2019: A Year to Pursue Passions
Christmas Day, 2018. I cooked a wonderful meal and had dinner with my parents. Just the three of us. I felt incredibly happy and blessed that I was able to have both my mother and father with me. Considering that I've lost several friends, family members and co-workers over the past two years to various illnesses, I realize how important it is to cherish time with the ones you love the most. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Our time on this earth is limited. It is precious.
This idea was reiterated after dinner was over. My dad and I started to watch a documentary about David Cassidy. The once young and vibrant teen heart-throb had become a shell of his former self. He was frail, lonely, and struggling with health issues. For my dad, it was tough to see someone around his age in such a condition--especially when he could recall how big of star Cassidy used to be. When they'd show flashbacks to Cassidy's heyday in the 70s, the world seemed to be his oyster. From screaming girls, to sold-out concerts, to a hit tv show--David Cassidy was the man. However, the last couple of decades had not been so glorious. Sadly, David Cassidy passed away in November 2017 of liver failure. His daughter, Katie Cassidy, shared his final words: SO MUCH WASTED TIME.
Wow. That hit me hard. In fact, I spent most of the next day ruminating those words.
Mr. Cassidy, thank you for leaving this realm with such a powerful message. Truly. It was a wake-up call for many people. It was a wake-up call for me. We need to live life to the fullest. Tomorrow is promised to no one. NO MORE WASTED TIME.
The Power of the Tongue
I'm ready to speak some things into existence for 2019. No more thinking about it. No more daydreaming about what could happen. No more "what ifs." No more giving up before even trying. It's time to go for it. This is take one and done, folks. I no longer want to let life pass me by without doing what I really love. It's time to pursue my passions. I might not succeed on my first attempt. In fact, I might fail several times. But I will try. I will actively pursue what I love to live my best life.
Writing: To say that I love writing is an understatement. I am simply enchanted with words and relish in using the power of written language to tell a story. I value my flare for putting pen to paper and expressing my thoughts, feelings, desires, and perspectives. I have a voice. I want to write professionally and believe that this is indeed possible. In fact, a co-worker has inspired me as she is also a teacher and recently published two books. I have no excuse. She is just as busy as I am, but she made it happen. After sharing a few of my pieces with family and friends, the encouragement that I've received has left me speechless...humbled...grateful. People that I respect deeply have told me that I need to write. I must write. So what am I waiting for? That's the question I began asking myself last month. My answer was quite simple--I am done waiting. I want to write, and so I shall write. This blog is one of my outlets, and one that I intend to utilize more frequently this year. I have entered a few writing contests, and have submitted a few flash fiction and short poetry pieces to various online magazines. We'll see what happens. I'm starting small and getting my feet wet. It would be wonderful to have my work published. I am speaking this into existence. I am speaking with optimism. Who knows, maybe one day I could be a New York Times best-selling author. Instead of viewing it as a dream, I am claiming it. will make it a reality.
Acting: I was a 14 year old freshman in high school when I realized I could command a stage. I realized that I could use my voice to sing my heart out an audience. I realized that I could embody a character completely and delve into a different world. I realized that I could collaborate with incredibly gifted actors, directors, props managers, stage managers, set designers, costumers, sound technicians, and lighting designers to create art. My whole world changed. I discovered a talent within myself that I didn't even know existed. When I am on stage, I'm not the shy, introverted girl with the stammer who is afraid to open up. I feel at home. I embrace the power of theatre. I miss it. I have decided that 2019 is going to be the year that I start auditioning again. I have many amazing people in my life. When I told a co-worker (whom I've known since I was 14 and who is a local producer/director) that I was ready to pursue this passion again, she invited me to be an usher at one of her shows. She introduced me to the cast and crew, showed me around backstage, and made it very clear that the door was open for me to audition for upcoming shows. She made it clear that I was welcome to be part of this community. This touched me so much. To have someone believe in me and offer to help me with my dream--I am so blessed and grateful. My plan for 2019 is to get new headshots, work on new monologues, and get back into auditioning. I hope one of my blog posts in the near future will be about a production in which I am acting.
Traveling: Getting on a plane with three suitcases and crossing the Atlantic was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I left my comfort zone. This is such a necessary step for growth. Living in London, studying Shakespeare (and earning a Master's degree), meeting new people, and traveling throughout Europe was life-changing for me. LIFE CHANGING. I learned so much about myself. I learned so much about other people. I embraced other countries, languages, and ways of life. Whenever I reflect on that year spent traveling, my eyes fill with tears of happiness. I would love to travel again. I will travel again. Going back to Europe is something that I want to make happen again this year. I also want to venture to South America, Asia, and Africa. One of the perks of being single with no kids is that I have nothing to tie me down. I have to stop making excuses. There is so much world to see. I will travel again. I'll be leaving on a jet plane.
I have faith that 2019 will be a year of immense growth for me. I believe that 2019 will be transformative. I no longer want to be stagnant. I no longer want to feel "stuck." I claim 2019 as a new beginning. I enter this year yearning to become a better version of myself. For each year with which I am blessed, I will make the most of my time here on this earth. When it is time for me to go, I do not want to say, "So much wasted time." No. I want to be able to say, "Time well-spent."
