I Don't Understand Why

For some reason, I wanted to write a poem today about the things that I, and people I know, don't understand. As Sam, in Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom, says, "Poems don't always have to rhyme, you know. They're just supposed to be creative." I guess this falls under the heading of 'being creative.'

I Don't Understand Why

people don't trust that my food is good
men tell me they love me when they break up with me
people automatically think my job is hard
the worst planning is always around ticket lines
change is hard
people are so afraid of each other

burger buns come in packs of twelve, but burgers eight
or is that hotdogs, never the same amount of packages
people think a busy life is a good life
people aren't more considerate of others
people don't live and let live
or people cannot seem to love each other, even while wanting it
despite the confusing greed

life isn't easier
people are so reluctant to be vulnerable
or to expand their communities
and people cannot be happy with what they have
people spend so much time, energy, and money on weddings and so little on marriage
consciousness emerged

people love me or they don't
people hang on to possessions, or do possessions hang on to us
quality and quantity never seem to match especially in people's lives
people keep wanting more and more
people do want they don't want and not what they do want
people hide their emotions

up in the air they all flutter
the questions and answers
never quite coming together
and swoosh... the autumn wind
blows, blows, blows them all away
nothing can hold back the will to live

Psychology of Giving and Other Stuff

http://ucresearch.tumblr.com/post/43085813026/if-your-valentines-day-is-less-than-ideal-dont

I am thoroughly enjoying getting to explore scienceblog.com. It is helping me feel more connected to the world while here in seminary without having to watch or look at the news and feel depressed about all the bad things being reported. I do care about the bad stuff that is happening in the world, and it is now very close by with the internet, however I do not need to be depressed about it all everyday. I would like to be able to think that there is good stuff going on in the world every day. I know there is. Good stuff happens in my life, so it has to happen in others' lives too. That is one reason I am liking exploring the science. There are good and bad things going on in science and obviously people are passionate about these things. Passion makes life more vivid. I really enjoyed the comic above, not because I have broken up ever, but because of how the science was easy, accessible, funny, and makes you feel better. Your hat is awesome. Especially if someone who puts you down regularly speaks against it, as a general rule. And speaking of people who build you up versus people who put you down, I also read this article: http://scienceblog.com/60480/in-rich-and-poor-nations-giving-makes-people-feel-better-than-getting/ about how people feel better after buying something for someone else rather than for themselves. It is really funny in a culture that highlights and emphasizes retail therapy and buying stuff for oneself, that we actually feel better when we buy stuff for other people. Even more interestingly enough, people across the world have the same feeling when it comes to buying stuff for other people. How great! We should spend more of our money on others and making sure other people have what they need as well as ourselves. Sadly, as the person who commented pointed out, this does not work in some situations. We do not feel the same way about giving part of our money to the government or other organizations who will then buy stuff for the poor themselves. I wonder if it also has to do with the reception. One of the reasons I was turned down from a summer mission trip to Panama was that I would not be able to eat the food the poorer folks I would be working with would try to feed me. I was slightly appalled when I read that the trip planners allow the volunteers to eat the food of the poor. However, I know how hospitality works. When you invite someone into your house, you like to be able to offer them something. I have myself gotten told off for being rude for bringing my own food into other people's houses, even when they know that they cannot adequately feed me without making me sick. I get stuck in that catch twenty two frequently. Most people just then shy away from inviting me into their homes. It works. The feeling of being able to give something to someone else, to share what we have, to provide for someone is powerful. Psychology and science may link it to the evolutionary needs of humanity. Humans helping humans probably will allow the species to live longer than us always cutting each other throats. Religion will link it to the gifts of God. I think both are true. Loving one's neighbor is sometimes easier than you might think.