I’m sick of all things superficial. Why do we have to grow out of our imaginations? I know the sky is blue because of some chemical reaction or the reflection of the sun but is it really such a bad thing for me to assume that a long time ago a giant painted it like a canvas? The grass is green because of pigments created during photosynthesis, well I’d like to believe that the grass was jealous of the blue sky and wanted a color it believed to be better. Why does that have to be childish? It’s called creativity. It’s imagination. Why don’t we all have one? I don’t know what I believe, I’m still a kid. So many kids are set on what they believe and I accept that. Why can’t you be open to all my ideas about life? I’m not like you and you’re not like me and we’re not like the next person.

Our world is diverse. Everyone has different traditions, and beliefs and cultures. Do we have to shut out everything that brings a new light into perspective? Our world is already so dark and full of hate, why are we adding to it? Some people are just like that, some people just feel the need to hate, though I have no idea why. Do you really have to add to that pile? Why do I have to add to that pile? We don’t have the right to make someone’s life harder. It’s difficult enough to deal with just those people. Please, open your mind. Different needs a new definition; it’s not bad. Don’t say that it is anymore.

It’s not fair to have something against someone for what they believe. Okay? You may think that God is just a figment of the imagination. If someone hates you for that they may never be able to give you the chance to discover the cure to cancer, because maybe you have that potential. Or maybe what you have to say about what happens after death would really make them think, and would make sense to them and they would believe you. But in this world, you wouldn’t get the chance to talk. I want to learn, and I want you to learn. You can say what you think after you’ve listened. Just like that cheesy saying, “You were given two ears and one mouth so you can listen twice as much as you talk.”

Well, guess what? It’s true.

So we live in a free country. But we’re all bound by prejudices and hate. You don’t feel open to say what you really think because someone might hate you for it. If we’d all open our minds and give things that are different a shot then we’d all be smarter. Maybe we’d have cars running on water open to the public, and maybe the latest Picasso would finally reveal himself, or herself! We’re trapped in superficial shells of ourselves.

When I go home and lock myself in my room I become a different person. I’m not the person to judge whether or not that girl is better than the one you see at school or babysitting. She is me though, and I wish you could all meet her. I know, I’m sounding extremely cliché but who doesn’t feel this way? Maybe I’ll let you read something I’m writing, but probably not, because it’s all cheesy romance that I’m sure you won’t enjoy and then you’ll make fun of it. I’ll pretend to make fun of it with you to avoid embarrassment but really, my writing is my life. Why can’t we keep open minds? Why can’t I listen to the critiques and why can’t you give some?

So we hate people that are different than us. You’d think that’d be enough. We hate ourselves, so many of us do. “I’m not beautiful. I weigh too much. My forehead is huge, my nose is large and misshaped, my legs take over my entire body and my skin is horrible.” That’s what I repeat to myself every day. I shouldn’t. I should accept myself. I have friends, a healthy family, a house and a parent with a steady job in a terrible economy. And I hate myself for hating myself. I’m superficial to so many extremes and it needs to stop. There is so much more in this world than just me and you. There’s a them.

I know it’s hard to open up when so many people will hurt you. That’s why this world is so dark; you get hurt, and that hurt stays and then you hurt someone. It’s the cycle and it always will be. But in this dark world can’t we light it up a bit? Cliché as ever, but that phrase makes a good point.

Can’t you just open your mind to it?

I know; I’m a hypocrite. Here I am talking about how angry anger makes me! But now that I’ve got this out, maybe the idea will hit more people than just me.

Can’t you just open your mind?