Ah, so here it is: the end of summer.
Or should I say, the end of an era.
It's been great, but it's time to embark on a new journey filled with The Odyssey and Romeo & Juliet, all with a bunch of teenagers who will think the biggest enlightenment in Shakespearian research is the fact that historians believe that Shakespeare had, indeed, smoked weed way back in the day.
I don't know whether to be weirdly nervous or excited.
I like to picture myself as Ron Swanson sometimes. Just like this. I should grow a mustache.
But with the onslaught of "First Day of School" nightmares, I also know this means that my incredible amounts of writing and editing will take a significant, steep derailment into the land of "I Don't Know Where I Will Find The Time For This".
So this brings up an even bigger topic:
Change is inevitable. As long as we are human, we will be forced to adapt to situations that may not be in our best favor. So how can we adapt, so that we aren't ripping our hair out when the time comes?
Ladies and Gentlemen, I shall call this blog post: Survival Instinct.
Adapt! Adapt NOW!
Most people in New England enjoy summer because we have so little of it. If we're lucky, summer starts at the beginning of June and runs through the end of August. In fact, this is exactly why most people end up leaving New England in the first place. We wish that the summer could just extend endlessly into the time-sphere of our existence.
But it's more than just changes in temperature. Sure, that's a big part of it, but it's also about what it signifies. Autumn means football season, Spirit Week, hoodies, and bonfires. Winter means basketball season, the holidays, and hot chocolate. Spring brings about the start of warm weather, a reawakening, tee shirts and shorts. You see? It's not that I'm scared of change. It's actually that I embrace it.
Change keeps the human mind from dying in a pool of its own thoughts. I mean, there's a reason why "all good things come to an end". It's because we are built for a system that comes and goes, making way for new generations to experience the influx just as we had during our time. It ensures that we live our time to the fullest, experiencing the good, the bad, and the ugly along the way. So if the system ensures that we are able to partake in such things, then why are we so against it?
It all comes back to mindset. If you can convince yourself that there is good in every situation...and I mean every situation...then you have the ability to predict your future. How? Well, if there is no negativity in your perception of the world, then your future will always look bright. Guaranteed.
Oh come on! Don't give me that look. Is it harder than it looks? Yes. Am I an expert at changing my perception of reality? Absolutely not.
But there's one thing that separates me from a whole bunch of others in this weird world of ours.
At least I try.
It may not always work. After all, it's not a fool-proof plan.
But at least I try.
If you have the ability to change your view of reality, find the good in situations that are clearly bad, and rewire your brain so that you embrace change rather than avoid it, then you can pretty much do anything you want to.
In the words of Gwen Stacy in The Amazing Spiderman 2:
"What makes life valuable is that it doesn't last forever. What makes it precious is that it ends. We know that now more than ever. And I say it, today of all days, to remind us that time is luck. So don't waste it living someone else's life. Make yours count for something. Fight for what matters to you. No matter what. Because even if we fall short, what better way is there to live?"
Couldn't have said it better myself, but what she says next really struck me, even if the critics of this movie said it was a flop (losers).
"There will be dark days ahead of us, too. There will be days where you feel all alone. And that's when hope is needed most. No matter how buried it gets or how lost you feel, you must promise me that you will hold onto hope. Keep it alive. We have to be greater than what we suffer. My wish for you is to become hope. People need that. And even if we fail, what better way is there to live?"
I know, baby. It was a damn good speech.
So just remember, Gwen Stacy is right. Let me tell you that something needs to change in 2015. There will always be evil, cruel, and despicable things to shake our heads at and speak out against, but can we stop and admire the good things, too? When we stop avoiding change's frequent inevitability, the world becomes a better place - a place worth fighting for.
Until then, I work on changing my perception. I will work on finding the better me.
Until next time,
R.T.