Real Talk #3 - Be the Bicep

PSA: Read this article with a clear mind. This is a light-hearted piece of writing which has drawn inspiration from many other sources.

The very famous attorney from New York, Matthew Murdock once said, "I can't see". Now that could have been the end of his life.  However, with the right push and enough discipline he did manage to become an attorney as well as serve justice outside the courtroom as the masked vigilante Daredevil.

This fictional example is a little contradictory to the title of this post, "Real" Talk. However, it is rather apt to the topic at hand (pun intended).

Notice how the bicep gets bigger as it contracts. The relaxed bicep is you now, the fully contracted bicep is you after you have reached your maximum potential. Much like muscle building, your maximum potential is reached by putting in the effort and knowing your limits.

Resistance helps muscles contract and increase your strength and eventually the size of the muscle itself. Equate this to the challenges you face, each one presents the opportunity for you to grow as a person and get closer to your maximum potential. However, if you tackle the challenge incorrectly, you may end up damaging (maybe permanently) yourself or those around you. Work too hard and you will burn out quickly, so work smart. Some may be able to handle higher levels of resistance and may rise to their potential faster than others. Decide what type of workout/lifestyle suits you and make your way up at the correct pace.

Now deciding what suits you can be done by experimenting with different methods. Try out whatever you would like to until you realise what it is that you are good at. If required get some help from a fellow bicep who has been there and done that. Otherwise, take the help of relaxed bicep like yourself and tackle the resistance that comes along the way together.

For the readers who still have not grasped what the intended message is, here is a summary. Nothing worth doing is easy and you will face difficulties. However, you should know that every difficulty is another step to becoming a better person. Each person grows differently and that is fine. You will eventually learn how much you can and should push yourself. Finally, before you know it, you will be where you need to be. 

New Worlds - Short Story

"We have been watching Earth for years now. Seen them evolve from mindless apes to a civilized race of living beings" said Calder. 
"Yes but look at them now, fighting over divisions that they have created among themselves. Race, religion, wealth, ethnicity etc. It's ridiculous. Our race is so much more civilized and advanced compared to them. There's nothing we can learn from them; only they can learn from us. But they are not as advanced to communicate or even locate us in the Universe." replied Tadeas. 
"That is not the point of observing them. They are the only other living beings in our known universe. It is comforting to know we are not alone. Our race is much more advanced, yes, but that is because we are a much older planet. Their planet is young, their resources are sufficient. Calder and Tadeas were students who would one day lead Craeura and their citizens. 

YEAR 2169:
"Space exploration is the next leap for mankind. We are here in an age of fear and curiosity. The greater our knowledge increases, the greater our ignorance unfolds. We could not have imagined that man could set foot on the moon 200 years ago. But we did it and here we are setting out to go further than we ever have before." said the President. "From learning how to paint on cave walls to now setting out on our quest for knowledge. We as humans have come a long way. We choose to do what is hard, we choose a challenge that propels us as a race. This mission is a collective effort of every country on Earth. Every man, woman and child have contributed towards this. This is the most dangerous, daring and greatest adventure of which man has ever embarked." 

The crowds cheered as the large screens now showed the view of the large spaceship. Men and Women of every race & religion stood by to watch this great event unfold. Today, they stand as humans, not divided by any categorization whatsoever. "Stand by for lift off" said an electronic voice inside the astronaut's helmet. The mission was to set out on a journey to the stars to find solar systems with planets that had Earth-like qualities that could sustain life. A team of 30 members, the best in their discipline picked to take the next big step for mankind. The alarm rang to inform all personnel to stand by at their respective stations. "Lift off in 10.. 9.." the voice began counting down. Crowds on every major city gathered to watch on their television screens to see the spectacle. "5.. 4.. 3.. 2.. 1.. Lift off!" said the TV presenter. The crowds roared with joy as the spaceship ascended into the heavens.

ON CRAEURA:
"It is happening!" cried Calder. "Get our children to the bunker. I'll be down soon." 
Calder as President of Craeura, had to make a speech first to inform the nation that Doomsday was upon them. That hope was not lost but that everyone must find shelter and go to their bunkers which were specifically designed by the scientists to withstand the explosion that would be created by the impact. "Citizens of Craeura, do not be afraid. We all knew this day would come and we have prepared ourselves well for it. Follow the procedures in your survival bunkers. If all goes well, I will see you again once this has passed." 

Calder was rushed to the bunker by the security personnel. Inside his wife and children were waiting huddled up together. "It'll be okay" he said to his children whose faces were heavy with confusion and fear. "I promise" he said even though he knew he really could not keep that promise. Nobody knew what would happen. Nobody could predict anything because they did not know any living beings surviving an asteroid impact so large. Earth's early living beings were wiped out in similar circumstances hundreds of years ago. Calder held his wife's hand and embraced his children with his other hand. 

The asteroid also brought with thousands of smaller rocks that hurtled down first, crashing into anything and everything that existed. Calder watched his monitor screen which showed various parts of the city. People who did not get to a safe place were hit by the boulders and squished. Vehicles and buildings exploded. It dawned upon Calder that the bunkers were not going to be enough to withstand this. They were not going to survive it. It was the end of their world as they knew it. 


Time seemed to slow down as the tip of the asteroid made contact with the surface. The large rock seemed to fuse into Craeura as a ring of fire emerged from the impact, expanding outwards, growing larger and larger. Calder closed his eyes and hugged his children tighter as if to suffocate them. Minutes later, the planet stood still. Not an organism moved because there was not an organism left to move. Everything had perished and the land was barren, rid of all buildings. So empty that it seemed like nothing remotely living ever existed. 

On Spaceship 1: 
"Sir, you need to see this. Our detectors have picked up a signal. It's not from Earth..." said John. 
Captain Russell studied the readings with furrowed brows. He was not yet considering the possibility of aliens, for all it mattered he was not the speculative type. "Can we trace it?" he asked after a long pause. "I can try" replied John. 
The ship's thrusters rattled with power as she prepared for warp drive. The crew of 30 representing mankind was about to begin something that would carry on for generations and generations. And if they were successful, it would be a victory for humanity as a whole. The moment was certainly overwhelming. 

Craeura:
Dust swirled in miniature tornadoes as a gust of wind blew by. Clouds dark and heavy loomed in the distance ready to break out into a storm. Water droplets started falling from the clouds, wetting the dirt, turning to mud. Far away in the distance, a tiny object appeared. It moved closer and closer towards the planet, turning to avoid the storm and land safely. The spaceship entered the atmosphere and thrusters reversed their direction to counter the gravity of Craeura. 

YEAR C.984:
He put his one eye to the looking device while closing the other. His face filled with curiosity and confusion.
"We have been watching Earth for years now. Seen them evolve from mindless apes to a civilized race of living beings" he said...

W.A.R

We Are Responsible

Come hear and see what is in store for you,
The land is green and the water is sky blue,
Yet the world is at war, we cannot find peace,
Crime clings to humanity like a disease.

Be born, live then struggle and die,
Here! Have another lie,
We draw our borders based on religion,
Up in arms with weapons of destruction.

The calls of Nature are drowned,
There is no life to be found,
Families spend the night in fear,
Come tomorrow will we be here?

Women and children hide yourselves,
For this is the sound of hell's bells,
This to ourselves, we have done,
Fear it child, you better run!