Perhaps it’s the sounds of people you know simply talking amongst each other? Whatever it might be for you… that is what makes it so difficult to leave home. No matter if you are six or sixty, when you have to start over in a new place, there will be a distantly familiar pain in your heart. It’s the knowledge that a page has turned, that you are now staring at a blank page waiting to be filled.

The concept of home has always proven to be fairly fluid as I crept from childhood to adolescence, to whatever you might call my age now. From “gaga-googoo” to real words, to “hey, I didn’t have hair down there earlier,” to “I hate bills,” I’ve still not a clear idea of a location to call home. I have a few people and ideas with whom I can find home though. This is how I find rest at night. Thinking not of Where, but of Who and When.

I was born in South Korea, but was, from a young age, raised in the US. The subtle profundities of conflicting life interests has combined to provide a very interesting outlook and bias on today’s world, for myself and for others. It’s like knowing that there was a life waiting for you somewhere, but it was decided along the line that it wasn’t the chosen path. It’s the what-ifs, the contradictions, and the mysteries that fill my mind.

I’ve read, in recent months from a range of people, an increasing number of comments that more or less tell those who are unsure about who they are and what they should be doing to “stop whining.” It’s these kinds of words that encourage me to write more about subjects related to their rejection. It’s not about rebelling against their opinion (well, maybe a little), but more about trying to allow them to see that it’s not whining, it’s calculating more or less. It’s trial and error, touch and go. It’s all about seeing what works and what doesn’t. What works today, might not work for you tomorrow.

When I come across these people who like to put others down, I am reminded of the classic playground bully: the kid who laughs manically in his pre-pubescent high squeal while trying to pull your hair or throw sand in your face. This is the kid who might very well have trouble at home, trouble with school work, and, if changes aren’t made in short time, might well have trouble later in life. I am sorry for this kid. He doesn’t realize the intricacies that are childhood-sociality. He might also be in a form of denial about home, in that he doesn’t feel comfortable in his. Or maybe he just ate too many paint chips.

It’s quite appropriate that one of the seemingly most simple of life’s aspects is also the most elusive and difficult. One of the only ways to better understand yourself is through other people. Another is through yourself and your individual experiences. But you already know this right? Do you think about it? Practice it? I do hope those that say “stop whining” realize that they are in fact whining about whining, and that they should try to explain the Why to their statement.

In this issue, like others, we’re trying to assist in this process. Regardless of your location or ethnicity, you might be able to relate on some level. And even though none of them mention Tom Cruise, Scientology, or Iraq, they’re all sure to capture your interest.

Tyler
Halfway Editor-in-Chief

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