There’s a fine line between overanalyzing and being bitter.

When I listen to myself talk I know I’m in the first category, but when someone is listening to me I can tell they’d easily put me in the second.

That’s why most of the time I force myself to talk very positively about most situations. So positive you can almost puke. Commenting on the negatives comes with a positive connotation, but not everyone is inclined to take it as such.

My firm belief is that problems must be pointed out for future improvement and betterment of oneself as an individual.

The absolute least one can do is be a decent human being, right?

Apparently that’s actually very hard to achieve.

I started watching Fran Lebowits’ “Pretend it’s a City” on Netflix and have been hooked on the idea of explaining people’s stupid little daily patterns and habits which do not, in any way, contribute positively to the social wellbeing of society. The setting is New York City, a glorified glass and steel labyrinth containing millions of different hardcore personalities which no one can try to change even a teensy bit.

But New York is one thing, my hometown is another.

The opposite of a labyrinth - a microscopic iota in comparison to this so-called-country in itself which houses societies within societies within societies. A place where pretty much everyone knows everyone, and wants to know everything about everyone. But where keeping the societal values is at the bottom of any list, or maybe even ceases to exist.

I mentioned before that, in order to achieve and contribute to a better society, the problems/patterns must be pointed out. Alas, the new world is a very gentle and overly-dramatic one.

I had a little squabble the other day with an actual child - a boy of 12 or 13 years. I was leaving the supermarket when he was getting in. He stood at the foot of the door, opened his pudding and threw the aluminum lid on the ground while the trash can was staring him in the face a mere feet away.

“That’s the last straw”, I said to myself. I’m either gonna say something or am going to hate myself if I don’t.

“That’s not what you’re supposed to do!”, I yelled. I picked up the lid and threw it in its rightful place avoiding eye contact. I was scared of a literal child! The next one begging to be tutored on the street will be met with a fiery gaze.

I was proud of myself.

My friend, on the other hand, wasn’t. I should not have done that. He has parents, they’re the ones who should tell him right from wrong.

“I guess they haven’t done their job and it’s up to me to be the parent.”

You have to teach them young. Otherwise it’s all downhill. Believe me, my whole country is downhill.

The worst thing for a person to be stripped of is conscience.

The term ‘freedom’ is something thrown very freely here and there yet practiced very unorthodoxly. I will quote one of the most popular sayings, also thrown about everywhere by everyone who I believe do not understand its full weight:

“Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry his own weight, this is a frightening prospect.”

- Eleanor Roosevelt

I am sitting in my backyard, sun beaming down my face, the grass swaying in the light breeze, thinking these bitter thoughts. When looking at the landscape I feel peace; when looking at my screen the peevish thoughts come rushing back.

It’s a reminder how everyone is free in their own world and cannot seem to fathom restricting their own pleasures.

I was born an only child, loved and spoiled to a generous degree. Then grew up into a rule-abiding advocate. If I had to explain how and why, I really would not have a clue. I think it’s the probability of securing a positive future, and earnestly anticipating a happy-go-lucky society.

Isn’t that the dream?

It’s evident that for a certain number of individuals it is, but only in the scopes of them being the freest of the free. The untouchables. The rule-breakers. The actual proclaimers of anarchy.

“Pretend it’s a village” is our way of saying “Pretend it’s a city”. Lebowitz throws this phrase in the faces of New Yorkers not doing their duty as citizens. I throw this phrase around for the same thing. People are people everywhere, and people should be people everywhere.

The only distinction is the size of the populace.

As always, thank you for reading!

While writing this piece a very big turn of events happened. A fire broke out in a nightclub in a little city in my country, called Kochani. The aftermath? 59 young people dead, more than 150 wounded (as they say). The numbers are still not fully confirmed. How did this tragedy come about?

From continuous generational greed, power and corruption.

From 25+ years saying, “Don’t worry, I have a guy on the inside, he’ll take care of things.”

From always blaming the other party.

From never once taking the blame.

From feining to be a citizen of the world.

There is a wonderful explanation from one of our great writers, Goran Stefanovski, quoting another one of our great writers, Bogomil Ǵuzel about what it means to our Yugoslavian people to be in power - freedom is slaves imitating their rulers.

When one comes to power the natural thing to do is do onto others what has been done to oneself. At the same time the oppressed have a favorite saying, “It could always be worse.”

Well, the worse has come. It’s a new journey ahead for us. But there is something different in the air.

The people are present. The people are angry. The people are weeds!

However much you pluck us, we’re growing back.

As a duty to myself and to society, I will continue pointing out people’s errors, whether they be far-reaching actions or just trivial grammatical inadequacies.

If one is grown they will take it with stride. If not, may they be healthy and prosperous.

Till next time,