Making the Call: NBA Edition-Finals 2014 LeBron James, Dragon Ball Z, and An Era

***Please read before moving forward***

Disclaimer from Agorá

In this article, there is reference to extremely powerful and widely reverenced figures (Religious, Academic, Political, Artistic, Fictional). The use of these names are to only show what they all have in common (the reality that they all have powerfully impacted our world). These statements are made with a whole and well intentioned heart, as well as a mind that has acquired practical and widely accepted knowledge even in the midst of ignorance (used in the proper),  and does not strive to inappropriately make parallels other than the one aforementioned within this disclaimer. I remain in awe of all the works of human beings, and love all of our differences, appreciate our commonalities, and inquire, for the sake of learning, about the things within and outside of my ignorance.  If this article in anyway offends you I apologize please now that it was not my intended or unintended goal.

Thank you and enjoy.

Joel R. – Agoránian

Making the Call: Introduction

The 2014 NBA Finals will be the Greatest Level of Basketball play we have seen this decade, plus some years, four to be exact (2010 – 2014). Not to be confused with great teams, players, or talent, “Great Level of Basketball Play” purely means the “Great Game of Basketball”. Yes, without a doubt this era of Basketball, The “King James Era” ( <– unintentional cleverness here), is exciting, powerful, conscious, and talented, however these Finals will symbolically, and without dispute, mark the perfect passing of the Torch from the Present to the Future, the Old to the New, the Obi-Wan Kenobi Master Jedi Knights of Basketball’s Past to the Luke Skywalker Padawans of today’s Present Future.

 The flawlessness of the Spur’s Team, forged in teamwork, tradition, and excellence of old (old not to mean obsoleted, but to mean the foundational ties to past legacy), pitted against the high-flying, naturally gifted, and professionally excellence of tamed Gladiator the Miami Heat, is equivalent to the Dragon Ball Z Cell Games Saga, in which we see the passing of the torch to Gohan from his legendary father Goku, as he finally Finally (<– Second Finally with a capital “F”, for those who know how long we had to wait to see the “Great Power of Gohan” manifest) ascend to the all powerful Super Saiyan Two! For those who need something a little more contemporary, this is also equivalent to the passing of B-613 on to Jake Ballard; however, as it relates to this case Jake remains as the new generation of controversial, yet necessary invisible hand National Justice and Security…instead of being bossed moved by papa Pope (ßThe opposite could be the true case if the Spurs Win…however they won’t…moving on). The middle part of both of those examples, the actually “episodes that lead to the results of those examples, is what all of us will experience beginning on June 6, 2014.

 Making the Call: The Set-Up

For the Heat, LeBron James, King James, will be the focal point of this series; and for the Spurs, the entire Team will be the focal point of this series.

Person:

Well duh…of course those are the focal points

Me:

Rude. Let’s not disrespect. Let me explain.

No this isn’t an “Of course he is and of course they are” moment folks, but a really deep and subtle actualization of evolution; only to be recognized if you allow your self to see the full picture of the game we admire, love, and sometimes hate along with it’s culture’s context.

LeBron James is now ascending into his undisputed Greatness. He is Gohan, becoming Super Saiyan Two. Now let’s be very clear as we expound on this point, it is in this series where we will see LeBron James bring full circle his legacy as the King. This has nothing to do with MJ, Magic, Bird, the Good Dr., and their “Cohort’s” Legacy, but has everything to do with evolution.

This is flip-phone to touch screen, this is gas to energy, and philosophy to pure science as history is completed, renewed, and re-started. For today’s generation, my generation, the Millennial Generation, this is the Era we will use to argue against tomorrow’s generation, my future children’s generation, the Z Generation’s “King James” Era.

With that clear, LeBron James, like it or not, will be for a long time the standard of Basketball, he will be the origin from which all things will be built, in order to advance into the new age of society, more specifically sports. So get comfortable.

In addition to his high level of play, his social stance, especially during this time of culture change, and his strong stance against the actions of Sterling, has given himself and us a glimpse of his “Divine Purpose” for existing.

Person:

Wait hold on What you say?! Divine you getting too deep! Stop it! Are you done!

Me:

No hold on let me explain…because you wasn’t ready.

Figures that change the world come in different ways, and for a long time, today included, have come to us through society as leaders within the core categories of our society: Religion, Politics, Academia, and the Arts.

I believe that for these new generations, our leaders and influencers of life will come from our “Gladiators” they will come from our Athletes. One by one, we are seeing them become, and one by one they are claiming and accepting their purpose just as Jesus and Prophet Muhammad, Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, Albert Einstein and Dr. Ali Moustafa Mosharafa Pasha, Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni and Jean-Michel Basquiat, as well as Peter Parker, Bruce Wayne, and Kal’El. We will see new Generational Influencers; from all over the world begin to arise, through our favorite human past time of athletics. LeBron James is the first, of this generation, of many to take that step and that step will be taken on this Thursday.

 

Making the Call: The Call

“HEAT WIN in SEVEN…RECORD SETTING SERIES…TWO GREAT TEAM…ONE GREAT PLAYER. JAMES CLAIMS HIS THRONE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME!”

The Heat will win in seven games. Not because of a lack of play by the opponent, but because of the best of play by the opponent. It is that level of superior play, that will force LeBron to unleash his greatness, just as the Evil and Pride of Cell enabled him to crush Android 16 head, thus forcing Gohan to unleash what he at one time feared. Thus fully and forever solidifying him as the Greatest Player in Basketball during this Era; just as Leonidas’ act of pure sacrifice, when making a god king bleed, ushered him into his Glory while at the same time creating the opportunity for others to achieve Glory as well.

 

Person:

Dude you are LeBron fan, get of his blah blahah blahh”

Me:

Are you done…are…are you done…thanks…now let me explain.

Know that this is being said from a Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan believer til’ the day he dies fan, A believer in Derek Rose, and the great coach Tom Thibodeau. Yeah you just learned. Shut up!

We will see for the first time in a long time The Great Game of Basketball played the way we use to remember it as well as the way we hope to experience in the future. It is because of LeBron James, and the Eras that came before him that we will remember, forever and always, how great it the Game of Basket Ball can be.

 

Joel E. Ruffin Jr. – An Agoránian

 

Rope University: Tale’s of John -Issue 2-

“So what you are telling me is that it can’t be done”

“No…what I am saying is that this is the path you must take in order to do what you are saying you want to do”

“Your eyes, your demeanor, your color says something different than your words”

“You know say what you want. I am where I am because I realized very quickly where my place should be and where I wanted to be so I could live”

“And yet you are responsible for hoping something more for others…? How does that work? Please humor me”

“Listen son, I am a professional there is no room for philosophers and idealist in this business, what I say works, and the place I tell people to go is the place they need to go”

“…”

“When people ask why? How come? I give them those answers. I give them those facts that the world is filled with everything and nothing. Every answer to every question is there and not there, but you are too stupid to understand your flaw in seeing it as an open canvas. Your passion rages out of every part of you like a sick Oder…you have no self control for in existing in your passion, you will remain in a sea of misunderstood identities…just…you know what just take what I say to mean something more than the mere words that I say I don’t care you have to live with that, but dammit don’t come in hear and preach to me your context and sense of ideals as if your “enlightened” ass knows what the hell your talking about”

“…”

“What happened to you…why are you so angry? Why do you not have peace? Why don’t you choose to see yourself as an infinite being in which all things are manifested and destroyed? Love is where healing begins…compassion is where glory is found. I can do what I say I can do if I believe…if I have faith. I have the talent, and I am good person. I am a hard worker. I have a story. I have a dream…Why are you so angry? Why do you hurt me?

“…”

“…”

“In Chess there is beauty…. there is chaos…there is peace. The pieces don’t know their roles…they don’t realize the game…they are merely apart of it as the mercy of the Chess Master. They exist not as idol pieces without meaning, but as key pieces for a victorious win. Is the Pawn seeing itself less valuable than the King? Even in that, it still does its job it know its place, and it is ok. What is wrong with that? To use a Pawn and to protect a Pawn is to neglect the King and to not protect the king” There are rules…there are laws…that are true and alive…. there are realities made and unmade. I am angry, I am love, I am peace, I am infinite, and I am Pawn and I am King. Yet still remaining is the reality that in order to get to where you want to be…in order to do what you want to do…. you must clearly choose and understand the role…as you too are King and Pawn…”

“…”

“…”

Stories in Agorá –  Rope University: Tale’s Of John -Issue 2-

By: Joel E. Ruffin Jr. – An Agoránian

 

Making Love

Female: “Are you ready?”

Male: “Of course, I’ve already started”

Male: “I was thinking about doing this…what do you think?”

Female: “I think if you built it I would come”

Male: “Then that’s where I will start…I don’t think I want to be to aggressive”

Female: “Baby you got to be aggressive…that’s the only way it can be felt”

Male: “I feel like everyone does that…I want to be different”

Female: “There is nothing original about the action, its the intention that matters…I mean we know when you care and when you don’t…and if that connection isn’t there then it will be something that once happened instead of something truly rememberable”

Male: “Why are you getting so philosophical with this…?”

Female: “Because its always philosophical…people try to reduce it to science and simple action, but its so much more”

Male: “Damn…I like that”

Male: “I think I’ll listen to you…”

Male: “I’ll do this”

Female: “Yes”

Male: “Then this”

Female: “hmmhmmm”

Male: “Then I’ll surprise with this…”

Female: “Yes!!! whew…this is something new!”

The Male Smiles

Male: “I’ve been working hard”

Female: “I know baby…I know you have”

Male: “Restless nights…trying to get it right”

Female: “I know baby I know…but know that its two of us…not just you”

Male: “I know…I never had that before. I never had a true partner…just flinging experiences that never ended in something more…I never gave trust to a partner…for fear of being taken advantage of”

Female: “I see”

Male: “I don’t mean to be emotional…I mean there can be no emotion in business right especially for the man”

Female: “haha this isn’t business baby…this is your pleasure..this is your passion.”

Male: “yeah you are right”

Female: “Now…how would you like me to help you get there…?”

Male: “haha!!! Well I need you to teach me…don’t be afraid to lead me…don’t be afraid to tell me how I should get there”

Female: “Really!?”

Male: “Yes really…I trust you”

Female: “So we gonna make a baby together”

Male: “Yeah no protection just us going at it”

Female: “I like that…I think we can do this right…Let me get to work”

A small intimate pause. A small gentle rubbing of the hands

Male: “Hey babe…”

Female: “Yes”

Male: “Thanks for supporting and listening to me in and my dream”

Female: “Listen baby you are embarking on a journey that many people don’t take. To begin creating something for yourself is amazing. Did you not hear me when you were telling me your ideas on what you were going to do…It was almost as if I was having an orgasm…”

Male: “Babe!?”

Female: “lol what I am serious. Your heart is in it, and people will admire that. It doesn’t matter about focusing on being different, aggressively be yourself. When people see that then they will come when you build it…and trust me when they see it they will have an orga…a wonderful experience”

Male: “Lol thanks”

The Female Smiles

Male: “I thank you for believing in me. Your support, even when in the face of uncertainty, is invaluable. I trust you as my partner baby”

Female: “Well my faith in you is bigger than my fear of the world…actually there is no fear when I am with you…as long as you have faith in yourself then that’s all that matters”

Male: “Yup”

Female: “And now that you gave me the ok to put in my ideas we gonna give birth to this brain child of ours…I am about to get my Olivia Pope on…”

Male: “Oh geez..how cheesy that was…and who am I that president guy…are we about to “make love” right here on my desk in my “oval office” lol !?”

Female:“lol no babe…we already “made love” ”

Male: “What do you mean!?”

Female: “I mean this conversation was us making love…do I need to explain how intimate that was just now…it was good”

Male: “Yeah…making love with you is amazing”

 

A Dialogue By Joel E. Ruffin Jr. . – An Agoránian

 

 

To Doc: I pray for You To Clippers: I pray for You

Today. This moment is our chance for history. Today, as we see the events unfold within the Clippers organization, we see our opportunity to become more human. Yes, no one likes confronting the past, especially after we have, together, overcame the results of our past ignorance (used in the proper), however eventually you will have to confront, understand, accepts, and heal in order to take the next steps of living. It is time that we address this Race issue in a way that allows for expression, but more importantly for mutually beneficial action for healing and progression. To Blacks (used in the proper all persons of color and ethnicity), yes the world will feel your pain..and in that please allow them to support, as they feel and express their own experienced discriminations using this current situation as a tool to attempt healing.

This is not a Black and White issue, this is a human issue that is being carried out through a black and White experience. I am not saying don’t express your pain, I am not saying don’t voice your opinions, I am not saying don’t stand for your struggle and your sense of justice, but what I am saying is that we no longer have to use “Civil Disobedience” to expose the evils of action. I am saying that now we now have the profound opportunity to take the results of Civil Disobedience to create change together. For this is the next chapter of the “Dream” of many, both black and white,  seen by and delivered by one and we must take the torch and proceed forward. Together as human brothers and sister.

Please see the beautiful exchange of discussion taking place on “First Take” on ESPN, I must say Steven A. Smith and Skip Bayless are doing a wonderful job at being the voice of this matter. I must say it is an honor and that we are so fortunate that they are taking their experience and professionalism to articulate and begin a wonderful dialogue on this. To everyone who will voice an opinion please know that it will not be worth the uncovering of the pain, if no good action is taken from it. IT is not the NBA’s responsibility to address the social impact of this occurrence, it is ours to bear if we decide to take it up.

Know that right now is our todays “civil rights” we are just blessed that those that came before us allowed it to be civil in our hopes of being a civil society. Let’s remain civil, but let remain active in being conscious that we must make ways to heal. To the NBA please follow the rules, and please do what is right within the agreements made. And people when they do, do not attribute it to their heart, for if there is no system there is no life. People let’s come together not in unrealistic optimism, but a real attitude that we must face our fears and our pain, together, in order to heal and continue to love. This is the future.

TO DOC: I pray for you. Walk in faith, do not be afraid, and do not run from the matters of your heart. Know your conviction, however be a strategist leading your troops.

To PLAYERS: Clippers I pray for you. I am proud of you, and your ability to remain professionals, I believe that you will show us the true meaning of leadership. Please no that you know are chosen to lead us not through words,but through action,. Show it through your play and show it through your heart and intent. Be calm.

TO PLAYERS: All stand up together in unity with your fellow brethren and support through action, you all are gladiators stand in unity and go for glory. The future depend on it.

TO THE FANS TO THE PEOPLE: We must do the work if this is something we want to begin solving, no it will not happen over night. But all of us must come together and through action take steps to creating a new life.

I Love you all very deeply. And I look forward to being the change I seek in the world. Remember there is only love. Love. Love. My heart is with you. And as I reflect on my history, and the history of this nation I am humbled and only hope that I may honor their legacy. Not just the legacy of the activist, but also the ignorant, the simple, and the knowledgable. I hope to honor their legacy because without it, good or bad, we wouldn’t be here today. SO I ask for wisdom. I ask for guidance. Let all simply be human and love.

 

By: Joel E. Ruffin – A Human.

Rope University: Tale’s Of John

He was uncomfortable. He didn’t show it, but you could tell. His answers well calculated. As he referred to the doctrine, he gave the right answers. Hell, he gave the only answers.

“Everyone has a purpose my son, the all mighty creator has given everyone purpose”

My wise counsel was so convinced in this truth. I on the other hand thought he was saying something that was in fact meaningful, but to the common person would be missed. So in that regard, I thought he was full of shit. I mean in order to truly teach you have to talk with me not at me. I mean who the hell did this guy think he was? Giving me largely elaborate and beautiful promises in which I have no context on how to fulfill. I mean what does he mean “Everyone?” what does he mean “Purpose?”

He was uncomfortable. He didn’t show it, but you could tell. His answers well calculated. He referred to what he knew, and gave the answers he was taught. Hell, he gave the answers he knew.

I began to speak,

“So, answer this sir, what about the good hearted person that get’s killed in a drive by shooting? What about the child that grew up in an unfortunate situation? What about the healthy loved one that drops dead without cause? What about the suicides of good people who were given cards so deeply disappointing they felt they had nowhere to go? What about the people who died because of someone fulfilling their purpose? What about the racist? What about the un-expected mother who didn’t know what to do, but choose what she thought was best? What about the poor? What about the woman who dies of a broken heart? What about the man who dies of a broken mind?”

He was uncomfortable in his resolution. He didn’t show it, but you could tell. His answers well calculated. As he referred to the doctrine, he gave the right answers. Hell, he gave the only answers.

“Everyone has a purpose my son, the all mighty creator is the judge and because of freewill we are left only trusting his word which is all knowing and true”

His reply made sense within the context of what we assume and agree is true. However, for the things we didn’t understand it would be very possible that this reply was completely false. I mean how can you have an almost true statement, that is just a fancy way of saying its not true.

I began to speak,

“Thank you. I honor and respect your answer, but can I ask this, Why would an almighty creator create and let exist something with an evil natured purpose? Isn’t he all knowing? Perfect? Do know wrong hold hands and make love type of creator? Why would a creator like that do something like that? That isn’t good that’s ugly”

I knew these were strong words, however I said them with respect and reverence. I mean at my very core I knew what my counsel was saying, and I didn’t wish to test the unknown mysteries of good intention. However, at the same time because of my reverence and respect I decided it was necessary to evolve my “Euclidian” mind in order to understand, as best as I could, that two parallel lines cross in infinity.

He answered,

“My son that is also the beauty of the creator. We all have a capacity to be evil, good, and misunderstood however we exist in spite of our shortcomings.”

With a gentle smirk he knew he hit a homerun. It was cute, how nice as he obviously thought we were playing a game of checkers. What a shame if only he knew we were playing chess, we might have been able to both find something new. The only things going through my mind were “Ok Ok…are you done?” “It’s about to go down” and “You gon’ learn today” ha-ha man how I was an admirer of Kevin Hart. But any way, in an effort to get back to my main questions concerning the nature of purpose I decided to give my answer.

“Well sir, I have to go soon, however before I do I need to say this. I have perspective on this idea of purpose in which I would like to share with you…is that ok?”

He was uncomfortable. He didn’t show it.

“Yes of course my son”

I began to speak,

“I do believe everyone has a purpose, however the purpose that we look for isn’t the purpose that truly exists. Purpose in this life has largely been defined as some glamorous, higher calling, in which everyone is destined to have a great impact on the world, which is a beautiful thing to say in order to justify your life or understand it, but at the same time is a deadly thing because you begin to strive for something that may not be what it appears to be. Purpose has many measures, and in order to find it we do many things. For me I think great measures of purpose are its actions and its results. In taking action and observing its results purpose can then be defined by its intent, and held accountable by the result. In that way purpose has an infinite measure that can literally be anything we wish to acknowledge. So purpose essentially can be achieve at anytime depending on the actions we take, the results we get, and the intentions we had when putting them out in the universe.

Now that I have in some way defined very loosely purpose, how we use, and how we could measure its magnitude, let’s look at some real shit, let’s move beyond these words and constructed arguments that prove true only on paper until life’s canvas proves it wrong or never wrong.

For the baby that dies young, for the teen that get’s imprisoned for life for a mistake, for the deaths of people who were not ready, for the evil that is found in the world I believe that there is a purpose. The catch is that we must deal with the fact that purpose is not nor will it ever be defined solely in the way that truly defines its nature on a universal level in which we can’t understand. The reality of this relationship is the very reason people react, and curse the creator when things of an unexplained nature occur, “Why me? Why them? This world is terrible? Why do we live if this happens? All of these questions come from a flawed understanding of life and its purpose on a universal level in which we will never understand within this realm. These constructs, systems, bodies of governance, and the realities created within our power are only useful in this world; and with these things rules are created by default. With that said, rules made for a creation in which we only know of, to some extent, but do not fully understand would be impossible to completely appreciate and accept as they play out.

So when it comes to purpose I believe that we do have a purpose, but the reality of its nature isn’t as magical, meaningful, and elaborate as we think it is. I believe that the creator created us, and as a result of creating a game of freewill we have an infinite amount of possibilities that could occur to shake things up as we progress forward. When we are created, we are seen as beautiful and destined for great things, and then if we were to die an untimely death the people connected with our life will be tremendously hurt. They fill a hurt that is so deep that it is real. That moment…those moments are very real. So real in fact that I don’t even feel comfortable using them as examples, because for anyone who has experienced pain and the negative sides of life, you know that these feelings are very real; however, with that said I must use this because I wish to bring a next context on how we can put ourselves in a better position to accept these things without jeopardizing the relationship with the creator and the mysteries of the universe. So… back to the example, the death creates an unexpected riff in history, and impacts the loved ones that surrounded us. From that pain they ask, “why?” From that reality, people add their human understandings and their human way of coping by saying things like, “everything happens for a reason”” or “they are in a better place now”. Now don’t get me wrong these things are very very powerful to help us cope with a reality we don’t allow ourselves to see, however even though this activity is powerful it is also the reason we do not allow ourselves to understand purpose, and its true nature. For every action there is an equal opposite reaction, Newtown was right, and so with this a reality we can then say, as we make reference to our previously established measure of purpose, that there is always purpose, which I doubt many would successfully state otherwise. So we have action, and result now intention. 

Intention in our personal case can always be articulated; even if it isn’t understood we can always feel and know the nature of them. Those understandings, even though valid, are only understood and controlled from our realm, which in turn, feeds into the true intention of the creator and the creator’s universe.

So what do we think the nature is for the creator? When does the creator say this is your purpose? Well, in addressing this I do draw from my understood knowledge of teachings from a religious context. I believe that the creator knows us before we were conceived in this world, and that we were known and given a role before coming into this world. As we came into this world we forgot the agreement we made, and were created to enjoy and understand life and its experiences almost like any ride we were to experience. Even if it is a ride in which you enjoy from start to finish or depart from early because you can’t handle it, there is always some level of experience and participation with the ride and its results. In this case, the ride is “life and living”. With that set, if the creator knew whom I was in the world before this, then the purpose I must fulfill in this world, could either be greater than, less than, or different than what it was in my true world of origin. Just think, if you were to accept that we were beings with full personalities formed before coming into the world, it could be possible that the role we once owned was even greater than the one we were destined to have here on earth. If that is the case then, I don’t need the full ride of life to experience it fully. Sometimes you may just need to take a “little dip” in the pool, in order to get back to where you originally were intended to be.

Now on the other hand, if we were created for a purpose intended to have impact on the world we know, and that purpose called for us to be able to influence the world and impact the world for a specific reason that contributed to the purpose defined by the creator, we could then see how we experience great individuals like: Jesus Christ, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Socrates, Mother Teresa, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates. Elon Musk, Kendrick Lamar, MisterJoji Man, MontaQue Ruffin, Pope Francis, Timothy Ruffin Sr. , Novey Wiley, and many many many more. For these people are individuals that have shaped the world, and will continue to shape the world even when they are gone for millennia to come. These people are people that we understand as having a “great” purpose, and understand that these people, within our limited understanding, have achieved purpose in their lives. Yes, this may be true, however their purpose is even higher than what any of us sees. That is the point. Purpose my friends, may not be as elaborate and passionate as we think. I mean let’s tae the purpose of sports for example, the purpose in Basketball is to take a ball and place it in a hoop, the purpose in Football is to take the ball across the line, the purpose in Tennis is to hit the ball pass your opponent, the purpose in Hockey is to “knucklepuk” the puck into the net, and the purpose of Golf is to hit the ball in the hole I mean I could go on and on. Now, when you look at it from that perspective it is so boring that in result we color this reality with many things; things like purpose, creative marketing campaigns that tie directly to the human spirit and our dreams of hero and heroism status, attractive lifestyles associated with the culture of sports, etc. In order to really enjoy, we establish purpose, which is infinite and ever changing, so we can enjoy life and the things in it.

This is fine and a reality that I accept, in fact that we all accept if we are an active participant in this world, but as we mentioned before there is always a equal reaction to the action. Following the sports example, people have lost their jobs, lives, and families over things that essentially don’t exist within the permanent world; however, even with that reality staring us in the face we make it so real and important, that we jeopardize everything that matters for the sake of achieving the created finite rewards of participating in our favorite pastime. Why am I able to speak on this? Because I know first hand. I mean I love my sports, and when my team does not do well I get depressed for a day, and in during that time when I am in that space of disappointment, I even ask “why am I wasting my life with this?” I even go as far as saying “I don’t want to do this anymore”.

So…what is this suppose to tell you? Well that even though the reality of purpose isn’t as glamorous as what we make it to be, there are still definitions and natures at play here that are beyond our control. In this, there is a frightening reality that the pain and suffering we feel may not be for the reason we state to help us through the struggle, however this is not a bad thing. The only reason we think that it is is because we have created the “machine” that takes “what is”, and creates another more comfortable reality we can accept when desired purpose is not achieved.

At the end of the day, no matter what you believe, we were given a conscious this conscious however, was not given to simply be a “super-user” in the software of life, it was given to be able to discover the world for what it is, isn’t, and could be through creation.

We have this, but we must use it wisely, and attribute to it the purpose we choose, while still acknowledging the purpose we do not know but accept as the rule. That is why I believe we have purpose and a lot more”

My counsel just looked at me.

He was uncomfortable, but didn’t show it. Enlightened but didn’t know it. He just accepted the answers just as he accepted the question.

Stories in Agorá –  Rope University: Tale’s Of John

By: Joel E. Ruffin Jr. – An Agoránian

A Message from a Concerned Admirer

To the average.

Wait.

To all.

Wait.

To the human, aspiring to reach the destination in which life and its purpose graces the understanding of those that seek the answers to the questions asked.

To the average,

Those of the norm.

You will,

You will never know greatness.

Why you ask?

How about you ask better questions, like these:

What does it take to reach your aspirations? Your hopes? Your dreams?

Do you dare ask something that will allow you to see life above average?

Or will you coward and simply ask why?

…I’ll wait for your answer

Nothing huh?

I guess.

Nah, it is not enough.

I don’t believe you.

And that’s why you will never know what it means to be great.

Why? I will tell you.

Because the distinction you must make is the one you will never.

What is it?

What does it take? What should you do? What should you not do? Here is the answer.

The reality is.

The reason rather, that greatness will never grace your doorstep is because you can’t.

Wait.

You won’t.

Wait.

You can’t believe or fathom that greatness is you as you already are.

That the reality of your greatness is the very strength, and the more beautiful flaw of your being.

The reality that you are great scares you, it eludes you, it destroys as you only see yourself as your limitations.

This is to you.

The one that loves not themselves but the false one they hope to be.

This is to the graceless,

Those sucked of courage to love. to live. to prosper.

This is to you the average.

That fail to see the greatness in who they are.

At the end of this all I am saying is that you are great. Just be that and accept it.

-Something Said by Joel E. Ruffin Jr. – An Agoránian

Never Forget Always Love in Missing

Not a second…minute…day…moment goes by…Love you and miss you.

Messages from Agorá  to Loved Ones by Joel E. Ruffin Jr. – An Agoránian

Moment After the Storm

This is us.

To the carpet that caught the tears,

To the walls that felt the fist,

To the ears that heard the cries,

And the hope that suffered lies,

Know that this is us

This is us. The moment we prepared for.

This is us. The moment that we longed for.

I do not know the things that tomorrow will bring, or if tomorrow will ever come as people say, but today I know that I am.

If death were to reach my door, and knocked to say hello,

I could greet it with a smile and say I have lived accomplishing a life filled with purpose.

If death were to reach my door, and knocked to say hello,

I would say I have lived to see that struggle become my success,

My pain become my bullet proof vest,

And my-self defeating thoughts become my best friend leading me to becoming a better man.

If death were to reach my door, and knocked to say hello,

I would say Yes I am blessed for today I know without a doubt that I have and know a God, a family, and a friend who have been with me through thick and thin.

So to all of those who stayed, all that left, all that spoke in front and behind my back, to all those that didn’t understand, and to all of those that did, and to those that will do the things I just said. I say this.

Thank You.

This is us.

 – A Poem by Joel E. Ruffin Jr. – An Agoránian

My Rest Will Come

My rest will come once I am done the work I am called to do.

I ask for strength and the wisdom to know when to rest and when to push through the wall of limited human limitation.

I am in this to win not for myself, but for my future son who will bear the name of two great men, but for my future daughter who will bear the blood of a legacy of strong women.

Why don’t I rest?

I don’t rest because of the minds I can inspire,

I don’t rest because of the hopes I can ignite,

I don’t rest for in rest seconds, minutes, and hours for change will be tick-tock taken away.

I will rest only on those things that will prevent me from reaching my rest once my work is done.

I will only rest on those things that no longer need my attention.

I will rest on those things, so that I can complete the work I am called to do.

For only then my rest will come.

– A Poem by Joel E. Ruffin Jr. – An Agoránian

IT

I think not.

I am not.

Nothing but a bleak misunderstanding in the misunderstood understandings of a misunderstood world,

Void of all things self but everything of “It”.

“It”

“It” isn’t me but something else that shouldn’t exist within me,

It merely a protector of things that occur naturally.

The issue is I need “It” not anymore,

I need “It” no more than I need that glass or that flask.

I need self.

Self, which can be something in the mists of a bleak world,

A world that could be understood in the mist of the misunderstandings and distortions of the truth,

And a world that is void of everything with everything.

I can be. I am so. I think so.

– A Poem by Joel E. Ruffin Jr. – An Agoránian