The word “cool” as often fascinated me since I heard of it. People who are called “cool” are the ones most admired by society or their peers. Well I don’t know about you, but I always desired to be popular since I was young. I did try a lot of foolish things just to be admired or simply be socially accepted. In the end I realized I was misled.

My first mistake was how I defined being “cool.” I took my definitions from media, namely television, movies, magazines and internet. Unfortunately what I learned was this, to be cool means: being popular, attractive, having expensive clothes, driving extravagant cars, got money to burn, smooth talker, cosmetics (even for the males) and being seen in the places where “one need to be seen.” Having striving to achieve most of this, I can say this is a shallow pathetic list. Trying to be “cool” I ended up confused, disappointed and frustrated. I have centered my life with such temporal things that I thought would bring joy, I was wrong. Even inside a crowded club with my friends, I still felt lonely and meaningless. The question always pops up my mind “what am I doing here?” I should have had a clue there. I believe it was my selfishness and most of all my ignorance from seeing the truth of what being “cool” is.

I don’t know who started being “religious” is uncool. Even doing charity works becomes something we shy away from. We find it awkward to extend ourselves to the needy, all because it is not cool. It is not cool to be a good guy/girl these days. They find brand these people as “boring” or worst “holier than thou”, when all they want to do is help. But it is the religious who are most often perceive and persecuted as “uncool.” For the religious does not always conform with the society but by the church and its teachings. They answer to their God and not to society.

I find it sad that media has abused its powers. It has given us false sense of values. As I watch TV these days I observed the protagonist of the shows. Most often these are the trait of the protagonist; have an issue about himself  or simply have a bad attitude. They hold no morality or respect for human life and dignity. These characters define to us what a “cool” or hip attitude is by the eyes of society. Sadly we take their character and traits without even thinking about it. We just go with the flow, even if the flow is downward.

I have a new definition of “cool” now. Cool people are those who stand out. Who stand for what God has revealed to them, even if society goes against them. I  have a favorite line from one of Max Lucado’s book, it goes like this; The crowd commands us to fit in… Jesus calls us to stand out.

If you ask me I would like to stand out, that what is “coolness” is all about.