What Matters?? | Teen Ink

What Matters??

September 2, 2008
By Anonymous

What is really set in stone, in a world where anyone is available at the click of a mouse, and people are even carrying miniature computers in their own pockets? I can hardly fathom what my life’s going to be like in the future, let alone what matters to me on the highest level. I can merely explain the things that mean something to me. For now… I’m a writer, it’s my passion, like a candle burning the wax away, but it’s never ending, day in and day out, despite the fact I may enjoy other things. Writing’s my outlet and I hope it becomes more than that someday. People always try to run circles around their problems and perils but most people barely open their eyes, or their ears for that matter.
T.V. is not an answer to any of life’s problems. In fact people are brainwashed by our commercial advertisements more so than the shows they watch. Who can be sure if there are not even subliminal messages hidden deep within our average viewings of the day? Like I said… with anyone in the world available at the click of a mouse, who can be sure whether they’re walking down their own driveway, or lost in a foreign place… Apparently, nobody knows.

People fight and bicker about an array of things. Religion, for instance, is a topic on a lot of people’s minds. Everyone thinks they’re right and no one thinks they’re wrong. Personally I could care less what your spiritual preference is. I’ll not go into my own, but I know I’m right and if you choose to believe what you believe, then that’s just roses with me. Now for a brief insane moment, when we mourn it seems like everyone’s on the same side… but honestly, since you can’t judge a book by it’s cover, you can’t judge a person by their demeanor, or anything for that matter. Not what they say, not anything. I’ve been reading a book called “Kite Runner”. Apparently-something I didn’t realize being the eager reader I am-it’s a very popular book, and a good one at that. I try to avoid opinions-even my own-because there’s no truth in them, other than the fact the opinionated person believes just that, their own opinion, and whether they base it on fact or not that’s all it is.
I drifted off a bit in the last couple sentences, but don’t fear, I will attune. My point is with all the politicians and shim-sham talkers, coaxers and swindlers there’s truly nothing set in stone. There are bad people out there and that matters to me. People should have good morals. In fact, some people don’t even feel guilt for the things they do, and that’s beyond my own personal beliefs. People these days are selfish, and narcissistic.

I know I rant and rave about some things and I’m no politician and could care less about popular opinion, but if no one points out the dirty laundry, then it’ll never get cleaned. One thing I don’t understand is, why on God’s green earth anyone in his or her right mind would approve of killing someone. Because they say, if you hate someone, you’ve already killed them. To truly hate someone, is hard. I mean you literally have to try to hate someone, unless they’ve seriously ‘left bunk milk in your fridge’ or done you completely wrong, at least it’s hard for me to hate. And, emotion’s a choice, people are always saying they lost control because of their anger, or fell in love, and fell for being gullible. OPEN YOUR EYES! Everything single little minuscule thing you do, you ultimately made the choice to do-there may be foreign influences-but no matter what, you still have free will. Let me leave you with a little cliffhanger, think about this-If everyone in the world put as much effort into truly controlling themselves, and making life easier for the rest of us… we’d be in a perfect place, sinners or not.

I would assume, my readers would want to know a little about me. I’m 15 years old, and I attend high school. I am not the best storyteller in the world nor am I even to be considered a good child. I grew up, with well; I’m not even entirely sure whom I was with throughout the first years off my life. I know I spent much of my early life with my mom, but there’s a story behind every door is there not? Well… I love my life; no doubt and everything’s a gift even if it’s not one you want. I had to have been with my mom and dad for the first 4 years of my life, which personally I can’t remember. I have a couple of scars from that era and that’s all the proof I have of that past. One day… one night rather, I was separated from my dad when a fight broke out between my mom and dad. My mom took me with her and my dad was definitely on the sharp end of the stick. I was left hanging on the back burner, confused and unknowing. My dad was assaulted by my mom that night, bitten and bruised, but he never touched her, all he did was call out for help and try to hold her at arms length, which unfortunately did not work. I was abused and emotionally shut out the next (what seems to be almost a year of my life) few months of my life. And I was put it into a foster home after that period of time. Sad and lonely, one day my grandfather (my mother’s side) showed up and surprised me by taking me into his custody. Well apparently my grandfather tracked down my dad and reunited us. I was so happy.

I can hardly remember certain parts of my life, and other parts always bring tears seeking gravity down my cheeks. I’ve grown up in a bad neighborhood, been in plenty of fights and even got busted for marijuana and paraphernalia. You could say I’ve not been a good child all my life. I used to get exceptional grades until about 7th grade and then I started slacking and causing mishaps. I used to be a very violent child in my young age, and my father thought I was going to be a slugger. Instead I ended up a scrawny little poet. So in my experiences, I’ve inexplicably learned right from wrong and it’s encoded in my brain. I try to stand up for the right things, and even though I’ve been a sinner just like us all, I’d knock any wife beater on his ass sooner than I’d crack a smile to any corny joke. I personally believe that one of the things that truly matters, not all the hot topics or the ‘he said, she said’ but what really matters, is that people do what is right and avoid, rather, fight off what is wrong. And every time I think about how much of a little liar I’ve been, or the things I’ve stole, just out of spite, or anger, it makes me think about a song. The song is one sung by ‘Nickleback’ a rather popular band, a song called, “If everyone cared”. The lyrics read as following, “If everyone cared, and nobody cried, and everyone loved, and nobody lied, and everyone shared, and swallowed their pride, then we’d see the day… when nobody died.” It’s very poetic, very touching, very close to home. Maybe people should put a little more thought into their decisions. Then again, what do I know, I’m just a confused teenager?

I don’t know if I made difference in anyone’s life, in fact, I’d be happy if what I wrote just got someone’s mind in a grip, like a mouse stuck in a mouse trap. I could say, “Hey what’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” But, I was challenged to write an essay about the things that matter to me. On a day-to-day basis, I’d have to say, that it’s just the little things that really matter, whether it’s a little birthday card once every time the occasion comes around, or a nice pat on the back. Nevertheless, life’s more than just a walk in the park, I don’t know if you noticed, but there are flowers, and birds, and trees, and clouds, and so much more all in your local park. Sit down and think about stuff, life’s more than just work, and school and whatever else is on your agenda.
Work, play, and live.



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