Tre's Manifesto

We all have big changes in our lives that are more or less a second chance.
- Harrison Ford

photo by: Mark Tymczyszyn

What is everything to me? I’ve always been told, go to school and play sports. And that’s what it has been, school and sports, since I can remember at least. But that can’t everything for the rest of my life. I mean my body can only play for so long, and I have to graduate sooner or later, so then what? When this happens, will somebody tell me what to do? Or do I finally have a choice. What will happen to all the talent and knowledge live gained the past eighteen years. Do I even care for that knowledge? Will I miss the talent? I really don’t think so. I’m sure I will stroll down memory lane countless times but something will come up. The world is a sphere of endless possibilities that I must exploit. Taking all chances and grasping every opportunity will eventually lead to me ideal oasis. What is everything to me? I cannot tell you now, but as long as I am happy, then that is everything I need.

Everyone's values differ between another, but everyone's values are their everything

- Wilson Hadfield

Wilson's Manifesto

You can never go home again, but the truth is you can never leave home, so it's alright.

- Maya Angelou

A home is a place where one lives. Not necessarily a house, but a place where someone can feel safe and in harmony. A home is an area where you can learn and obtain values of what you want and need in your life.  While in a home you don’t need a reason to be there, it’s somewhere you can be when you are not doing anything, or need some time to rest. Within a home you can find love, whether the love is for another being, or if the emotion is directed towards an individuals values. I find that human’s work like gravity with their homes.  Where or what ever their homes may be is the earths core or heart. Humans, being the gravity may float around in the atmosphere doing what ever it is they desire, but naturally, they will always be dragged back to their home. The home may have changed location, but humans will discover their new home and return. Even if it is just for a few brief moments we will always come back.
“I want to go home” is a phrased used so commonly used in the English language, but when we say it we really don’t realize what we want. When someone states they want to go home they are usually scared, uncomfortable, tired, bored, sick etc… People don’t want to go home because of the homes physical qualities. They want to go home because there is a psychological and emotional attachment to their habitat and that is where they are comfortable. Some may argue I don’t mind being away from home for long periods of time, I enjoy being on the road and travelling. Well besides the fact you’re a hippy, this means that the road is your home, because you feel comfortable when you have less boundaries and limitations, nothing to restrain you from doing what you desire. Christopher McCandless from the true story of Jon Krakauer’s novel Into The Wild lived his life with no limitations and his home was constantly changing. He travelled all across the United States in search to find his harmony and what he valued. He eventually settled in Alaska for two years, he lived out in the wilderness with no more then a pound of rice, a rifle, some Wal-Mart boots, a jacket, a fishing net, a machete, a long sleeved shirt, a pair of jeans and a lot of courage and hope. Christopher believed that he had finally found what he was searching for deep in the wild of Alaska. It was happiness, which is what made him feel like he was home sweet home.

Home is not where you live but where they understand you.

- Christian Morgenstern

Michaela's Manifesto

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trail and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and sucess achieved.

- Helen Keller

We are conceived by another person. We are brought into the world by another person. We are taught to speak, and taught to walk by another person. But, can someone else really do the living for us? Or is the control in our own hands? From the time we arrive into the world, to the time we lay down and die, I believe the journey we have, and the life we live is controlled by the destiny in which we chose for ourselves. Many people let religion, or fate guide them to their final purpose, which they believe to be planned. When in reality, I believe our life is like a piece of clay that will forever be without shape until we chose to construct and mould it for ourselves. No one else can mould our clay into the right shape.

Both Chris McCandless and Henry Thoreau stood up for their personal beliefs and passions, and lived their own life by their own rules. I strongly feel that we are in the journey of life alone. We are born alone, and we die alone. No matter how many people surround us, no matter how many people guide us, it always comes down to ourselves and our personal purpose. McCandless once said, Afacing the blind death stone alone, with nothing to help you but your hands and your own head.” This backs up my idea of living a self controlled life. We have the power in our hands, to make a difference in our own world. We must take a self-made thought, and put it into action. Even as a young child, although we are learning from the people around us, it is up to us to absorb the lessons of life being revealed to us each day. He also said that true joy does not come from only human relationships, but it is in all of the things we do and can experience, and discover on our own. It is completely our choice when it comes to what we chose to open our minds to. There are many pathways to choose in life, and that decision should be made in our own heart.

Chris McCandless lived a normal life, with a family, and many friends, yet he choose to abandon it all, and live among nature; as one with the earth. That was his choice only, and although some say it may have been a selfish one, it was a decision he knew he had to make for himself. The things he learned, and the conclusions he came to along his journey, were messages he would missed, if he did not follow his instincts in the beginning. Those messages, and discoveries, are the ones which lead him to be the man he was in the end. He died alone, in a cold, abandoned van, but he died a complete person. A wise man that had seen more, and discovered more than some people do in an entire lifetime. It was all because he took control of his own life. He identified his questions, and let the world send him the answers in return. His destiny was controlled by his choices. He left behind a story, which inspired us all to live alone in our decisions and live fully in the chances we take.

One of my favourite quotes sums up in a single line exactly how I feel towards living a self controlled life. It is a simple and wise way, to conclude my thoughts. 

It's choice, not chance, that determines your destiny
- Jean Nidetch

Josh's Manifesto

"As a well spent day brings happy sleep, so a well spent life brings happy death."
- Da Vinci

Happiness has many forms, and it takes a true soul to go out and find it for his or herself.  It seems as though human existence in general is solely based around the principles of that specific modern society.  Parallel to ants, humans tend to colonize, breed, work, fight, and die to essentially feed the demands of The Machine.  Without individuals such as McCandless and Thoreau, the human society would be forever bound to an endless cycle in which any benefits are taken by The Machine.  I am not trying to promote rage against The Machine, for that would only cause more loss and death to mankind, all I am saying is that in one's lifetime he or she should find themselves, benefit from his or her own experiences, and learn that living life in a structured society is not the only way to exist.  I don't think people should believe a life has already been planned for them, either by religion or by societies structures, for one does not have to contribute to a society to gain happiness in life.  Happiness is merely a recollection of previous experiences that one has found joy in, therefore, why not create these experience by one's own standards. Selfishness is non-existent when searching to achieve what everyone else has been trying to achieve all their lives: happiness.  It is not selfish to go out and search for happiness.  Happiness is different for every person, as everyone has different experiences and desires.  Happiness could be anything from a warm gun, to living alone, to learning to fly.  Taking this into consideration, one can ask is what Christopher McCandless did selfish?  Was Going to find the true meaning of happiness, then in his dying moments realizing that happiness is only real when shared, selfish?  I don't believe it was, to me it was an act of courage, strength, and endurance.  Even though McCandless died on his journey to finding happiness, he did find it.  Happiness itself can be whatever one wishes it to be -- shared, smiles, tears, love -- it has many forms.  It will be found.  It may take years or even lifetimes to find ones own happiness but it will happen.  It will be different for everyone but it will always be found in the same place.  The problem with happiness is that it is always in the same place, but it is very hard to get to. Happiness will always be found in the heart. One should not be guided by religion, or social structure, one should be guided by the heart for that is where true happiness lies. 

"Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things it will come and sit softly on your shoulder."

- Thoreau.