John Keats wrote a poem once called “When I have Fears”. When I was an undergraduate (and had less fears than I do now) I would often note that title as I skimmed through my book of poetry on the way to reading the assigned “This Lime Tree Bower My Prison” or “Tintern Abbey”, little realizing my embrace of English Lit. as a major was leading me to the fearful place that I exist in now, where I am frustratingly capable of writing long sentences as I contemplate all the fears in life.

My mom said something very sage to me once: never be a rebel; be a revolutionary. That has always stuck with me, that and the understanding that rebels are just conservatives waiting to happen. Being a rebel is about just acting out your angst and whatever minor ills have been inflicted on you. Being a revolutionary is taking whatever dissatisfies you and making it into something new. That’s a good thing.

Right?