Edits and A Better Tomorrow

My edits are haunting, though perhaps not in the traditional sense. I now understand a little bit better what author's mean when they say they're "leaving the computer" for a few weeks while they complete their edits. Yeah. But I also learned a lot, too. Not about editing, really, but about myself and the way I write. And again, it's nice to read something you wrote a year ago and still have it make you smile.

Now, on to this: I'm not sure that it's all right for people to live for fun anymore. In this place we live in,  maybe it's time to start really, and honestly, thinking about how life will be in ten, twenty, or fifty years.

Maybe this: 

This: 

Who really knows?

And I guess, truthfully, what has gotten me thinking about this topic is this: selfishness. I guess I never really realized how truly selfish some people can be. Me included. We live in a world where a lot of us would rather spend our money on this for ourselves, instead of donating it. And, let's be honest, that's not because we have options, but because a lot of us don't - we have to spend it on us to survive. But I'm not talking about bills, or homes, or food, or living. But about being selfish by living for things that don't provide a better tomorrow. My generation, specifically, seems like they live only to have fun. Of course, this is just a blanket statement, but it feels true for most. I don't know if it's okay for just live for fun things anymore, for pieces of life that don't impact anyone but ourselves. Laughter, truly, is the best medicine, but what will laughter be in ten years when the world has changed? So many people are not even aware of political, environmental, and equality issues. So many people don't understand the world beyond their own four walls. And I don't feel like that's okay.

I guess my overall point is this: I don't feel like it's okay to live for fun anymore. As a majority, we've done that since the beginning, and it's only gotten us so far. I do, however, think we should live freely, live with our whole hearts, and have fun living the best way we can. But I think we need to think about making a difference - through art, creativity, money, business, protest, anything. Personally, I'm nervous about what the world will look like when my future children are grown, and I don't think that living for the weekend will ease those worries.

So - live life, and live it the best you can and help others live too. Love freely, and give your heart to someone and let yourself put them first. Have fun, and laugh and smile and be happy while you live. Enjoy it. But think about the future and what you're doing to help it, because pretty soon it might be too late to change it.