Modern Slavery Today

There are so much going on in this world today, we tend to bypass the seriousness of each matter we face. At one point before writing this post, I wanted to rant so much about my just recent job. I was let go without a proper reason why. Before I go on, I would like to express that I will do my best not to be as bias as I am about the situation due to my recent circumstances. However, this has struck my mind for quite a while.

Slavery: (n.) the condition of a slave; bondage; the keeping of slaves as a practice or institution; a state of subjection like that of a slave; severe toil; drudgery. (dictionary.com)
Sadly, the vast majority of us are in slavery, whether it be based upon the necessity of a college degree, the expectation that one be in a lifelong relationship, need for financial resources (money), religious beliefs, social viewpoints, or whatever pointless reason.(urbandictionary.com)

In truth, I agree with the urban dictionary statement. It seems that we are in what is called a "modern slavery". Though we were taught that slavery has been demolished throughout history after many wars, it seems that history may repeat itself or was never resolved in the first place.

No, we're not bounded up in chains and beaten.
Or are we?

Making A Difference

Just like the character Katniss Everdeen, she had no idea that her volunteer started a revolution or a change in society.

Though this character is just fictional from the very famous series, The Hunger Games, it is something that we can all reflect upon. In today's reality, there are many people who are hungry, homeless, or even just short on luck. In some ways, they need help. We all do.

Working for a Living

It's hard to find balance with our work life and our social life. For some, it could be the easiest thing and for others, quite the opposite. I know for a fact that I struggle with this issue.

We all want to earn that money that will help us get the car, phone, or life that we want. But without noticing it, our life is all about work. Sometimes, it is a good thing and at other times it's the worst.

So how do we suggest to balance it out?

Learning from the Experienced (Generation Gaps)

A few nights ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet a few more interesting people in this world. They were friends of the family of my friend and I just so happened to be there when they were called over to eat dinner. Yay, food!

While stepping into a new environment, these people were a few generations older than I was. Their history involved what I learned at school and I was actually very amused with our greetings. I was very shocked to hear that these wonderful people knew the island on which I have spent my 15 years of childhood before moving to the States and the history behind it. Rarely do I have such a surprising encounter. Though I am shy at first, I was able to be myself while chowing down on their delicious food.

Appreciating Talents

There are so much talented people out there. Personally, I believe that everyone in the world is talented at something, whether we are aware of it or not.

The picture on the left was drawn by one of my very good friends. I've seen her other works and just loved it, wishing that I had her talents. Unfortunately, I do not.

Though I am not as talented as the other, I do, however, would like to call myself an Art Enthusiast.

If unaware, an Art Enthusiast is someone who appreciates art in all forms created (i.e. sketches, paintings, poetry, literature, music, etc..). But I wasn't always appreciative.

Like I have mentioned, I do wish I had amazing talents like many of the people I encounter in my lifetime. In all honesty, I would at times feel so discouraged because I wouldn't be able to draw what I imagine in my head. It is never right and it just feels so complicated. Call me envious; I wouldn't deny it. For a while, anything I tried to do, whether it be singing, dancing, drawing, I would always feel that there was someone else better than me so why try.

Broken Friendships

What causes friendships to break or drift apart?

There are many possibilities:
-Being too far apart
-No contact
-Lies
-Betrayal
-Comparisons
and so much more!

"I have Needs!"

We all have it.

There's no denying it.

Just accept it.

In some point in time, we all develop "needs" (needs as reference to sexual urges). Once we develop the needs, we usually cave into having sex or masturbation.
And sometimes it just cannot be helped. It is just natural for our bodies to crave the desire to be touched. We are human after all. I will honestly admit that I am not sexually active and am very much a proud virgin; however, I do know things thanks to environment and friends. In actuality, I, myself, have sexual urges yet I do not usually act upon it. It takes a great amount of will power to get the mind off of sex. With that said, though I lack the knowledge, I would like to give out possible pointers on trying to overcome these needs.

Dollar Discouragement

Often we hear that phrase Money makes the world go 'round.

And it does (not literally, of course)!

Everything comes with a dollar sign. We all know that.

School, books, cars, house, toys, phones, AIR!

Alright, maybe not air; however, with how life seems to be now, it wouldn't be surprising once air is being purchased in a little bottle container.

Speaking with a good yet very distraught friend, it has come to my attention that it is immensely difficult to achieve goals without money, like furthering their education. As time flies by, the prices for a higher education becomes too costly. For those who are in a financial struggle (including myself), they will find it or even consider it to be a hopeless goal to achieve. Usually, such negativity creates delay that the individual ends up taking years of work to be able to finish their school because of money issues.

Possible Different Types of Love

For some, there are different types of love when it comes to loving another being.

There is Love At First Sight.
Personally, I do not believe in such a thing; however, I do not disrespect it. For some, they say that love is when you look at a person for the first time and have that instant connection. Sort of like Romeo & Juliet, but hopefully with a happier ending.

Going Rouge

Cheating is probably the most hurtful thing anyone in a relationship fears to come across besides death of the significant other. It proves dishonesty and unfaithfulness. It alters one's views about love, trust, and other factors that could drastically change a person for the worse (or depending on how strong one is, for the better).

Before I go on, I will admit that I personally have not gone through a cheating phase of a relationship for I have never actually gotten into a relationship that is beyond friendship. However, I would like to go ahead and state my opinions about it, though I lack the experience.

As mentioned before, cheating is probably considered the second worse occurrence besides death of a love one. If searching online about cheating, there are many images and quotes that say that "relationships are not tests so why cheat?" Looking it that way, it is a very true statement/question.

Keep Calm & Move On

Pursuing our goals in life always require sacrifice. Usually those sacrifices are the social life we've established over the years, creating friendships with people whom we love dearly. But nothing always works out for the better. To be able to achieve what it is we want, we need to let go and move on of what is holding us back.

RISK it or REGRET it

Risks is always something scary to think about. It's the exact same meaning as saying, "take the chance."

As easy it is to be said than done, doing the risk is what makes us grow as a person. Think about it, if we stayed in our bubble of comfort, we miss out on the various possibilities of life. We miss out on the memories that could have been made, the love we could have felt, the lessons we could have learned, and the experiences we could have shared with others.

Come to think of it, we have always take risks, even as a child. If we never tried to crawl, we'd never learn how to walk, run, jump, etc.

Our lives are all about taking chances, taking that leap of faith!

Goodbye 2014! Hello 2015

What a roller coaster ride 2014 turned out to be! So much life changing experiences, big or small, that has come into our lives.

I've met new people, lost old ones, gained more memories, and sometimes wish I didn't. Ha! So much drama has happened, I actually lost count! Although it has happened, I can't say that I regret it, no matter how much it has hurt me. It has shaped me into the person that I am today.

What can I say? Life was so complicated. But that doesn't mean that 2015 will be the same or different. It's how we make it to be.

So goodbye 2014!
Thank you for all the memories created. It's been one hectic ride!

2015? Let's make it a good year!
It's time to shed off what was left of last year and start fresh and new though it may not feel like it. We've all heard it before: "New Year, New Me!"

How about: "New Year, New Chapter"?

We change every single day of every single hour. We learn and experience a lot without even noticing it. So instead of creating a new "me", let's create a new chapter in our book of memories.

Happy New Year, everyone!