A Place to Share
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A Place to Share |
 
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As we grow up, surrounded by the daily outpouring of bad news, we become more and more afraid and too often end up retreating farther and farther into our isolated shells. We find ourselves looking at the world in terms of control, possessions, and power instead of growth, understanding, and feeling. But after being brain injured we can begin to connect with the world. During my hospital stay, I was told that the future was uncertain and I was told to prepare myself for accepting small gains if they occurred. Luckily, small gains did occur, then some bigger ones came. Brain injured people need to have a support person who can represent their needs to the health provider. Some brain injured persons are unable to communicate their thoughts, thank God, I was able to communicate my demands. When a brain injured person looses their dignity they lose their will to live. If we blame ourselves for our failings, we tend to get discouraged and give up. But when we remember that loving ourselves is a direction and not a fixed destination, we simply pick up the compass of kindness and begin our journey again. Dave Buckle
When we are very young, we fearlessly devour our world and reach out to people with eagerness.
Conformity, which blankets most of society, follows, religiously, the trends set by others. Good examples range from teenage fashion to more substantiated political concepts. It is natural for all to dwell on ideas conceived by others due to the fact that a majority of the population on this earth are just plainly unadorned with individual thought. Albert Einstien conveys this message with all accuracy possible with his quote:
"Small os the number of them that see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts."
For instance, whether it is "cool" to think for yourself, is not what Einstien was trying to answer here. If it were, if that were so, and Einy had heard this fact from another, that would only be another example of a decision being made by one man for another to follow. Einy is definitely attempting to disparage that kind of thought. What he was trying to point out was that in society, especially in the 90's, the percentage of exclusive ideals is at an extremely low level. One may ask himself: "Why should I bother with making individual decisions whe he or she could take they easier, lax path in relying on his neighbors emotion and style?"
It is more than feezable to live in this fashion, but only without the personal gratification of a life led with a few unique qualities and personal gratification.
In general, characteristics that expel an unusual personality, such as a novel accent, or style of dress, always seem to create an almost imediate intrest in the holder of such traits. With interest comes attraction, and with most of the world, positive attraction breeds acceptance. It may seem as acceptance brought about by anothers' expectations. This not the case whatsoever. Instead, a persons own unique style, like wearing a hat, for example, might attract anothers attention just because the individual with the hat is just that, an individual. Certainly a person would not be labeled a non-conformist just because he does such a menial thing such as wearing a hat, instead, that person may be deemed all that more interesting to those around him. Furthermore, where feelings and emotions are concerned, people, nowadays, seem to listen from the rear rather than taking the initiative to step forward and be heard in a public forum.
Some would even avoid an individual who is found openly preaching his own queer sermon. It is unfortunate that few people are endowed with that quality. Imagine, for a moment, what your individual impression would be of a man who stood up in a shopping center, for example, and began dictating Hitlers brilliance. Hopefully, it would not make even a faintly admirable impression at all. The man attempting to sway his opinion the way f others certainly is no conformist. He had crossed the line as far as acceptance should go.
Especially if he were to insist on his ideas were perfect, and stood above all others. To think for yourself is not always an easy task, but to do just that in a positive manner can produce many desireable results.
Finally, with Einstien's simple, and profound quote, you should see just how correct that assumption is, for it is a life filled with unique style and twisted ideals, as far as the status quo goes, that can pose many upon many obstacles. This we all know to be true. Whereas conformity is not a thing to be avoided all together, to show a little oddity in one's self and make at least a few decisions alone is definitely a plus to any personality.
Dave Buckle
23 of June, 1989
2:39 p.m.