I am made of light. Literally. 

    The elements that compose the stars are the same ones that form every human body. Calcium, iron, and carbon are some of the many atomic configurations that produce 93% of our physical mass. These particles originated from a star and for us to be born, it had to die. In fact, every living creature and piece of matter around us came from the elements that once gave a star it’s glimmering light. 

Griffith Park Observatory

    Think of an experience on a starry night. The awe of its beauty can feel like there is a connection that exceeds the visual parameter alone. Maybe it is not a coincidence that the sight of a sunset has the ability to put minds at ease and hearts at peace. Perhaps, the light we emit is the same light we are drawn towards within each other.
    How do you shine your light in this world? For a moment, imagine you dissolve the size of your body, the shape of your eyes, the color of your skin, and identify with the light you are made of. Feel the strength of its glow. The power of its impact. Are you happy with how strong you shine or do you find yourself not yet ablaze? Only you can decided the level of illumination required to fulfill your life. Only you can change it if you want more.
    The choices I make affect how I present my light. I can keep it soft and dim by living with anger, frustration, or jealousy. Similar to a flickering bulb, this becomes exhausting to watch and eventually, empty of energy. If I am constantly rude or dishonest, I cannot expect kind or loyal people to surround me. I will inevitably attract the very thing that I put out. That is why I love making people smile for no reason, speak my mind in kind ways, forgive the most difficult moments, and have patience when I am being challenged. This is the light I want around me, and so, I must first be it myself.






 "I'd think, maybe he truly is something extraordinary. He's what he is, that's it. Maybe that makes him strong enough, being what he is." 
- Ken Kesey, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

     My face is drizzled with freckles, one of my dimples can probably hold a tablespoon of water, and my body has held on to some unalluring scars. I usually make decisions on what feels right in my heart versus what sounds more logical.  I have been a nerd my whole life and the symptoms of this have only become worse with age. The size of my closet is humble and heavily dominated by fitness attire. I love dancing, and on the rare occasion, it has occurred solely to the music in my head. I prefer to spend hours hiking to a waterfall than going to a fancy dinner. I have not traveled outside of the country much yet, but I am convinced that by the end of my life, I will have traveled most of the world. I have the wildest goals and dreams, and I plan on attaining every single one of them. This is who I am.  
    People don't always agree with who I am, but that is the magnificance of being unique. Individual differences are what so beautifully diversify this world and make it fascinating. I have met many "mathematicians" that point out the odds of what I'm choosing to do and the heavy weight that comes with it. To these people, I nod in silence; not in agreement but out of respect and gratitude. Without them, I would have no one to astonish with miraculous anomalies. My current speciality-in-development would cause a mathematicians mind to explode: removing limits.  
    Most of the limits we have are often placed by ourselves. Being geniune to who you are might have the side effect of erasing some of those limits. "Coming of out the closet" doesn't have to apply to sexual orientation only. Let me tell you, some of the shit I pulled out of my closet, I had no idea I had to begin with. It turns out, I love the person I am. The more you open yourself up to your personal truth, the more you discover about yourself. Being authentic means having the courage to show your true self; all of it, to everyone, especially to those that don't agree with it. True freedom comes when you can fearlessly face the world with all that you ARE. The judgments that stroll by lose their significance. Chances are, the ones passing those judgments still have a full closet to unpack.
    This is your unique life. The amount of time you and I have here is uncertain. If you can maximize living in a way that is truest to you, you will consequentially increase the quality of your life. Fear and insecurity will challenge you but if you are prepared to face them, they have no chance in succeeding. When you get to that moment of going against the odds, of taking a different route than the rest, of speaking your mind even though it sets you apart from others, you just might hit a place of happiness that you didn't know could exist. A place you never want to turn back from once you arrive. Then maybe, just maybe, you will look back one of these days with a smile and say "My life was awesome."

    

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