Remember when we were all kids? The world seemed simpler then didn’t it? The biggest worry we could think of was what color popsicle to eat after getting out of the pool. We’d spend our nights running through the sprinkler and leaping through puddles completely naked. That was back when stress wasn’t even a word in our vocabulary. We could spend the day, every day, laughing, singing, and smiling without a care in the world.

Even when we got older, we would ride our bikes to the park and throw a baseball or lounge around in the pool. It was then that we ruled the world: Kings and Queens together, the times were wonderful. But all Kings and Queens fall to their knees at some point and its here that we faced our worst wounds; a scrape on the knee or a dark red tan across your shoulders. We knew what stress was but it seemed a faint outline on the horizon of what we could see. I remember being in bed before 10 pm and wishing I could grow up. If only we knew what was to come…

Now lets fast forward to the present. Here we stand as a generation that’s looked upon to be the worst of the worst yet is expected to fix everything at the same time. We “owe it to the world” as they say. Did they forget who raised us to be like we are? Did they forget that they were once in our shoes? It seems as if it’s us against them when in reality, the only way to save us both is to come together. Compromise from every direction is what is going to save the world as we know it.

Here we stand facing the wall of the world looming over us. An age that seems to be balanced on nothing but a needle, ever teetering, bound to fall at any moment. We live a culture where hatred is not only prevalent throughout but almost encouraged. We live in a culture where violence is accepted as normality. It’s no longer “what if” it happens but “when” it happens. We live in a culture where entire groups of people are forgotten and they’re the lucky ones to not be unfairly stereotyped. But all of these things are okay because money finds its way deep within some lucky bastard’s pockets.

The media has taken ahold of our minds. It has managed to wind its arms so tightly that its unlikely to ever be loosened. The individual is crushed out of existence for the idea of the “greater good.” But whose “greater good” are we referring to? Because millions are dying throughout the world and we’re worried about what bathroom to use. Both men and women can get away with rape because they “made a mistake” and we’re worried about what filter to use on our photographs. Men and women are sent across the ocean by politicians to die for an idea that many don’t believe in. Then we bring them home to a country that no longer supports them. We’ve let religion cloud our judgment and dictate whose allowed what privileges and who isn’t in a country founded on separation of church and state. We’ve not only allowed but encouraged our political system to spiral into the biggest shit show of the decade. Since when did you support someone who wouldn’t support you back?

Remember when we were kids and our parents taught us to mind our manners? Or when they taught us to “treat others the way you want to be treated?” Or when they taught us to simply use our heads and be respectful? What happened? Do you reach an age where that no longer applies? Why do we now treat everyone around us like absolute garbage and expect respect in return? It’s lost on me when that became an acceptable way to do things. But don’t get me wrong, I’m not perfect either. But is perfection one who commits no wrongs or one who can accept the wrongs that he does commit?

Maybe if we knew all of this then, we wouldn’t have been so eager to grow up after all.