Monday, May 23, 2011

Poem in a white box*

I have a box.
It's white inside.
It has a hole.
Wow! You can see the sky.
It has the size of your eye.
Can you see?
It's like me.
A purple leaf.
Above your head.
Drawing your thoughts.
Singing for me.

Oh but can't you see!
Inside the box
there is a dream
made of gold
and dust from a palm-tree
Woman, what are you saying
That's not a poem!
It's just words!

Well my friend, rocks always stay rocks.

Albedo
*Inspired by "Gift in a black box"

Gift in a Black Box

Hello again dear reader. I have a question for you: how many times were you thankful for your life? I suppose many, but then... How many times have you felt glad that you will die? Strange question, I know. But it certainly deserves that we take a deeper look at it: what would happen if people, and for that matter animals, and every lifeform we know, simply stopped dying just like that? Just how chaotic and scary can that get?



Overpopulation, resource exhaustion, socioeconomic chaos, biotic unbalance...



Living forever would literally become a curse, an infinite hell as experienced by Tantalus. Our brain was not made for thinkign of infinity, and that is why imagining an infinite universe is so hard. We were made to think of temporary, finite things, and we can't base decisions, behaviors, actions and even thoughts on an infinite timeline. We would never feel compelled to anything, not even living! Besides, if there was no death, there was no justifiable reason for protecting life, and ethic values would be awkwardly improper and inadequate for the human condition. Living beings would maybe evolve into ones that don't reproduce at all to avoid overpopulation, sexual organs and functionality would be lost, the mental processes of socialization and affection, related to the natural sexual needs as a thriving mechanism among species, would disappear. Full-fledged feeling, thinking, reasoning humans would live mixed with cold, stupid and inert ones.









Life has gifted us with some ingenious emergency mechanisms. Our brain will shut down if extreme pain, confusion, or emotional overload occur, both temporarily (comma), or even permanently (brain death). More interestingly, still, our brain will tell us to do it ourselves, inducing feeling of suicide when life becomes unbearable and mental stress is beyond what our system can endure remaining sane and viable. If this is taken from us, imagining a world of constantly wanting to suicide but always failing will resemble the tantalizing agony as well, and pretty much becomes a paradox: if you go crazy enough, you die to prevent being a dysfunctional being, but since you can't die, you become a living "not-supposed-to-be-alive" thing; if you can't eat, you become biologically dysfunctional and you die, but since you can't, you become a huge question mark again.



Isn't it scary? Are you so afraid of dying, or is it a blessing that something makes you feel that what ends is more enjoyable, and that you have a reason to live well while you can? I feel glad that one day I will die. It gives my offspring a chance to live as well or even better as I did, and it preserves this wonderful spinning cycle of life. Exactly... death is necessary for the existance and viability of life.



Have a good day everyone and enjoy your life, 100%.


Citrinitas

Sunday, May 22, 2011

How do you know?


How big is the universe? 
- Infinite. 
- How do you know? I know because all the data indicates it's infinite. - But it hasn't been proven yet. 
- No. You haven't seen it. No. How do you know for sure? I don't, I just believe it. 
- It's the same with love I guess.


"A beautiful mind"

You're all the music I'll ever need

Minnie: Oh, Mickey! When I hear you play that harmonica, my heart sings! Why don't you play some music for us? 
Mickey: Don't you think you should open your present first? And by the way, what time is it? 
Minnie: I think it's time to open your present. 

[
they both open their presents


Mickey: Oh, uh... a case... for my harmonica. 

Minnie: Oh, a chain for my... watch... but I traded my watch to buy you that case. 
Mickey: And I traded my harmonica to get you that chain for your watch. 
Minnie: Oh, Mickey. I can't believe you gave up what means the most to you! 
Mickey: Don't worry, Minnie. You're all the music I'll ever need.


:)



Saturday, May 21, 2011

One night



The room was cheap and sordid,
hidden above the suspect bar.
From the window you could see the alley,
dirty and narrow. From below
came the voices of workmen
playing cards, enjoying themselves.
 
And there on that common, humble bed
I had love’s body, had those intoxicating lips,
red and sensual,
red lips of such intoxication
that now as I write, after so many years,
in my lonely house, I’m drunk with passion again.



Friday, May 20, 2011

Ηappy Birthday!




With this little post I want to wish you the very best for your birthday and your life my love. Last year I was trying to learn the birthday song in Portuguese to sing it for you when I had no idea what Portuguese was. This year, things are better because I can sing it and understand it! Acho que sim. ;) Many things have changed since May 2010, but others remained, fortunately, the same. It's wonderful to see how you have grown and what have you learnt throughout the months, all the experiences you had and all the knowledge you got. 


May you always be healthy and strong, inspired and motivated to fulfill your dreams with passion. Never lose your courage and  always follow your heart. Learn from your mistakes and be always surrounded by people that give you energy. With each year I'll love you more. Remember that your best years are still ahead of you and I'll be there for every up down and in between. 


Make a wish! ;)


Happy Birthday Citrinitas!


 <3

Thursday, May 19, 2011

What's important and what is not

These days I've been wondering about what is important, and what is not. In other words, what makes something important to our eyes and what makes less sense. The environment around is forcing me to examine those thoughts every single day. No matter what I am I thinking, there is always something in this city to remind me that I have to think in an alternative way. No matter where I am (in school, on the street walking around with my friends) there is something to confirm that things are not as well as they should be. I don't know from which country you're reading this post, dear reader, but maybe you feel the same way.

The faces around,the newspapers and the media (that are simply trying to overload our minds with useless information) the basic, everyday conversations that are gradually following the same path of topics: the bad situation of this country and the future. People are moving abroad (or they have already done it) and many of them are thinking about it. I guess it needs nerves to deal with the future. And walls made out of stone to surround you with patience. Athens needs to fight all that misery, for sure.

An everyday scene


In this environment, you can't help wondering: what is important if everything seems so fragile around? Maybe all of those things that last, independently from a material basis.Yeah, right. That's a simple thought to make. But how many of us are actually doing that?

Health, quality of life, love, people, creativity, freedom, being touched by art, interest in self-improvement and self-knowledge, dreaming and last but not least, hoping.

(Now that reminds me of the truly wonderful soundtrack "The heart asks pleasure first" from the movie "The piano")

I didn't write the word happiness itself because to me, happiness is only in moments. In small moments. That yes, they can exist everyday, but only if we want. Can we find reasons to want that, when everyone around is pushing us to the opposite direction? Yes, if we remind to ourselves, what's important long-term and what is not.

So, what's important to you? When was the last time you actually did what's important to you and not to the others? Or the opposite: when was the last time you didn't ask from anyone to fulfill or even find that importance for you?

:)