A Playlist

My grilled cheese tastes like soap. Now that I'm in college, it's the one thing I eat with constancy. Especially when the dining hall goes all weird Mexican food night on you with like fajitas made in bulk...I don't even understand why they bother attempting Mexican food on the East Coast. Last night was fancy night in the dining hall, and I was just wondering why my potatoes were, as Cara said, "so sloshy." 

But..I digress.

Today, I am inspired by Rihanna. WAIT TO JUDGE ME. I've been listening to this song by her and TI "Live Your Life", which is basically about being happy with what you got. Which is a little ironic coming from two mega wealthy hip hop stars....

But there is one line in the song that made me stop focusing on the perfect beat of the song (a valuable thing when you walk everywhere) and made me listen: 

"You're unhappy with your riches cuz you're piss poor morally"

Ok so TI isn't exactly a poet but it still got me thinking. For a lot of people, their goal after college is to make a lot of money, be successful, and ultimately "do something" with their degree. And then they can be the envy of everyone around them because they earn so much. They will ignore their family in times of crisis but be around to get their inheritance. They will buy their children the best new Ipod but be surprised by their ingratitude. This is bliss, right?

This is the American dream. Right? RIGHT?

Maybe not. Maybe it is. Everyone has their own morality, and everyone follows that morality in their own way. I'm not qualified to judge anyone...I'm not even qualified to balance a chemical reaction equation in chemistry, as evidence by my most recent test score. But I do think that maybe we need a redefinition of success. To me, it is what will make me happy, but not to the detriment of others. Happiness that helps others to get closer to happiness..I believe that that is happiness in its purest form. It is not just serving yourself, because what fulfillment can come of that? That you have built yourself a great life and will leave that legacy behind? I don't know. That wouldn't make me happy, but maybe I'm just weird. 

And don't get me wrong, being successful for your own sake is absolutely, 100% important. Keeping your head above water is not to be taken for granted.

Which brings me to the other song that I have been listening to with heavy rotation, "Swim" by Jack's Mannequin. It's definitely worth a listen, especially after you've failed a midterm and have the sudden urge to jump off the closest bridge. 

I guess music really is a great part of the soul.