Lust for power

Power is the ability to cause the suffering of another. It is constantly abused, and rarely used for anything of worth. Those who care have no love for such things.

People have a longing to control others. That is why peace will never last. As soon as one ceases hostilities, another seizes the opportunity to strike.

Bending someone to your will is the mark of a tyrant. There are those who break under the pressure. Still others will fight back only to become the thing they hate.

To the victor go the ashes that remain. The lust for control leaves only destruction in its wake. That which was prized becomes hollow and worthless.

In beating evil, you must conquer your own desires. What you want will always be used against you. Those who are satisfied cannot be bought at any price.

If you control a thing, you own it. The fruits of your lust become a grievous burden. You might gain the world, but it will be at the loss of your soul.

Creativity

     The desire to create is among the most sublime yearnings of man. Life is what it is, but the creative can use such humble materials to make something amazing. Those who lack imagination will produce little. But with the spark of creativity, we can fashion worlds and people them with exciting and eccentric personalities.

     Destruction requires very little in the way of skill, and certainly nothing in the way of inspiration. Brute beasts can make a mess. Such behavior is usually in the form of a fit. Desire was unfulfilled, and frustration led to devastation. Others must suffer for the inconvenience of one.

     To create, you must pour heart and soul into your endeavors.  A single idea ignites a creative blaze. Suddenly, you are swept up in the desire to see this thing to its fruition. The more you make, the more care will be put in every single facet of the work. Those who imagine are always trying to envision better.

     Reality creeps into every fantasy. It is best to make that which is realistic without the dullness of the mundane. We all know what it is like to live in this world. It takes no creativity to copy it. Instead, you take that which is real and smooth off the rough edges. Add interest, and it becomes interesting.

     To create a real world, you must fill it with real people. They should be beyond the ordinary, without being outrageous. Put them in real situations and watch them adapt and overcome. Such work is believable, and becomes compelling. You can understand and feel for what the characters are going through.

     There comes a point when they are no longer creations. They live and breathe on the page. You know their names and see through their eyes. Some of them will be friends and others enemies. The emotional roller coaster starts and you willingly go along for the ride.

     It is not necessary to create an entire world. Sometimes, just a picture will do. Drawing takes the real and makes it something more. A painting adds color to the mix, and inspiration brings the work to life. Sculpture gives dimension, lifting the image from the page.

     Even words can used in different ways. Poetry targets the best words, so that what is produced is brief and meaningful. Prose takes words on a journey, painting a picture in the mind's eye. Songs put words to sound, inspiring feelings.

     The sounds can be music of themselves. We can feel an array of emotions through the arrangement of notes into chords and the movement thereof. The beating of the drum provides rhythm to the melody. Other instruments provide the harmony, which moves the piece to its resolution.

     No matter the medium, a modicum of inspiration is required. The spark within is what starts the whole thing. It can be an idea or the attempt to capture a feel. Its essence is energy, and it fuels all that is to come.

     Dreams can become reality. The greatest inventions of our time came from the desire for better. Someone took that desire and ran with it, giving us a world of possibilities.

     Reality must be recognized to be overcome. We cannot hope to achieve greatness without facing the trials. Those who are easily discouraged need not make the attempt. Stay where it is safe and warm. Those who create will be assailed by those who seek to destroy.

     The purpose of fantasy is to inspire us to do better in the here and now. To do so, we must be better. Or else our creations will be stained by our failings. For that is the danger in making a world: it will reflect its creator.

     There is a responsibility inherent in creation. If you lie, it will be found out. And your deceit will become public record. If people like your work, they will begin to scrutinize it, and the flaws inherent in its construction will be revealed.

     Creativity is born of love. Every child should have a parent who loves them. That which is made should have a loving craftsman, as well. Otherwise, there is no spark to light the fire. Everything becomes cold, and hearts grow numb.

     An idea is a little thing. Of itself, it is inconsequential. But if you feed it, things begin to happen. Your heart will determine the results, whether for good or ill. With the destructive, all is brought to ruin. Those who build fill the land with their creations.

      Physically, we are born of dirt and water. Imagination touches the spirit, imparting the desire to fashion worlds. Nourish your creativity and it will bring forth fruit. Pour all of your energies into whatever you do. It is fuel for the fire that death might not quench.

A better life

Life only gets better if you do something about it. By itself it is a miserable affair, full of sadness and disappointment. We must face this if we ever hope to overcome it.

People live and die and the world moves on as if they had never been. Only those who make a name for themselves are remembered. Whether for good or ill, they live on.

It is not enough to exist. You must overcome mere existence to have any form of longevity. Otherwise, entropy will bring all your achievements to naught.

The world does not care, so it is incumbent upon us to do so. Life will go on until death intervenes. It is what we do with the time we have that will make all the difference.

By being better, we can lift ourselves from the mediocrity of subsistence. We can encourage others to realize their potential. Nothing we imagine is truly out of reach.

Live like tomorrow will never come. None of us are guaranteed to see another sunrise. But by caring we can start a fire, which will continue to burn long after we are gone.

Going somewhere

People want someone to follow. But what if that person has no idea where they are going? History is filled with those who followed blind leaders right over the cliff.

Just because an individual is more knowledgeable, does not mean they are wise. Knowing is amassing information. Wisdom is applying what you have learned.

Life does not come with a map. Through experience you learn what works and what does not. If anyone claims to be a guide, be concerned where they are taking you.

Before going anywhere, you should focus on the destination. If you will not be better for the journey, it is best to stay home. Otherwise, you might not like where you end up.

Some spiritual landmarks are tried and true. The more you care, the clearer the path becomes. A good moral compass will always point in the right direction.

Do not expect it to be easy to get where you are going. It is normal to stumble along the way. Often, to reach the mountains you must go through the valleys.

Digging deep

Things that require the most work are among the most rewarding. They give you a genuine sense of accomplishment. The effort expended will be manifested in the final product.

The easier something is, the less it tends to mean. Digging deep is not required, so there is very little depth in what was done. Such thrills are here today and tomorrow they are gone.

You may dread the labor that will be required. But it is swallowed up in the satisfaction of a job well done. Making is better than taking, just as working beats shirking.

Lazy people only have what others make. They live to consume, producing only an accumulation of waste. Then, they wonder why their entire existence is spent unfulfilled.

When you begin something, see it through. That which is partially done should never have been attempted. Now it is just a pile of clutter for someone else to remove.

Focus all of your energies on the task at hand. If you hold back in the slightest, there will always be a lack. It is best to lament that you could not do more.