excellent words of wisdom efendi;) i feel like it doesn’t matter what we believe, it is our actions. there are some people in this world who say they believe in god/s, yet they still continue to feel conflicted or angry at the world for whatever reason. we should follow our hearts and do what is right and not be tied down to all the morals of what god/s dictate. like you said “hold no belief, so you can live in the moment”, i agree we should just appreciate ourselves and our life despite our beliefs. it doesn’t matter what beliefs you have if your beliefs don’t make you happy. the most important thing is to have a positive attitude and cultivate compassion for the world. buddha never thought himself as a god or deity, but as a spiritual teacher helping others find their way. some people seem to be restricted by their beliefs since they follow a daily practice and stick to it, while this may be comforting to most people, sometimes it is good to step out of the boundaries for a while and explore new horizons. you said “towards believer of no gods, buddha says god exists”, some people just enjoy going through life, but they miss the bigger picture and life seems to pass them by. also those who have no belief in god/s are sometimes freer since they aren’t tied down by limitations of what god/s seems like and they can just appreciate their divinity, a higher self. since also for those who believe in god/s sometimes they seem to be subordinate to the god/s they worship instead of sharing a mutual connection and working together. the important thing is to follow our hearts, cultivate compassion, do what’s right and not to put limits on god/s. god/s should be eternal and all-encompassing instead of having so many strict rules to follow. we make our own decisions in life and we must face the consequences of those actions, yet we should continue to live life to the fullest regardless of who we are because a life spent in anger, a life spent in illusion is a life unlived.

anita, i think i like a balance between both b/c at school i don’t really like my ap english and history classes, but i love pre-calc and physics honors. although if i had to choose between one or the other, i prefer school better because it gives me an opportunity to be around people who are laid-back and truly appreciate me for me. i also enjoy learning new things at school and having track practice with my teammates. at home, my parents are constantly complaining about whatever injustice that comes up, no matter how trivial. however, i don’t let the negatives affect me as much anymore. there are times when i will get irritated, but i always find ways to bring about peace and center myself. i think my next poem will be called “believe”, “set your sights for the stars”, “break the illusion” or something of that nature and it will feature that line ‘we are made of star stuff”. it will be a poem about the power of positive thinking and going for your dreams, realizing that you are capable of many things.