One step forward; Two steps back.

As we migrate through the ups and downs of our lives around the world, we are constantly evolving, updating our knowledge, and adapting to the environments that we find ourselves in. Our voice is ever-present, and depending on where we are, it can be used or silenced. Stepping forward can lead to change and a sense of empowerment, but it can be a lonely void of existence as we find ourselves filled in a crowd with others who are wading through the chaos and calloused by the selfishness from the defeats of the past. Life is about winning and losing, but most importantly, it is about taking a step back to reflect on and appreciate the beauty and madness of the situations, days, and years we find ourselves mired in. Everything in life is a choice, and the only thing we control in every situation is "self." Despite the trials and tribulations, humility and freedom go hand-in-hand, and although losing can crush one's ego, it is just so much more exciting than living a life of non-existence controlled by henchmen of the bureaucrats of an oppressively socialist state. Our existence in this world is short-lived and temporary, so why attach it to others' ideologies and physical locations? Life is about having meaning, and purposes are plentiful; we, however, give it significance, i.e., we choose what we endorse and how we react to the rest.