Identity

"I have found many but, none are mine. In a world full of them, yours seems hardest to find. So I detached myself from the programs eyes, hidden from the TV, & radio’s lies. In loosing myself into myself, I found what matters most to me. Now I can walk with the robots and not be one of them..." - Mark A. Graff

Image to the human has become one of the most important factors in many peoples lives. Kids today are growing up being influenced by the media and television. They are seeing images that they desire to be. Money, women, and other material objects are flashed in a shallow attempt to boast about what one may have or own. Visions of violence and murder is all over the television, from the news reports given 5 times a day, to the programs created by the networks for entertainment. These images on television and the media help define and create identities of our youth. The sad part is that most become robots. They do not see how much of an influence all these images have. Our children never have the chance to create an actual identity or become free thinkers. They instead have been programmed and conditioned to accept the current world as reality, and just having to live in it as part of life.

I once knew a guy when I was younger and he was a very materialistic young man. Who isn't in their 20's? We never really became good friends as we should have because we were always trying to out do each other. Our image to the world was worth more than our friendship. Recently, another old friend of mine told me they saw this mutual friend. His exact words about me were, "I am better than him. I make better music and live a better life." After 10 years of not being around this person, one of his constant visions is to out do me. This is what society creates us to be. Our image is more important than some one's life sometimes. What really disturbs me is that people hold on to things like he has done towards me and it is truly what stops development of the human spirit. His drive to out do and be on top still is very strong. He is obsessed with the outside world that his own soul will suffer. That is what we call image. Looks great on the outside, but it is worth nothing on the inside.

I believe that many act hard or portray this false image of themselves because they are filled with fear. Our children are the ones I see the most taking on identities to hide who they really are. Scared of what the world may think of them. We recently went to an amusement park. A place where families come to have fun. Plenty of smiling people, happy people. I observe everything around me, especially people. I was amazed how many people I saw who were not smiling. Who in fact were trying to look hard or mean. Why? It is an amusement park! How can you come to a place of entertainment like this and be so concerned what others may think of you if you have a smile on your face.

Who we are on the inside determines who we are on the outside. What happens inside of you decides who you are. Many cannot grasp this concept. Jesus even spoke about how powerful thoughts and words were. We create our reality from our thoughts and our words. Never do we look at our conscious and see that we are more than the image we try to portray. Once you make that connection, it is a beautiful one. You will transform and see that image is nothing compared to what you are on the inside. Once you can find that inner peace you have been looking for, you can smile and know that what is important is your inner self.