Rachel M Everitt

Time

Think about this next coming year differently. In the year 2100, someone will think to themselves, "I wonder what it was like for people in the 20's. I can't believe they lived through that." Some dooms-dayers will say that there won't even be a 2100 with how things are going, but it's nice to hope. That's another thing, we can only have hope for the future. There are many stories and fables teaching us to be positive and have hope, but not to focus too much, to where you miss out on what's going on around you. You will never be who you are, where you are, how young you are ever again. You will change, in fact everything about you will change. Perhaps not your inner core values, and behaviors, however, years from now you'll think to yourself "Wow, I did that. I was so young and naive, and so very stupid! I would never do that now!" Be honest with yourself, looking back at a younger you, say 13, there were words that you could say and they didn't mean the same thing as they do now. Things change, you change, society around you changes with the younger generations. Apparently, with each generation, we are becoming more and more sensitive to others. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because it shows that we as a society, are trying to create a respectful place, and a safe place for everyone to express their religion, and beliefs and themselves freely without fear of being rejected. I think we've come along way. Heck in 2009/2010, the phrase "that's so gay" was common among young kids. It wasn't a jab at the potentially homosexual community around them, it was just a saying that someone somewhere started in an effort to say "that's so lame" in a different way. With Generation X, that was smothered out practically immediately. And now for the bad. We as a society in America, act differently than most countries. Ask any foreigner how they think that Americans act, or to describe an American and they will try to give you an image that may or may not be close to the truth. Now I'm not saying being different is bad, in fact, I'm practically the black sheep of my family because I'm so different, but if we aren't careful in trying to censor ourselves, we just might throw out the constitution. Freedom of Speech is a core value in this country. As awful as it may sound, the base beliefs of the Constitution were set up to let anyone believe, and say whatever they want while being treated as an equal. And practically do anything they want. There are laws limiting that so there isn't absolute chaos. So if someone wants to be a "witch on wheels" as my mother so lovingly would say, then that is their right as a citizen of the United States. If someone wants to donate their earnings for the month that is that person's choice and right as a citizen. If someone feels as though the politician isn't doing his job, then it is their right to protest peacefully near the courthouse. The moment that we as a society start smothering people's voices, and opinions, is a moment where we take a step in making an unhealthy suppressed vocal society. Which infringes upon the Constitution. It is a good thing to want a safe place to express your unique self, but you can not shove any type of belief down anyone's throat. You can not smother others. At least you should not. With this coming year, who knows what is to come to pass, who knows what will happen to you personally. All we know is that someday, we'll think back to our time in the 20's and say to ourselves "Wow, I lived through that. I did that. I can't believe that happened to me." In both a positive and negative connotation. Bad things will happen, that is a guarantee. But so are good things. And change. Everything will change. So here is to our roaring 20's, may they change everything.