Remember: Admit your mistakes

Thank sinking feeling when you know you've messed up is never nice.
I should know. I've messed up a few times myself. Ok, more than a few.
That's not hyperbole, that's me counting past my fingers.
And I know it's not easy to admit, it never is
So, what I'm going to do is take you through a couple scenarios
And let you see what you should do from now.

In the first scenario, you own up
Yes, I know it isn't easy. But what else can you do?
Knuckle up. Grit your teeth. Clench your hand into a fist if it helps.
Apologise for the world to see.
You are flawed. But you aren't flawed enough to hide.
You may get some flack for this.
This road ain't easy. No one said it was.
But it's an option.

In the second scenario, you just continue on.
Man, that's tempting isn't it?
And yes, it's a genuine possibility.
No one has to live with your mistake except you.
Sure, maybe you insulted someone.
Maybe you forgot a favour
But in the end, you could just live with knowing the person who does those things?
That person is you.
And all you have do is not put in the effort to do otherwise.
The best thing? This is easier the more you do it.
Take this road once and it'll be easier the next time, I assure you.

...

It takes a lot of effort to be a good human.
And being a good human doesn't mean you are never wrong. I think.
It means taking time to realise that you can be
It means that bettering yourself requires acknowledging the parts of yourself that are worse.
And so often I've wanted to take the easy path.
Some day, I would like to meet the me that took it.
But for now. Man, for now?
I'm sorry. I screwed up. In advance for next time if I haven't to you yet already.
Just let me know. And I'm sorry if I'm bitter at first. Because I don't deal with it well.
Just rest assured, even if it takes time.
I *will* deal with it
If only so I can kid myself into pretending to be a good human a little longer.

Remember: 2 minutes of Silence

This is 2 minutes of silence, 2 minutes to actually think
I relish in this quiet and let my thoughts start to sink
No one can control what goes through your mind
Here is 2 minutes worth of what you may find in mine

What is this for? Ah, that's right, I know
To remember a war from long long ago
A war we thought was fought for good reason
A war where not to fight was treason

It was fought by many
And yes they fought well
Those boys my age or less
They all went through hell

Not all, but some noble
Not all, but some kind
Not all, but some aware
Nor all, but some of sound mind

All of them fought in this war to end all wars
All wars since have just been peacekeeping missions
Even if I disagree with the fighting,
I have to admire their courage and ambition

As I do those who stood up
Saying they would not fight
It was a different bravery
306 executed for doing what they believed right

I know picking sides and saying who is right or wrong is a fool's errand
I know life isn't black or white, but far too often stained with red
So while I still am uneasy with propaganda, patriotic jingo and the means to war's end
Rest assured that in my 2 minutes, I still remember and honour the dead.

The 306 in this poem refer to the 306 soldiers shot for desertion. Read here - http://www.theguardian.com/world/1999/nov/14/firstworldwar.uk

For explanation to the poem, I'm not a fan of war. I doubt anyone really is. I really do feel in awe of those people who did give up their lives believing themselves to be protecting their families and country. However, we were not as pure as we like to make out. Propaganda tricked many into serving.  I fully doubt that everyone knew exactly why we were fighting. And no, it wasn't just to 'give the germans a good thrashing'. So, when I remember, I don't feel a lot of pride. I have no right to - I neither fought nor influenced anything that occurred. The country has changed a lot since a century ago. But I do feel sadness that so many died, and awe that they chose to do so.

The first world war was the first great war of the modern era. It was the last time modern war occurred where we could claim ignorance of the eventual consequences. That, and eveything that happened after, is worth remembering.

Remember: The Fifth

Remember remember the 5th of November
Remember remember the 5th of November
Remember remember the 5th of November
But why?

See I remember the fireworks from my childhood
I remember the colours making me feel good
I remember the bonfire and the crackling wood
I remember the sparklers, but not the spark I should

See way back when, kicking it 17th century style
There'd be dissatisfaction, there had been for a while
People were screaming, every citizen a potential revolutionary
This unsettled the royal and his loyal powers that be

So they hatched a plot. The decided to conspire
That a plot would exist to set parliament on fire
But it would be foiled. There'd be no danger
Just the death of someone not them, an unknown stranger.

So the plan went forth on the fifth, and low and behold it succeeded
They'd got the scapegoat they so desperately needed
They took the luckless man, and set him alight
So is this what we should remember on bonfire night?

Nah. Not in my reckoning. You see just one king along
Nothing had been solved. Everything was still wrong.
Despite the best intentions, the best laid plans
The mice in power were thwarted man for man

Dissatisfaction can be abated. It can be delayed
But if the root is not tackled you may end up dismayed
So I remember this night as the great deadline extension
That still led to no cure. Nor further prevention.

That if you are granted a second chance
Be aware of the route down which you should advance
Don't trust the hand of lady luck so blindly
Remember the second time she might not deal you so kindly.