Cheer up singles!

There is no holiday more controversial than Valentines Day. Some people love it, some people absolutely despise it.  The haters claim it's a commercialized Hallmark holiday that is more about making the single people of the world feel bad, than promoting love.  The people that love it see it as a chance to be closer with their signifigant other and celebrate their love for one another.  Most view it differently depending on their relationship status.

I say celebrate Valentines Day no matter what your  status is.  Why is it that suddenly everyone who isn't in a relationship is worse off? Look, relationships can be great and being in love is one of the best feelings a person can have. However, there is nothing wrong with being single. If you're single, why not celebrate the freedom you have and your independence? Sometimes being unattached is the best thing you can do for yourself to gain perspective.

Instead of moping around or throwing I hate Valentines Day status messages on your Facebook wall, go out with friends or chill out and watch a funny movie. Appreciate the fact that you can do whatever you want whenever you want.  Keep a positive outlook. Everyone is going to find someone eventually, it just happens at different times.

People are in such a rush to get everything done these days. There seems to be a timetable that we as a society feel we need to follow.  Relax, it will happen when it is supposed to. Until then enjoy the ride that is life. Remember your Valentine will come when you least expect it.

You Could be Right

A wise woman once told me the best way to handle an argument was to say, " You could be right."  I just wish I had taken that advice 20 years ago. I've always been an opinionated person, though I've gotten better as I've gotten older. Look, it's hard to be open minded, it really is.  We are constantly being influenced by everyone around us. Often times our families raise us to have certain beliefs, and if we don't step out of that comfort zone we believe that is what the whole world is like. Or rather should be like.  The fact is we don't like change. We like what we are used to and what we are brought up to believe. One of the hardest things to do is step out of that box and look at the other side.

Wouldn't it be great if we could all just get along? Look, I'm not saying everyone should agree on everything, because that is no fun.  But at least look at both sides of the story(that is a Phil Collins song by the way). To avoid any hot button topics I will take my view in music as an example. For all of high school I only listened to Tupac Shakur. I literally would rotate his CD's every week and truly believed it was normal to be like that. When anyone tried to argue that another rapper was better, like Biggie for example, I would get angry at them. Not a fake angry, it would truly really bother me.  I never stopped to think that you know what, I don't agree with that person but they could be right.

While I still think 2pac is the best music artist of all time, I at least listen to other arguments now. I've been able to step out of my comfort zone, and developed quite an eclectic, albeit old fashioned taste in music.  For that my life is better. What if we all could do that? What if Democrats and Republicans could stop bitching at each other and just agree that one another thinks differently and maybe there is no right answer.  What if different religions could understand each other's personal beliefs and accept one another.  What if Celtics fans didn't always automatically think negatively of  Lakers fans. Okay, maybe that is going a little too far.

The point is that the world would be a lot better if we all realized that everyone has their own opinions, and that in the end no one is really right or wrong. Remember that saying a person could be right also means a person could be wrong.  Hell, even if you know something for a fact is right, what is the use of going after someone and arguing for an hour about it? Is it really going to change that person's beliefs? I'll tell you this much, you could tell me till your blue in the face that 2pac isn't the greatest rapper ever and I'd never change my mind.

I really think people have good intentions. I know I never realize when I'm being narrow minded or judgemental until after the fact.  At the end of the day does it really matter? Does it really matter if you were right or wrong? Are you going to get some kind of trophy for winning an argument? Everyone should just chill and learn to accept one another's beliefs.  I will let you know when I start taking my own advice.

Been a long time since I wrote one of these. Thanks for reading everyone!