It was one of my first loves.
Very boring to most people, but for me the game seemed more noble
than any other sport. There was a lot more happening on the field
than the eyes could see. It was mental and at times, spiritual. And
besides all that, I just loved to throw. I played baseball for years,
until eventually I reached the threshold of an opportunity to play at
a very competitive level. And suddenly it wasn't just for fun
anymore. It was the first of many crossroads in my life; Get serious
or get outta here.
I remember my Dad telling me a story
about a kid who loved the game so much that he threw one ball,
hundreds of times every day, at a painted target on a brick wall. If
he hit the target right on, the ball would come back to him. If not,
he had to chase it down. Yeah, there's a metaphor in there somewhere.
The kid evolved into a phenom of his
sport simply by repetition, experience and overall pure love for what
he was doing. For him, it wasn't work. It was desire.
I'm not sorry to say that I didn't make
it in Baseball. I obviously didn't want it enough. I had access to a
ball and a brick wall and a can of spray paint. And honestly I didn't
even really consider going for it. I chose my friends and the
freedom of summer over committing myself to Baseball. It was an easy
choice for a young dude. But I can't say that I didn't look back,
because I did. I look back on other crossroads I've come to in life
as well. I realize I've made some minor, not-well-thought-out
decisions for sure, but when it comes to the big life decisions, I
feel dignified with every direction I chose at every set of
crossroads I've come across thus far. One of them was what lead me
here to this moment, writing this.
I left Canada over three years ago.
Before I boarded the plane I wrote a message to everyone stating that
I wasn't coming back until I had really figured myself out and “found
a career that I love as much as everything else that I love.” When
I finally returned in August of last year I was sure of one thing:
My hobby, my sport, my career, my
desire, my love is LIFE.
Family & friends, music, film,
photography, cookin', drinkin', tokin', creating, painting, sharing,
sweet hot loving, trading, playing, learning, teaching, and traveling.... these are the wonderful necessities I have to enjoy it
successfully. And I feel beyond blessed to have all that I do.
Five n' a half months spent in Ontario
provided me with an interesting review of who I was when I left and
who I am now. I was able to see where I had been and what I had done
abroad through the eyes of the people I cared about most. I had never
felt so at home before being away from it. And the best part was the
alleviation of my concern that my family wouldn't fully understand or
support my decision to keep on traveling. Because of all the life
decisions I've made, this was perhaps the easiest. It was easy because I know now what I'm here to do. Whether or not you
believe in past lives, destinies or any of that, doesn't matter. I
believe that this time I have here is all that I get and as far as
destiny goes, this is it: Writing my story as I live it. So naturally, I'm gonna make it an epic one.
The year 2013 is still fresh and new.
I'm thirty years young and officially into the next chapter of my
life, which is shaping up to be the best one yet.
Another crossroads is waiting on the
horizon. I can't hardly wait for it. I'm doing all the things I love
to do and sometimes I even get paid. But if
I'm not working for money, I'm working for me. When I'm working for
both, I'm living the dream.
