Have you ever hopped off the top of an 8-foot car garage? I have. As a child, there was this giant oak tree smack dab in the center of my backyard. Its branches reached for the stars and touched all of the sky. My cousins and I would climb to the roof of the garage and swing from the branches like we were Tarzan or Indiana Jones because back then our childhood imagination was vivid. Back then, our minds ran rampant with countless possibilities and we weren’t bound by the crippling limitations of societal pressures. The thought never crossed our minds that we could fall because in that exact moment we soared. It’s this feeling of adventure and spontaneity that essentially makes up most of who I am, but it’s also my family and my faith. I wouldn’t be me without these four things.
Whether it’s vibing to new music or trying new food, getting my first tattoo or riding a mechanical bull, I seek adventure. Crave it, and it’s these seemingly brief but whimsical moments that continues to feed my hunger for adventure.
Along with the desire to try new things, I’m extremely impulsive. Most would consider this to be a negative personality aspect, but my impulsivity forces me to put myself into uncomfortable situations. In high school, I decided to audition for an exclusive theater troupe and I made the cut. One spontaneous decision led to my passion and love for social justice. Ultimately, I grow and flourish because of my spontaneity and I always discover a new piece of myself.
The pieces of me that lie within my family bonds and loving relationships also continues to help me blossom into the best version of myself I can be. Remembering to make one simple call home to ma or Gram’s when they’re buried beneath ten inches of snow, trapped in their homes, with negative forty-degree weather lurking outside of their windows, or taking the time to create a generational scrapbook to capture the moments that inevitably fade over time and seeing Grammy’s eyes light up at the sight of her family, makes me feel whole. Somewhat less alone.
Although, when I think about it, I’m actually never alone. I have my faith to guide me and ground me when my life spirals out of control. And believe me, it does. Frequently. A major aspect of myself that is continuously developing and growing is my spirituality. I know I will always have God to lean on.
It’s these components of my life that have molded me into who I am today.