If you could do anything with your life, your energy, your time, what exactly would you do?? I'm not sure if I could truly answer that, given that I can't think of making any moves without thinking of my being bond to responsibilities such as bills and loans that I'm tied to for who-knows-how-long...suffice it to say, I don't even feel that I am privileged enough to think about what I'd do if I could.
I had never thought that I even had a passion for life when I was younger. My job was just to go to school, get the good grades, and get in to college. My senior year of high school is when people started probing the idea of "what I wanted to do with my life". All I knew was that I was good at school, thought maybe a psychologist since I did well in our Intro class senior year, and I certainly didn't want to be a psychiatrist because of the history of drug addiction in my family. Once I got into college, (on a four year academic scholarship to a very good school), everything happened in a flash. I already didn't really have an idea of where I wanted to be. In high school, for a brief moment, I dreamed of being a dancer, that is until I dislocated my knee and realized the impermanence of such a career - I didn't have the guts to pursue it all or nothing, and I didn't think I was that great, to be perfectly honest. What I did know, up until college, was that I was smart.
Let me tell you how far "smart" goes when you're at a school like Boston University. I still get mad at myself for the time I wasted there trying to figure out just who the hell I was,and not in the best ways I might add. I didn't even have "dream schools" just safety's because as much as they tried to shove it all down my throat in junior and senior year, I didn't understand the importance of going somewhere that mattered to me. I just wanted to go somewhere close enough to home, but far enough where I could live on campus (which cost me a pretty penny). I was afraid of real life, I felt completely unprepared; and I went to literally one of the best exam schools in New England, that someone like me coming from where I'm from could get access to without having money.
I quickly made a slew of bad choices, which led me places I'd never opt to go again, I lost myself. I don't believe in pointing fingers, but I will say I was young and searching for some kind of validation I wasn't getting. I felt betrayed, criminalized, hopeless. Forget school, forget dance, barely made and/or kept friends; I was tumbling rapidly into darkness. I thought someone would come and save me, from the horrors I allowed myself, the venom I swallowed because I believed I had nothing. The world would have had me go on believing that lie too, even those closest to me. I can't exactly explain what happened to me, or what I let happen. What I can tell you is that this was the first time I stopped listening to everyone else, and heard the metaphorical voice on the inside commanding me to give myself another chance at life.
That's where the death of the old me began, and the person I am today began to emerge. This is the time that I began singeing my life from the outer edges like a book. Once I let the flame engulf everything I was, I watched the dis-ease, the negativity that I'd brought in my life erupt in tumult. I realized that the only way I could achieve order in my insane world was not to fight the chaos, but to become it. Somehow, I knew I could not burn myself any further than what I had; I stopped fearing what the flames could do. This is when I discovered how like the mighty phoenix I truly am. Once all had been properly scorched, it was time to start rebuilding.
During this time, I called my guard in, my warrior, my shield. He came with no hesitation. Since, I was still in such a delicate state, I needed protection and reassurance to restore my faith in myself. Who better to call upon than the one person who I could always count on to give sincere counsel, the one person who had always seen past my exterior into my soul. My Samurai walked through the battlefield, which was still bathed in my roaring flames just to be the armor I needed. At that time, I called him my best friend, my ride or die.
Time passed, and I began to forge my own armor composed of self love, compassion, self respect, as well as an inner strength and some wisdom. Characteristics I am still trying to embody on a daily basis. When my armor finally merged with my soul and became part of who I am, is when I was able to open myself up new possibilities of what I deserved and what I am capable of, my potential became more apparent to me. With all these discoveries, my Samurai stood ever present by my side, undeterrable, his loyalty to me unwavering, his faith in me unyielding. He helped me dust the ashes off and spread my majestic wings again.
With clarity and hope, I looked into his eyes and saw my truest, deepest reflection; here stood a pillar of strength, integrity, inspiration, determination, not to mention a soul so beautiful with a melody only I could hear. I don't know if you believe in fairy tales, and I can't say that this is that, but I can tell you I fell so deep in love. That love forever transformed my soul as we exchange our energies in all forms, our light expanding, our consciousness growing, our vibrations melding playing a symphony with ancient instruments derived from the oldest stardust in the cosmos.
Love of self is transformative, love of another is courageous. I decided long ago all I ever truly want is happiness. The love I found in me allowed me to love and be loved unconditionally. I feel like I am capable of greatness. I feel like I can change the world, at least by changing myself. The process has already begun. I feel like I have everything I could ever want and I'm so incredibly grateful.
I still have no clue where I'm going, but that's only because I'm focused on the now, doing what I can with what I have for those who can benefit, whose lives I can impact, work that I believe in. And I have the love of my life by my side. This happiness is the purest form of a blessing. "In life, it's not where you go---its who you travel with" and I am so honored to be sharing this journey with him.
