Society of Death

     One thing that's been bothering me lately is how freely people joke about death. Actually, to be more specific, it's when people joke about dying from cancer or some other serious disease... but mostly cancer. I don't understand how death can be such a hilarious topic nowadays, and I most definitely don't understand how the word "cancer" can be thrown around so loosely. What happened to the fear of cancer and death? Is this just some sick way of trying to dispel people's fear? A few months ago, I was talking to a group of friends, and they were telling a story about what happened the previous day. One had been acting over-dramatic and said, "I'm dying of diarrhea and cancer!" And the other friend had just laughed at her. I don't remember the details. Still, simply recounting this short story made the others laugh, and I couldn't see what was so funny about it. It wasn't comical to me at all. People die of cancer every day, and my life has been largely affected by cancer. It's not a funny subject to me: it's serious and sad. Also, not even diarrhea should be joked about. In less developed countries, impoverished people are still dying of it daily because they don't have access to the medical help they need.
     Then, just the other day, my sister was telling a friend that it's a bad idea to be drinking energy drinks because of some harmful chemicals/ingredients put into them... We didn't mention cancer at all, but the friend said, "yeah, yeah. Everything causes cancer these days. It doesn't matter." That really shocked me. First off, since when does getting cancer not matter??? Second off, not EVERYTHING causes cancer. Furthermore, if someone actually took the time to think about what they really need in terms of food and beverages to stay healthy, they would see that many of those things can be bought without harmful ingredients added to them. It's really disappointing that a such a young girl can say these things without caring about how long she lives or what her own health is.
     I can't imagine myself ever not caring about my life or health. I had cancer when I was little, and I had to watch two friends die. Their names were Daniel and Jared. We (my sister and I) spent a lot of time with Jared, and it was depressing to see him slowly fading from this world. He had Leukemia, same as me, except it came back seven times for him. The last time we saw him was in the hospital. We visited his room because he was in bad shape. His mom gave us magazines to look at while she and our mom talked. We didn't get to talk to or play with Jared because he was asleep. When we walked up to his bedside to see him, he was sleeping without a shirt on, and we could see how skinny he was: how sick he looked. His ribs were very prominent and his eyes looked sunken. That was the last time we saw him; he died at 7 years old. That image sticks with me to this day, and I am incredibly insulted when people don't seriously consider how deadly cancer is, and how sad death is.
     Cancer has not only affected my childhood: just last year my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She got surgery, got time to heal, went through eight weeks of radiation, and is now (thankfully) in remission. Cancer is a constant tragedy/occurrence in my life, and I have close family friends who have also been affected by cancer. The fact that people can underestimate and make jokes about such a horrible thing is appalling. It makes me wonder: how did society become so careless about the health and well-being of people? I wonder, but then I look at social media, TV, and I've glimpsed the magazines my classmates look at. Bad influences are all around us, and we absorb it, barely taking notice of how we are being shaped by all of these things.
     Our society is a Society of Death. There are advertisements everywhere for unhealthy foods that have harmful chemicals meant only for pushing back expiration dates. Why do we allow companies to put these in the foods people eat everyday? In the United States, we have less than 20 deadly chemicals banned; in the UK, they have over 200. This is a drastic difference. Sure, the British smoke more, but they are more healthy than us Americans. They walk more, they have healthier food, etc. Violence and death are under-exaggerated and idolized in our country. The term "YOLO" has been quite popular for over a year now. This ridiculous acronym is used as a reason for people (esp. teens and young adults) to be involved in life-threatening, and sometimes illegal, activities. It's sad that we see ourselves as getting better and better by the decades, when standards of life are becoming so horrible.
     Please, take care of your health. Life is priceless, and should not be taken for granted. So many people suffer because they don't have options, while people in our country suffer because of their own ignorant decisions. You have the option, the means, to take care of yourself. For the sake of others, do it.

Dreams End

I had a dream

In which love existed

I had a dream

Of a boy so tall

A boy too caring to let me fall

I had a dream

He wouldn’t let me go

And told me that he loved me so

I had a dream

That he said there would always be

A place in his heart for only me

I had a dream

And it came true

But now it’s ended in absolute rue

I wrote this poem a couple years ago, and I'm not sure what my inspiration was... But here it is. Enjoy!(:

Rediscovering Our Beauty

St. John Chrystostom Oratorical Festival 2013
Topic 5. “Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments” (Psalm 118/119, verse 73).

            Beauty: What is it? It is a word that is commonly used, but hardly ever defined. There are two dictionary definitions for the word. The first definition is, “A combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, which pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.” In today’s society, this is the definition that has determined what people consider to be “beautiful.” Common “beauty” standards we hear about today that determine whether a woman is beautiful or not are: full lips, a symmetrical face, big boobs, a small waist, a big butt, and skinny legs. Not only that, but the woman is expected to shave her legs, armpits, or whatever other area that might have “excess” or “gross” hair. On top of that, a “beautiful” woman is expected to have straight, white teeth and flawless skin. Basically, women need to be less human. Our nation’s vision of “beauty” has been distorted over the years.

            One could go on forever about physical appearances and the unattainable standards people try to live by today, but that is not the sole purpose of this topic. The second definition of beauty is, “a combination of qualities that pleases the intellect or moral sense.” God is this exact definition. Since we were created in God’s image and likeness, we are also naturally like this. This cannot be disputed by Christians because in Genesis, God made man and “[He] saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). Many people who strive for “beauty” are headed in a direction that strays away from this definition. Most try to become perfect and beautiful by obtaining money, getting plastic surgery, and by acting like people they are not. They do these things to be accepted into society: a society which either embraces the “unusual” or casts them out. With the possibility of being an outcast hanging in the air, people most often take the road that makes them just like everyone else.

            While the pursuit of happiness is every person’s natural right, it is important to think about what will bring a person “true” happiness. And although material things may bring temporary happiness, there are more lasting means of attaining it. Surely being perfect would bring someone happiness –and it is certainly something we should strive for- but everyone knows that perfection is unattainable for humans. Christians know that Jesus is the only perfect human being ever to have walked the earth, and it is Jesus that we should all endeavor to be like. This is especially important because Jesus is God, and “God Became Man so that Man might become God” (Saint Athanasius). Still, there remains the question: what is perfection? We know Jesus never sinned, that he loved unconditionally, and that there were no exceptions or conditions to his love.

            So how can we strive to be like Jesus? First things first: believing everything we see in the media is not the answer; materialistic things will not bring true happiness; beauty does not come from following the crowd, and especially not from breast implants or other exterior changes. When looking at Psalms 118 and 119, it is easy to notice that the speakers are praising God, thanking him for his mercy and his unconditional love, and one even says, “though belittled and despised, I do not forget your precepts” (Psalm 118/119, verse 141). Even if we are criticized by our peers, as Jesus was, we must be strong in our faith. Second, we must try to love as Jesus did. In the Bible, John writes, “A new commandment I give to you: that you love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” (John 13:34).

            Although we cannot be perfect like Jesus was, we can get closer to perfection if we continuously try to improve ourselves. Jesus loved everyone, even the people who were ostracized by society. If we make the effort to show compassion for everyone put in front of us, we can become closer to God. Loving everyone in front of us is very important because we are all creations of God. Therefore, what we do to others is, ultimately, what we have done to God. In the story of The Judgment of the Nations, the king says, “'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). It is extremely difficult to do this, but we bring ourselves closer to God just by making the effort. In order to love others, though, we must first love ourselves. In order to love ourselves, we must cease seeking to look more “beautiful” and we must stop acting like something else just to please others. When we love ourselves for who we are, we can love others for who they are, as well. And eventually, we can find people who will love us for who we are, too.

            God’s love has no conditions or exceptions, and neither should our love. “Give thanks to the Lord, who is good, whose love endures forever” (Psalm 118, verse 1). When someone commits a sin, God still loves him/her. S/he has the chance to redeem him/herself. We should also try to forgive people who do wrong against us and love them. “If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions” (Matthew 6:14-15). Pray for those who do wrong and do not condemn them for their wrongdoings, because they need God’s help. We are all made in the image of God, and therefore are originally like Him [and still have the chance to be like him]. When someone does something sinful, do not hate the sinner, but continue to love him/her. Jesus said that a person is not as bad as their own worst deed. This is true because that person can repent, and if they are sincere, they can be accepted into Heaven. Therefore, do not hold grudges against people who hurt you, because you only distance yourself from God. When Jesus was on the cross, he said these words which are now well known, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34).

            Forgiveness is very important in getting closer to God. However, this can be hard: especially when it is yourself you must forgive. It is important to understand that we are all learning and will not always make the right choices. Praying and asking God for guidance can help us in understanding, forgiving, and overall spiritual peace. It is imperative that we remind ourselves that we are not perfect, while simultaneously keeping in mind that God still loves us despite our imperfections and will accept us. When we have a huge burden on our shoulders, it is not shameful to seek help. Asking for God’s forgiveness does not have to be done alone; there are priests for a reason, which we can go to for Confession and for reminders of how to keep faith and how to get closer to God without just going to Church. All of these things can help you accept yourself, accept others, and love unconditionally. When you strive for this, you will be beautiful and –close to- perfect in God’s eyes.