The universe is full of two things: questions, and rubbish.
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Serious question…What the hell is a man measured by? Is it the bullshit labels on his clothes? Is it the arrogant hood emblem on his car? The watch on his wrist? The friends that he keeps? If you wear a monkey suit to work everyday does that make you a professional? Does that suit make you a professional in what you do? You wonder sometimes just what it is with life, what we as a people are constantly searching for each and every day. Is it a job? Is it a person? Is it a religion? A family? A group of friends? What the hell is the meaning of it all?
I wish I had a real fucking answer for you, I really do. If you think I did you must be crazier than I am and for the record I’m pretty damn nuts. The truth is that there is no right or wrong answer to the reasons why things happen in our life. There is no reason why if you go down road A your life leads you down path B. At the end of the day every decision we make, every breath we take impacts some other course of our life. It might not be today, it could be tomorrow. You just never know.
There’s a couple things I’ve come across in life that at their core are what everyone is searching for. Family. I don’t mean just your genetic family of brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, etc. I’m talking about the group of people that make up who you are. Your closest friends, relatives, neighbors, whoever and whatever makes you who you are. They are your backbone. They are the ones who will be there for you when you least expect it. Life has a funny way of throwing curveballs to you at times and these are the people who will be there for you when the shit hits the fan.
Love. I’m not talking about a lover, I’m talking about love. Love for the people in your life. Love for the place you hold in theirs. True and unequivocal love. It’s not as easy to find as you would think. It’s difficult. It’s hard. If it were easy, we’d live in some utopian society that I’m sure as shit glad doesn’t exist. Love is for lack of a better word, what we’re all searching for. It keeps you warm at night and holds you tight when you least expect it. If it were something easily attained it wouldn’t be worth the journey.
Life is and always will be a struggle. Sure there are people who laugh their way through life. Step in shit and always seem to be on top of the world. And hey maybe they are. And good for them, I only wish to lead such a life. But as a famous quote once said, “life is not the amount of breaths you take, it’s the moments that take your breath away.”
It’s not the clothes you wear, or the car you drive. It’s not how big your TV is or how many girls you’ve slept with. It’s the small things that make up an otherwise short existence. It’s the moments you think back on when it’s 3am and you can’t sleep. It’s the pictures on your fireplace and the stories told in front of it. Life is and always will be a journey. And it’s about the ride. It’s about the ups and downs that make up the wonderful roller coaster of life. If it were easy, you wouldn’t appreciate the bullshit, tears, and heartaches it takes to gain true happiness.
I might not have all the answers and I promise that I will never pretend to. I’ve made my fair of mistakes and will continue to do so. One day it’ll all make sense. I’ve always said an awkward morning beats a boring night but the truth is, no night is boring. Take a moment to appreciate the little things. The things you wouldn’t appreciate until they’re gone. Take a moment to take it all in. Life’s short. But I guarantee you one thing, at the end of my time here, I’m going out with a big smile on my face. Ear to fucking ear. Cheers.
By John Picciuto
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Picture: Flickr/Ryan