Brothers and sisters of the grindstone

We all live vicariously through the people around us, we revel in the sucesses of our friends and the failures of our enemies alike, we share in the reaped whirlwind of retribution met out on those beyond our reach, and celebrate the victories of like minded causes where ever they might occur in the world. We are all so tied together, in so many different ways that the idea of individuality or a singular consciousness is almost laughable. I would not be the person I am if not for the people around me, and not just friends and family, but enemies too. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that those of you who have conspired to harm me have unwittingly had the largest part to play in my creation, so thank you.

A man is not defined by how he behaves during times of peace, but rather, how level headed, and even tempered he is during conflict and confrontation. A soul is forged in the fires of strife. Stolen moments spent holding someone dear to you, or consumed in the altered time/space continuum of a great conversation that dissolves hours in the blink of an eye are but a brief respite from the pounding that lies in wait. The heavy hammer of reality that must round off, and smooth out our rough edges for the journey that lay ahead.

Where are we going? To what end are we put to the pike?- "Why stay we on this earth, 'cept to grow".

One complete human soul, prep time: 70-75 years

Much like our supossed lord and savior, what we require for vaildation is opposition, a bad guy. The irony is that we are both "the bad guy", and the outcome of facing that obstacle. The idea of loving your enemy, and rejoicing in his succeses is because in doing so, they are strengthening you. It so easy to hate, it reqiures almost no effort at all to disagree with someone or thing, because we need it. How often have you heard the saying "Love takes work", or "A realationship is hard work"? But not the initial connection, that's easy. Love is a two fold luxury never designed or touted for it's staying power, meant to help light our way with companionship for a time, and then vanish like a thief in the night with peices of our hearts, both hardening us over to the harsh realm we call home, and bringing us a little closer to whole, in the end.

Everyone you meet changes you, just as you change everyone you meet. Some are small, barely even noticable while others seem catasrophic upon inital impact. Some happy, some horribly sad, but all serving the same ends- to mold and shape you in fundamental ways. Every single thing we do affects every single thing around us, absolutely. We all want for the same peace, the same stability, even though it might look different to us now, when it's finished it will all be a part of the same weave.

We wage this war against each other not for land, power, money, race or even to appease our own visions of God. Rather we fight to acheive the same goals, we strive for the same heaven, my back is there expressly for your foot, as your foot is expressly there for my back and visa-versa. We nip and tussle with each other out of a nessessity not of our own making, but for our own good, and so I say to you that I love you, unconditionally, and when we reach this fabled place on the backs of our brothers we will no longer be as sperate entities, but one, at long last.