A Generation Lost?

Of each generation or era there is a noteworthy distinction or rather claim that is recognizable from that period. The 'Flapper' 20's followed by the roaring 30's era, the 40's and 50's 'swing' time right into the 60's rise of the political conscious, the 70's freedom and love into the mark of the 80's hip hop culture that would without a doubt bring a type of awareness of a population forgotten, least understood. Without a doubt, in this make-up we can't forget the jazz age that brought to life a story in a poetic flow of notes characterized by a blue reflection of self often regarding the struggles of one and society--a relative breakdown of predominate societal norms in note. This era coming out of 1918 or so is perceived.. and taking a strong hold in some virtuous way in the following years. Even fast forwarding this time line to the 90's...there was something to remember. The music, the feel of still a certain carefree high. I remember. Each decade had a song, a feel, a thought; that unforgettable distinction of collective effort. It was something that felt real tangible even if it wasn't actually. Crisis came and went. People were motivated by purpose and by that token of conceivability, took action for what they believed in. Malcolm X Said it perfectly:

If you don't Stand for Something, You'll fall for anything.

In all of what I stated above...It begets me not when I think of the decade leading up to the concluding year 2010. What I've come to realize through my observation is simply our recreation of these past glories. It's almost as though originality has run dry. Our Style and fashion for example, have become clear grasp of the decades that preceded us (not taking away from the artist of new who are doing something to remember), Captions of thought in the process we cannot seem to discover, but instead, recreate into a "newer format" applicable to a generation that seems to be lost of values and the morals that once seemed so basic and innate. It boggles me that this generation is simply stuck in an identity crisis fighting to find some ground to stand on--separately of course...God No! We must fight together to stand as individuals.

PROCLAIM YOUR IDENTITY, IT IS YOUR 21st CENTURY RIGHT

would be our banner. But does this ideology of faith work for the betterment of society? This "Me" and "I" self existence. Without a doubt, this time has seen procured of in it's best distinction, the advancement of technology. The futuristic blueprints of the past glory days come to life through the breaking down of speed into an extreme recreation of fragments of time. The processing of sound into something amazing and profound---with today's technology we can here the distinction of the humming bird's wings down to the small slug crossing the pavement. It's a wonderful thing, really. But at what cost? I may talk in a matter of seconds to someone across the world, see them even...but yet, the world's problem have simply grown more complex in the most obnoxious of ways. We are understanding the very complex analytical analogies, but cannot appear to care or understand the well-being of our own next door neighbors. I'm frazzled by this and am wondering where did we all go wrong. On what cusp of time's degree did we decide to simply not care least it affected the intricacies of our lives directly.

I'm seriously perplexed. What did the generations before fight for? I'm pretty sure so that we couldn't completely sit on our asses with a thumb in our mouth waiting to be fed and burped. Perhaps I'm an old soul in a generation changing too fast for me to keep up. But I'm keeping up. I'm just perplexed nonetheless. Or maybe it's me attempting to understand myself better in order to better understand my use for humanity. Still, that rings of the Self Complex of my times...Ah and so I am of this time after all! *_*

In due credit to the fact of life that all things are possible. 2008 has brought about the era of President Obama. In all retrospect, that is this era's distinctive claim in the exploration of Identity. Who speaks for our culture best? Visions seen through as possibilities get realized. This time isn't the complete deadening, but rather in some greater respect it's an awakening. What the generations hoped for alas is coming about. Change. Never to be perfect, but change from the old into a kind of viable new.

-ciao

12:45 in the AM my thoughts are unsure, anxious and more willing perhaps to be something--anything-- more than what I am at the moment. It is one of those year in review type of things leading up to my birthday (God-willing). Another year to question my past motives, present situation and future endeavors, Allahu Alim. Often times that brings about hope and joy, but also lies the possibility of slight depression in all perspective. We will never amount to the total expectations of anyone else' aspirations more or less if we cannot arrive at a settle contentment that what we aim for most in life (the important things) have the tendency to be directly in our mist. I'm evermore striving for a clarity in this realization, I admit. In my own personal highs and lows of life, I think hopefulness has kept me at an acceptable sanity level, coupled with an passable dosage of faith. In my good nature to see the positiveness in most all situations, I'm determined I must view life and all that is contained within and outside of our humanly grasp as special discoveries. It is my constant that when humanity seems a failure with all of the bad (our doing, no doubt), than all of the good truly is a beautiful reflection of balance that Allah is the Al-Mighty in absolute control. It is my hope to ride stronger the waves of possibility, I can't stand to settle anymore than I have already. I honestly feel that I do have a lot in me to show and in the highest of hopes, make some effective change in an era of massive change made evolving ever more through the lens of our continuously evolving high tech/speed technology.

Just some thoughts, I'm off to bed now
-_- a

I totally have goosebumps right now.

Dear Ayesha,

It has been an undeserved passing of time since I've left a note-- much has happened such as random happenings, countless meetings, non sponsored observations, counter reflections and historical adaptations. From a walk down Park avenue to a drive down Fulton--From an exhibition to an inauguration--from an Alpine mountain to a community united. The things that bind us and the habits that used to divide us are succumbing to a question of functionality. From lay offs to payoffs. These are our times. The making of a nation through trial and error ready to define its own legacy. I counter the bubbles that many choose to live in, and smile when more each and every day are willing to break away in an eager readiness to be apart of a time of change. Day by day we trip and fall and still get back up and move forward stronger. Hope and faith are the wings that keep us balanced, while action is the force that beckons us to be better than we were before. I heard a wonderful quote to this extent: Today has to happen as it does in order that tomorrow can happen as it should. Simplistic. Love iT!

-Ciao

Happy 2009/1430!!! Yes That means it's a NEW YEAR (alreadyyyyyy!) Oh how insanely quick the time flew by. I have many of my own regrets for the year that passed, but I think the gain was greater, therefore out with the old and in with the new. I could remember when I was younger how anything in the 21st century seemed like light-years away. It just was not relevant to the reality of young people. It was like the equation of what you seen in the fiction movies...time travel, etc. And then we grow up and see all that had traversed since, and it brings back a longing for the past. A time when the days didn't only seem longer, but according to science actually were longer. The summers alone were these amazing parables of youthfulness. We've lost that luster. Why? I can remember the the fireflies and the butterflies and all the beautiful roses that grew in my backyard. Time was tied in immeasurable gratefulness. And then we grew up. The seasons have begun to melt catastrophically into each other and in effect dulling the senses of differentiability. Even the nightingale no longer knows its place. And the butterflies have moved on as have the many other expected observations of the seasons. Days and nights are shorter making a 24hr period the "real feel" extent of 12 hrs. That is the insanity of time passed by. No longer partying like it's 1999, but fast forward to the future you have to wonder what has become our time's song now? With so many one hit wonders...music is not even the same! Even I crave the classic flavor of the past when music made sense in all sense of the word. Beats were tight and lyrics clean and easy to follow least you should have to use your mind with the allegorical nature of what the music meant to you. Things made you think back then, you know...back in the day. We wished we could press a button to get us what we wanted faster, we dreamed of this future technology, the world at the grasp of a hand, but you know what...I know we would all press rewind in a heartbeat. Those were the days within the best of times ::sigh:: those were the days if only again, I could press rewind. Those were my days. (ok those born prior to the 80's and all that jazz, I will kindly excuse a polite roll of the eyes on this note!) It was fresh dopeness then. The games we played, the style we had, the rare emotion of living isolated from the drama of a humanity crying. Of course there was always the Do's and Don'ts, but that's okay because everyone made a political statement. People cared and young'ns had manners. In all audacity you had nothing short of some respect or another for yourself and for others. We didn't have the speed of connecting so quickly on the world wide web but it's OK...you were able to walk (steps ahead into the mid-late 90's) and make a snack while anticipating the connection at last with your friends online. version 1.0? yikes! but it still was dopeness. Because still we connected somehow 100x better than today, because time wasn't the only precious thing, people connection was. The unity in community is what made things real. We had our issues. They were black and white. Some unfair, but mostly alright. fast forward to today, someone of slightly darker pigment still can't catch a cab after a certain time as fast as their lighter brethren. It's the Human Stain. Still surprised? Ha. A problem of race less class that will forever hold the world at odds with itself. Last science confirmed, we had all of the same internals. Least Divine decree, we were all created equal, of the same mother and father, molded in a variance of clays none better than the other save by the level of faith for which only Allah (swt) knows best. However, we still argue and fight. To each its own. Time back in the day was still dopeness because our unity as a people to stand together for causes we actually believed in overshadowed our differences. In all the decades passed when people fought for something...anything...for GOD SAKE, people had the fight within and stood for something. Love in our generation is a true battlefield. Love of all kinds. From the past to the future, it is movement. We should be moving forward to accomplish great things. I love a quote of something which Elie Wiesel once said, and that is: This is the duty of our generation as we enter the twenty-first century -- solidarity with the weak, the persecuted, the lonely, the sick, and those in despair. It is expressed by the desire to give a noble and humanizing meaning to a community in which all members will define themselves not by their own identity but by that of others. Simplistic and ever more meaningful.

So, with Allah's mercy I've made it to 2009/1430. We have all made it to this point. What footprints of digression from the downfall of those before are we going to commit ourselves to change? Barack Hussein Obama, the first African-American (literally) has been elected the 44th president of the United States of America. That has made for some historical change. To a Year A New. A chance for us all to exhibit our best selves for the sake of our selves and others. May our characters be renewed as we reconstruct our resolutions. It is a hope that we don't just make promises, but instead that we follow through with passionate action. May our relationships of every kind strengthen and renew. May the dopeness of the pass grace us in the fresh future of present time. May we strive harder, reach higher, grow stronger, love longer, and become aspects of what we are ultimately aspiring ii be. To Friends. To Family. To Community. To what was lost, and all that has been found. To remembrance of those before us, and celebration of those in front of us. To Moments yet experienced and reflection of those passed. To life worth enjoying, and lessons worth serving. To the best of good times and the best of worst times. To gratefulness and thankfulness. To everything worth gaining and openness to opportunity of what will essentially be worth losing. To the empowerment of us all. To purified wealth. To joy and laughter, to sympathy and compassion, to empathy. To Trust and Truthfulness. To forgiveness. To Peace and Justice. To change. To a Healthy Us ReNewed another year--a chance to try again. AMEEN! Happy New Year to all and to all a good many nights. Move, Shake...Lets make it a beautiful one. Risk the opportunity to simply BE because we are all something special. Ordinary heroes, in everyday ways.

-a

1 am shock alert. I'm a little bit conflicted...yes, what else is new? So, I ride the grand Metropolitan Transit Authority relatively frequent now as I commute to the city for work. What kind? You know, no specifics. However, what amazes me and conflicts me all the same is the nature of human nature. It's interesting when your able to step outside of the shell of being and observe this. Really. You see every kind. The wealthy, rich, middle-class, poor, etc. and these dynamics mesh to create a metropolis of variation. Just observe the idea that we harbor of our own unique natures (me included), by stressing this through the multi-color ipod airplugs. green, purple, pink, blue, classic white. we whip out the iphones and blackberrys or as they have come to be known as the crackberry's, little leashes by which an employer may have access to you at all times. we yearn to show we have style over fadish fashion statements...often time failing at some point because we end up replicating someone or another (it's Ok! My mama loved to always say "there is nothing new under the sun" in other words, we really aren't THAT unique because chances are it has already been done before). We loathe at the opportunities afforded to others so easily because we seem to constantly work our asses off to achieve a fraction of the momentum (...or perhaps that's me hmm :-x). We strive to thrive on a revolutionary level. we strive to be something of greatness at least enough time to get noticed, hence the continuous overstated emphasis of "carpe diem," I vote fore Carpe Momento, to be perfectly frank. What is my point to all this? we Want to set ourselves apart, and yet, we are relative reflections of the the same exact thing. You know the quote...we all know the quote. "Be the change you wish to see" It's a take home point that to be anything more than average, we need to consider precisely the consideration of others. Of recent news, Palestine and Israel are at it in heightened levels. As a Muslimah, I can feel nothing short of hurt for my Muslim brothers and sisters, but as a human and a part of humanity, I can only feel pain for all my people relative to my faith or not. Why do we hate each other so much when at the end of the day we are only hating ourselves? So, my train rides...that's society in amends. It's change. perhaps because we are forced to be in the same confines by the nature of all needing to get where we are going, but we are in it together. Expressed or understated, we make a statement of the human condition by the mere extension of our presence. The honorable Anthony Kennedy once stated at a Stanford forum so perfectly:

"Our best security is in a world of ideas and a world of ideas must be concerned with the human condition."

So, I ask the question: how could we possibly bring about sincere ideas when we suffer at the hands of each other. we love the "self" concept it seems so very much that it's killing our perception of collective reality. I'm attempting to stay positive. You've ever read the classic "The catcher in the rye"? Well, main character Holden Claudfield in his vastly cynical and sarcastic nature, at the end of the day wants nothing more than to save those who couldn't imagine anything beyond their own lives...they were ready and willing to just jump and get it all over with. He would be the catcher waiting and ready to save them. I guess you can say I'm a bit of that optomistic fool. I'm uncertain, understandable sometimes, a little lost, but mostly just aiming for something I'm entirely unsure of at the moment.

Ahh! these are just my rants in this 1 am hour...I'm not even sure if they make sense, but then again. MY blog, sensible or not...subjective nonetheless.

Twelve / Twenty Six / Two Thousand and Eight

I'm sorry. I realized I have not properly introduced myself while yet I have already started my ranting entries. It seems rather interesting at the comfort level I seem to feel knowing the world can read my thoughts. You know, the ones that rack your brain as cast away ideas occasionally. Those little expressions you go "OH!" in the moment, because it comes across to you as genius. Yeah...all those and more. I have established this blog because those thoughts and ideas just seem to love to jump around this head of mines until I finally show them some commitment and just write already. Writing being one of my long time loves, I have failed to show it enough attention. Like reading. I used to do it so frequently as I am sure most have till life catches up or rather we catch up with age and slowly everything else begins to take over. That book that may have taken a couple of really great hours to read now in my case spread out over a course of umm...weeks. But I am getting back. I am falling back in love. I used to want to be a journalist...had it all envisioned. Ahh well this is a step I suppose. "Publish or Parish" goes the saying so what better 21st century start to that than blogging, eh? (no I'm not Canadian, I just rather love the quaint little accent lol). Just note, my introduction really will transcend in the lines of my posts. That is the best way to know me. As seeing is beliving...read the words not from my lips but from my heart in all entries to come. Perhaps you may find repetitiveness, but tis goes human nature at its best. Love it or leave me alone, least you should judge the individual I am. And I do stand as an individual in a pool of collective thought. Until my next engagement...Ciao bella

-a