Begin the Begin

I believe it was Nathaniel Hawthorne who stated in his introduction of The Scarlett Letter that writing about one's self was indeed quite vain and narcissistic. Yet as humans, we constantly find ourselves fascinated with the lives and stories of others. We are mesmerized by the characters portrayed to us (both real and fictional; Kim Kardashian anyone?). We become captivated by the world in which they live, and engrossed in their adventures. We even begin to feel connected to them on a personal level. We sympathize with them, feel their pain, laugh at their misfortunes, celebrate their success, and even mourn their failure. Sometimes we fall in love with them; other times we may detest them. But through their stories, we find comfort, sorrow, or joy. We humans have an innate and deeply curious nature that draws us to the stories of others by way of books, movies, and television. How many times have you flipped on E! News to see who Jennifer Aniston was dating? Or spent a whole weekend with a book, unable to put it down because you wanted to find out if Katniss survived to the end of the Hunger Games? Why is it that we are so compelled to loyally engage in these stories about the lives of others while our very own life stories are unfolding right before us? Perhaps it is to escape. Perhaps it's because those characters have something that we don't, but desire ourselves.  Or maybe even perhaps we watch to learn their lessons without ever really having to learn those lessons for ourselves.   

While I most definitely can relate to the human curiosity of others' lives, I have always believed in taking the same kinds of risks they do, rolling the dice, and learning those lessons for myself. For me, this was a way of feeling alive; life had so much to offer and I wanted to taste every option available. But lessons are hard... Sometimes they come at a great cost and great loss, while others just gently whisper their wisdom and quietly dissolve away without insult or injury.  I can't tell you how many times I've done something "for the story" and more times than not, look like quite a fool.  

However, people constantly tell me that they want their own "Dara Story." They also want to throw caution to the wind and embark on an adventure - something exciting but unconventional, reckless, and sometimes even perhaps dangerous. But living that way comes with a risk, and at times, you will fall down and it will hurt. In order to live that way, you have learn how to take the bad with the good, and it's not always easy. Nevertheless, I've always truly believed in taking the road less travelled, and even the times I've found myself lost on the path or hit a roadblock, I always somehow seem to find my way out, discovering a beautiful detour that leads me to some new friend, opportunity, adventure or lesson. Many of the lessons that I learned along the way were tough, and at times, recovery seemed impossible. But in the end, those lessons, those stories, those gambles, and those adventures… they are what I will remember someday as I tell my grandchildren the story of my life. I will tell them how I how I pursued every dream I had and how I never held back my true feelings for anyone. About how I loved with all my heart and always kept it open and vulnerable. How I traveled the world and met some of the most fascinating people by just "talking to a stranger." How I never followed the "traditional path." How I never turned down an opportunity, no matter how outrageous or silly it seemed. How every trial, tribulation and heartbreak taught me an important lesson, and how my belief in taking risks always paid off in their own way.  I will tell them that I always fought for what I wanted and believed in. That I allowed myself to make many mistakes, all the while with an open heart and a daring soul. 

This blog's purpose is to share those stories and lessons. Just like any other character, there will be times that you may like me. Other times, you may curse me and vow to never read my words again. Maybe you'll roll you eyes at my naive idealism or cringe at my jaded cynicism. Maybe you'll cry with me, laugh with me, empathize with me, celebrate my success or sympathize my failure. But I hope that at the end of the day, you enjoy the stories and learn something as I did. That you take something out of these stories and maybe even laugh a little along the way. I have been so blessed in my life. I've experienced so much success, failure, heartache and love, which I guess is what life is all about. People have been telling me for years that I should write a book or a blog, but I was always so busy in my real life that taking the time to do this was just impossible. Now, thanks to things like Facebook, Timeline, and a strong memory nurtured by a high fish diet, I am able to recall those memories and experiences with the wonderful perspective of hindsight. Sometimes I will share with you what is happening in the present, while other times I will go retroactive - waxing sentimental and reliving painful moments. But all in all, I hope it will serve as an inspiration to those who desire the adventure, but never really feel ready to make the jump. Remember that no one is ever truly ready; you have to just close your eyes, jump, and hope for the best. But the sweet isn't as sweet without the sour and through it all, what I've learned is this: Sometimes you will fly, and others you will fall... but no matter what happens or how much pain you feel, you can't regret taking that chance; it's what makes life worth living.  

So here is my story. Here are my lessons. Here are the moments that took my breath away, and the moments that broke my heart. Theses are the experiences that brought me exactly to where I am right now. And perhaps for me, the most beautiful part of this life is that throughout the whole journey, I've always done things my way: in an Ivy League of My Own.