someone is bullying you
  • you had a rough day at school/work
  • you need to know how much you mean to me

Holidays

in

Although I do appreciate getting together with family, especially those I haven’t seen in a while, holidays for me are often stressful. In my home holidays are usually a display male of chauvinism. Women cook, clean, decorate, invite, plan, and the boys sit down and put together their music playlist. Their last minute grocery shopping (3 small bags max) was enough to justify their wives being in the kitchen since the break of dawn.

When the boys aren’t discussing politics amongst themselves, they are peeking into the kitchen to offer words of criticism and last minute suggestions impossible to accommodate.

“I wanted you to use this seasoning instead this year.”

“I’m sorry dad she forgot to read you mind once again.”

Once dinner is finally complete, usually lacking in something, according the boys, the power games begin.

The rules are always the same, don’t make a scene in front of guests, and don’t air out any dirty laundry. Yet button pushing is completely OK, and highly encouraged. The men ask without need, and the women supply, without desire. The women subtlety insult, the boys regrettably swallow their pride.

When the festivities are done, and everyone has begun the journey home, the men sleep. The women wash, sweep, and mentally and physically prepare for tomorrow…another day of being labeled second rate.

And I unfortunately am stuck observing the animals at play. Observing lost dreams, pent up aggression, and regrets manifest into a tug of war between father and son, husband and wife, mother and daughter, traditional versus modern.

Am I looking forward to Thanksgiving? Yes…and no.

Let's Discuss

in

I don’t like being comforted. When I’m upset, I want to discuss my problems. I want to look at them through a variety of lenses. I want to crawl my way into a solution. I do not however, want a pat on the back, or a gentle rub on my shoulder. It irks me, makes me feel weak. I would much rather cry alone until all my tears have been spent, than surrender into someone’s arms and admit I just can’t deal.

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tedx:

In this gut-wrenching talk, Sergeant Andrew Chambers shares the haunting story of his time in Iraq and the tough transition home that landed him in jail. It’s a powerful testimony to the struggle our soldiers face when they come home, and the tragic ways that they can be denied the help they need. 

For any veterans who need help, you can find a list of resources here. Among them, the Wounded Warrior Project does outstanding work with wounded vets. 

For anyone looking to support a veteran, we encourage you to heed Chambers’ advice: “Find a veteran and listen to his story. A lot of us just need somebody to talk to.” 

Watch the full talk here.

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captain-jacked:

ev4n-perks:

methr4y:

jaba-the-slut:

-intheround:

“Nobody says anything about that”

I’ve reblogged this about 40 times. But let me do it again.

His autopsy reports did show that his skin colour was changed by the condition, not artificially.

I love Michael Jackson. Judge all you want. 

my farther has the same skin condition that he did and its a totally legit thing

in

Marry someone who lets you have a bite of their brownie, even when you said you weren’t hungry. Marry someone who laughs at the same things you do. Marry someone who kisses your nose on a cold day. Marry someone who you can watch Disney movies with. Marry someone who is proud of you whether you earn £5 a week or £5,000 a week. Marry someone who you can tell everything to. Marry someone who isn’t afraid or embarrassed to hold your hand in public. Marry someone who lets you take over when decorating a cake. Marry someone who you can spend the day in Ikea with without feeling stressed. Marry someone who wraps you up inside their coat in the winter. Marry someone who accepts your fears and phobias. Marry someone who gives you butterflies every time you hear their key in the door. Marry someone who you don’t always have to shave your legs for. Marry someone who accepts you all day every day, even when you don’t look or feel your best. Marry someone who puts three sugars in your tea, despite telling them “just the two”. Marry someone who doesn’t judge you when you eat your body weight in cookies. Marry someone who doesn’t make you want to check your phone, because you know they will reply. Marry someone who waits with you to get on the train. Marry someone who understands that you need to be alone sometimes. Marry someone who gets on well with your parents and isn’t uptight about family events. Marry someone who calms you down when you get mad about stupid stuff, and never tells you it’s “only stupid stuff”. Marry someone who makes you want to be a better person. Marry someone who makes you laugh. Marry someone who you love. Marry your soulmate, your lover, your best friend.

(via 5feetoffury)
in

When he looked into her dark eyes, and saw that her lips were poised between a laugh and silence, he learned the most important part of the language that all the world spoke—the language that everyone on earth was capable of understanding in their heart. It was love. Something older than humanity, more ancient than the desert. Something that exerted the same force whenever two pairs of eyes met.. She smiled, and that was certainly an omen—the omen he had been waiting, without even knowing he was, for all his life.. It was the pure Language of the World. It required no explanation, just as the universe needs none as it travels through endless time.. Because, when you know that language, it’s easy to understand that someone in the world awaits you, whether it’s in the middle of the desert or in some great city. And when two such people encounter each other, and their eyes meet, the past and the future become unimportant. There is only that moment, and the incredible certainty that everything under the sun has been written by one hand only. It is the hand that evokes love, and creates a twin soul for every person in the world. Without such love, one’s dream would have no meaning.

Paulo Coelho ‘The Alchemist’ (via brwnsugr)