Frozen

Geoff Byrd--"Frozen"

How did I get here
What words were spoken
Can I just walk away
From being broken
Am I so blinded that I’ve become
The very thing I’ve always hated

Now I have fallen
Where have I landed
Frozen in history
Screaming in silence
Laughing in misery
Flowers in winter
Fast asleep in faded colors underneath the snow
But how far below

How can this be
What have I done
Maybe this time
As I am breathing the darkness will fall away
And strip away the memories of yesterday

Shadowy figures
Dancing in moonlight
Captured in photograph
Just after midnight
Is this illusion
Or is this the way that it’s supposed to be
Oh tell me

How can this be
What have I done
Maybe this time
As I am breathing the darkness will fall away
And strip away the memories of yesterday

Yesterday is all that I am
Will I be tomorrow
Or am I just a little too late
For sorrow

Merry-go-round me
Spinning in circles
Sounds like a carnival
Smells like a circus
I’m getting colder
I am freezing all the images
In other words
I am frozen

How can this be
What have I done
Maybe this time
As I am breathing the darkness will fall away
And strip away the memories of yesterday
Yesterday yesterday
Yesterday

Just an interesting song that struck a chord with me today in ways that I do not fully understand.

Quote from Thoreau

May we so love as never to have occasion to repent of our love!
Henry David Thoreau

I have Thoreau Quotes on my iGoogle page, so this one popped up today. It captured my imagination. No need to here expound upon it, because I believe that Thoreau would rather have you make your own opinion than to take mine passively :)

Snow

So an idea for you to ruminate upon . . .

What is it about snow that makes it beautiful to the human eye? I mean, it's slick, cold, wet, uncomfortable, and a hassle to clear away; so why are we so glad when it comes? Why do we find it a beautiful sight to look out upon a snow-covered neighborhood from our windows? If snow is such an inconvenience, why is it also loved so much?

Well, here's an idea that came to me as I was looking out the window this morning. Classes are canceled today, so I've been taking the morning a bit slow. Our window blinds are completely up, so I was able to look out upon the campus without impediment.

One of my first observations was that the roads and sidewalks were not actually there, or so it seemed. You couldn't see them or have any idea where they were before the plows came through. The landscape seemed flattened out with the snow and made more uniform.

So I thought, all the wonders that science and human ingenuity have brought us are all covered over. I think in the new fallen snow of winter, we can catch a glimpse of what nature was before humans began building cities, roads, sidewalks, sewers, etc. The snow is the last remnant of pure nature that we have, at least for a time, to transport us to a simpler time in our minds.

The snow also bids us slow down. For one thing, driving can be treacherous if we drive too fast on the snow. We must also tread carefully while walking to keep from slipping. Furthermore, snow has a tendency to (like today) cause our institutions and jobs to shut down, giving us back the time we daily pour into these tasks. With the time that snow makes us take in everything, we remember, perhaps, what our passions are. Left undirected, humans (from my observations) will do those things that they truly love to do. Those who love rest will sleep (and well they should, especially if they are constantly sleep-deprived, as college students often are). Those who like to read and write things (like myself) have the opportunity to do so without interruption. Those who love the outdoors will go and experience it in a new, fresh way when they step out into the cold. But perhaps most of all, those who need time to think may take it. Perhaps a snow day from time to time is exactly what people need.

It is my proposal that all these observations make the human eye welcome the sight of snow, for what it represents and does. We live simpler lives when a foot of snow covers the ground. Less bustle and hurry mean that we may truly live and refresh ourselves for when the snow melts and we return to our busy routines.

The Speech of the King at the End of the War

A------ stands today because of many heroes, among whom I am not worthy to stand. It was not I that stood upon the brink; it was not I that gave away everything: life, strength, breath. Against the gathering tides of darkness I could not stand, but there were those who did, those who stood when we faltered. These men would not sit idly by and watch everything they love burn; they would not allow the shadow of evil to turn everything into darkness. They would rather give up their claim to the blessings of this earth than to allow it to fade like the morning fog on a clear afternoon.

In their blood has the flame of our civilization reached a new height, not simply because we now stand victorious against the greatest evil but, more importantly, because they showed us what we can be. They showed us the pinnacle of what it means to be human, to love and to fight for what we hold dear. Their stories are what our children will hear: how they stood steadfast when none else would, how they refused to give up on hope, and how they triumphed in death against the gravest of enemies.

In some ways, it is them who are saved. What greater good can any man do than to give up his life for his fellow man? Through this act of sacrifice, there can be no doubt that it will fare better for them in that great unknown beyond the last breath. As a king, and as a man, I say that such is just; I do not deserve better than them, much worse rather. For now these men are my masters.

After all, what is a living king compared to a glorified soul? A man’s true worth is not in his title, nor in his estate, nor in his lineage, but rather in the deeds of his heart and the body that is sacrificed to protect his ideals. The men who gave their lives in this fight are, thus, men of the highest caliber. None of us can stand among them; we must, for reverence’s sake, bow our heads in respect.

Long may the dead live in our hearts and legends. They deserve more than this, but what more can we give? Let us live happily in the joyous land that they have died for, and in the blessed days ahead, let us show our love for our fellow man in greater measure than ever before, with this great example before us. May the peace of A------ last until the end of all things.

Uncertainty

A thousand symbols,
A thousand words,
A thousand meanings;
Surrounded by stimuli,
A perpetual web of Color,
Light and Sound,
We face an uncertain day
With an uncertain hope.
Dawn, with its sunlight
On the deepening snow,
Yet comes,
Its light all the brighter.
The chill of winter
Cannot sap its light;
The chill of uncertainty
Cannot sap our hope.

Describing the Dances

It has come to my attention that many people are somewhat ignorant of what kinds of feelings different kinds of dances conjure up. For one reason or another, misunderstandings of the overall feel of most dance styles is quite prevalent. Among many that I am acquainted with, the sexual feel of some forms of modern club music is the reigning stereotype of dance in general. To correct this somewhat unfair generalization, I will here undertake to describe the feel of dance styles for anyone who is interested. I do not claim to be a dance scholar, but these are observations that I have found to be generally true.

Classical Dance Styles: Older dance styles, like French baroque steps and medieval court dances, are generally concerned with celebrating reason and music. They are highly structured to the rhythmic patterns of the music and are often only partially partner dances. The point is to increase the impact of the music through the visual arts.

Swing Dance: The swing dance style is a style that is characteristically flirtatious. It is a social dance style, meaning that to dance with the same partner more than twice consequentially would be considered rude. The idea is to socialize and do general, fun flirting with many people.

Ballroom Dance: Generally ballroom dance styles are more concerned with romance. They are generally much more passionate. It is also common to choose one partner to dance with, although social dancing may also occur in these settings. The point is, the ballroom dance is less about showiness and fun than swing dance and is more concerned with seriousness, passion, and the connection between the partners (although these are not as a rule absent from swing dance environments. I simply speak for the most common feelings in these environments).

Club Dancing: Essentially what I have observed of club dancing environments is that they are much more concerned with sexuality. Dancing is intended to be "sexy" in these kinds of settings. The purpose of a club is usually to attract single people that will hook up there. So the dancing undertaken here is of an explicitly sexual nature in order for individuals to attract others.

So, this is not an exhaustive list, but I think it shows a good continuum and may prompt you to reexamine dancing if you have been stereotyping it based on any of these styles. Truth is, there's something for everyone; you just have to find what's right for you.

Science and Empiricism

So, I've just finished a science class entitled "Scientific Discoveries and Paradigm Shifts." In this class we studied a lot about scientific truth and religion, specifically Christianity. Approaching science from a Christian perspective is a difficult concept for most people to envision, but we managed to do so.

One of the books that we read was Thomas Kuhn's classic The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, which essentially argued that science progresses by "revolutions" that function much the same as political revolutions with different sides, times of confusion and conflict, and a clear winner. But this approach seems to me to limit science's defining characteristic: its empiricism.

Empiricism is basically the tenet that the senses are used to formulate theories. Science works within a realm of empiricism. It must observe and interpret the data taken in with the five senses. To say that science must overcome deception of the senses and interpret the truth regardless of what is perceived is asking it to do more than it can do. The realm beyond the empirical is the realm for the humanities, philosophy, religion, arts, etc.

Kuhn's model seems to be an undue placement of the assumptions of philosophical process onto an empirically based system of thought. No wonder so many scientists are uneasy with Kuhn's ideas. While his understanding of revolutionary, argumentative revolutions holds true in philosophy, religion, etc., it is not well-suited to the environment of science, where empirical observation is the basis for accuracy.

So if we accept this understanding of science, then we can easily see that there is no threat to Christian belief from science, no matter how far it goes. They work within differing realms of proof and truth. It simply is beyond the scope of science to prove the existence of God one way or the other, much as it is beyond the scope of religion to describe the physical structure of the universe. As theologians, that is not our purpose; our purpose is to understand God. I am willing to, as a student of religion, allow scientists to examine their realm of inquiry as long as I am free to examine mine.