Came. Saw. Conquered.

Well, as my last night in my apartment comes to and end, I can't help but reflect on all that has transpired. Two years ago, I enrolled into school, packed up my car and moved from New Orleans to a city where I knew absolutely no one. Since being here, I was blessed to come into contact with people who have become my family & will always have a place in my heart. I came here with a purpose; to graduate college. And I did that. Looking at my now empty apartment that was once filled with so much life and energy, I can't help but reflect on all that has taken place within these walls; within this city. The music we made, the laughs we had, the fights, the meditation sessions, the yoga, the movie scripts, the novels, the late-night runs to Steak-n-Shake. Mykyo. Ken. Chrissy.

What a joy ride this has been and I will forever be grateful for this time of my life. Grateful to all who has ended a helping hand since I've been here. i always carry you with me. Now I'm ready to embark on a new journey. I've donated all my belongings to Goodwill, only leaving with a backpack as I set out for my year-long journey around the world. As I leave out my door for the last time, all I can think of as I cut off the AC and flip down the light switch is, I came. I saw. I conquered. So long Orlando. It truly was fun while it lasted.

Passion. Purpose. People.

We've known eachother all of 3 hours and we've already become best friends. It's amazing the magic that comes along with backpacking through Europe. You meet people from all over the world, people who you would have never crossed paths had it not been for that one interest, that one passion, that one desire to explore the world, to see something greater. To see something different. To find themselves. To find their purpose. Their passion. People who are fearless, being that many of us are traveling solo. People who are free spirits with WILD hearts! People who you'll only meet once but they'll change your life a million times. THOSE people. They're the ones who unknowingly show you the meaning of life.

This is what life is about; traveling the world, experiencing different cultures, meeting new people. Forget all the bullshit that comes along with your hometown & the people who have no desire to leave. Forget the people who dont bring you joy. Forget the people who are closeminded. Forgot the people who said you couldn't. Forget the people who continue to doubt you even after you do it. You can't expect people to truly see your dreams because God didn't give them your vision. At the end of the day, life is what you make it. And I'm gonna make SURE that when I'm on my death bed, I'll be able to look back and say, "I had a hell of a good time..."

Florence, Italy.

Moment of Honesty

Ok. Moment of honesty. I'm always Working on bettering myself. Okay not always, but I try. Yes I may travel the world, write books, make documentaries, and blah blah blah. And that's all people see. But that doesn't mean I don't have a lot to work on. I still make mistakes and dumb decisions. I still have insecurities. I still get homesick. I still call my 86year old granny when I have a cold. Truth be told, I'm still trying to find myself. Which is why I decided to travel. Traveling has taught me how to be disciplined in an atmosphere that usually calls for large amounts of partying, sex, drugs, etc. (not saying I don't indulge). It's taught me to be okay with meditating in a room full of other random travelers, & that I'm not going to always be the most attractive guy in the room, & every woman won't find me attractive, & that's okay. It's taught me that so many Europeans frown on the racism in America, that seeing is believing, and that the American version of world history, is SIMPLY that ... The American version.

It's taught me not to worry because life always works itself out & the universe will always reward you for following your hearts desires. Learning that being different is okay & being honest is even better. However, I'm still trying to master self control (healthy food, positive thoughts, exercise) & living my life today, for the way I envision it in the future. ... All in all, I really think I like who I'm becoming. And to think ... It's only been a month into this year long journey. And yes, I'm still waiting to walk into that small, old shop and an old wise man with a silver beard says he's been waiting for me.

Memories, Mountains, and Meteors

Last night we laid in the grass and watched the meteor showers from the Spanish mountains. We counted shooting stars while sharing love stories gone wrong. I told her that I’m a hopeless romantic who’s never been in love. Asked her if that was a bad thing. She replied, "I don’t think it’s good or bad, i think it is what it is.” Okay, cool. Do you believe in soulmates? Yes, she replied. Told her that I'm a writer & this exact moment reminds me of one of the scenes from my novels. I showed her the Orion galaxy and told her the correlation between the pyramids in Egypt. “OMG! Tell me more!" she pleaded, tugging on my grey hoodie. So I did. I pointed to the Sirius galaxy and told her my soul originated from there and that I’m only here to observe. And now my soul is calling me to Morocco. As the Universe would have it, she had just left from there and gave me a list of places to visit upon my arrival. So we laid there on top of her scarf, still star-gazing. I told her I wanted to create my own constellation; instead, she created one for me; holding up the ‘peace’ sign to match it. I then found a new set of stars and named it after her; Vee’s Constellation. So now, no matter where I’m at on my journey around the world, all I'll have to do is look to the cosmos to feel her energy & remember that midnight hour that we spent under the light of a thousand stars. I’ll probably never see her again, but I’ll never forget her.  ‪#‎WheresReis‬

Dear 20 Year Olds

I had a revelation. An epiphany almost. So, if you're gonna do it, now's the time.  You're in your 20s. You're young. You have nothing but the future to look forward to. If God says the same, you'll have your whole life ahead of you. So make mistakes. Make love. Make-out with a stranger. Make friends ... or enemies if need be. Have dreams. Have house parties. Have sex. Have options. Pull all-nighters. Be selfish. Be WILD. Be adventurous! Be free! Even get drunk and have a bar fight. Get lost. Lose yourself. Lose your mind. Be a young fool. No one likes an Old Fool. Be late. Be wrong but think you're right. Be irresponsible. Be a MESS. Go to college, dropout, then go back again. Be indecisive. Have 5 different career paths. Have 6 different excuses. Fall in love. Then fall right back out. Be a hopeless romantic. Be a free spirit with a wild heart.

Live in the moment, on the edge. Travel. See things you've never seen. Do things you've never done. Backpack through Europe. Take pictures. Take risks. Take drugs. Be careful. Take your time. And after you've done all that, you will have found yourself; your purpose, your passion, your calling. You'll know what you want, what you don't want. You'll know what you'll tolerate, and what you won't. You'll have done it all, so you won't feel like you're missing out on anything. You're career path will be that much more clear. Your life will be that much more fulfilled. You'll have acquired enough knowledge, skill, and experience that it takes to instill some sort of values into your children.  And then ... you'll be ready to settle down and have a family. And you'll have nobody but that 20-year old kid who made all those poor, selfish, unforgettable decisions, to thank for that. So, create some good laughs, reminisce on some memories. Do a lot of dumb things. Make a few bad choices. Because you know what? Those bad choices also make good stories.

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