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Hero: a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal (dictionary.com).
A hero is someone who you look up to and admire, a personal hero being someone who you aspire to be like, perhaps, or just who has had an impact upon your life. Heroes come in many shapes and sizes. Family and friends are the obvious choices, and perhaps some inspiring historical figure (though that is slightly less personal, I guess). For me, my family and friends are obviously an inspiration and are obviously heroes to me, but a special mention also goes to 4 simply amazing guys, who have actually led to me meeting some of the best friends ever.
MADINA LAKE and THE RIVER CREEPS
Yesterday, I was lucky enough to see Madina Lake, yet again. Queuing up outside a venue with a bunch of people you originally met online, or (in fact) you haven't really met at all yet, may not seem like everyone's idea of fun. For me, though, there really is nothing better. The days I spend queuing, followed by the nights I spend gigging, are some of my very favourites. At a gig, I can be completely myself. Everything else is forgotten, I'm totally free. And that is due to Madina Lake. It may seem crazy for some people, but Madina Lake really are a huge part of my life. Most of my money seems to go on them, a lot of my friends I've met through them, and without them I wouldn't be the person I am today. I genuinelly cannot find the words to describe how being at one of their gigs feels, or even just listening to their music. There are no words to possibly explain how much they mean to me. They teach about respect, about not judging others, and they can relate to a lot of things that I, and many others, go through etc. On top of that, they are some of the most lovely, and hilarious, people I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
This post hasn't been the most articulate, but sometimes words just aren't enough. Really, I'm just giving a massive shout out to the River People, and telling everyone who my personal heroes are. You may not get it, but don't diss it.
RPs for life. <3
What is home?
1. Place where one lives.
2. Place where one was born or grew up.
Already the term is somewhat ambiguous. Why? Because 'home' is different for all of us. 'Home' is a feeling, rather than necessarily a fixed place. According to the dictionary, it seems that one could have more than one home...the place where one grew up, where their history or family are, and the place where one lives. When speaking about home to one of my friends once, they told me that home was them, their home was wherever they were, dependent on who they were with and the safety they felt. I guess this makes sense. Instead of being a fixed location, home is somewhere comfortable. At 'home' you can be completely yourself. You're safe from harm and around people or things that you love. 'Home' doesn't have to be an impressive structure with big screen TVs and voice-controlled lighting. I am of the belief even a box can be a home, a sanctuary for you to be at peace and reflect, for you to laugh and joke and be completely free.
Later today, I will be on a presumably full National Express coach back to what I call 'home'. I'm going back to where I grew up, where my family reside, so that I can have early birthday celebrations with them. Of course, I have come to realise that I also find myself calling university 'home'. I live here for part of the year, I am comfortable and happy here. I feel safe amongst some of the best friends I have ever known.
What's home for you? I figure it's not necessarily where your family live, where you grew up. A town or house is not a 'home' if you don't have that feeling of homeliness when you're there. Home is wherever you make it, wherever feels right. I'm lucky, in a sense, that my home is so straightforward. However, when I stop to think and reflect, I notice that it is not as straightforward as it once was. I'm not a child anymore, home isn't somewhere I run to after school to play with my dolls or cry my heart out over the latest horrific maths encounter. The meaning of 'home' is changing for me, and I know that I will soon have so many. But my true home, I believe, will probably always be where my family are. It's where I can run to, no matter how old, and get a hug from my mum or dad and the naive reassurance that everything's going to be just fine. And I know it will be, because I'll always have that place to run to, as if it were a problem just as simple as a maths problem from primary school.
Of course, the question then becomes 'What is family?' a group of parents and their children. one's spouse and children. one's children. group descended from a common ancestor. No. Blood doesn't always equal family. Families, like homes, come in all sorts of different forms. Family is not necessarily your ancestry. Family is home. My family is the more traditional kind. There's a mum, a dad, 3 wonderful yet slightly deranged offspring. There's grandparents and aunts and uncles and cousins. But there are other people who I consider family too. They are not blood relatives but they're still family. Like I said, family is home. Family is who, no matter what arguments occur, will always be there at the end of the day. Real family can be blood relatives or friends or anyone who you feel completely and utterly safe around.
'Home' for me then? It's somewhere you run when there's nowhere else to go. It's full of love. Not all homes are the traditional kind. Some are made up of groups of friends, some are just that falling apart backpack you take with you from place to place. But in the end, the feeling is the same. It's safe, it's happy and it's always there. <3
Once again, I am motivated to do something semi-productive, like start yet another blog, in the hopes of making myself feel somewhat creative and as if I'm making a difference and speaking out to the world...when really I'm just like every other hopeless and idealistic 18 year old blogger with no life. Excuse the ramblings, they're not all that impressive. Unlike everyone else on the web, though, I'm willing to admit to this fact, along with the fact that I'm saying all this stuff because in my mind it sounds so aimlessly cool. In reality, I'm nothing special, no different to anyone else trying to prove themselves as something offbeat and totally dedicated to the cause (whatever 'the cause' may be that week...). I'm as apathetic as the rest. In fact, I'm worse, because I so often claim not to be.
What even is "Kill The Knave"? A half-hearted attempt at sounding interesting and cutting edge? Me trying to be different, unique and clever all at once by using some abstract concept that even I am unsure of the meaning of? According to the Collins Pocket Dictionary lying conveniently to my left, 'knave' can be used to describe a 'dishonest man'. So I'm wanting to kill said dishonest men? Well, perhaps. Or, more likely, I just value the virtue of honesty. And that is what you'll see right here. My blog, probably quite rarely updated, will be one of honesty. I'm not one for bullshitting about what an amazing person I am (by, ironically, claiming to be completely the opposite), I'm not one to crave attention by pretending to be different whilst actually being exactly the same. Or maybe I am, seeing as I've fallen into the trap of creating another blog and becoming just another cliche. I think I sound clever with these words, when really they're just words...beautiful words that make no sense, because that's the point. If something doesn't make sense, it's clearly because it's 'cool', 'original' or 'clever'. No. This is just me. This is my blog. I'll talk like a mentalist but it will all be true. And what's truth? See 'true'. in accordance with facts. genuine. faithful. exact.
Kill the dishonesty, speak what's true. <3
