Beacon

To borrow from a Coldplay track, 'Lights will guide you on...'

Sometimes the darkness seems overpowering. So much so that you just give in and become one with it. And then, just when it threatens to break you, the light you always look forward to comes on, seemingly at a distance. The beacon of light, of hope, of everything you need to see. It doesn't always appear, and never always as bright. It decides to show itself for only a moment, just as all hope seems to be falling to its knees.

When there are more downs than ups. When each good day of the year has a shadow lurking over it. When you can smile outside but be broken inside, that's when the beacon always comes into view. You have to close your eyes to see it. For it isn't meant to be found, only seen. Maybe. Maybe that's not even what it is.

Maybe it's just your soul playing tricks on you. The horse-and-carrot trick. It makes darkness play the Mirror of Erisid. Show you your deepest desires that you may once more realign body and soul to work in the direction it was supposed to keep heading in. "Don't give up," it said. "Keep going", it said. There's your destination, glowing in the flickering wisp of hope that chose to show itself. And, what do you do? You head towards it, of course. That's what it's there for. That's what you've always dreamed of. Or have you?

And when you reach it, embrace it, and get set to become comfortable. You see the path. Not entirely, but you do. So this was just a checkpoint? Refuel. Reload.

Repeat.

Slave to the System?

Manufactured lifestyle for promoted capitalism disguised as everyday life.

Allow me to elaborate. If you're someone who works through the week and looks forward to the weekend so you can go out, eat, catch a movie and buy some popcorn, you're the victim and you don't even know it. The 'slave to the system' is you. The world is running on brand power. Shop till you drop. Earn to spend. Study. High School. College (with or without a huge student loan). Find someone, go out, spend time outside doing the above, work harder, get married, work even harder, buy/rent a house, work still harder, have a kid or, perhaps, kids. Watch cartoons that sell action figures, water-bottles, lunch boxes, games, expensive toys that children absolutely must have or else be rebuked and have no friends. Seem familiar? Does it sound like something you are doing or even going to be doing in the very near future?

Yes, that seems like the “perfect" life. Is it really? When did enjoying some mountain air in the middle of nowhere while there is still some greenery left on the Earth become plan B? It's not always cheap. The will is all you need.

Yes, choose the alternative route and somehow it seems darker, lonelier, and even makes you wonder if you made the right choice. The urge to give in is huge, yet, you think about why you did it in the first place. Why you want to be different. Not blend in. No Skrillex, no Miley Cyrus, no Justin Bieber, no bullshit because some retards next door with no mind of their own think it's “cool” and blow money to go watch some random person push buttons on a console.

There is a world within the world you see. Underpinned by conscious, well-seeking persons with personalities of their own, there is a chance to be different, even yourself. It's not really hard once you get off your ass and begin to look for it. The first step is always the hardest. But then you realise the next few steps are hard as well. Eventually one step could almost kill you but you take that 'leap of faith' anyway. And then you're there. And things are much clearer... Oh, how I wish I could get there. These steps seem never ending. But I'm beginning to accept I won't be making it out alive, because, guess what? No one will, eventually.

How Can You Tell?

It's the curious scent of the morning.

The mighty wind blowing strong.

Leaves of fresh green rustling in the trees.

The sun coming up after seemingly so long.

It's the anxiety of the future.

Moving on from the past.

It's the eagerness of moments

that will be created to last.

It's the many efforts of past years

all of which are never forgotten.

With a heart full of joy

I reminisce those times golden.

Memories will remain,

that will always be true.

Good times celebrated

over fine dine and brew.

In the toughest of times

let your mind lead.

The soul will plough through,

although, the heart may plead.

One word can surely heal,

yet, another may raise a storm.

For me, that word is 'October'

and it will, always, be warm.