What Does it Take....

Sometimes I sit and ponder exactly what it took for me to meet the people in my life, the events that led up to our meeting. And sometimes, the odds are incredible. The tiny decisions that had to be made, the small twists of fate that took place in order for us to meet amaze me. It is for reasons like this that I strongly believe in fate. I have met people that have changed my life forever, people that I would never have had the chance to meet had incredible circumstances not presented themselves. There must be a plan, somewhere, laid out for each and every one of us.

My life continues to amaze me. Not constantly mind you, but usually in retrospect. Every year for the past 4 or 5 years, if you had told me what I would be doing in a year, I would never ever have believed you in a million years. I have had some strange and wonderful experiences, gone on journeys that I will never be able to retake. I truly believe that there is some invisible hand guiding me along, allowing me to experience the things that I have. If I could do it all over again and change something, I wouldn't. I can look back, and see every event helped me arrive at where I am today, even the bad situations. Sometimes, I look at my present situation and begin to feel a little depressed. Right now, I am not exactly doing what I love to do, nor what I want to do. Sometimes I feel like I am achieving nothing. But I also realize, that this portion of my life is just as much a part of me as any travels I might take. It is all part of the person that is me, and it is all part of the road of my life.

My Chinese name is Chang Lu (tell that to a Chinese person and they will laugh at me...), which translates into "Long Way" or "Long Journey". I chose the name to symbolize just that, the fact that life is a long journey. The path I choose to walk down, is often lonelier and more obscure than most. However, it is my choice, and I do not regret one minute of it. I do not live my life, striving towards an ultimate goal. Rather, I spend my time dallying along the way, collecting as much knowledge and experiences as I can, and at the same time hopefully positively affecting those around me. This is my philosophy. It's what keeps me going.