The Soldier Who Never Returned Home

"Bang, bang, bang" is all you hear in the war zone tonight. A noise so common that you've been accustomed to it. Going to war was nothing new, not around here anyway.
The shots would ring in your ears for days as you try to regain the strength to keep pushing forward. For you didn't fear failure, you ultimately feared death.
An end that would taunt you for days on end. Taunt you in your sleep. Taunt you in your day to day life. A demon that you could not shake, it was just something you had to get use to.

"Crack, Crack, Crack."
 "Boom, boom, boom."

The screams of the victims hit by the war going on around you is becoming louder and louder. They fear death now, they fear the heartbreak of the war they had entered... Leaving with not arms and legs missing but eyes and hearts. They no longer believe that theres hope for them anymore. The war had ruined them in a way that obscures their optimism that the next could be better than the last. Better than the best.

See life becomes a bitter war zone of broken hearted blind souls. Seeking for the right things in the wrong people. A bittersweet ending for an ugly scene in the ugliest war known to human race.
The war of love.

A war that has only casualties and no real winners. A common war that everyone will eventually meet. Whether that be at deaths door itself or the throwing back and forth of shots that until one has decided to wave the white flag or is killed will it end.

A white flag doesn't mean you're weak, it just means you're strong enough to let go of something before it kills you. A soldier of war held captive to their own ideas and ideologies. A soldier held captive to what's in his heart not fearing what he sees with his eyes. A soldier not scared to enter a battle for someone they love with the other person fighting the same war across the ditch.

That would be love.

But this is tragic, the war has become from fighting for one another to a war fighting each other. Waiting until its bitter end...

Love is like dancing on a wire over a hole that opens from the depths of hell and could swallow you up at any moment. One wrong move, one stumble, could end everything. In the current state of social media and readily available methods of contact its very easy to create a war by a simple misunderstanding or ridiculously jumping to conclusions. Mix such a situation with egos and you've got a recipe for disaster.

What could be worse then fighting a war only you want to win? A war that is fuelled with ammo on both sides with no will to consider the consequences of each time the trigger is pulled. Who really becomes the aggressor and who becomes the victim that is forced to fight in the wrong war. Caught in the crossfire by yourself, is it best to give in and fight for the enemy or do we stand firm in our core values playing with fire?

As we all know, playing with fire will get you burnt. But unless we stand for ourselves, who will? At the end of the day, is it what you're fighting for worth what you're fighting with and are the consequences of losing well worth the risk?

We don't know unless we are willing to open ourselves to these risks. A little heartbreak shouldn't stop you from falling in love and losing a small fight doesn't mean you've lost the war. It is only until death are we stopped from entering a new war, as we die right where we stand.

The man she had let go to war for her had kissed her for the last time as when he had entered the war, he had done all his training had strengthened him for and taught him. Every tactic he knew had got him out of dangers way but he couldn't stop her from pointing a missile at what he had fought so hard to protect. Each other.

A love tainted by self destruction had no winner. A war that lead to the priority of the one who held the gun to dictate what it was what that they wanted without consideration of the needs of the other side. A war where the victim is never the same. A lost limb or a lost life, the images of war still haunt me at night.

Tossing and turning. Screaming and shouting. A war that would lead to the same man that left being left there in the middle of the war gasping for air while the one who would return home is lost in the chaos of the war never fully able to recover unless the reasons for the war changes. Otherwise its a war fought recklessly with nothing to gain but losing each other.

Would you risk everything for nothing or would you risk everything for one thing?

What would you consider to sacrifice to be a winner and an overachiever?

May the art of war let us consider what we want and what we are fighting for, for life is too short to risk what we have for nothing in return.

Stream of Consciousness

Society lacks the ability to recognize truth and wisdom. People criticize what they don't understand and it is society who are lacking sight for the future. Society is destroying itself with negativity and its values and its beliefs.

Unless society changes the way it thinks and acts.. Majority of our future will be surrounded in war with ourselves and everyone else around us. We will kill our own self esteem. We will struggle unless we begin to look at what we need for the future to make us greater. To further propel us into a position to dominate the direction of our future and not have your future dictated by someone else.
Visionaries understand both the past and the present but also know what is needed and required for the future. They understand how to solve all the current issues that plague society because their not allowing opinions and expectations dictate their direction. They're more focused on fixing society and doing what feels right to them to be worried about other people's opinions.

People want to put a wall up and stop those that they don't approve of. They'll shoot down any dream that society doesn't like. That includes your friends and family. Nobody is going to support you as much as you can support yourself.

So you can't count on outside help or support to get you to the end zone. Nobody cares.
Too many people will see this and ignore it because its perceived weird and wrong to like this. But if it was your best friend or something you probably would. I find that interesting. You're not interested in supporting something more important that is not some bullshit status about some food or like for an inbox bullshit.

Too many people on the internet talk a lot of shit about absolutely nothing and people consume themselves in bullshit. Like materialism or social acceptance. But have the audacity to disregard the importance like it doesn't matter.
You would rather go out on the weekend and do nothing that helps your future. The only time you'll lift a finger for your future is to finish your structured education. You know that one dimensional education that doesn't help stimulate creativity or problem solving because all the answers are in your notes and in your books so you don't have to think.

Just like when you go into your workplace. You don't think. You’re a machine already programmed into the system.

Where the hell is your intellect going? Where is your creativity going?

You're throwing it away for $25 an hour or whatever for your "future". What future? Working for 40 hours a week to support a family in a system that doesn't give a fuck about you? That will fire you in a millisecond if you make a mistake or they can't afford to keep you around. That the system dictates your ability and potential by limiting your creativity ability to bring everything you have to the table.

Where is the flexibility?

You're trading your only luxury, time, for $25 an hour. Is your time really worth that much to you? But you're laziness and lack of creative ability that was destroyed by your education system has you stuck. Stuck in that $25 an hour job.

That is if you earn that much. Maybe you earn, maybe you earn less I don't know. But what are you bringing to the table? Where is your future heading? Is it where you want it to go? If it ain't, where you want it to be then what are you doing to change that direction for your future. For the future of you and your family.

The future is the most important period of time that should influence your present and be the reason you forget your past.

Society is heading into a period of time where limitless innovation and fresh ideas are becoming more and more common and unless you're attempting to create and distribute your ideas to the world, you'll find yourself fighting the million other individuals attempting to take your position and can. Unless you offer something more than just your presence. That you're not just a robot. But an intellectual human being that is able to be creative and is completely limitless.
Kanye West has always been a voice relatable and useful to help express the intentions for the visionaries, creatives and artists.

The fight for the future and ourselves should begin the moment you hit the real world at birth. The time is now for you to become the greatest you and cement your position as an achiever and not die as a slave.

Journey of a Lost Soul

A life of confusion where finding yourself is like being stuck in the desert with no water and you're hoping that maybe sooner rather than later, you would find your oasis but to your dismay it is only a mirage.

The life you so wish to figure out has not only gone from finding yourself from within but finding your path to enlightenment in the real world. A world that was full of contradictions, ridiculous expectations and standards that people are made to believe in. But not me, I had set myself a task to find my own unique path. One that did not rely on the opinions of others or one that followed others. It was a journey for me to find the inner me.

But I didn't understand what society wanted from me. They wanted to ostracise somebody for following their own divine path. A society of nobodies wanting to keep you from being somebody. Like it was cool to be nobody, doing what nobodies do. But how could you stop the whispers from those who didn't know any better? Would it be wrong to doubt if you could do better? Or would you prove to the world that you could do it. That you had what it takes to keep your dreams alive.

These were the questions I would ask myself. Repeatedly. Daily. Like some kind of new
cult ritual.

See, what I found was a little bit of dreams were in my nightmares and a little bit of nightmares in my dreams. A little laughter in the screams and a little bit of screams in a little laughter. A little bit of love in a heart full of hate and a little heartbreak in a heart full of love. A little bit of you in a tiny bit of me and a little tiny bit I could find in you. A little bit of us in a little child and a little child you could find in us. A little bit of a failure in success and a little bit of success in our failure. Welcome to a life of contradictions.

You could be anywhere in the world trying to find yourself and you would find that sadness in the happiness and a little bit of tears in the corner of the eyes as they smiled. That was the journey we so destined ourselves to take. But could we complete it without the death of one another is still yet to be seen. A journey between you and me.

One that lead me across the world to find that the lost soul still had some travelling to do. That finding yourself wasn't as easy as seeing what life was like in Paris or what family you could find in Serbia. What history could be found in Germany, Berlin or Hungary. Thats just history. Everyone has a story that isn't yet over and still needs to be completed to see the end product.

We are all at our own point of development and discovery. We are evolving. We are changing and adapting to a new world. No day is the same as the last, yet we sometimes discover something old, new or rediscover what we once knew. We lose our ways trying to adapt to a crazy world because we lose who we truly are through the impact others have on us. But will we find ourselves again or will we be lost. Lost forever? Only God knows.

A journey to finding me right here lost in the eyes of the world but not lost in the hearts that truly mattered.  In which that would be mine.  One that lead me to know if I had to set quest to find the real me. The mountain had beckoned me to begin. Only I would know what i'd find when I eventually make it to the top.

The spiritual me.

Let the story continue.. 

Poetic Atonement

7 months ago my life changed. This is a testament to that moment in a crowd of people that I felt this was my next stage in my life.

Life is about moving forward and moving in a direction that isn't necessarily the easiest route to go. I took a chance on life and I ran with it. I wanted answers to my situations that I've endured over the last few years but everything has its place, every person has their position.

People change like the seasons but everything, everything happens for a reason.

You put up with everything i've ever done.
I made mistakes and if i'm honest, i'm not the only one.
I wasn't able to be clean from the moment.
I'm not on drugs but right now this is my atonement.

If you love someone, you would love them even if they had hurt you.
Expression is the art so I let my words speak to you.
They tried to take me away and throw away the key.
I wanted to be left alone and let be.

Life is hard when you can't get it right.
But as long as I keep trying, i'll be alright.
Life can be stolen in one night.
But this is the night I'm brought back to life.

To this day, I've written my name so you wouldn't forget it.
I wrote about my life so you'd know I never forgot about it.
I never wanted to be the same man that the world knew.
I wanted to take it back and change it too.

To travel is to live,
But what am I if my heart is racing yet I'm not breathing.
Does it mean I'm alive?
Never in the same position twice.
I just want to get it right, not lie about it twice.

Poetically I'm in love,
With the world and a million other girls.
I just couldn't lie about how I thought of you.
What is love if I'm not with you?

What if life took away everything?
Would it still mean everything to have nothing?
I guess we may never know,
Until its over and the sun sets and it begins to snow.

This isn't about a relationship,
I've had too many that have sunk like the Titanic ship,
Its the love I had for where I was going,
What I had been trying for years to be doing.

I gave everything to where I was going,
I gave it all up just to be chasing,
Beautiful nightmares or ugly dreams,
I'm trying to get money, I'm trying to make that cream.

Now this is my time,
Time to make my life mine,
Free from the chains,
Now I'm free to dance upon the rain.

Creative Outlets

I don't update my blog much, but I guess every now and then its okay.

So i'm currently focusing on getting another creative outlet set up to fulfil more aspects of my passion. Which I couldn't be any more pleased about. But in saying that, I have multiple facets of expressing my creativity, emotions, thoughts and ideas between multiple platforms of blogging.

But currently that's not enough. I want to create platforms for my music expression which I think would be great and my current venture at the moment involves designing. I want to create visual images around my take in life as well as giving both vocal and visual aspects to it. In time, all my ideas will come to light and i'll be sharing my journey through my blogs and social media profiles. Maybe even some other forms of expression in the future.

Innovation and design has been important to me since I was a child. Looking back, I thought that a desk job was my only option but I knew it didn't suit me. I thought owning a cafe/restaurant was a realistic dream at like 8 years old was cool as hell. But that sort of faded and my first school project about business was a property development company. I even had like these cool concepts and I was 15 at a time. It then went into the entertainment, fashion, technology and even the beverage industries.

So growing up I had been through about 7 different industries and it was crazy because I didn't know where I felt like I belonged and that was tough. Especially considering I had certain passions that were met in each industry and I'm wondering which caters to my needs the best.

That's I realised that I was interested in creating customer experiences. I wanted to be in entertainment, I wanted to design. I wanted to create a multi-facet outlets that focused on an overall great flowing customer experience. Thinking outside the box was my strong suit and my love for new innovation and design felt fulfilled.

So it left me with no option but to work for myself on myself. Who could give me more of a creative outlet than myself? So I just put up my own blank canvas and I started painting my vision.

I guess everyone will have to wait to see my masterpiece come to life and all the aspects of my vision becoming a reality. One step at a time is how you reach the top of the staircase. This is my journey.

Only God Knows

You never know what the future holds because nothing is guaranteed. Love is such a beautiful thing to come across that it can be a fixation that burns within your soul. 

That's why you must take every single day at a time focusing on a better you and being in love with oneself and insecurities. 

Love merely brings two individuals to become one. Two halves to make a whole. We are constantly in desperate search for our other half and this can lead to our demise. Heartbreak is inevitable chasing our infatuations rather than chasing our passions. If we are passionate about one another we can conquer the world. But only when the time is right. 

When the time is right the stars will align and you'll find your soulmate. Things aren't great right now if you're single but in time when you are truly ready you'll end up being in the arms of the one you are meant to spend the rest of your life with. 

Certain situations have a tendency to fall apart for a reason, if you have a broken heart you have it for a reason. This is your time to learn and mend while you meet with other amazing people who will love you for you. No need to impress, no need to chase and no need to try and get them back. That's because they know what they have with you is special and they'll fight to keep you around for life. 

If you're in a relationship and you're madly in love, only fate knows if you will spend the rest of your life together. You've come across your significant other for a reason and if you want a relationship to end in eternal love then you must be both willing to go the distance. 

A love that is eternal is special, all you truly need is patience and it will come. It will come and never leave and that's a love worth keeping.

The Future

This is the what the future is gearing to. If you're not skilled or having dabble investments in multiple sectors, you will find it extremely push hard to push forward. 

Ideas now need to be gearing towards multiple sectors rather than to solely focus on one sector. 

For example, Apple who are the worlds most valuable company and second most valuable brand are one of the biggest innovative companies of the 21st century. They have not only focused on technology but design. The design being minimalistic simplicity. 

Originally, sold personal computer kits before branching out to software, computers, laptops, music players, music streaming, mobiles, apps and now watches. Bringing all aspects of technology into multiple facets for distribution. 

Now one of the most recognizable brands in the world and one of the leaders in the technology industry, Apple has taken in all aspects of technology as well as also focusing on the other aspects of their products to improve its overall appeal to its customers. 

This too can be found in Google, with all the technological advances that they have made that has surpassed its original concept, in order to stay alive and to thrive within the industry. 

The world needs both light and dark to merge together and become one. It requires the visionaries and the innovators to break down the walls of societies structural beliefs and merge multiple complexities to become a singular entity. 

This is the way of the future. You can no longer be part of the structure if you wish to thrive. 

Diversified combinations are the key for the steps forward. 

Never Sweat The Competition

Line from Kanye's verse on "All Your Fault"

I've never had to worry about my competition but my competition have always had to worry about me. You can't compete with someone if they can only bring a knife to a gun fight. You lose before it even begins and you can't even question how you've lost if you don't have an even playing field to begin with.

People are so concerned with fighting the new, that they forget what their advantage was what got them into that position in the first place, yet their competition had nothing on them. But that's down to ones ability to recognize their own worth and ability to be the best. 

The competition might want your spot, the competition might want your position and hell, they might even get it. But your position wasn't able to be fulfilled the way you filled it. The way that it needed to be filled to become irrelevant. But you're so concerned about who you compete with you that you forget your spot is your spot. 

I would fight to keep my position but then I'd be too focused on the smaller aspect of my situation and what I learnt was your competition can steam roll you if you're not working on the bigger picture and not letting you keep building upon you and your brand. 

They'll find a weakness in your armour and they'll pry it open to get to you, they'll stab you where it hurts and then they'll look to inflict more damage if possible. I don't let that happen to me because as soon as I give the ability of control away they'll use it to neglect your wellbeing and your dream. I worked too hard to be phased by those who hadn't worked the hours I've worked or as hard as I've worked to be here. 

Not to mention, the harder you work, the harder it is to focus on other factors of your life which require attention. So when individuals show that they're interested in being part of the team and show the willingness to work on your projects with you then you can't say no. More hands make light work. 

I'll never settle for easy, its like saying your effort was only worth second place. But second place is the first to lose and I'm not okay with that. I fight for my place in the world and no one can take it away from me. Only those who don't realize your worth are the ones to lose when you're the real winner. The industry is hard, they'll recognize certain individuals for their efforts due to being favourites yet those who should be rewarded are neglected by the system because they can't bare to see you win. 

But if you already know that you're the winner, the industry becomes the loser in the situation. But so many people fight for recognition like it matters. The throne might contain the spotlight but when you  work this hard, you begin to realize that the spotlight isn't on you for a reason. 

We can steal the spotlight by yelling what about me but at the end of the day, you've got more work to be doing and the spotlight will eventually come at the right time for you. Regardless of the circumstances if you know you're worth and perfect your craft how can you worry about other people's opinions? They'll only take away from your belief by insinuating you're not good enough. But the industry already knows, the spotlight knows, the world knows. They'll keep crowning jokers until the king is ready. 

And we all know, those who aren't made for the job, can't keep it. They can't do it as well as someone who knows what they're doing, knows how to touch the hearts of their people and can move their kingdom forward. 

Awards, don't hold weight when people know you're not the right recipient and the trophies won't matter if you're being the best you. Focus on yourself and not on the competition. Focus on the details that separate you from society and the reward is seeing how far you've been able to progress yourself and your dreams. 

Blossoming Love in a Dark Room

In collaboration with @elegantvisionary on Instagram 

---

Darkness had evoked my life. Doubt of finding love ever again seemed unimaginable. I had accepted the fact that my bed would be empty with my heart spending eternity yearning for another. I had become a rose in a dark room waiting for you to resurrect the passion and that's when you came to me.

It wasn't planned, it wasn't written, it wasn't scripted. I had climbed out of the depths of hell to be with you in the heights of heaven. I could see the world again in a new love. In a love that I could finally share with you.

I had been appreciated as the rose I had always been. Covered in a little dirt but you saw the potential in me girl. No longer a weed in a diminishing love story but a rose in a new fairytale.

Love can now blossom once again.

---

...and then my life changed when I met you. For the first time I saw something so incredible, so radiant, so brilliant, and so intriguing - that I found myself mesmerized by you. You were the person I wanted to share every breath, every memory, every smile with. I was prepared to love you with my being. To support and trust and cherish you. You made me realize that life is and can be so much more, with you.

For every crevice in your hear that I won't be able to mend, I will offer a new opportunity for it to be imbued with love. For every caress, whisper, and fascinating thought, I will give you the world. My affection for you has become raw and powerful because you have opened up a sensation of transfixing and intoxicating wonder in me. The depth of your mind has become my affinity. Allow me to explore you for as long as I have you.

Young Love Grows Old

I haven't wrote a blog in awhile. It's long overdue but if you follow on me on Instagram (@jrerdeg) you'll see constant streams of consciousness of ideas, creativity, motivation and love.
After going to the Drake concert in Melbourne, I had realised that I had been on a trip back through the last 7 years.

I had been through the same process of maturity from being young and vulnerable as well as in love, to the slow progression of having a mentality where life is for the taking and that confidence knowing who you are.. it can make you or break you. I mean the journey of course.

Young love was beautiful but it grows old quickly, you can be very infatuated with the one you fell in love with but it can quickly turn around on its head. None more so then when I was younger.
I lost faith in the words of those I loved, it was no longer new and shiny. It had become a grim reality that those you love can hurt you even kill you. I had taken my love and let it burn like a candle in the dark and let it be my guiding light to my current position.

I had came from being smitten in love to someone who would constantly fear the worst then to a heartbroken man trying to piece their life back together again. That was one of the highest points in my life in terms of how I could develop and find myself.

That began my journey. My life didn't begin until 2012. In the last 3 years, I was able to develop hundreds of ideas, find my true calling, my passions, grasp an understanding of people and life in general and just build on me.

As a part of my transition into my new life, I had broken hearts. Thus starting a new lesson to learn from. Girls who were amazing in their own right but my focus wasn't there. I had regretted my mistakes and the pain that I caused to people I truly cared about. I just was too young to understand the implications of my mistakes. But it had its necessity for me to learn and grow from.
Later on, I had to go through another situation where it forced me to grow and expand my horizons. Or well highlight my faults. But at that time, I was on a high. A high that had been built over a 2 year period due to realisation that I'm a rare breed. It had taken me back down to earth to keep developing but still with a confidence level very similar to Drake's Worst Behaviour and Headlines.
I knew who I was, I knew who I am to become. I had been given a blueprint to greatness all from a love that had grown old but perhaps had become mouldy.

Now I'm at a point in my life where love has become a dance of uncertainty. Unsure of where the next move is to be, I want to move away to Paris or Milan and fall in love with the city. In love with the art, the culture, the people I had grown so fond of here in Melbourne, that I no longer know what it's like to start a new flame.

I need a new flame in my life to set me alight, even though right now i'm the burning man, its for a different reason. I guess its different seasons, the transition from summer to winter and now back to summer. Well, I mean figuratively of course. The snow is melting and the beauty of a new world has been opened up to me like the closet in Narnia.
I'm falling in love all again, but with my dreams not women. The passion I can no longer find in the game of love had been replaced by my dreams while I slowly find who is worth my last name.
But life changes when your focus changes, your attitude changes, your mentality and everything in between. It's amazing as well as it is scary.

You could never go back to who you were a few years ago because your growth had changed your perspective. I never use to be as creative or geared to creativity as I am right now. I didn't feel this type of passion nor did I feel its severity. Its become a new love to me, its a young type of love but a love that is timeless.

No matter how old it gets, it will always be relevant to me and my life.
I wish I could share my whole life and let you feel how I feel and see the world I see it. But it's impossible. Hence why my blog and my Instagram exist.

Every little experience that I've had to experience before this had become a domino effect that lead me here. The next few years are going to be difficult, with about 10+ projects to work on that are aligned with my passions. But she was right all along, I needed to focus on the dream.
I'd raise my glass to the future but i'd rather raise it to my accomplishments.

A visionary finally able to be set free his creativity. All thanks to a little love and Hennessey.
A drunken mess that lead to a hangover which helped me find the right storyline for my own fairytale.
A story written one chapter at a time, don't rush me. I'm trying to get it right.

Je Suis Charlie

On January 7th, 2015 a horrific terror attack on the offices of the satirical Charlie Hebdo, located in Paris, which had left 12 people dead.  It was believed that it was in response to the magazines depictions of Muhammad that had lead two men to open fire on unarmed employees at Charlie Hebdo. Another 5 victims were killed in two more linked incidents over the following two days.

This sparked the debate about the freedom of speech in art and mainly in the freedom of speech. We are all entitled to our own voice without the fear of being threatened or killed and rightly so. Must we censor ourselves to satisfy every individual to the degree where we no longer speak as we live in fear of offending another human being.

It's a tough debate as we appear to be less and less censored of sexual content, violence, drugs and terrorism but are told what is deemed right and wrong in what output we give out to the rest of society in order to express ourselves.

If we cannot express ourselves freely, how is it that our children are exposed to such atrocities, that 10 years ago would be appalling to the whole of society. Nowadays we have become desensitised to such content due to its prominent features in our news, tv shows, movies, games and discussions to the point where it is completely normal behaviour.

So how is it that our own mouths have to contain a certain amount of censorship in order to not upset others but our desensitisation to much more damaging content than words.

When our ideas, values and beliefs are challenged, we feel the need to go on the defensive. Which really becomes an offensive approach, which causes the situation to become a battleground where both individuals/groups will fight until the death or before one becomes the bigger person and lets it go.

This has become the case in France. Sadly, 17 people were killed over three days as a result.

Canberra Times' political cartoonist, David Pope

Freedom of speech needs to be allowed by everyone and the words taken with a grain of salt. It is simply empty words, that pierce our armoured exterior and penetrates the ego. Let the ego be unfazed by the opinions and comments of others, we know our value. We know who we are. We know what we believe. So how do we let others dictate our beliefs and values to fit their own views? Why do we hold so much value on the opinions of others, when majority of these people are strangers?

This is our problem that we need to confront and understand. That we ourselves have control of our own actions. These actions are the only aspect of our life we truly have control of. This includes our thoughts and feelings. No one can dictate to us how we can feel or what we can think. Even our actions cannot be governed to an extent. We shouldn't let those around us have any value into the negative impact that may have in our lives.

Our reactions to these events truly give us an insight to who we are as people. The more reactive we become to these events in a negative manner, the harder we can turn it into a positive. You see there are two things that happen in a tragic event. It can bring awareness and it can bring division between the two different opinions.

The way to bring together the two parties is through mediation and discussion. We cannot keep fighting fire with fire. Diminishing the other side until they have no other option but to comply and surrender. We need to meet a peaceful resolution that involves understanding and compromise.

However, for as long as we have hate in our hearts and love in our minds, we will never be able to function as a collective human species. If we begin to love one another and shun the differences in opinions and act like these opinions are only valuable to the individual and not society as a whole, with others opinions not having even the slightest affect on us, will freedom of speech and freedom itself can set us free.

True freedom in all aspects of life will only be possible once THE PEOPLE decide it is time to come together and become one with another. Accepting each other as family and that there is more then one way to skin a cat. It doesn't have to be your way, but that's okay.

There should never be a gag in the mouths of the people, for the words of a man, may be the only way to find a more prosperous life for all of man kind. Not dictated, not fought with guns but shared ideals of the common man striving for the betterment of all, and not of a few.

“Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear."

Harry S Truman, 1950

“When you tear out a man's tongue, you are not proving him a liar, you're only telling the world that you fear what he might say.” 

George R.R Martin 

"Je Suis Charlie"  is French and translates to  "I am Charlie" . I demand freedom of speech. I demand freedom of expression. I stand by the innocent victims of Charlie Hebdo attacks. I stand by every individual who is creative who wishes to express themselves without fearing backlash. I stand by those all around the world who are affected by terrorism. I stand by those who rally against terrorism. 

I AM CHARLIE.

2015 The Year of The Gentleman - 12 Ways To Be The Ultimate Gentleman

What we strive to be in everyday life should be better people. Our new years resolution should involve being more loving, more caring and focusing more on the positive aspects of life in 2015. So I thought it would be best if I wrote about the way men should present themselves and hold themselves coming into 2015. As growing up does not necessarily lead to a boy becoming a true gentleman.

Being a gentleman does not evolve from the outside but rather from our own innate beliefs and values. These values and beliefs are not necessarily taught through schools or from parent and are required to be self learned. 

I for one, am far from perfect however I continually look for ways that I can improve and I feel like it would be fitting sharing this with others in hopes that 2015 heads in the right direction of progression.

As we look at society as a whole we tend to find many issues with the way men conduct themselves, that is not to say, that women are perfect. No, far far from it. With the younger generations involving themselves in equally reckless behaviours including unsafe sex, binge drinking, drug abuse and other risk taking behaviour on both sides. I want to look at 12 ways that we can start off on the right path and progress from boys to gentlemen in 2015. 

1. Respect 

As gentlemen, it is expected that we respect ourselves and others around us. In saying that, we must dress appropriately and in a manner that shows we respect ourselves and respecting those who we come into contact with. 

We must respect everyone, including females and other men. Regardless of whether these individuals respect themselves, a true gentleman does not lower his standards to others. He does not cuss, he respects everyone and he does not degrade another male for the pleasure of himself. He respects and listens to the opinions of others including those who do not agree with him. 

2. Manners 

Goes hand in hand with respect. Knowing whats acceptable in certain situations is down to education, for most manners are unspoken. A true gentleman says please and thank you, looks someone in the eye when they are speaking or are spoken to by someone else. He holds himself in good posture and again,  avoids swearing. This also includes taking other peoples feelings and emotions into consideration when making decisions, in your actions and in the way you conduct yourself. 

3. Integrity

Stay true to your word. If you make a promise keep it. There is nothing worse in this world than a man who says he will do something and doesn't do it. This also includes being loyal. Remain loyal to your friends and your woman. 

4. Chivalry 

Chivalry separates the gentlemen from the boys. A true gentleman holds the door for his woman, he pays attention to the little details of his woman and he makes her feel like a queen. 

5.  Well Presented

I did mention this in respect but its that important that I had to highlight it. No woman wants a male who looks like he just crawled out of bed to take her out. Focus on the details. Be well groomed and dress appropriately for the occasion. Being well presentable shows that you take pride in your appearance and thats a must for the proper gentleman. 

6. Be On Time 

Being on time shows that you respect the other persons time and that you're not selfish. If you are running late its important that you let the other person know that you're running late and when you arrive apologise for any inconvenience that you may of imposed on the other person. 

7. Show Interest in the Other Person 

No one likes to listen to someone talk about themselves for hours on end. Show that you're interested in the other persons life regardless of whether or not that you are. Its polite. Ask them questions about their family, career and any interests that they may have. You never know you might find that you have a lot in common. 

8. Be Confident But Remain Humble 

No one likes someone who is full of themselves. Believe in yourself and what you want to achieve but never let it get to your ego. Egos are left at home where no one can really see them. Being confident involves speaking clearly, projecting positive body language but not having to be loud. Confidence is shown through your body language and not through your voice. Once you start talking about yourself, it becomes more arrogance than confidence. Turn the volume down. 

9.  Remain Composed 

Composure is key. Being able to keep control of yourself and being able to keep calm is one of the hardest things to master when you're being put in a situation where you are confronted with a difficult situation. However, this includes getting drunk. You don't need to be completely blind and off your face to have a good time. Drinking responsibly and staying away from drugs is a good idea. This allows you to make sure that you're being respectful, well mannered and presentable. 

10. Raised Values and Standards 

Knowing what you want in life shapes your life. If you settle for mediocre behaviour from your friends, women and yourself you will ultimately never have anything great. Act appropriately, increase your vocabulary, don't try and hit on every girl that you see, respect them. Don't sleep with just any girl, numbers are for your ego not for you. Outline who it is that you wish to be, what sort of values and standards you want to have. True gentlemen have high standards. 

11. Remains a Life Long Learner 

A gentleman does not cease learning once his education is finished. He seeks knowledge for the duration of his life through books and experience. He looks to progress himself in all aspects of life and does not believe that there is such thing as too much education. 

12. Has a Positive Outlook on Life 

Our energy shapes our thoughts and our actions. Being positive allows us to keep happiness and laughter in our conversations. No one likes seeing someone with a frown and a poor attitude. 

In essence, a gentleman has strong core values that are not based on selfishness or greediness. He gives respect to every individual he encounters and understands that everyone has an opinion. He avoids conflict as much as possible and will only resort to physical violence when necessary. A gentleman holds himself with great pride and speaks passionately. They never take advantage of poor situations and respect the feelings and views of others. He does not aim to impress others but is completely selfless in his actions, he has no ulterior motive. But most importantly, he knows how to respect and treat women. 

It is time that all men strive not to act like boys, but to become gentlemen in 2015. That when a fellow male acts in a non-gentleman way, he speaks up and educates his fellow male in the proper etiquette of the way he should conduct himself.