In honor of her birthday last month, Michelle's fans raised over a thousand dollars in a mere couple of days and made a donation to The Nature Sanctuary, a charity that is very close to her heart. Two days ago, it was announced that she has been cast in James Cameron's upcoming big budget sci-fi flick, Avatar. The following is her response to both as well as a personal perspective she has chosen to share.

August 6 , 2007

I am incredibly grateful for the support of such cool people, especially for the outstretched hands of love towards animals. I feel the day we turn our backs on nature and it's wild life is truly the day we decide we don't love anymore, hopefully I won't live to see this awful cyber robotic mentality hell of a cold lifeless generation. I love the fact that you guys are down to care for animals like that. It's so hot to know the love is out there. I can't wait to start writing my child animal movie project script for you guys. It's those souls that still have that childlike purity that I want to reach out to and entertain, especially if it penetrates the minds of others seeking positive change. To see this kind of energy makes me feel I'm not alone, and it reminds me to imagine, create, and shape a path for story telling. I will not disappoint you, and I'm working hard to give myself the freedom I need to take off for a year and write, as I have wanted to for 13 years. I am about to embark on a journey with one of my favorite story tellers and mythology manifestors of all time. I wouldn't mind being this man's assistant, anything I could learn from him would make me so happy. I'm so not type to ass kiss, and I've never had a mentor in this business not anyone I respect as much. Case and point, I'm very happy right now, and I feel good about finally shedding my last pieces of dead skin, being born as a newly evolved creature and revealing to everyone who couldn't see before what I'm truly about. For the most part anyway. No veils, no masks. I'm talking about finally getting to that point where I am sitting on a chair talking to a great director, a team of great writers, kid actors, animal trainers, and awesome special effects teams. Making my dream of story telling come to life. Everything I do for the next three years will be leading towards that day.... I love you for your support and thank you for believing in me while most people labeled me and threw me in a corner. I need to know I'm not alone so I can remind you guys that you're not alone. Give and take I guess, yet it's more organic than that silly narcissistic saying. Thanks again guys. ONE.

Oh by the way my friend asked me a really interesting question about an email I wrote to her. She just left to go to Med School for like four years. So most of our conversations are digital conversations. You know how writing can sometimes give you this freedom to elaborate cause you have more time to think before you speak right? Well I wrote to her this elaborate email about school being a marriage to existence, I wasn't talking about Med School. Confused she asked me what I meant by 'the school of life existing to fulfill a void in soul.' I would like to share this perspective with you guys and possibly get some feed back on how you see it and view existence in retrospect. Just looking back at your lives do you kinda feel like the whole things a big school or what? Here is the response I wrote to my friend:

I don't think a human can exist in rapture or satisfaction simply existing on earth alone.... I think we have consciousness and curiosity for a reason. I really do think this place is a school for the soul or the neutral witness inside all of us. From My perspective its like The Human Body Vs. the DNA that commands its biological make up. Your body and its experiences may evolve and effect that DNA for your next of kin, whether you smoke, did a lot of drugs or lived a perfectly healthy life, your DNA most likely will evolve and be affected by this process of existence for generations to come. Infinitely evolving and moving on towards change. I feel the same goes for the MIND and The SOUL ( Or Witness of the mind). For me the mind is like the body and the soul like the DNA. if you sit there and do nothing under a tree like Buddha for 8 years of your life, you will be curious, and you will evolve by answering these curiosities, as long as your conscious, even sleeping, or have a breath of reason in you. whatever you do you will never leave school of life till death do you part. You're married to Life. The School of life. I know personally, If I hadn't this massive curiosity and awe about the world I would feel dead and purposeless. I think my soul is looking for something, hence the reference to school of life existing to fulfill the void of spirit. That void of spirit, to me is representative of the DNA's need to evolve, that need is = to the void of soul I speak of. Like an Infinite quest. I empathize and feel equal to everyone I encounter because I see that quest or yearning for fulfillment in the eyes of everyone I meet. If he or she didn't have some unfinished curiosity to fulfill I think people would just drop dead or become lifeless vegetables. Just a perspective snack to ponder.

My grammar sucks ass.

Shes deep and Blunt...
I like that..

Minx

Wow....

Seriously, I am speechless.

Michelle, girl, you are seriously deep. And even just these messages are inspirational and awe inspiring. Its beautiful and I love it because all this makes me think. It triggers some kind of switch in my mind. Its just amazing to me. Your just...... aws0me! :P

Wow. lol This is love.

Hi Michelle. Congrats on the movie role and thanks so much for sharing your insights with us once again. I really look forward to your messages.

You wanted feedback so here goes. What you say is true. We are all pupils in the school of life. Our main purpose on earth is to learn from and love one another -- to care for and respect our fellow man. This is fundamental to so many religions, but I don’t think people realize or can accept how truly alike we all are. So many in society exist for greed and self gain on different levels, all of us are guilty of this to some extent. That is not wrong, but many people get so absorbed in their own ignorance that they fail to learn about others, and they fail to see that commonality in all human beings – the quest to love and be loved. All our preconceived notions that are instilled in our heads are so hard to unlearn unless we individually open ourselves to new and different experiences, but too many become isolated in their own existence, neighborhood, religion, etc. that anything foreign to them equals wrong. That is why we have wars and racism and oppression, because we are afraid of what we don’t know. Knowledge is key, but so is continuously challenging what we have come to know with new insights and experiences. It’s an evolution, and sometimes we have to alter our perceptions and see things in a different way. You mention children and animals. They are innocent and open minded and naturally curious. It’s not until they taught to be afraid that they become cautious and close minded. I had a whole discussion with Leigh about the inner child. That is what I’m talking about, lol, which is probably why you have an affinity for children and animals -- because they speak to who you want to be. We have to constantly renew ourselves to find our inner child.

Anyway, your messages always remind me to keep exploring, learning and striving to fulfill my dreams. It means so much to me that you continue to share your wisdom. You are incredibly inspiring. And here I was ready to give up again. I have to pick myself up and keep learning. Thank you.

^ Ok, Aimz just said what I wanted to say but am too tired to make into cohesive sentences. Will expand this reply when I am more awake.

For now though, congratulations on your role in Avatar and thank you for constantly inspiring and motivating people by being yourself and not conforming to any preconceived notions or stereotypes.

EDIT: I am in a more alert state now, so will try and get out what I wanted to respond with last night.

As they say life is for living and living isn't just about being alive. In that I mean, people need to actually seek out knowledge and understanding in order to be something other than an existence. I personally know many people who are happy just to exist, to meander through life with no idea about what they want to achieve, learn or give to this world as their legacy.

Your idea about life being a school, constantly allowing us to feed our curiosity is one that I share. There needs to be something for us to work towards, a goal in our understanding to attain, otherwise there would be no point in life at all. What, are we simply just born here to spend x amount of years, die and that is it? Sure, we leave children and future generations but there has to be a point. And for us to still be around after thousands of years must mean something.

I think it is our duty as humans to constantly search for new ideas, new truths and a greater understanding. There is a reason we are here and that must only become evident on death, but in the mean time we have to never stop questioning and learning more. Yes, I am currently studying in the more traditional sense of the word. However, this does not detract from the teachings that I come across in everyday life. In my eyes, I have learnt more from just being around, experiencing things than my degree could ever teach, now matter how knowledgable the lecturer may have been. We have to constantly challenge ourselves by reading new material, going to new places and studying new cultures. Some people choose not to, and for that they continually complain about the tedium that life can present. That is their choice and one I feel they are doomed to repeat until they realise they can be so much more. Those who choose to seek out fulfilment will be granted it in time, and enjoy the journey until that point comes around.

Yeah, I think that is the general gist of what I wanted to say. Your brain works a lot better after a few hours sleep. Again, congratulations Michelle on your role in Avatar. I simply cannot wait until it is released. And you are a constant source of inspiration, giving me that push to always go for what I want and to never stop questioning.

I love it when two or more people connect on the same brainwave. That's such a beautiful thing. Aimz, I couldn't have said it better myself, in fact....I have said some of those exact things at some point in the recent past to either myself, you and my other friends, or even just my silly little blog.

We all aren't quite as alone as we think we are in this world. That's a mighty important and inherently comforting thing to be reminded of from time to time.

Communication M....just one, then two, then three....and so on....it's being achieved. The potential is endless. ;)

That's the ripple effect woman.

L.

Wow. Actually made me THINK on the internets... Tagging this spot to write something after dinner.

Ditto, a post that in-depth, soulfull and meaningfull deserves more than just a quick "thanks so much I love you". I'll give it some thought, write some notes and be back as well.

....wow, I'd respond to that, but it wouldn't be nearly as deep as hers.

Hey Michelle, thanks for taking the time to write us back, we all love it when u touch base and let us know what ur up 2. I have notice in ur writing u are not very happy with the way our world is. That makes 2 of us, now all we need is the other 4 billion people of this world to stand up and pay attention.
Peace
Barb

Thank you for your kind letter, Ms. Rodriguez...It's most, most welcomed...As always...

An interesting li'l morsel to have...One that can lead the more existential of us to deal with for many miles to come...I, for one, see life as a journey that lays out before us; long and imposing, but that's the important part...The journey. 'Cause, no matter what...We ALL know where the destination eventually leads us too...What's important IS the journey; the little stops we make along the way; the sites and sounds we experience; to fufil our curiosity(as your put it); but, not for it's own sake; but, for all of our sakes...

Enjoy the journey that your curiosity has taken you...You've got some amazing fellow travellers journeying with you...



'Nuff Said! :kick:

wow, that was some intense stuff

i mean like.....whoa.

michelle, i would give you feedback, but that was so intense and deep, i dont really know what to say about it at the moment. (im not against the stuff you said. im all for it! everything you said was awesome and i totally feel the same way, i just need time to think about it and get some good stuff to say =) )


anyways, man, this is why i think shes so awesome! shes just always got so much to say and even though i didnt really understand some of the stuff she said cuz it was so complicated, it amazes me that shes able to think this way and all that. its just like, wow, thats really interesting stuff and it makes me want to be more like her and be an awesome person like that.

and i love how at the end she put "my grammer sucks ass"
haha, that was great :D

Interesting message...when I read this it's like I can feel it in my heart and I was reading it little by little and Michelle this for you...I like your words that comes from your corazon I understand you well,I have seen animals that comes from different places and they are very sick and people always helps them to get better...one day I was swimming in the beach from here in New Jersey and I saw a sick dolphin and what I did was...I took her in my arms and called the life guard and all they could've done was called the animal patrol and since the dolphin didn't had no namewell,I named her princess and the people that took her named her princess she came from Florida.Well,this is my favorite photo and I have another one but,I can't thumbnail the other one and I always look at them every now and days...Michelle I believe in you and your words you always say and said.

[SIZE=7][COLOR=red]I LOVE YOU MICHELLE!!!!!
:wub: :cheers: :love: :party: :wave: :clap: :hug:

*screams*

I just had this huge philosophical rant that I spent half an hour typing in response to Michelle's message but I went to post and lost it somehow *sighs* :( so I'll just say I agree with Aimz.

I agree, life is one big school. From the day were born were learning. Our parents teach us, our friends teach us, the schools teach us (well, kinda, lol), but I think the most important lessons taught are the ones we teach ourselves. I've learned alot about myself in my 27 years, whether it be through a medical problem, or relationship, a death of a loved one, or just plain old everyday life, but there is still SO MUCH more to learn. Thx for reminding me to never stop searching for crazy answers to questions I have, even if I may never find the answer, its the journey, the searching, that makes us who we are. And in this crazy world your right, its simple really, all we really want is to love and be loved. Hope that made sense.

PHEW!!

To start I'd like to say my brain hurts. Badly.

And it's funny. We academics like to think that we know so much and that we are special because we've dedicated our careers to learning in classrooms. But the thing is, like Michelle says, ALL of life is a school. You don't have to go to college to have a huge insight to the universe that we live in. Because professors aren't the only people who can teach you things. Everyone can. And everything around us has something in it that we can learn from.

Michelle's message was deeper than any physics lecture I've been to. I REALLY mean that. Michelle is a deeper person than all of the PhD's I know. I mean that, too.

I'm sorry if that wasn't coherent or if it was off-topic. I need to go to sleep now. That made me think WAY too hard.

I know right. Philosophical discussions = brain orgy. :D

L.

:)

Cool.

Michelle, you're cool.

MRU, you're cool.

AVATAR IS GOING TO BE AWESOME!!!

Sorry in advance for the lenght of my post, but I'm hoping y'all enjoy reading it. :D

Wow, thank you for sharing your views with us Michelle, and I have to agree with you that it's great for us to know that someone else gets the same things too. And thank you for giving us an excuse for all the MRU team to meet in the same forum :D You're the focal point of something that will hopefully continue to be great and full of love and positivity for as long as possible.

As much as like thinkers such as Nietzsche and Hegel in their way of explaining human psychology and how we relate to the world without resolving to the use of a God to hold everything together, I can't help but feel there's something missing in all that dry philosophical stuff.

As soon as I get thinking about my soul being eternal, I can't help but feel there must be a "point" to this life we live, a goal we must achieve. And I think the biggest achievement we can do is become the best person that we can and try to overcome as many easy excuses that life gives us to fall into lazyness.

I agree that life is a school, but what's different with a regular school, is life teaches to the heart, not the mind. It teaches us how to become a better person, how to care for others, how to dedicate ourselves to our learning process. And it teaches us to take charge of our own education like you seem to be doing a great job at.

As an aside, this is why I quit my master's in philosophy, I realized that modern philosophy focuses too much on the theoretical knowledge and forgot to make place for the heart, life, love and light. Booksmarts sadly doesn't help us enjoy life any more ("any more" and not "anymore", not a typo ;)). But back to the main subject, this post is gonna be long enough without making too many asides ;)

At the end of all this life, I believe that if we have learned our lesson, we will move on to something greater, but not just some "paradise" where we'd be allowed to become lazy again. I'd personally find that boring. I'm hoping that once we finally "get it", that we get sent somewhere else where we will have many more challenges awaiting us. And while life is not a race, I believe that if we "get it" quickly, we are kind of doing a jump start for the rest of our life. But if we're slow to get it, I feel you just end up flunking and repeating the grade until you're ready to move on.

The ancient greeks have a second meaning to the word gravity (gravitas), that the weight of all the tradition rests on your shoulders. I believe in a similar thing, that the weight of all your life rests on your shoulders. That what you do now will affect you for the rest of your life. And not just this life we're currently living, but whatever comes next. But I also don't believe anyone evolved enough to create life would be primitive enough to be punitive, so there's no need to feel bad about our past. The important is that we live and learn, and then move on to the next lesson.

And while I'm on the subject, does anyone else get this wonderful feeling when you think "Wow, I'm actually alive!" If we talk in physics terms, you can convert energy into matter and matter into energy, but you cannot actually create or destroy matter-energy. So the creation of this life, this universe we live in, is impossible. Yet we exist. Pretty amazing, eh? That's what makes me believe that there has to be something more to the world than just bricks and bones, because the physical aspect is not enough to explain how we exist.

And I believe that it's that feeling of a connection between all things and creatures, that "impossibility to exist" that makes me relate more to plants and animals than the average industrial age person who only sees money and ways to make money. And I personally have a weak point for cats, because "Curiosity kills the cat" and "Curiosity is the mother of all philosophical questions". If I'd start my own branch of philosophy I'd definitely make kitties it's representative animal :D

And hoping I kept your attention this far, I'm glad you you keep working on becoming a better person. And I'm really happy you appreciate our gift and that you care about animals and children, both living beings who we, the humans, need to protect from ourselves.

(Nice way to fill up milestone post #100 :D)

I'M ATTRACTED TO THE WAY SHE THINKS. IT'S REALLY SEXY. I LIKE THE FACT THAT BY HER WORDS, SHE MAKES YOU THINK ABOUT LIFE AND THAT'S SO DOPE! ;)

life is school for the soul, hmm i like that.

then i guess experience is everything

i love the way she puts thing into words,lol

That is scarily freakish, b/c I JUST made a comment to someone using the cat/curiosity thing as a reference. Whoa. Get out my head! Haha.

But anyway what I said was....curiosity never killed the cat, it just set it free. ;)

L.

Yeah, exactly. People usually hear that quote and think that curiosity is bad, i.e. an other excuse to become lazy and not be curious anymore, but when I hear it, I think sweet, kitties are curious too BOOYAKA!!!

Oh and while we're on the philosophy / existantialism subject, there's one movie I strongly have to recommend to y'all, it's waking life. While the movie is quite enjoyable the first time you see it, it has so much depth that after watching it 10+ times I still learn a LOT everytime I watch it.

Curiosity's one of the mayor aspects to drive us forward on our path of life. Not being curious means being ignorant and apathetic. How am I supposed to grow and evolve when I don't know anything about what I'm surrounded by? We can't create new thoughts without making experiences. We'd be stuck in our own mud of what we have produced so far, while everyone's passing us.
I started studying biology. But the more I take the DNA to pieces the less I get to know about who we are. Looking through my microscope would give me an impression of where I came from, but doesn't show me where I'm going to. That's why I like the idea of the soul being the DNA, creating the body of the mind. And the soul does/should yearn for cognition. Without being afraid of making mistakes, for they are necessary to learn from.
Speaking of school of life... I remember how I have barely raised my finger in class. I thought it was needless when the answer to a question seemed too obvious, and I didn't say something when it was a little challenging due to the fear of saying something dumb, which others might laugh about. And that's the point. We should raise our fingers in both cases. To share what we regard as obvious might help out someone else. And if you're not sure, talk about your concerns and someone might give you a hint into the right direction vice versa. How am I supposed to know, whether I'm right or totally wrong, if I remain silent? To remain silent means you agree or even worse: You do not care.
Life's like going somewhere you've never been before. But you gotta keep going. So what if you get to a crossing on your path? There are basically two possibilities. One would be to just pick any direction and maybe run in circles for a while. The other would be to ask someone who's taken that path before to show you the way (and buying a map belongs to option #two lol).
And there we go again. Humans can't come very far without having company on their side now and then. We're group-living animals, which isn't a bad thing as long as we keep our curiosity alive, ask without being followers, think without keeping too much inside, live without too much hesitation and always strive for a next step, a little more knowledge or just another point of view...
Ultimately...That's the reason why I really appreciate being a part of this community here. B/c it broadens my horizon and so many different people with different backgrounds come together to share. Whether it's the appreciation of a great woman or simply some thoughts and experience...

Suzy

Michelle, i dont like to read long messages, but when you write them i really can read them and like them. Its like magic and love mixed together, so i it doesn't get boring to read them. I love you and all your movies! Thanks alot for writing to us! ;)

Taliesyn, thoroughly enjoyed your post.

So true. It's way too easy to become apathetic, complacent, and "comfortable". We have to keep challenging ourselves, lest we be challenged. That is what life is about. All easier said than done.

I like this post from you jerzeyGypsy and I agree with your saying.... :D :lol: :P

Um. Ok I think we've reached the point where we can just go ahead and communicate telepathically. I mean seriously, lol. We're all sharing a brainwave already, why not? :D

L.

I'm really agree with Michelle life is like a big school. Each days we learn something, until we die. I think the only enemy for the school is ignorance. Ignorance create war violence and other bad things. The only arm is the learning.

mine too XD

Learning is the good thing in your life right now I like these quotes here and I agree with them.

I love reading Michelle's messages. They're so deep and meaningful :wub:

And it means a lot that she takes the time out of her day to write out a message to her fans and let them know what she's thinking. That's so much more than what most celebrities do, and it's what makes Michelle so real.

So, thanks, Michelle! :hug:

Looking foreward to seeing the new movie

Amazing words, she has one deep soul. :)

first of all, congratulations michelle, for what you are searching to do like an human and like an artist!


I believe that what comes spontaneous to do instinctively since the moment in which we take conscience, using a terminology even if too technological, is to create a passage of data like across temporary supports, to be updated step by step in order to the experiences that we live, and our cover that we call body, constitutes this tool that allows to accumulate, transmit to the other and to the future generations what we think, and what we have personally learned, for example how I am doing in this moment explaining my point of view, even if sharable, or even if no, but at least discutibile.
TO any culture level there is always to learn, and I'm not talking about the school, that I retain important but doesn't necessarily and always grow a person, I believe that who pursues his dreams with all forces, and maintains alive desires, and the desire to learn, will achieve more mental elasticity and will be ready to grasp what wants when there will be the big occasion in the time in which we exist.
and than, directly or indirectly, knowledge, inclinations, and possibly DNA enhancements, will be transferred to another creature.
what we have to do, in my opinion, is to use as best as we can the mind and the body we got to emprove day by day everything we can emprove.

Hi MICHELLE!! HEllo Everyone!!

You can call me Phoebs. I am new to the country, I got here last January and I came here as an aupair. I am originally from the Philippines.. I came here due to life's difficulties at home. I wanted to have a better future and I wanted to change the way of living that Im used to. I am a graduate of Electronics and Communications Engineering at home but I ended up watching kids and cleaning houses here in the US. Its not that I am complaining with my work right now, Im not, I just wanted to tell it to everyone here that this work im doing right now pays much better than working as what I graduated from in college. I took the risk to be far away from my family, friends and every little thing that i grew up with just for my family. My dad's gonna retire from his job soon and I dont want my family to go back from scratch.. I know what its like to barely eat three times a day. I've been thru life where you get to go home to a dark place with only candles as a source of light, get to sleep with a hungry stomach and walk miles just to go to school coz my parents are out of budget for all those stuff. We've come so far from that life.. BUt i know that by time my dad retires from work, life's gonna go back to that.

Now Im here.. I thought life's gonna be easy on me.. Im in the other side of the world- what was I expecting? Not to mention the culture shock, which sucks BIG TIME and SHOCKED THE HELL OUT OF ME, Im completely dettached to the things that made me whole. I felt like nothing's left in my system. Everything has fled out of me. I have no one to talk to, I have no one to ask advice to, Im confused- I've got so many questions about life, Im lost, and Im fighting my way back to who I really was. Its been 7 months of striving to get those system back in me. I just figured out that I gotta get the pecies back together. I gotta feel better to do better coz i gotta future to shape up.

Michelle, you inspired me much to be a brave and strong individual. The first movie Ive seen of you is the "RESIDENT EVIL". I loved it! Watched it a hundred times! And since then, I have been searching infos about you. And from there Ive known that you are a unique individual that I truly wanted to be. Your personality taught me to be a fighter of lifes imperfections. You inspired me to stand on what I truly believed in.
I know this is crazy, but everytime my world and my view of life turns upside down, no matter what i do and where i am, time always leads me to you- I was on a plane to get here in the US. Im leaving home and the people i love. I felt so lonely, scared and alone. There was this guy beside me with a DVD player watching 'girl fight'. Then, I told myself not to cry, no matter what, I'll get over this. And I'll succeed. Now that I've been here and its been seven months since I've had my greatest life's battle, a video of you on 'just like a pill' on youtube reminded me of the inspiration I once had. Now, Im back to fighting. And I know this time I'll make it..Thanks to you for being such an individual that gives such inspiration to lots of people. This might sound crazy but I look on things very differently. I learn from the littlest things around me and I make it an inspiration to go thru life. I always tell myself when I watch your movies, "I can put a Michelle Rodriguez in me and I'll be a a much better and tough person." Its just amazing how things work that way for people.. It works for me.. Thanks for being you.

I just want you to know, that no matter what your decisions are and no matter how life sucks and bites you, we are always here for you.. You have become our inspiration, so you can always rely on our undying support and love to help you push to a life you've ever wanted. YOU are blessed and you'll be blessed more coz you know how to give it back. And one more thing, dont mind what other people say coz they dont matter. What matters to you is the only thing that matters. Keep on going, you're tough and you always will be.

And to all the people in this site!!KUDOS!! I just found out about this site just last night and it blows me off how people are open but then nice and hospitable to each and everyone.. I hope I'll get a friend in this site. I miss my friends back home soooo much. Im glad to be here and I'll always look forward to hearing from any of you guys- comments or welcome,advices or just anything - everyday..

Phoebe from PHilly

Phoebs. Welcome. I am sorry it's so hard for you. I can only imagine. Just stay strong and keep the faith, things will get better little by little. And definitely hang out here, you'll definitely meet new friends who will listen and be helpful and understanding. :hug:

Thank you aimz!! I'll keep holding on.. at least I have somebody here right? I may not see everyone here in person but at least i got an outlet.. thanks...

anyway, where are you from?
Im from Philadelphia=)

yes it does! :P

" I really do think this place is a school for the soul or the neutral witness inside all of us."

I think this is a beautiful observation Michelle and I would have to agree that we are all here on this earth for eachother. Every single person and event in your life happens for one reason orthe other. I once met this women whom at some point in her life had lost her way (to drugs and alcohol) and man did she not like me....she was rude, uncanning, she would say the most awful hurtful things to me. I would cry and get upset because for the life of me i couldnt figure out why she didnt like me and one day after work i came home (she was there) and said something to me in her usual spite and when i would normally get upset and angry I just looked at her and smiled. It was that day I realized that this women was put in my path to give me inner strength and patience and in the end i could thank her because she helped shape the women I am today.

I also believe we are put on this earth as a right of passage into heaven. The trials and tribulations we are put through are all here for us to learn and grow as individuals and If we can live on a place were theres rape
and murderswhere children and being exploited and crime and tempation are everywhere and we can say after our 80 or so years on this earth that in the end we died a good person, this is our ticket to paradise.

clarity

*Takes brain out of cardboard box where it has been stored since graduation. Blows off the dust. Puts down the 40 and departs the smokey room for a minute*

Well i'm also of the belief that life is a school. Having been on both sides of the coin, what some might call a delinquent and then deciding to fix up and go to university i see the school of life or more precicely knowledge as one of 2 limbs. First you have what i refer to as book knowledge. The kind you get at school and universities. Instituional knowledge. This comprises of the knowledge the government want you to have (i.e the school curiculum) and then your own free knowledge that you pick up from books, discovery channel... whatever. It's valid as all knowledge is valid however there is the second limb of knowledge. This limb is what i refer to as street knowledge and it's the knowledge you aquire through lifes experiences. Personally i think the latter takes precidence. You could read a million books and know a billion facts but what use is knowledge if it hasnt been applied of if you haven't experienced certain things?
It's impossible for even the most smartest, talented mofo to know everything in the world. They can philosophise and come up with theories all day long but at the end of the day life is too short to know everything in the world. As the old idion goes "You live and learn" Everyday you wake up and breathe you are bound to learn something new even if it's only something small. And everyday someone else wakes up and breathes something new to learn about is created.
The quest for knowledge hits soe peple harder than others. me myself, i've been told by many people i'm gonna be that old person still at university when they're 60 gettin doctorates and stuff. I am always looking to learn new stuff and meet new people who can teach me new stuff or empart some of their knowledge and wisdom onto me. I know i'm never gonna be that person in uni @ 60 because me and institutional education don't mix but i'm always on the move travellin to different countries building up first hand my 'street knowledge'. Life and experience is the best teacher. I have a thirst for knowledge and learnin new things but at the same time i know people who are quite content to kick back and sit on my space all day, chillax, get high... whatever and that's their daily routine. They think they know the proverbial 'all' and are content to waste their lives away in a cyber world when there is a whole REAL world outside. They're rather watch 13 fools in a house for 3 months than go out and live their own lives. I mean that's cool, each to their own but the evolution will end there. It's like nature and nurture... knowledge is not inate, we're not born with a set amount of learning capability. It has to be nurtured therefore everyone on this planet during their lifetime is in a way controlled by the learning process (i'm not sure if 'cpntrolled' is the right word to explain what i'm tryin to say but my brain stopped functioning at the 5th sentence haha) Anyway, without the learning process whether by book knowledge or street knowledge people's understanding and tolerance of other people, races, cultures, history, technology... will never evolve.

Ok i'm done. My bad if that made no sense haha Have a dope (rest of the) week!