“We don’t allow our enemies to have guns. Why should we allow them to have ideas?”

Joseph Stalin

I interpreted this quote to portray the mind as being more threatening than a gun. However we have the freedom of speech. Speech is such a powerful instrument that we possess and if we use it correctly, can take someone very far in life. I do not believe the quote meant that speech is as life threatening as a gun, but possesses more power than one. Giving the enemy the freedom of speech is like giving them power to use against you and they may be able to get what they want. But we cannot take away someones freedom to speak because it is one of our basic human rights. Joseph Stalin suggests that ideas can be a danger to us because they ideas can turn into what may once be thought of as impossible.

“The freedom and independence of the worker during the labor process do not exist.”

Karl Marx

I understood this quote to mean that any employee or worker that is not independent, or just anyone working for someone or a company, does not have freedom. Somebody that is performing a job for a bigger power is told how to do what they do a certain way and have rules to follow or they may be fired. In order to do their job and get paid they have to give up some of their freedom and independence in return. Personally this is why the path I am on is to be my own boss. I do not like to give up any of my freedom and enjoy being independent because i feel more in control of my life. Karl Marx is simply stating that workers do not possess independence or freedom in the work place and that is just how the world works. I do not find this to be true in every work place but for labor intensive jobs, I agree.

“Freedom is what you do with what’s been done to you.”

Jean-Paul Sartre

I found this quote to be the easiest one to understand because it can be iterpreted in many ways. I instantly thought about the saying of it not being about how you get knocked down but how you react to it; You can choose to stay down or you can choose to get back up. This is what freedom means to me, as even if someone is dealt a bad hand in life, everyone has the freedom to change their life and do whatever it is they want. Obviously, some people have to work harder than others to obtain what it is that they want, but it can be done, as nobody is going to hold you back except yourself. The quote suggests that something bad has happened to you, but you have the freedom to react to that however you want.

“Art is what the artist does.”

Robert Thiele

This is such a small and simple statement, but it caught my attention because to me it means so many things. I believe that everyone is an artist with different things that act as their brushes, or tool for creating art. This can be a persons mind, ability to perform different tasks, build, create, and so much more. Everyone is an artist and how someone does anything is a work of art. Art does not have to spectacular by any means, it is just anything that someone puts a little effort into and shows appreciation for, that other may or may not notice. To me, life is beautiful and an art in itself, so everyone that exists within it, is both a work of art, with the ability to create.

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

Pablo Picasso

As children our minds are so fresh an do not know much about anything so we make up stuff with our imagination to try and understand different things. As children is when our imagination is the biggest the world is much simpler when little is known or learned. As we grow up we are taught things certain way and are given rules to follow and how to do certain things. As we grow older our ability to imagine becomes weaker as we begin to understand how certain things in the world work. To be an artist you have to possess the ability to not be held down to what other people say is the right way to do something. In order to be an artist you have to maintain a child’s mentality to a certain degree so that you can see things in a different way, and expand what is possible.

“The true function of art is to edit nature and so make it coherent and lovely. The artist is an impassioned proofreader.”

H. L. Mencken

I interpreted this quote to mean that the function of art is to take things that we see in the natural world and express them with our emotions in the form of art. An example i thought of is when we look at a scenery in real life, and attempt to paint it. Nobody is going to paint exactly what they see, but rather, what they see and feel at the present moment. We see thing differently depending how we feel, as someone might look at something differently than someone else if they are both looking at the same thing. This can make painting even more beautiful than real life because you are looking into the artists emotions in a work of art, basically through someone else’s eyes.

“Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps.”

William Shakespeare

What I interpreted by this quote is that, we all have the understanding that Cupid is this character that shoots two people with an arrow and makes them fall in love. I interpreted from the killing with arrows, is that he was effective in making two people fall in love. Traps, on the other hand, to me is that some people desire there concept of love so much that they force it upon themselves with other individuals. Sometime people will be with others and think that they are the one and think that they are falling in love with them. However Cupid sets this trap of desire and temptation that makes you see someone as the person that you wish they were and the person you want to fall in love with, except they are no and a person can fail to see the real person and that they may not be a match, they are blinded by love.

“It is in the love of one’s family only that heartfelt happiness is known.”

Thomas Jefferson

I find family to be the most important thing in my life, and I think that it is how it is in anyones life universally. Family love is different than any other love because it is a bond by blood and it is only possible with family. With family, there is no decision whether or not you just love someone or you do not, like most relationships. In family there is no choice, you are stuck with them, and you learn to love them no matter what and are closer to individuals in family because no matter what happens in life, the people in your family are all you have in the entire world when it comes down to it. This time of love comes straight from the core of your heart and this love is the happiest and most pure form of love that exists.

“Everything is, everything exists, only because of love.”

Leo Tolstoy

This to me relates to one my my earlier blog posts when I discussed passion. I believe that love and passion are closely connected but one is not necessary to have the other. However, when it come down to almost everything that is, and exists in life, it is because of people that that love what they do. When people love something and do it out of love, that is where the best outcome are made and created. That is how we have progressed as a planet, through the love for certain things and advancing with them. I like to thing of the example in cooking where a chef or my mom (mommas cooking is always superior) say that they made the meal with love. I truly believe that they do make this food out of love, because thats when the best final product comes out of the oven. People always say mothers homemade cooking is the best and I am a firm believe that it is because of the love put into it.

“You only live once, and usually not even then.”

Michael O’Donoghue

This is a very cliche quote but it has such a deep meaning that can be expanded on in anything that someone does in life. I take this phrase as reminder to not take anything life for granted whether that be an opportunity or an obstacle in life, because either way, I need to look at each moment and life and think of it as a time to grow and be a better person. the problem is that not everyone in life accomplishes or is satisfied with their life because they do not live the way they want or never took the chance to chase their dreams. That is why I want to live my life to the fullest and make sure that I do not take my time on this planet for granted. I realize that being at peace with where I am at the current moment is how to live a happy life.

“When you’re younger, people forget your birthdays. When you’re older, they remember every one.”

Meredith Vieira

When you are younger people do not value birthdays as much because there are so many more ahead and theres is no reason to really remember all the birthdays at a young age. When you are older there are a limited number of birthdays left in someones life because you never know when it will be your last. For this reason people make each birthday a big deal because towards the end people have the understanding that life is so precious and this is a mentality people need to have everyday at any age. Since life is so precious and you never know which day is your last, try and live in the moment and live life to fullest because it is the most valuable thing that you have.

“All of us share a willingness to bear the misfortunes of others.”

Franccois de la Rochefoucauld

Naturally in life we feel a sense of empathy towards other when someone else is in a tough spot or hurting in some way. As humans we are all connected in this way no matter the race or socioeconomic status or anything. We are together as one when it comes to the misfortunes of others, as we have an understanding of how it feels to be at some level in the shoes of the other person. We all share this struggle as humans and can all relate so we tend to help each other out because of this and it brings us together as a community in a sense. When someone is struggling, somebody else will always be there to help bear the pain so we are not alone. This is what I love about our world and why I tend to see the best in everyone around me.

“We live very close together. So our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least do them no harm.”

The Dalai Lama

To me I interpreted in terms of religion as this is a religion chapter. The way I grew up I always saw everyone as an equal. Yes, around the world everyone has different beliefs or views on life, but universally we all want the same thing which is to live our lives in our own way. It does not matter that people have different views, we all need to be accepting of each other, because there is a common line between right and wrong, and if we live our lives helping people for that is the right thing to do, then that should be valued as living a successful life. Though, not everyone is cut out for going out of their way to help others and that is acceptable too, but not helping other and afflicting others in a negative manner is not moral.

“All religions are the therapies for the sorrows and disorders of the soul.”

Carl Jung

I’ve always used my religion as a thing I could turn to when I am have a difficult time in my life. I use as it as a listener so that I can reflect on what is going on and ask for some higher power to make everything better. Although nobody is certain whether or not there is a higher power, when I reflect and think, I like to believe that there is and that something is listening to my thoughts, because with that belief i feel better getting my thoughts out there in the world so that I don’t have them all crammed up in my head. I think that for everyone this use for religion takes place, as everyone has some form of hurt in their soul, so having a religion is essentially having a therapist for the pain built up internally in somebody.

“Wisdom begins in wonder.”

Socrates

I love this quote because it says so little but means such volume. Wisdom to me comes from learning, but the best way to learn, in my opinion, is through experience. Someone who wonders a lot and is curious about different aspects of life or even one specific thing, is going to gain wisdom from wanting to understand deeper into whatever it is they wonder about. If there is something that a person wonders, they should feel inclined to chase it and find a solution in whatever it is. In my case I am so curious about different places around the world and their cultures so I travel a lot and gain wisdom about these places through experience within the actual culture and seek answers to my curiosity. That is the way I expand upon my wisdom and grow as an individual, and that is how it works in all aspects of life when it comes to wonder.

“Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get.”

Anonymous

To me, I find that the ultimate success is being happy with where you are in life and what you are doing. Success does not have to do with how much money you make or the things that you have, but rather, it is your level of happiness with ones self. If you live to keep trying to get what you want, that is good, that is motivation, but you can not rely on those things to make you happy because those things are not always obtainable. You need to be able to love what you have now in order to be truly happy.

“Whosoever is happy will make others happy too.”

Anne Frank

I find that I am most happy when I am surrounded by others that are happy as well. Most of the time these people are my friends and family because being around each other makes us happy. Happiness is contagious and it is easy to identify someone that is happy and someone that is not. When people laugh or smile it is hard to not smile back as the joy on someones face can just make others happy too. Nowadays people get too stressed and caught up in their busy lives, and it is a release to see someone happy. People can impact others by being positive and having a happy mentality and influence others around them to be a little happier to and brighten their day.

“If you want to be happy, be.”

Leo Tolstoy

I’ve always been interested in the human brain and our capabilities as human beings be able to control our mind and body. We are only using a small percentage of our brain, but it is possible to open up different aspects over time and through practice. An individual controls their level of happiness by themselves. Nobody else can tell you to be happy or not. You alone hold the power of being happy and you have to allow yourself to be. You can train your brain to be happy as it is your own. Yes, other people can make you happy but that is because your brain is saying that as a response. Why not just be happy all the time? You cannot wait on others happiness to spread to you. You control your own happiness.

“In a world of peace and love music would be the universal language.”

Henry David Thoreau

I personally find music to already be the universal language in today’s world. Even though there is a lot of violence and contradictions in the world, music seems to serve as everyones escape. I have experiences in other cultures where I have been at events or locations where music is playing and everyone is dancing. Even though I do not know the words and many others do not, we all laugh and dance to the sound of the music. Music is a different kind of language that everyone sort of does not understand but at the same time fell the same way when listening to it. It is a way to express happiness and love with those around us.

“Music provides a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do without”

Confucius

Music to me creates this unexplainable feeling no matter what the mood is. It can relate to any emotion that we are feeling and help us get through it. On the other side, it creates can generate great joy and laughter. Without even noticing, it can make you start to sway or tap to the beat. Music c an consume you with happiness that you cannot get with anything else and even if the music does not make sense to someone, they can still enjoy it and share the happiness with those around them. Without music we would not have anything to connect us in this way. I feel that this way of coming together is very important in living a healthy and happy life.

“Our sweetest songs are those that tell the saddest thoughts”

Percy Bysshe Shelley

I personally feel that the best kind of music is the songs that hit you in the heart and make you emotional. These are also the type of songs that come from the heart of the artist and you can see the authenticity in the lyrics or instruments. I think it is similar when it comes to story telling which I do a lot of because I like to make films as a hobby and possible career path. The best stories come from the heart and are a little on the more dramatic side. The sweetest songs are connected to the heart because that is what opens the song up to others and makes us happy.

“If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are gone, either write things worth reading or do things worth writing.”

– Carson McCullers

This quote stuck out to me because it reminded me of another saying that explains that people wont remember what you did, but they will remember how you made them feel. On another note, in my own life, I constantly try to seek out any opportunity I get to do things that pushes me out of my comfort zone or takes me somewhere new. I intend to get involved in social media at a higher level to show people things i do and places I go with people that may not get the opportunity to seek out the same adventures. I think about all the time how fast time seems to go by and that life is too short to not make the most of it and do what I want to do. I am not seeking money but rather experiences, and I want to make an impact on the world by doing things worth writing about.

“Passion makes the world go round. Love just makes it a safer place.”

– Ice-T

To me, I think that the people are truly passionate about what they do, make the biggest impact in the world because they are the best at what they do. If we did not have people who were passionate, our world would not be as advanced or functioning as well as it is today. There are those that work simply a 9 to 5 job, which is not a bad thing, the world needs those people too, but they are often working for those who are passionate about whatever it is. Love is what makes people happy and the world a safer place. Without love there would be sadness which leads to anger and violence, which is why love is the greatest protection, and luckily there are a lot of loving people in the world that care about life and enjoy it.

“Shakespeare, with his open candid nature, laid bare his soul.”

– A. L. Rowse

I think what made Shakespeare such a successful and popular writer was ability to just write with his heart and let it all flow onto the page. It is real and authentic and is what draws people in and allow them to feel the emotion in his writing. I believe that all people should live their life with a candid nature to attract friends and loved one to them because of who they are not who they portray themselves to be. Not worrying about what other people think and being open with everyone allows you to be the realest version of yourself and that is what will allow someone to live their best life.

“Heroes are people who rise to the occasion and slip quietly away.”

– Tom Brokaw

Most people in their lives grow up with a hero. Whether that be a father or mother or superman, we look up to someone to protect us when we are vulnerable or need someone to count on to be there for us. The thing that makes these people heroes is not the fact that they have superpowers or are in higher power than us and are capable of doing things we cannot. It is the fact that they do these things without the expectation or desire to be given attention in return. Most fictional heroes wear masks to conceal their identity, and mom and dad do more than you even know growing up until the end of time just because they love you. This quote spoke to me because i truly do believe that the people that have the most impact on the world are the ones that move in silence.

“The idea of a universe existing without a Creator seems just as far-fetched as the idea that God created it, especially when you look up at the stars at night. We know they weren’t always there. You can trace everything back to the Big Bang, but where did the ingredients for the Big Bang come from?”

– David Lodge

This quote to me, is kind of the way that I think about most unexplainable things. There are a lot of beautiful things like the creation of the universe that is not proven, and we can only believe in a certain theory of creation. Personally, I am a Catholic so I am to believe that God created the world. I have doubts about many of the stories but all i can do is believe what is in my heart. I find it difficult to believe that the universe was created without some higher unexplainable power, but we will probably never know. There are always different theories that come out and can change the way you look at the world, and just about everyday I look at something differently and think about it, which I see to be a good thing because it is good to expand your mind and thoughts.

“Life as a journey implies both purpose and a final destination, as opposed to a random series of disconnected happenings.”

– David Lodge

I do not believe that life has a defined purpose other than to live it to your own content and happiness, and the final destination would be to be fulfilled with your life before you die. The journey is what consists of the creation of your own happiness. I believe that life is truly all about the journey because without it, you will never actually reach the destination. The random series of disconnected happenings are what make up the journey, as there is not defined path. Everyone has a completely different journey and different destinations. Everyone in the universe is on a different path with a separate journey but the final destination for all should be to achieve happiness in whatever it is that they do. But yes, I agree that life is a journey and we are traveling in it every second of every day, so we might as well enjoy it.

HUM 1020

“Other things may change us, but we start and end with family”

-Anthony Brandt

This quote meant a lot to me when I read it because family is always first in my life and everything I do and every decision I make is for my family. To me this quote means that no matter what we go through in life, the good and the bad, we always have family to fall back on, as they are always there to pick you up when you fall. When I am going through a tough time I always go to my family for help. When something great is happening in my life, I always go to my family first to tell them. There are so many people and experiences that may change us as individuals, but nothing will ever change the fact that we have family behind us at all times.

“You miss all the fun if you obey all the rules”

-Katharine Hepburn

I think this quote is telling us to live in the moment at all times. Rules are obviously important, but we shouldn’t set standards for ourselves. Go past the limit and have all the fun you can in the life that you are given. Sometimes we feel like we can’t take risks, but risks are always worth taking. We are only given one life, and we wouldn’t be fully living if we didn’t break the rules once and awhile. Personally I like to think of my life as a movie, and if I were to rewatch my life, I would want it to be the best movie I’ve ever seen. This is only possible by stepping over certain boundaries and taking risks, because that is when the most beautiful experiences take place.

“Each day it is something new, fantastic and unbelievable. That is Bach, like natural, a miracle!”

-Pablo Casals

I like to think of quotes like this everyday in order to appreciate the fact that the sun came up and we have the opportunity to accomplish whatever we want in life. Even though there are bad days, those days can still be portrayed as beautiful because those days are the most important in growing as an individual. The bad days are what shape us and create the good days. Naturally we are given a new day when we wake up every morning, and although we may have formed a routine for ourselves, even then there is uncertainty at what may happen but we have the ability to make each day however we want. We are given the opportunity to compose our life like Bach into something beautiful.