Before I launch into my opinion of this phrase... I'd like to clear up a lot of the misunderstandings that surround it. The first time I heard this phrase, I believe I was 8 or 9 and my dad was explaining to me that my family would always be there for me and love me, etc. etc.... and how friends can't always be as trusted. It's an unpopular opinion for the generations that came before me, but I don't stand by the belief that family bonds have to be stronger than friendship. That aside... this is where the misunderstanding of the phrase comes in.
Many people take it as an indicator that family bonds are stronger than mere friendship because of blood ties; but the quote that this saying is derived from is actually "the blood of the covenant is stronger than the water of the womb". It actually means that blood shed in battle would bond soldiers closer than simple genetics... and thus; the quote actually means opposite of what most people will take it as. I'll continue my unpopular opinion. I don't believe that family ties are stronger than friendships at all, in most cases. I am pretty sure I've said this before in previous posts; but if I haven't then I'll re-iterate here. I treat everyone with an equal amount of respect that they deserve until they give me a reason to show them more... or to show them less. Treat others as you wish to be treated; but don't forget to also treat others as they have treated you. Since I live by peace over power, I do try to contain myself a bit from "treating others as they treat me". The psychological damage that some have inflicted onto me is far more than I think I could ever do to anyone regardless of what they had done to me... simply because that's not how I am. I'm a lover, not a fighter... despite popular opinion. To get back to the quote, I have family who I haven't spoken to in years. I have family who make no effort to stay in touch with me... or anyone else. I have family who I've never met and I have family who haven't said more than a few words to me out of obligation. I have family who would sooner argue and gossip about me than have my back if I were to fall. On the other side of the coin; I also have family who I have good relationships with! In fact, the portion of you I'm close with are probably reading this blog post; you know who you are... so I thank you for maintaining a relationship with me and for being there for me. Thank you for the love and support with all that has happened over the years. On the friends side of things, I have many friends who I would consider far closer to me than 95% of my family. I have friends who know me inside out and who I would trust with my life; and I cannot say the same for everyone I'm related to. I don't know. Just because we have blood ties doesn't make you any more or less of a person to me. Your character should speak for itself. Regardless of anything else. "I don't care about whose DNA has re-combined with whose. When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching- they are your family." - Maddie
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"You don't take a photograph. You make it."
Today, I had an interesting idea- inspired somewhat by my dad. He was going through old photos, and found one of him from college underneath a quilt that I now have in my room. It was this photo that inspired me to re-create a few photos- not only from his past; but from the past of others in my family. This post won't so much be words as it will be the photos- the originals; and the re-creations. Thank you to my little sister for her help in making this. "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." This is a quote by Anais Nin. Nin was an essayist and a polygamist, if you can believe it. She seems to have been a very loose character, even before taking a second husband. In either case, I am not here to write about her forgettable morals. Some people are better off forgotten, and I believe that Nin is one of those best forgotten, so if you are interested in her, look her up yourself. I'll waste no more of my time with her!
Now, as for her quote, I'd have to say its true. What is not true, though, is that phony experiences can be used in place of true courage. So many people nowadays go about accumulating experiences that are, for the most part, safe, yet are marketed as dangerous and exciting. Does a person really show courage by going on a roller coaster, or by bunge jumping? I would argue that the answer is no. People go out to do these experiences to show their courage, yet they are too afraid to tell anyone how they truly feel. Instead of having the courage to be themselves, they safely emulate styles they are told are rebellious. Have you noticed the large number of tattoos and piercings all around you now? Or how everyone now feels comfortable calling others names, just because they don't agree with what they feel is right? Real courage has nothing to do with any of that. Real courage has nothing to do with changing your style of dress or adornment to fit into a group. It has nothing to do with driving a fancy sports car, or causing trouble. Courage has everything to do with being yourself and treating everyone with a modicum of respect. Courage has to do with doing what you believe is right, even if it is an unpopular opinion. True courage will expand your life because you won't let fear hold you back from doing what you believe is right. True courage will allow you to talk to people regardless of what the group you hang around with thinks. And true courage will expand your life by allowing you to experience more of everything since you won't be hiding behind anyone else's ideals. True courage is peace over power and not just doing something because you can. It is doing what you can, without intentionally hurting anyone else around you. While Nin gave a nice quote above, and likely thought she was the embodiment of her quote, her actions hurt others (her first two husbands whom she cheated on) and actually diminished her and her works in my view. In the end, I think Nin was weak and a coward. And I really wish that a more courageous person had uttered those words. In your life, have the courage to lead by example. To say what you believe is true, but still have the tact to say it without hurting someone else just because you can. Courage comes in many forms. The best courage, in my opinion, is when you can be yourself, do what you like and not hurt others in the process. Have the courage to treat others how you would like to be treated. Don't feel that you have to wait to see how they treat you first. Show them how you want them to treat you by how you treat them! Today I read a new book called ''Body Battles.'' It is a very interesting book. Do you know the earwax in your ears helps your hearing? If tiny bugs, dust, or dirt gets in your ears, the wax will trap it before it hits your eardrum, and hurts your hearing.
Stomach acid is at the bottom of your stomach. Stomach acid is hydrochloric acid. When bacteria and viruses get into your stomach they are usually destroyed. These are all parts of your immune system. The immune system all help to keep you healthy. Ashleigh Okay, here's the follow-up to the first half of this post! Just to clarify; I'm only quoting the 11 princesses that are in the official Disney collection. If my readers enjoy this; maybe I'll dig out quotes from the other various Disney movies that aren't just princesses- because goodness knows they have some good quotes in them, and were a large part of my childhood as well.
Jasmine "Whatever we may do, you are here for me, and I'll be there for you." "Like so many things; it is not what is outside, but what is inside that counts." Pocahontas "Sometimes, the right path is not the easiest one." "You think the only people who are people, are the people who look and think like you. But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger; you'll learn things you never knew, you never knew." Mulan "The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all." "Believe you can. Then you will." Tiana "The only way you get what you want in this world is through hard work." "My daddy never did get what he wanted. But he had what he needed. He had love. He never lost sight of what was really important; and neither will I." Rapunzel "And love will not break your heart; but dismiss your fears." "You'll never find anything better if you stay in your comfort zone." Merida "You control your destiny- you don't need magic to do it. And there are no magical shortcuts to solving your problems." "Our fate lies within us. You just have to be brave enough to see it." BONUS: "That's the real trouble with the world; too many people grow up." "Why worry? If you've done the very best you can, worrying won't make it any better." "Growing old is mandatory, but growing up is optional." - Walt Disney "In spite of illness, in spite even of the archenemy sorrow, one can remain alive long past the usual date of disintegration if one is unafraid of change, insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big things, and happy in small ways." That mouthful was by Edith Wharton. And although it seems to be a long run-on sentence, I love that she got it exactly right, in my opinion!
Edith Wharton was an American writer who wrote "The Age Of Innocence" among other things. She actually became the first woman to win a Pulitzer prize (in 1921) due to this book. In my opinion, Wharton was a woman ahead of her time. Amazingly, she did not publish her first novel until she was 40! By the time she passed away, in 1937 she had written fifteen novels, seven novellas, and eighty-five short stories. She had published poetry, books on design, travel, literary and cultural criticism, as well as a memoir. Getting back to her quote, I like that she defines living by what she does and not by what she has. Illness and sorrow are facts of life in everyone's lives. She does not allow them to define her, however. Instead, she defines her life by her reasons for living! Ms. Wharton was not afraid of change. Her first husband had a mental illness that led to a radical change in how she had wanted to live her life. She tried to make the best of it, but after 28 years, once the doctors said that their was no longer hope to change his condition, she left to start her second life. She was 51 years old at this point! She traveled, wrote, and learned... She became happy in spite of what had happened during the "best" years of her life. I have often quoted Spock (who was likely quoting someone else) that the only constant is change. Edith is so right in saying not to be afraid of change. Not all change is bad... it is just different to what you are used to. Embrace the change, and make it your own. Always be open to learning new things. Nothing is sadder than seeing a person who decides that they know enough, and actively decides to no longer learn new things. We have all heard the saying "life has passed her by." Don't let this happen to you! Technological change has been happening at a rapid pace for over 75 years. If you fail to embrace this change, you are setting yourself up for a pretty rough go of things. Imagine if you still had to get around by horse and buggy... simply because you didn't want to learn how to drive a car! Look for small changes you can make in your life every day, and try them. The things you don't find useful, discard. Those things that show a definite benefit to you should be added to your life. Finally, find happiness in small ways. Don't look for what is wrong with your friends and family members, but what is right with them! Look for those small things that make them unique, and make you happy. It is easy to find fault in others. Constantly pointing it out doesn't make you superior, or happy. It makes you a nag. Be a person that inspires others, not the type that repels them. Remember, people are led by example, not by nagging or coercion. People in glass houses should not throw stones. And finally, remember what Jesus said to the Pharisees when they brought an adulterer to him and asked whether she should be stoned to death. He said: “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her” Before you cast guilt on another, think about what Jesus was trying to say in the above verse. Then honestly answer these two questions: "Do I live my faith? Or "Do I use it as a shield to protect me from what I disagree with?" I know I have drifted a bit away from the spirit of the above quote, but this post is meant for two people in my life... not just one. Because there is a second side to the coin, and an additional lesson, which again, can be found in the bible. This answer can be found in Proverbs. The question is how should you react to a person who may have strayed away from living their faith? The Proverbs make it clear: "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like to him..." Take this post for what it's worth. I think there are many lessons here. Both from the original quote, and from the verses I have quoted above. I think the two I am speaking to in the final four paragraphs should be able to recognize themselves from the described behavior. If not, feel free to ask me, and I will tell you whether I was thinking of you or not. Finally, if I was not speaking to you, yet you feel the need to ask me, then what is important is that you thought I was speaking to you, and thus you need to change your behavior. Have a good night, folks. I like playing with Lucky. We play go-fetch, tug-of-war, and sometimes Daddy even let's me walk him on the leash. One time in the dining room I was playing with Lucky in my sleeping bag and he just jumped on me. Finally I pushed him off! And as soon as I did, I said ''BAD BOY.''
Lucky likes to eat a lot, but he is on a diet. He does not get a lot of meat because of this. He does get lots of vegetables though. Just like Daddy! Although he can have meat, he does not get a lot anymore. One time Lucky took Perry's water bottle. But he got it back, which is a good thing. Ashleigh I've been thinking about what I'd like to write about for a good portion of my day now, and because of this; I ended up scrolling back through old posts. About a week or two ago my dad and I had both written posts on quotes from Winnie The Pooh- an influential character in both our childhoods. This got me thinking, what else held a special place in my childhood? The immediate answer was disney movies. I used to watch them all the time when I was little and they served as a wholesome form of entertainment for me when I was 6 and 7. To this day, I can still somewhat enjoy watching them with my sister.
Because of this, I've decided to go on a hunt for some quotes from most of the Disney princesses- I'll try to get one from each. Whether I'll succeed or not is beyond me; because I refuse to throw just anything into the mix to satisfy people. Anyway, here we go! Snow White "You're never too old to be young." "When the raindrops come tumbling, remember that you're the one who can fill the world with sunshine." Cinderella "Even miracles take a little time." "Have courage, and be kind." Sleeping Beauty "Even if love is full of thorns, I'd still embrace it- for I know that in between those thorns; there is a rose worth all the pain." "Love will always find a way." Ariel "What makes someone special? I suppose it all depends. It's what's unique in each of us." "I remember all the wonderful times we've had together. They're not things. They're memories." Belle "It's not until you lose everything that you can truly appreciate everything." "A thing must be loved before it is lovable." This post is beginning to get lengthy... and there are many more princesses to get through. Because of this, I will end this post here and proceed to make a part 2. I hope you enjoyed this post and if you have any quotes I've missed; please tell me! - Maddie |
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