With Regards To Mike Brown and Darren Wilson

It IS an issue of race and forms of supremacy (with regards to gender, sexuality, societal class, position of power etc). Those are interconnected and are strong factors in oppression and injustice. You and I may not be held accountable for what is going on and it’s not OUR fault for what is going on just because we’re white. Examples : the Armenian genocide has nothing to do with the youth of Turkey. The Holocaust has nothing to do with the youth of Germany.

That does not mean that the newer generation of Turks or Germans should not realize that what their ancestors did was wrong, barbaric and inhumane. On the contrary, history is crucial to be acknowledged for what it is with objectivity and caution.

What needs to be done is to face the facts. There is a distinct difference between a) acknowledging that yes, just because we’re white it doesn’t mean we’re to blame for what’s going on AND b) comprehending that BECAUSE we are white, we are undeniably treated differently in comparison to black people and other people of color. I’m not saying that that’s always the case and there are certainly exceptions to the general rule.

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17. A Letter To Someone You Don't Know As Well As You Would Like

Dear -,

I wonder if you realize this letter is towards you. I don’t know what it is about you that gives me hope in that feeling I thought I would never come across again. It’s not love or lust.. I think it’s just finding that mutual sentiment of understanding between two human beings.

You seem like an intelligent individual and I adore the way you hold yourself. Your vocabulary and poise exert profound elegance and dignity. Even if we haven’t met in real life, I simultaneously feel nervous and at ease when talking to you. We may not talk to each other that often but I feel a sense of gratitude when your name pops up on the right hand side of the screen.

I think, sometime in the future, it would be a pleasure to have a cup of coffee/tea/hot chocolate (insert any other hot or cold beverage depending on the season) and get to know you better.

Warm regards,
Marilena

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16. A Letter To Someone You Admire

Dear -,

You might read this and realize it’s about you and then make that noise you make whenever I tell you things such as  ‘Merry Christmas’, ‘Happy Birthday’ and ‘I love you’ .. although, truth be told, you have started becoming better at replying to them (joke).

I’m writing this letter to you because I have noticed you have changed – especially in the past few years since you’ve been at university.

I admire you because of your dedication at being the best version of yourself with regards to what you want to pursue professionally and who you want to be.

I admire you because you’re such a loving, caring and funny individual. I enjoy being able to send you videos or pictures with the most random things and know you'll find them as hilarious as I do and vice versa. You have been through your fair share of issues but still find the strength to carry on and utilize those challenging experiences to aid your growth and to allow yourself to see life in a different light.

You have matured and become a conscientious person with more compassion and empathy and words cannot describe how proud I am of you. I don’t know where our lives will lead us but I do know that I can’t wait to see what's in store.

I love you, jeesta.

Mari Dari

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04/11/14

“The anti-inflammatory process is one which –“, there was a muffled but distinct sound in the background.

“Most of the inflammatory processes take place as a response to foreign bodies and pain. There are times when the body can randomly present inflammatory activity without particular stimulation.”

The cursor just kept going on and off. Rosa was almost done typing up her work but was finding it difficult to concentrate.

Suddenly but smoothly, a mysterious brunette emerged through the door with a calm strut and the look of a cunning secret in her eyes.

She walked towards her with two glasses of whiskey in each hand and firmly placed them on the table next to the record player.

She made her way behind Rosa, brushed the hair away from her shoulder and proceeded to plant warm, soft kisses alongside her neck.

“I need to finish my work,” stated Rosa in a not-so convincing voice.

The brunette gently chuckled and distanced herself from Rosa to temporarily get a sip of whiskey, light her cigarette and start the record player.

It was music from another time; it went well with the theme of their lives – where daydreams made up for the fast paced extravaganza of their reality. This music allowed them to be who they were; that room gave them momentary refuge of the responsibilities of their masks.

“Dance with me,” whispered the brunette as she started to find the rhythm upon awaiting her arrival.

Rosa turned and gave her a look of giving in.

The brunette offered her a drink from her glass and sensually began to dance. She tenderly pulled Rosa’s hands and placed them on her hips while she rested her own on her lover’s shoulders.

And they just danced; they swayed with the notes and the strings of pulsating possibility as they shared glances of unspoken communication.

They danced until the music stopped and they continued to move with the melody.

No promises, no worries.

Just the present, the desensitization of touch from the ecstasy and passion

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15. A Letter To Your Future Self

Dear Future Self,

Remember who you were a decade ago? What about three years ago? What about two months ago? What about yesterday?
What I want to tell you is, things happened that had never dared to cross your mind before. People came into your life and left while some stayed. Some of them for their reasons and others for your own.
What I have learned is that we’re all part of this matrix/adventure/dream/Droste effect/whatever you would like to call it and sometimes it can feel futile (not necessarily in a negative way).
You have asked yourself and wondered abysmally about the significance of life and your purpose. I don’t want to establish the answer just yet (heck, we’re only 20 for goodness sake) but it would be funny to tell you a theory that has been proven time and time again. The theory is sort of like the first thermodynamic law.. only that it finds application in human relationships and, instead of energy not being able to be created or destroyed, it involves a constant cycle of change through self reflection.
Sometimes, your sense of ethics can clash with that which is good for your health (mentally speaking, in this case) and it happens to everyone, really.
I want you to know that I don’t know what you will be like in 5-10-15 years from now; I don’t know if you’ll read this and think how naïve you once were, I don’t know if you’ll still be here.
What I do know is that the optimization (if you will) of your time on this Earth can be reached (or partially reached, for that matter) if you have an open mind and an open heart.
Alongside with this, you can find peace through forgiveness and the presence of love behind a lot of your actions. Those, as you have realized time and time again throughout the hardships, have proven to enlighten your soul and mind.
Appreciate the small moments for they will be gone before you know it.
I don’t know if you’ll still be on the path that you have chosen but I am optimistic that you will try your best in whatever you set your mind to.
Keep making mistakes, keep taking risks, keep dreaming and keep the rhythm going. That having said, don’t hesitate to stop every once in a while to observe and value the people around you and your challenges behind and waiting ahead for you.
Love,
Past Marilena

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