HOT

My apartment is so HOT I think I might spontaneously burst into flames.

Diversity

utah aRts festival. I continue to be pleasantly surprised by the diversity that Salt Lake City really does have. I see it in a small way every day, however it is much easier to spot on a weekend such as this. I could have sat somewhere and been quite content just watching the people in attendance and their interactions with one another. This is not to shed any sort of a negative light on anyone. I revel in the fact that there are so many different people. What a bore life would be if we were all the same. It seems that all too often I make the assumption that the majority of people here come from the same 'cookie cutter', or at least try to portray that. In this case, I like to be proven wrong. There were people there from every walk of life. It was great. To think that it takes each one of us to make up a true community was a positive thought.
I commend the individual. I admire those who have the courage to simply be themselves. I strive to respect each person, even when it is not offered in return. I pledge to think more closely before I judge another and to somehow try and understand their life, even if just in some small way. I welcome DIVERSITY and the lessons we have to learn from one another.

In What Tense?

In what tense do we think of ourselves? Do you see yourself as the person you used to be, that of whom you were in the past? Do you see yourself in your current state of being? Or, do you have the foresight to see the person you have the ability to yet become?
I feel that it is important for us to see ourselves in each of these tenses. We have to know the person who we once were. We have to know from where we have come, the path which has been traveled to lead us to where we are. We need to know the struggles, the hardships, the accomplishments, and the joys which all subcreate us as a single individual.
This being said, it is important for us to have the ability to not dwell on the person of the past, but to see the person that we have yet to become. We need to have a vision of where we are headed, the things we want to do, the places we want to see, the people we want to touch. Future goals and aspirations are crucial for progression.
With a sight of the past and a vision for the future, it is just as important for us to realistically see the here and now. Knowing our present state of being ties the past to the present in an amazing way. We have to know where we now stand in order to best decide the steps to take forward. What is astounding is that the steps we have taken in the past determine where we are now, which also offsets the steps we will take for the future.
So...The person of the past, the being of the present, and the individual which we have yet to become are all one. It is easy to think of 'the person i once was', or 'who I want to become'. Those are actually just altered and temporary versions of yourself. Although they seem seperate at times, they combine to make one distinct and actual YOU. Keep in mind the person you were, be mindful and realistic with the person you now are, and have the vision and determination to see the person you have yet to become. YOU are YOU and that is something amazing.