This post is dedicated to my grandfather Roger Gant Jr., one of the last honorable men to walk this earth. Born May 6 1924, died July 26, 2010.
The Sun set on July 26 in a fiery blaze of summer heat with the perfect hint of Carolina blue, a fitting end to a day when the world spun a little slower and time seemed to stop. This was a day to remember life, to honor the past, and reflect on the lessons we have been taught. This was the day that I lost my idol, my mentor, but most of all, my grandfather.
My mother, my cousin Chris, and I rerouted our trip home from Greensboro to the family plot at Pine Hill Cemetery, to walk among our patriarchs, matriarchs, and memories that still seem so fresh. It wasn’t too long ago that I stood on that ground in different company; my sister and I listening to Granddaddy tell us our family’s greatest stories. But this time, we were here to honor his story and retrace the steps that made him the great man he was. I realized that probably the most important thing in Granddaddy’s life was his family and the love he gave and received in turn helped lead to his many accomplishments. His kindness was unmatched, his generosity was borderline excessive. This was a man whose sense of duty to others transcended anything most of us could imagine. He could solve virtually any problem and I’m sure I speak for many here when I say my grandfather was always there to lend advice, a helping hand, or that joke he just heard. He was one of those people who would rather be out in his community than sit at home and watch TV. That is a rare breed of person, the likes of which I have not seen elsewhere.
My name carries a legacy that seems hard to live up to but thanks to the kindness and wisdom of my grandfather, I know what I must do. He remains to me a pillar of hope, a staggering example of how far being NICE to other people will get you. By cultivating trust and friendship everywhere he went by respecting his fellow man, no matter the color, faith, or a troubled past. His goal in life was to make the world a little better but I doubt he knew the impact he had on so many. We have all witnessed the passing of greatness. It is our duty to his memory to remember the values he embodied. Kindness, duty, and a sharp mind are the most important things we have, and Roger Gant Jr. showed the world what happens when they are put to proper use. With love eternal, gratitude inexpressible, and respect unbridled, I will miss him greatly.
Roger Gant IV
July 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
The Edge
We all want to know what its like to lose control and reaching the very edge of your own consciousness can be an enlightening and awakening experience. However, it should be general knowledge that boundaries and physical limits exist for a reason. The human body is a fragile organism and unfortunately there are too many different and exciting ways to lose your mind. Our psyches are warped, twisted, and bent by the stimuli of this chaotic world and our stability hinges on our rationality and the logic of our thought processes.
There are limits. You should not pass them. We have a responsibility to ourselves and the people close to us to maintain that stability. It requires a two-way social interaction where advice is both given and received. This balance is the difference between ignorance and wisdom, chaos and control, insanity and happiness.
Love life and strive to become an integral part of the experiences that make up our short existence. We must remember the past and build upon our successes and recognize our mistakes. One of the biggest problems in the world is the ability of most people to ignore or escape reality.
Three things I am taking away from my experiences in the past week.
1. Never ever forget who you are and where you came from. How can you possibly exist in the future if you lose yourself along the way.
2. Take care of your mind and body. They are the most important and useful tools we possess.
3. Don't ever discount your friends and family. They oftentimes care for you more than you care for yourself.
There is no substitute for real happiness and simple pleasures often end up being the most important so use life to become a competent, happy, and complete person. Take the lessons we learn in life and apply them; be a stronger person than you were yesterday.
Look towards the future, live in present, take pride in the past.
KarmicFuture
There are limits. You should not pass them. We have a responsibility to ourselves and the people close to us to maintain that stability. It requires a two-way social interaction where advice is both given and received. This balance is the difference between ignorance and wisdom, chaos and control, insanity and happiness.
Love life and strive to become an integral part of the experiences that make up our short existence. We must remember the past and build upon our successes and recognize our mistakes. One of the biggest problems in the world is the ability of most people to ignore or escape reality.
Three things I am taking away from my experiences in the past week.
1. Never ever forget who you are and where you came from. How can you possibly exist in the future if you lose yourself along the way.
2. Take care of your mind and body. They are the most important and useful tools we possess.
3. Don't ever discount your friends and family. They oftentimes care for you more than you care for yourself.
There is no substitute for real happiness and simple pleasures often end up being the most important so use life to become a competent, happy, and complete person. Take the lessons we learn in life and apply them; be a stronger person than you were yesterday.
Look towards the future, live in present, take pride in the past.
KarmicFuture
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Can Glenn Beck Read?
A little Sunday reading to start this off
Psalm 34:14
*Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Good message right?
No man should be better than the next. To most this is an obvious statement yet recent history has been filled with genocide, war, and a hatred that is incomprehensible. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism share a god, holy sites, and many of the same basic morals yet violence is perpetrated on all sides daily. Religion has been subverted by human greed and thirst for power, losing the meaning that was originally intended. The word religion has devolved into a negative connotation as more and more atrocities are committed by those that most staunchly follow the words of a book written over a thousand years ago. Anyone ever heard of a metaphor? Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, etc. Just different ways of saying the same thing. The general theme in most religions concerns ones position in the afterlife and in most original religious texts, the path to "salvation" lies not through a preacher, a rabbi, or a suicide bomb but through inner reflection and good works. That is after all the point right? Making sure that we have a good spot in the after-life.... Worry about the problems now, in this life, then tell me about the after-life once you die.
As the population grows, these ideals become harder and harder to envision. Governments are bent on control and it seems as if the world is still on the verge of collapsing into chaos. Intolerance has created societies that actively seek to eliminate all those that are different. That all humans are virtually identical genetically seems to be a fact that is largely ignored. Humanity should treasured and freedom should be universal. How can we begin to deal with those issues that threaten the whole planet, i.e. climate change, dependence on fossil fuels, when millions of people havent eaten in days. Extremism, paranoia, and greed make already desperate situations even worse. Maybe the Mayans were right and 2012 is when Man causes the apocalypse, and Earth, the only planet in lightyears capable of supporting life, will be barren.
This has become painfully aware to a nation that watched two towers fall, two countries invaded, and two presidents falter. Mission: Unaccomplished. This is not a critique of American military policy. It's a simple observation. Policy-makers are motivated by the wrong reasons leading to the wrong decisions being made all to regularly. Long term planning for a brighter future seems to be overlooked in favor of instant gratification as too many people subscribe to the "now" philosophy. They say history is doomed to repeat itself and it will be, if ignored like it is today. Haven't we already been in a war in Iraq? Afghanistan? Would you believe me if I told you the Islamic jihad is shooting at coalition forces with RPGs given to them by the CIA? The world should be fed up with the bullshit excuses that those in power use to cover up their own incompetence.
KF
Psalm 34:14
*Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.
Good message right?
No man should be better than the next. To most this is an obvious statement yet recent history has been filled with genocide, war, and a hatred that is incomprehensible. Christianity, Islam, and Judaism share a god, holy sites, and many of the same basic morals yet violence is perpetrated on all sides daily. Religion has been subverted by human greed and thirst for power, losing the meaning that was originally intended. The word religion has devolved into a negative connotation as more and more atrocities are committed by those that most staunchly follow the words of a book written over a thousand years ago. Anyone ever heard of a metaphor? Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, etc. Just different ways of saying the same thing. The general theme in most religions concerns ones position in the afterlife and in most original religious texts, the path to "salvation" lies not through a preacher, a rabbi, or a suicide bomb but through inner reflection and good works. That is after all the point right? Making sure that we have a good spot in the after-life.... Worry about the problems now, in this life, then tell me about the after-life once you die.
As the population grows, these ideals become harder and harder to envision. Governments are bent on control and it seems as if the world is still on the verge of collapsing into chaos. Intolerance has created societies that actively seek to eliminate all those that are different. That all humans are virtually identical genetically seems to be a fact that is largely ignored. Humanity should treasured and freedom should be universal. How can we begin to deal with those issues that threaten the whole planet, i.e. climate change, dependence on fossil fuels, when millions of people havent eaten in days. Extremism, paranoia, and greed make already desperate situations even worse. Maybe the Mayans were right and 2012 is when Man causes the apocalypse, and Earth, the only planet in lightyears capable of supporting life, will be barren.
This has become painfully aware to a nation that watched two towers fall, two countries invaded, and two presidents falter. Mission: Unaccomplished. This is not a critique of American military policy. It's a simple observation. Policy-makers are motivated by the wrong reasons leading to the wrong decisions being made all to regularly. Long term planning for a brighter future seems to be overlooked in favor of instant gratification as too many people subscribe to the "now" philosophy. They say history is doomed to repeat itself and it will be, if ignored like it is today. Haven't we already been in a war in Iraq? Afghanistan? Would you believe me if I told you the Islamic jihad is shooting at coalition forces with RPGs given to them by the CIA? The world should be fed up with the bullshit excuses that those in power use to cover up their own incompetence.
KF
Monday, July 12, 2010
Thoughts on July
It is only when we have been beaten do we truly understand our enemy. My enemy in this case being myself, as I continually sabotaged pretty much every opportunity I have been given. Anger is a powerful emotion and I unfortunately caught myself being infuriated with my life all too often. I'm stubborn, I'm obnoxious, and I don't like people telling me what to do. These traits were the root of some issues that led to some dire consequences. Thus I am here. Monday July 12, 5:35 AM. Tomorrow I embark on a pseudo-spiritual cyclone of free expression, to a place where there is absolute independence from the oppression of a bloated and intolerant society that ignores the progression of humanity from superstition to comprehension. Somethings are too difficult to understand given our current capacity but that does not stop me from trying to find it out. It is this curiosity that drives me.
We all have a part to play in the future of our world. There are many different paths but only a few basic truths: everyone deserves the opportunity to be happy; no one god is better than any other, if such a thing as a deity exists; we are but a speck on the timeline of the universe so do what you can to make it interesting. Optimism and cooperation is the way to a brighter future, from a personal level to the international stage. The world is changing and only this generation, my generation, a generation born into the information overload of the Internet, has the ability to steer clear of destruction. We are equipped with laptops and cellphones that can put China in our living room. We can explore like never before as this is uncharted territory, a massive petri dish of a digital experiment that could hold the resolution to that perpetual question: What's next?
My writing teacher said to avoid the first-person, but I feel the time for objectivism is over. It is time to stand up, as many have done before to oppose to status quo, to ignite the fire of passion and creativity, take back the world that has been seized by greed and cheap entertainment. The time is now, the future is here, no more holding back. Let us make our world beautiful again and like a flood of Biblical proportions, it will wash away the grime and filth that hamper our genetic need for evolution. Stop ignoring reality and start living it.
with the greatest hope for the future,
KF
We all have a part to play in the future of our world. There are many different paths but only a few basic truths: everyone deserves the opportunity to be happy; no one god is better than any other, if such a thing as a deity exists; we are but a speck on the timeline of the universe so do what you can to make it interesting. Optimism and cooperation is the way to a brighter future, from a personal level to the international stage. The world is changing and only this generation, my generation, a generation born into the information overload of the Internet, has the ability to steer clear of destruction. We are equipped with laptops and cellphones that can put China in our living room. We can explore like never before as this is uncharted territory, a massive petri dish of a digital experiment that could hold the resolution to that perpetual question: What's next?
My writing teacher said to avoid the first-person, but I feel the time for objectivism is over. It is time to stand up, as many have done before to oppose to status quo, to ignite the fire of passion and creativity, take back the world that has been seized by greed and cheap entertainment. The time is now, the future is here, no more holding back. Let us make our world beautiful again and like a flood of Biblical proportions, it will wash away the grime and filth that hamper our genetic need for evolution. Stop ignoring reality and start living it.
with the greatest hope for the future,
KF
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