So what did I mean by ‘I might even tell you my true story”? On the one hand, I’ve got a pretty ordinary life: I was brought up in the Bronx, NY, one of four kids with very little means. This was the pre-Guliani New York of the 70’s and 80’s with lots of gang activity, drugs, dirt and hookers. My parents did the best they could do with what they had. A little bit of faith, Puerto Rican food, music and endless shouting matches to relieve stress. Most of my friends had as their highest ambition in life to move to Westchester and go to a community college. I wanted to be an actor, go to college hundreds of miles away and do it my way. After 25 school plays by the time I graduated high school, I was accepted to Boston University’s School of Fine Arts. I struggled with my confidence as an actor the whole time I was at BU. One day I sneaked into my school’s administrative office and read my student file. I found out that in my audition, I had received less than mediocre marks and drew the conclusion that the only reason why I got a scholarship to attend BU was because I was Hispanic. So Marlon Brando I was not, but still earned a BFA. What was I to do? I know, I’ll go to Grad School in Missouri of all places and get an MFA in Acting!
Okay, I’ll stop my bio-tribe there. You’ll hear a lot about my insecurities in the next 59 days. I’m not smart enough, not creative enough, I worry about money, I’m not affectionate enough, I don’t go to church enough, I got an MBA after an MFA but didn’t learn anything. This is NOT my true story. Like Byron Katie says in the book “Loving What Is”, this is the story I’ve been telling myself to keep me from believing that I deserve happiness. If I take a step back and get over myself, I see the healer, the man that brightens other people’s lives, who wears his heart on his sleeve and will do anything to bring happiness to others. This man is committed to his family and the raising of consciousness across the globe. He has developed a world view that is rooted in a hope for a better tomorrow and a compassionate understanding of the human condition. This man resonates with a higher wisdom and a higher vibration that opens doors to unseen worlds. Same guy and you’ll get to know them both.
Tomorrow, I’ll write about the moment when everything changed for me. No doubts about quitting the university. At least not today.
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