"Don't Stress; Express!"

I had never experienced this feeling before, but it bit me... I got stage fright. I admit it. I had this very weird, indescribable fear about other people reading my work and passing judgment on my opinions. That was what kept me from really jumping into and getting started with my blog here. It wasn't until my master's program classmate, friend and colleague Dahlia uttered this simple phrase to me that I was able to break loose of this inordinate worry:

"Don't stress; express!"

It was as if the veil was lifted, clouds parted and a large boot kicked me right in the butt! Life is so amazing and the experiences we all have are so complex... I have no other option but to engage in ideas and philosophies with others! What better way to leave an imprint and possibly help make the world a better place? Life is not about Milestones, but about Moments... and I want to have as many of those as possible, with as many different people, from as many varying backgrounds, and as many different experiences as possible in my short time here on Earth. Variety is the spice of life! I love culture and experiencing new things, new people, and hearing new stories.

So this entry is for you, Miss Dahlia, for being the final piece of encouragement I needed to leave my comfort zone and step into the blogging community with renewed confidence. I owe ya one, kid!

Much love!

Marcus

(This video was originally posted on Youtube by Rulivede. Absolutely amazing work! Just too representative of how I'm feelin' with this blogpost... Corny, I know, but hey - I'm doin' me!) :)