Throughout the past two weeks I was flown off to a foreign area, Los Angeles, California. It was something that I thought would only ever be a dream. But this dream was reality, and there was no way I could have been happier. It wasn't because of the stereotypical buildings, and cityscape, but because of the many amazing people I had met, or was soon meeting. These relationships were not normal, every single one of them had some correspondence to my life. Sharing our stories, through photographs. Being able to strengthen friendships based on our experiences was unlike any type of rapid growth I have ever encountered. Laughs were shared, tears were shed, and sleep was lost, but it was all shared together.
I found myself and I am not sure I would have been able to do that without the help of many of these people. The masks that bound me into hiding were stripped away and the person who I was, but had never been able to be was finally unearthed. Something was born that cannot be explained. Frankly, these past two weeks had to happen, otherwise the path that was being traveled would have continued in the wrong direction. Instruction that poisoned my mind causing me to see the world in a much different way than it is. My mind was birthed into something more accepting.
Yes there was reason to flying across the country, but that reason was changed shortly after touching the warm, California pavement. It was not only about photography anymore, it was about the relationships that were being formed. This feeling cannot really be explained in the form of writing, but more experience and I guess I am writing this out to try and push you to go out of your comfort zone and meet others who you have never imagined meeting or being around. By doing this, you will realize something that you cannot be taught with a textbook, or even watching a documentary of. The insides of your body will be rearranged. Kind of like Spiderman and how his body was injected with the spider venom and it bound to his blood. My body has now been bound with many other individuals in ways only spending two weeks consistently with can.
So many memories were created. My life has been forever changed for the better and it cannot really be known unless you yourself take the first step into a new land not yet traveled. The book of your life has had an unexpected chapter added to it, or maybe it is expected, just not known quite yet to you. I tell you this from experience, the relationships you have should mean the world, if not more, to you and if that is not the case, something is not quite right. As this is being typed out, tears are dripping onto my keyboard. The man beside me on the plane keeps peering to his left making sure I am alright. I started laughing and assured him, these are only tears of happiness and he had nothing to worry about. "I just left the best week of my life, and was reliving it in small amounts while I typed out an overview," I said to him. He smirked and continued reading his magazine. My smile is spreading from ear to ear as I realize what I have just experienced. The friendships that were made throughout this journey will be there forever and even past then.
The lifestyle I had prior to this will now be permanently changed for the better. Optimism fills my mind and only those things that relate, otherwise the information is discarded as it is meaningless. For that, I am forever grateful to those who were involved in helping me find the true me and help shape me to who lives in my body now. My life is more joyous and things are looked at differently. I find my mind venturing off in to happiness where life flourishes now opposed to the darkness it once fell into. My hope is that this pushes you to seek out something more than where you are at if you are not content with your life, like I was. You are aware of something needing to change, but cannot quite find it out. I urge you to take a couple steps out of your comfort zone and strive to increase the happiness in your life.
