Hello everyone!

I hope today finds you well and healthy.

It has been such an amazing week. I apologize for not posting Sunday (after I promised I would post more consistently) but I do have a good reason.

This past weekend, I was able to go back home to Coachella with my partner, to spend the weekend with my family to celebrate my birthday, which happens to be today.

This post is going to be a little different. Instead of talking about my week, I’m going to talk about how these past 23 years have been for me, and reflect on them with you all.

First off, I feel blessed. Blessed to live another day. Blessed to live another year. Blessed to be able to have the opportunity to be here writing to you all. Speaking from the heart, growing up, I never saw myself getting past the age of 21. I don’t know why I would think this, but for some reason, I just didn’t see myself getting past that stage of my life.

Life is beautiful; and as I continue this long journey, I find myself constantly being appreciative of everything and everyone. There’s a saying that you never know what could happen, and this is very true. If today was my last day, I would not be content with myself. Why? Because I feel I have so much to give and offer to this world, maybe not financially, but coming from a place of Love, I do.

This past year has been a year of growth. I’m not the same person I was a year ago, and I know I won’t be the same person a year from now. Yet that’s the beauty of life. You can change who you are in life, change what you want to be in life, change where you want to go in life. Change, is what makes people grow. When you’re comfortable in life, there’s no reason for you to grow. Why would you want to? If you have everything, why a need to change that? Personally, and most recently too, I enjoy challenging myself. Whether it be academically, emotionally, physically, and/or mentally, there is always room for improvement. It may not always be the funnest thing to do, nor the most exciting, but over time, when you start seeing results, you become motivated to challenge yourself even more!

I’m happy with life. I’m happy, not because I’m doing somewhat well for myself right now (which in reality I’m not because the struggle never ends), but because I was able to wake up today, and live another day to accomplish what I didn’t yesterday.

As a brother, son, grandson, partner, co-worker, friend, I am always trying to be the best that I can in all of these intersecting identities. And don’t get me wrong, this can be very difficult, and sometimes very draining. However, I always think to myself, how can I make a positive impact on whoever I meet or know? Even though at times, I do need to take a break to ground myself, I jump right back in the game and try to be the best I can.

There’s so much to be thankful for in this life.

As I reflect and write this blog here at my work, after everybody has gone home, it’s nice to be alone. I look to my left and see the buildings and skyscrapers that illuminate the dark night sky. I look to my right and see my reflection in the mirror. I just got a haircut, I look like a professional with my long-sleeved button up shirt. But as I look at my reflection through the glass wall and into the office conference room, I see the last bit of light, being consumed by the vast darkness of the night sky. As I continue to gaze and stare at my reflection for a moment, I also notice the mountains in the background, cutting across the sky with it’s unevenness. Maybe life is just like the sky and the mountains. At times we feel engulfed in our emotions by the darkness, but we know the light at the end of the tunnel will shed upon us again soon. We have good days, we have bad days, but like the mountains, we stay grounded, waiting to take on the next day like we did the day before.

I love philosophy, and there is a saying from a famous philosopher that I would like to share with you all. You can interpret it in any way you like, just know that I believe in you, and I know as a people, we always make it through.

“An unplanned life, is not worth examining.” 

Thanks for reading. I appreciate you. <3

Wednesday, 5:52 PM