Mind Maps

Since I wanted to explore matters realiting to humans, being human, and growing up that is where I began.

From here, I highlighted a few words of interests, namely:

I did more mind maps for some of these words like hearbeat and supernova, which allowed me to explore more specifics, like interactions, visuals, and experiences, that I will look back into as I continue developing my project.

An example of utilizing these mind maps would include following catharsis and screaming as a form letting go in my exploration of mental health or utilizing moons and tides as the passing of time for more story-based concepts.

Free Write

For the other words and other items on the mind map, I found ways to incorporate them in free writing and in my 30 projects in 30 minutes brainstorm.

I decided to free write about my theme of #connection in order to delve deeper into abstract thoughts and concrete questions. Since I did my mind maps earlier, I was able to utilize concepts from them such as zooming in, tension, and etc in my free writing. Concepts like subtitles came out in the form of wordlessness, while concepts like tension came out in the form of a string.

How do people connect?

They can speak, they can touch, or sometimes they can just look at each other and have an understanding.
Some people live their lives and stumble upon others; while some go in search and know what they seek.
Some swipe, some like, some comment or subscribe. Some leave something behind; something that resonates far and wide — permeating through time.
Some move, some sing, some smile, some dance, some, from the stage, wave to their fans.
Some choose, some force, some fail, some love.
And there are those who struggle and don’t connect at all.

What are meaningful connections?

Does knowing a name matter without knowing the face it belongs to?
Does the story matter as much as who tells it or are all stories the same and
we simply seek those who understand it the same way we do?
What about when words fail? Will people understand?
Is it vulnerability that ties people together or is it choice?
Is it the “me too, I get it” or is it the “I don’t know it but I understand”
Like the chicken or the egg; which comes first? the story or the connection?

How do stories change us?

Maybe stories let us find ourselves in another;
maybe it gives us hope in knowing there is this place where people can meet
and discuss matters pertaining to reality without being explicit about anything.

When people gather for strength in beliving in the same thing,
there is this understanding about becoming part of something.
Because beliving in anything alone makes you crazy.
Because the integrity of alone crumbles in a world of more than one.
More than just you.

When people listen to the same song apart but feel the same way;
an invisible bridge we can’t cross lets its existence be known
letting us know there is a to and a from and that we are not alone.

And creativity. Is like a string where one movement leads to another.
if I pull and you push, we roll; and if I pull and you pull, tension could take its toll.
Becoming frayed edges that don’t connect; is it where the struggle begins?
That we cannot unravel further into ourselves inotder to straighten the knots
that allow the edges to connect again.

Are our selves who we are or what we are?

The former — who we become from what we have; a prerequisite to entering society.
Wear this, wear that, and don’t forget the hat. Top it off with this look of someone who fits somewhere.

The latter — what is the same for us all; how we enter the world.
Ones able to feel the agony of mortality, despite all we become.

Where do our similarities end and our differences begin?

Is it merely chemical composition, formed from the basis of luck and frequency;
drawing from a hat a few variables that don’t match.
What you look like, who you’ll be, what will happen, if you’ll see.

How does connection hurt us?

Toxic this, toxic that, boundaries here and there,
walls are up, everywhere.
Running from the pain of being vulnerable, because the world tells us we must be formidable.
But it forgets to tells us there is strength in numbers.

On Vulnerability

Tears don’t solve problems, but what if they water the solution?
To care, to exist. To melt the numbness and still persist.
While we struggle to cope with unrealistic standards,
we begin to care about the same things everybody does.
Burpees and exercise without exercising rights.
Coping through an unreal reality by wasting away
instead of saying no. Because we can’t.
We’re here, but we lose ourselves to trying.

How far we cast ourselves

Some cast their selves far enough to change the world,
Some, only to what they deem matters,
Some, only to themselves.

What stories are there to tell?

Zooming out it’s just the big picture; does it even matter if we are there?
But zooming in, we exist. Zooming into days, hours, even minutes, which of it means more?
If this moment didn’t matter, would it be a waste?
Or would it simply be a moment in the sea of moments that we call life?