To make one think, one must understand what it is to live, and what it takes to enjoy their lives. Sure you can buy a book that will give you ways for you to achieve your goals, because it will give you the confidence needed to take on the world. But the secret to life is only one thing; your own happiness. It is within one’s self, and you will find only true happiness.

If you find happiness and pleasure from the teachings of Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Buddha, Moses, and etc. than that is perfect. You are able to concentrate your feelings for a single cause. However there are 6.8 Billion people on this planet, and each person has their own soul and their own way of thinking, and it infringes in their personal passion for you to place your beliefs on another, so be respectful.

Humanity spends billions of dollars every year in propaganda and to find the source of happiness, through churches, books, artwork, seminars, and parks. But what makes you happy, that is the message here? Is it your family? Is it playing Xbox or Playstation? Is it walking in the woods with your long time buddy/dog? There are many many things that will make you smile when you really think about it. Your child’s laugh. The honor of serving your country, your community, or doing what is right when you see somebody getting picked on. And when you know what makes you happy and stop putting aside your emotions for fear of not being accepted, the fear of damnation, and etc. If you believe in God than you know his message for his children, is for them to be respectful to one and another and enjoy the life given to him. If you don’t personally believe in God, than as long as you follow the rules of society and find your happiness source, than you are living the life given to you by your parents. Because what makes your parents happy? Your own happiness.

It is very common in our culture to push our beliefs onto another, because what Person A may believe and finds the secret of life, Person B has a complete different point of view. To truly locate your inner self, you must remove the outside world and its influences. Set aside politics, set aside pop culture, and sit in absolute silence, and hear yourself, that voice within your head that may have been quieted by the fast high speed world we live in now. The media drowns you in horror of what is going on, your community pushes you to believe and follow a certain view, but when you are alone in a room, with no noise; what does that voice in your head say. Does it say, seek out acceptance at the sacrifice for what you believe, or does it say “Hi you haven’t heard me in a while, why don’t we pick up that book, or lets go enjoy time with the family?”

Depression is very high among the world right now, and it is because we feel that we have no say in the world, we are useless, and we don’t have that happiness we want, because it is considered undesirable by the society and its pulse for happiness and what is right. If you are really depressed, talk with a loved one you can trust, they will drop what they are doing if they really care about you. Depression is a black hole that there is no escape unless you can get a handle on the situation. To ignore this black hole, you will eventually be consumed by its raw power. There is many many people who thinks alike you, if you are gay and need a helpful hand, there is plenty of sites to find someone you can talk to. Are you getting bullied in school, or just throughout life for your beliefs, there is plenty more people in the world who are swallowing their feelings like you, and if you just speak out for some assistance, you will be surprised at how many people will come to your side. Are you a veteran who saw some horrible things in your day, and it haunts you, there is people who went through it with you, and others who have experiences of their own that can relate.

Know where to turn to in your time of need, there are masks such as drugs, pills, and alcohol that are just masks for the pain.

So I hope somebody has acquired some encouragement, some hope, and some uplifting feelings from this, if one person out of the 7 billion people on this Earth has realized there is more to life than sorrow, and helped them find a source of happiness they can turn to, than this was successful.

Take care world, be safe, be happy, and find your refuge of solitude from a world that is moving faster than we can handle at times. Sometimes it is best to just take a breath from the outside world, and focus in on your inner self and find that lonely voice, who will guide you to your true self. Listen to it.

Semper Fi,

Sgt. Johnson