Had To Reblog Because I Love This So Much

Had to reblog because I love this so much

My favorite thing about seeing non-Americans online is how they’re so shocked by things that you just take for granted and don’t even think about.

Like that whole restaurant post explaining how portion sizes aren’t a reflection of how people typically eat every day and that you’re practically expected to take leftovers home. It’s because between things like the Great Depression and coming off of having to ration our meals there was a big deal about being hospitable and giving guests lots of food that they could save for later thanks to the invention of refrigerators.

Or how non-Americans just shrug their shoulders at the idea that “Oh that house is old and haunted SOMEBODY DIED IN THERE!” because the U.S. has only been around a few hundred years and ghost stories like that are a common occurrence because we don’t have still-standing homes dating back to the Renaissance era and we have very different ideas of what is considered “old” because we really are such a young nation.

You dont’ quite realize that America does have its own cultures until you start exposing it to people who aren’t surrounded by it. And I think it’s important to realize that America does come with a culture but most people don’t see it as a culture because they’re so used to that whole “Melting Pot” thing but see that’s just it. The fact that there is a history and people who’ve been shaped by that history and those experiences is how culture is created and you can’t stop it. But it’s kind of like how if you’re a fish you don’t really know what’s “wet” because there’s water everywhere. If you’re American you don’t really know there’s an American Culture because you live and breathe it every day.

I don't have many followers, and I can't do much, but this was so beautiful I just wanted to send it a little further...

Temples are built for gods. Knowing this a farmer builds a small temple to see what kind of god turns up.

I'm in my room excersizing and eating a bag of marshmallows and I feel like that just really sums up my entire life....

You glance at the boy on your way to school. You stop when you see his brother standing next to him, talking. It's been a week since you started your project with his brother. You've managed to make him your grudging friend, which you're excited about. You walk over to them and his brother breaks off whatever he was saying and looks at you. You smile, "hey. What's up?" He shrugs, "nothing. Just saying by to Junior." You blink, "Your names Junior?" Junior glares at his brother, who immediately shrinks, cheeks burning red, "s-s-sorry...." Junior looks at you, "So? It's none of your business." You shrug, "There's nothing wrong with it. I was just surprised." Junior glares, "it's still none of your business." You sigh and look at his brother, "Come on. We're gonna be late." He hesitates, glancing at Jr. Jr nods at him and he hurries over. You walk to school, shaking your head. Why does he have to be such a jerk?

You're walking home from school when you see the boy looking out into the crowd. His face lights up. You freeze. You've never seen him look genuinely happy before.... A boy breaks away from the crowd and heads over to him. He's shorter than him, also blond, but with gold eyes. He has a small frame, very similar to the boy's. He stops in front of him, head down, facing away from you, so you can't see his expression, but the boy's eyes soften and he pulls him into a hug. The smaller boy grabs his shirt tightly and his shoulders shudder, as though he's crying. The boy watches him fondly, then his lips move. He's too far away for you to hear what he's saying, but he pulls the smaller boy away from him and slides his shirt off his shoulder, revealing the bandage over his bullet wound. His lips move again. You catch the, "see? I'm fine..." The smaller boy grabs his shirt again hides his face in it. The other laughs, pulling him away again and saying something to him. The smaller boy nods and he ruffles his hair. The smaller boy ducks his head. The other says something else and the smaller boy hugs him tightly, then runs off. You wonder over to the boy, "I didn't know you had a brother...." The boy looks at you, suddenly guarded again, "......Yeah...... so?" You shrug, "It's just surprising...." You don't know why you're even here. You don't like him. But something about seeing him soft and caring makes you more curious about him. "He's not really mafia material is he?" You blurt it out without thinking. The boy bristles, "So what? Just cuz you're born into a mafia doesn't mean you HAVE to be one. If he decides to do something else I'm fine with it." You nod quickly, "Ok. I'm sorry. That was stupid of me to say..." "yeah. It was." He brushes past you and stalks off, leaving you, once again, wishing you would have never approached him....

Life hack: when you're on the go, and have hot coffee, drink from the air hole. It's small enough it won't burn your mouth (most likely....) and the mouth hole works fine as an air hole.