In Other Words

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”- Anais Nin

This quote describes life perfectly. When I read a poem or watch a movie, it doesn’t matter what someone else thought of it. The feeling I get comes from my own experiences and personality. I relate to everything differently than the person next to me does.

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”- Albus Dumbledore

Couldn’t resist a Harry Potter quote. I dream a lot. Daydreams, sleeping dreams, nightmares. Then there’s the goal-like dreams. All of these are important to me, but no one else will know and I won’t accomplish anything from them if I don’t live them out.

“Without the dark, we would never see the stars.”- (please don’t hurt me) Bella Swan

This is just one of those quotes that really stuck out to me when I was reading the book. I feel like it’s under-appreciated. All Twilight fans care about is how hot they think Taylor Laughtner is. (Spoiler alert: EDWARD WINS. GET OVER YOURSELF.) Ahem. Anyway, I know my life would not be the same if not for the bad things that have happened and the trials I’ve been through. My past is beautiful to me, imperfect as it is.

“Don’t part with your illusions. When they are gone you may still exist, but you have ceased to live.”- Mark Twain

It’s the stories I make up, my imaginary friends, and my faith in the impossible that keeps me going. Without those, all I have left is gross reality.

“Time you enjoy wasting was not wasted.”- John Lennon

Sometimes I procrastinate on my homework, I sleep an extra hour or two, or I spend an entire day rewatching all the Harry Potter movies. The feeling I get from that- the relief, bliss, and joy- totally worth not doing my homework.

“Of course it is happening in your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean it is not real?”- Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, a.k.a. J.K. Rowling

My dad said something similar to me once. If it’s real to one person, then it’s real. Just because someone else doesn’t see it, that doesn’t mean it’s any less real to me. Half of my life only goes on in my head. I like that half better.

“I love mankind. It’s people I can’t stand.”- Linus, a.k.a. Charles M. Schulz

I’m a cynic. People stress me out, don’t make sense, and do stupid things. They worry me. However, I love the potential of mankind. I love the good things that people do, and I love being a person. I also love people individually, and I always try to understand why they make the mistakes that they do. They might bug me or disappoint me from time to time, but I could never stop loving a single one of them.

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.”- Ralph Emerson (Where’s Waldo? Ha ha, nerd joke. Sorry. Nevermind.)

He’s basically saying I have permission to contradict myself. I can’t not contradict myself. I might say something one day, learn something new, and say the opposite the nex day. Or it might be that I just believe in two opposite things, and each one can be attributed to a different situation. I don’t always have to make sense, which is good because I usually don’t.

“A man is what he thinks about all day long.”- Ralph Waldo Emerson

You are what you think. The stories I dwell on, the people I love, and the dreams I have make up my thoughts, and they make up my soul.

“God does not play dice.”- Albert Einstein

I don’t believe in coincidences. Everything happens for a reason, and if everything in my life connects, that just means I’m headed in the right direction.

~Armiella