"Never lower the bar."
-Mr.Hardt
For once, I'm glad I attended something related to church this weekend. Actually, the whole experience really lets me relax from so much stress from other things, but I somehow end up agitated despite that. But not this time, because I've found my like-minded group of people.
Before Synergy, I thought I was alone in believing in certain things, like waiting for true love. But after listening to Mr.Hardt's funny and inspiring stories and explainations I know that those beliefs I thought were only mine are actually shared by people of my own religion. I realized that's probably where I formed those beliefs from.
So I don't have any bad feelings toward my religion anymore. I know it's not the easier way to live- Mr.Hardt said so himself- but I think that it will pay off in the long run. I have faith that it's something much bigger than I ever gave it credit for, and it deserves a chance.
I'm really glad I had this weekend to see that.
Secondly, about the beliefs thing- I really am relieved to know I'm not being stupid. I truly hoped that I was doing and believing the right things and now I know I am. I'll still have to work on that confidence thing, but honestly, I don't think I'll ever get it. Pride just isn't my forte.
So anyway, Mr.Hardt was speaking directly to us women when he said, "Never lower the bar".
He said that the number one question girls ask him in his surveys or whatever is "Why aren't there any good guys?"
There are good guys. But unfortunately (malheuresment =D ), there are fewer than there have been before. Mr.Hardt warned us not to lower our standards and settle for less and less. He said that we'll find that "holy man" someday that WILL be perfect for us if we keep faith. Just like how he met his future wife when he was dared to wear his "Jesus. JESUS. JESUS!!!" shirt to school. (Lyn and I would have loved to have those shirts, just for the memory. I wonder why they didn't give them to us for attending =S)
As I sat there listening to his stories, I wished everyone could be there listening, too. Because it really was great advice that would give people so much more hope and inspiration. I know that if the entire world could have heard him, they would feel just as inspired and reassured as I did, and I really wish everyone gets that opportunity someday.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Friday, April 17, 2009
Castles in Spain
"Just because life is hard, and always ends in a bad way, doesn't mean that all stories have to, even if that's what they tell us in school and in the New York Times Book Review. In fact, it's a good thing that stories are as different as we are, one from another."
-from Sundays at Tiffany's (Patterson 300)
Sometimes I see a bit of myself in characters in books. Then, and it always happens, the character does something very unlike me.
At times, when I feel the comfort of a person like me doing something I do myself (but their's is worthy of their own story), I feel somewhat significant. And I don't feel quite so alone in my opinions and thoughts and actions as I do outside the world of reading.
But then, when I read of the differences between us, I realize that I'm not a character in an captivating story; I'm just a character in real life.
I really do agree with Jane that all stories should have good endings. As it is, real life doesn't have marked chapters and scattered endings, and therefore it just stumbles forward without any (even provisional) resolution until the very end. But at the same time, I don't agree with the fact that life always ends in a bad way (and I don't understand why Jane said it, as she had a storybook ending herself). I am a strong believer in the opinion that we cause bad things to happen to ourselves; or rather, though we can't control the situation, we can control our reaction to it.
Anyway, I've always got three questions always tugging at the back of my mind. One that has recently formed in the past few years is whether imaginative dreams are truly worth hoping for.
Sundays at Tiffany's was probably the first book I've read that backed up the opinion that they are so strongly. But I've seen so many other examples elseware that tend to insist that there is no hope for such a naive desire. Reality is not fantasy, and that's a fact.
Although I know that's true, I can never stop believing that for a few lucky people it's possible to come halfway. Like in Jane's story. I cling to that hope, for I know I don't have much a chance in the real world.
I have to wonder what I'll be like in the future. Though I'd much rather savor my sweet past, I know I'll be forced to look forward someday. Yet there's still that irresistible temptation to wonder anyway. I guess I try to find my future self, or even my present self, within the characters that seem most like me in books. The only thing I seem to be certain about is my past self. But I can never be certain if that will be anough to guide me for the rest of my life, here in this achromatic world.
-from Sundays at Tiffany's (Patterson 300)
Sometimes I see a bit of myself in characters in books. Then, and it always happens, the character does something very unlike me.
At times, when I feel the comfort of a person like me doing something I do myself (but their's is worthy of their own story), I feel somewhat significant. And I don't feel quite so alone in my opinions and thoughts and actions as I do outside the world of reading.
But then, when I read of the differences between us, I realize that I'm not a character in an captivating story; I'm just a character in real life.
I really do agree with Jane that all stories should have good endings. As it is, real life doesn't have marked chapters and scattered endings, and therefore it just stumbles forward without any (even provisional) resolution until the very end. But at the same time, I don't agree with the fact that life always ends in a bad way (and I don't understand why Jane said it, as she had a storybook ending herself). I am a strong believer in the opinion that we cause bad things to happen to ourselves; or rather, though we can't control the situation, we can control our reaction to it.
Anyway, I've always got three questions always tugging at the back of my mind. One that has recently formed in the past few years is whether imaginative dreams are truly worth hoping for.
Sundays at Tiffany's was probably the first book I've read that backed up the opinion that they are so strongly. But I've seen so many other examples elseware that tend to insist that there is no hope for such a naive desire. Reality is not fantasy, and that's a fact.
Although I know that's true, I can never stop believing that for a few lucky people it's possible to come halfway. Like in Jane's story. I cling to that hope, for I know I don't have much a chance in the real world.
I have to wonder what I'll be like in the future. Though I'd much rather savor my sweet past, I know I'll be forced to look forward someday. Yet there's still that irresistible temptation to wonder anyway. I guess I try to find my future self, or even my present self, within the characters that seem most like me in books. The only thing I seem to be certain about is my past self. But I can never be certain if that will be anough to guide me for the rest of my life, here in this achromatic world.
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