Burning Heart

Hello everyone, Happy Year. It's still early enough in the year to say that right? Anyway, I wish all of you a much better and prosperous 2022. This year is believed to bring about changes and abundance. Which after the last 2 years is really needed. The world has definitely changed drastically in the last couple of years. Just think about how people have changed not only their routine but how they interact with one another. We're being told that we should deprive ourselves of one of our very basic needs. Human contact. We were told to isolate ourselves, and only interact from a distance. Even more strangely, actual physical contact. People I've been conditioned to be at the very least weary, if not afraid giving another person a handshake. We're being told it's necessary for survival, it has affected our health in another way. Think about why prisons put people in solitary confinement. They're taking away a person few pleasures while being incarcerated to interact with another person (and NO I don't mean like that). It has been proven that someone that is isolated from other people suffer serious psychological damage. The way things are going these days, it just kind of gradually sneaks up on people. It's like all of the new guidelines and laws that we are supposed to follow moving forward.

So as you may have guessed, I got the title to this entry from a song that was in the movie Rocky IV. Everyone that saw the movie is well aware of the political implications that we're going on at that time. Some even theorize the movie itself was instrumental in ending the Cold War. Truly on the fence about that one, I do know that movies you have a strong impact on society. However I can't picture of the world leaders' actions to move by Rocky's speech after his victory that they decided to end the fighting and put communism to rest. I know times have changed, do I have a totally changed? Many people are are cutting ties with friends and relatives because of conflicting opinions on what's going on in the world today. Many have even convinced themselves that other people don't deserve a voice. Which is basically implying that those people don't deserve freedom. So I'll ask you again, have times really changed? Or did they start to go back to the way things were years ago?

The lyrics to the song, performed by the band Survivor have direct references to what was going on during the Cold War. Many countries that were opposing each other even directly going to war, but they battled many other ways. And some of the lyrics have a more personal tone to them about what a person may be thinking seeing these dividing lines and trying to survive. Also the title itself is about determination. An even more difficult task these days after the changes of the past couple years. But life itself is a test, and many challenges give us the opportunity to overcome our difficulties. Easier said than done these days, as I already mentioned how Mental Health issues have been on the rise in the past few years. It seems like for many, the thrill of life is as distance what we considered normal life a few years ago. But we can't just blame the pandemic for that. People used to be even more excited and fanatical if you will. Can you imagine teenage girls screaming their heads off, breaking barricades and mobbing limousines like they did at appearances by the Beatles,Elvis,or David Cassidy? There was even a crowd so wild during one of Cassidy's shows that he was forced to stop touring due to several injuries and someone died. These things have happened recently of course. But not on the level they were in the past. And it's not just teenagers that have changed. Studies have shown that testosterone levels in Adult Men have decreased drastically in the past few decades. I know this all is depressing enough, but this is more about recognizing a problem in order to remedy it. After all how else can you? Not by trying to pretend they don't exist, that's for sure.

There is another song with a very similar title, Burning Hearts by Silverstein. The video starts out with a very powerful quote by President John F. Kennedy :

" Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."

Before watching the video recently, I mistakenly remembered this quote being said by Dr.Martin Luther King which seems like a quote he would use (He knew peaceful protests were the only solution,I wish more people would remember that) and of course today is the National Holiday we celebrate in his honor (yes, I know it's late in the day). Nevertheless, these two great Men did share the goal of change to rights and Liberty to all people. Until recently, I couldn't imagine people being denied entrance to places under threat of arrest. And this is how it was for every new ethnic group coming to America. There hasn't been a leader like Dr. King since, because he was one of a kind. We are in need of great leaders today to bring about change, the more the better actually. Simply because the threats against our freedom are global and being executed differently. Like I said, we are being encouraged to distance ourselves as much as possible and oppose anyone who doesn't comply. There is a great divide being executed between people and many are ok with it. Even after we are told we can go back to normal, people will still have these ideals engraved in their psyches and be weary about basic interactions with others. Especially new people. I know that's a bit different, but someone you don't isn't always a threat. That's why it's important to trust your gut and be intuitive (another thing people forgot they are able to do). It is just sad thinking of how many connections won't be made or those that have been severed by the events of the past few years. And for what? To give loyalty to a leader that probably doesn't have our best interests in mind? They are probably laughing knowing they are making people into marionettes. Or is it because we need to convince ourselves that we are right at all costs? Is that cost worth never speaking to a close friend or relative again? Despite all their qualities and all a person shared with another person, that doesn't matter anymore because of different beliefs. I don't think we should define each other on how we conducted ourselves these past few years. But it just is more of an example of the great divide within society and a much needed change.

Thank you all once again, I hope this year is prosperous for all you have in every aspect of your lives,

Nate,xoxo

Here is the video for Burning Heart,I figured the version taken right out of Rocky IV would give you a better sense of the message behind it.

Here is the Silverstein. Song I didn't get much into the song or its lyrics, but I urge you to watch the video because of its overall intensity in both the video as well as the song and lyrics.