Final: Goodbye Blogging World! :)

    There are so many different ways to view our world.  We as citizen of the world can choose to either focus on the bad and pessimistic views, or we can choose to see the good angle in things whenever we can.  As a college student, I am surrounded by constant reminders of how global warming is becoming a problem and that we must do our best to preserve sustainability.  It seems like, especially since I moved to Chico, I cannot turn on the TV, check my email, listen to the radio, or go on campus without somebody or something telling me that if I don’t act now, my children’s children’s children may not have a planet to live on!  Now, I am not saying that global warming doesn’t exist, or that everyone shouldn’t do their part, but is it really necessary for me to get scolded over and over for something that I didn’t do?  Yes, I know that I can help “save our planet”, and I am doing what I can, I just would like to every once and awhile hear about the good things that are happening to our planet.

            I choose to, I suppose you could say, float above all the hate and the impending doom that I hear all the time.  I am a citizen not of the “floating world” but rather a “floating citizen of the world”.  It may sound crazy, and maybe not altogether practical, but I insist on seeing the good side of everything.  Whenever my boyfriend of family member complains to me about something “terrible” and “frustrating” that has happened I always tend to point out that there actually is some good that has come from the event.  This, as you can imagine, gets me into a little bit of trouble every now and then, because most of the time, when someone is complaining, they don’t want to hear the good, and only want to hear the bad.  I cannot help myself.  I have, and always will be, the “peacemaker”.  I am told, that the reason I am the way that I am is because I am the 3^rd of 4 children, and God had to give my parents at least one, calm, and rational child.  I’m not sure if this is an accurate reason, but I suppose it IS a reason.

            Throughout this semester, and all the books that I have read, there are two authors that I found interesting.  Now, I cannot directly relate to either one of these authors, but, I do share a few personality traits.  The first author I would like to discuss is Kazuo Ishiguro.  I will relate mostly to his character Mesuji Ono, in his book An Artist of the Floating World, because I do not know the author well enough to relate to him personally.  The character of Ono, has had a slightly complicated past, that in a lot of ways did not help to improve his standing in society.  However, Ono does not choose to be ashamed of what he has done, because he knows that he made his choices in good faith.  Ono does wish that he could have known what the consequences of his actions would be, but everyone wishes, at some point or another that we could change a few things in our past.  Mesuji Ono chooses to look on the bright side of life, and see what blessings he has acquired throughout all of his misfortunes.  He is happy with what he has now, even though so many tell him that he should have had more. 

            Some may say that Ono is simply turning a deaf ear to his past, maybe even running away from his problems, but at the same time, Ono is very nostalgic about the past.  He really enjoyed his “glory days” and knows that back then, if the war had gone in a different direction, he would have been a hero.  The important thing though, for us all to remember is that we cannot always dwell in the past, we need to look forward and appreciate what he have.  This is where I can slightly relate to Ono, sometimes I am a bit nostalgic as well, but I tend to catch myself at it, and direct my gaze forward.  I believe that a very good way to describe it is the second to last sentence in the book.  “Our nation, it seems, whatever mistakes it may have made in the past, has now another chance to make a better go of things.” (An Artist…pg 206)

            Another author that I would like to relate to is Bharati Mukherjee, and her character of Jasmine in her book, Jasmine.  This character or Jasmine spends the whole novel looking for happiness.  She finds it a couple times, only to loose it again, and is forced to set off in search of it again.  Jasmine never accepts what is, she looks for what could be.  In order to fulfill her happiness, she makes a few selfish decisions, that hurt other people along the way, but to her, these sacrifices are worth it if it results in her happiness being attained.  Now, there are many qualities that I admire about Jasmine and how she pursues her dreams.  I love the way that she never lets herself get discouraged for too long, and always puts her happiness before others.  I would love to be able to achieve this kind of indifference that she has, but I am a little too conscious of what other people feel.  I think that because of where I am now, getting my degree and also since I am in a serious relationship, I tend to feel like I am a little trapped sometimes.  I know, that in reality, I am only trapped in invisible barriers that I have made for myself in order to assure that I “do the right and responsible thing”, but something inside me will always want to defy everything, and do only what I want.  In this way, I greatly relate to Jasmine, and very much admire her courage to do whatever she wants and not to worry about what others think.

            In the end, what I would like to accomplish is my happiness, as well as those around me.  Ideally I would like to do what I want, and have that also be what everyone wants me to do.  I am not so sure if that is a rational goal, or even an attainable goal, but I refuse to give it up, until I have at least given it a try.  I will continue to see the best in all of the worst and I will no doubt continue to annoy the one who don’t want to hear the good.  I suppose that that is just the way life goes, or as the French say, “Se la vie!”