08/05/2023
I’ve had a lot of good times growing up and some great friends along the way; playing around in North Street Park, boxing in the old Buker High, b-boying at The Edge in downtown Augusta, shooting pool at the masons lodge, long boarding down 8-Rod Road, hiking Katahdin, browsing the shelves at Barnes & Noble. I would fill my bag up with heavy books and carry them home.
I spent so much time getting out early from school my senior year, reading books of all genres, filling my head with history, science, novels, poetry. Even though I couldn’t retain most of that information, what I took away from it was the passion authors wrote with, the stories they found so captivating they had to write about them.
I always wanted to know things, experience things. There were so many stories I was drawn to. Perspectives.
Back in my hometown, it made me wonder what my story would be. Everyone has one. What was mine?
It really instilled in me the idea that I had full control of that. I had the power to write my own story. Not on paper. But with experience. To see life from different perspectives. To push beyond what I knew into things I didn’t.
This gave me confidence to take risks and throw myself out into the world, make it up as I go, follow my curiosity.
This continues to help lead me.
Constantly growing and learning, pushing.
The more and more you’re new at something, the more you must become humble and in that, you grow.
I hope to always be doing this.
Knowing one thing has not been my way.
Maybe it stems from the fact that I do not even know much about the story of the two people that brought me into this world. I love my parents. The ones who raised me. But that missing link, how was I brought into the world, why, who were they as people, what was their situation, what were their conversations, their intimacy, was there any?
I’ve channeled that wonder into the wonder of the world.
And it’s given me so much adventure.
What I take away from that is;
A heavy load, does not weigh so much, if the destination brings you joy.
What are you carrying? Are you happy with where you’re carrying it to? And the people you’re sharing that journey with?
Carry on.
