eighteen.

Society. That word is so effortlessly thrown around in everyday life. When something goes wrong, we are quick to blame society. It is ironic because... we are society. Why is it that we are so flawed to the point where we cannot look at ourselves in the mirror and reflect on our own imperfections? Why is it that when someone falls, we are so quick to point fingers at them and laugh, rather than pointing fingers at ourselves and questioning why we thought that was funny? Is it because we are so ashamed of ourselves that putting the spotlight on someone else will somehow diffuse the sins we have committed? Or is it simply the art of recognition that we are so desperate to avoid?

I cannot and will not ever fathom how we think, as individuals. Those of us who claim to be good are only good in the eyes of those who are watching but are bad in the eyes of those who are just like us. Does the sin that courses through our veins bring us the arousal of needing to be more destructive? We hide behind a mask that so delicately frames our face and hides the flaws we hope to keep concealed. This topic of society captivates me because of the lies and denial that our community hides behind. It is time to be honest with ourselves and expose who is really behind the mask.

By respecting each other as individuals, we are opening our hearts to difference and change. We are no longer trying to consume and bury ourselves behind the lies we want to believe. Instead of walking down the street and forming opinions of people we see due to false accusations bestowed upon a certain community of people, we should blind ourselves to the scenery and focus on the redemption within one’s heart. Love and kindness is too absent in this world to focus and prioritize other situations. There is a quote that I found the other day, it now resonates within me. It says, “The thing with broken clocks is you can always tell exactly when they stopped ticking. With people it isn’t so easy and sometimes you can’t even tell they’re broken.” I spent the next three hours writing out how I relate to this quote and what the meaning peeking out behind the words could be. Still, there is no excuse that can be made for the way society has negatively evolved. There are clear upsides to the progression made over the centuries. But to what extent is that progression useful emotionally? There is still lots to be done.

Why is it that inequality is such a common thing, that it seems as unimportant as the advertisements we see on YouTube? We can spew all the nonsense we want about making a change, but which one of us will grow the confidence and courage to step out onto that platform of leadership and express the words that our community so desperately needs to hear? Which one of us will take that stand?

I have seen, experienced, heard, and felt this world and the scars it inflicts. My words are not in vain; they are not meant for silence. They are meant to express a part of me that will be heard from those who are willing to fulfil those empty promises of change. The time is not soon; the time is now. As a passionate writer, I will continue to write what my eyes see. My words will never go unheard, whether by one person or a stadium full of ticketholders. I will continue to love writing with every inch of my heart in hopes that someday, someone who loves writing as much as I do will encourage others to make the change that is needed in order to bring prosperity and equal love to this beautiful world.