break the cycle. break the mold.

we are all humans trying to make sense of this life and the world or whatever this is. we can't always take things at face value because we are all very different and unique. some things which work for a few, don't work for others, and vice versa. the way in which many parents were raised is bipolar to how many see themselves, myself included, what they have worked to become and how they've chosen to live. not every family clicks, but love is what it is about. wanting the best for them. accepting them, truly. i tell them this daily. i love them despite their ups and downs. i accept them as humans. i want them to find their happiness and bliss; life is too short.

we don't fully understand what this life is… so even more reason to live it fully. i have learned a ton from living in jamaica, but the one thing that has really made an impact on me is the death rate here. the dozens of funerals, wakes and nine nights i have attended. family and friends i have talked to who have lost those closest to them. life is so precious. it's too short and can be taken at any second. you should strive to live without regrets. i have seen those closest to me live with too many and still reminisce about them to this day. i chose to make a conscious effort to fight that. because of this i might not be the dream child my parents had idealized, but they shouldn't be surprised… they wanted my brother and i to be free thinkers, independent, …; they molded us for this. whether on purpose or by chance -- this is who we became.