Imagine WE are all invited to the greatest party of all time……. and YOU don’t have the proper ID to get in……….
You’re getting left……see you back at the house — homie.
I remember when I got my drivers license. It was like I got the key to the city. Instant freedom. “You mean I can leave whenever I want to? Not when the bus/train dictates?” It actually became a haven for me as a writer. I could hop in my car, pop in an instrumental and vibe out the verses while on the way to my destination (Multitasking – it’s like getting bonus time added to your day – but that’s another story). If a license is a key to the city, then a passport is literally a key to the kingdom.
I think the greatest perks of being a successful artist aren’t the money, the clothes, not even the bling encrusted grills……. but the travel. How better to mine the untapped potential of self? New experiences help you to grow your franchise — by that I mean the mind and spirit. Meeting people who walk a different path gives me a different perspective which is exactly what I need as a writer – and a human being. How can you grow if the only places you travel, you’re surrounded by people who think the same way you do? Traveling can help you appreciate what you have, strive for what you’ve seen, grow from new experiences, have life defining moments, meet your soul mate, the list goes on. I mean think about it. Pizza might be your favorite food….today, but if that’s all you know in addition to burgers, chicken and fries you are not much of a culinary expert are you? Then one day you try…… deep fried camel hump, and you go into shock. Now 1 of 2 things may have happened: you have just found your new favorite dish, or your appreciation for pizza increases exponentially because of the vile taste of “hump de la camel”(I wouldn’t know). Either way it’s a win as you are exposed to the possibilities of all this life has to offer(and you get a good story to boot). You can now replace an assumption with a fact based opinion.
God made the world for man, and then man in his “infinite wisdom” (as he does with most things) decided to partition it and disallow people to travel without “permission.” — thankfully that permission isn’t too difficult to acquire. God made this world for me and I don’t want any limitations on my access.
I say all this to say… If you don’t have a passport get one, if you know someone who doesn’t have one encourage them to get one as well.
Next time we will discuss getting your PADI(scuba) license so you have the keys to the sea and you can get your aquaman on (the earth is 71% water you know)
“If you don’t have a passport, it’s like you only have the keys to the broom closet…….. in your mansion.” — Darien
- On a side note. I wrote deep fried camel hump trying to be funny…….. but it actually exists! I need to get out more. 🙂
GREAT article Darien! I’ve been trying to get my family members to get their passports since I had my 1st taste of international waters and cuisines 🙂 And I’m still working on them!
Keep working on them Sis. Don’t let them go through life thinking travel is based on t-shirts they receive from people that come into town. LOL 🙂
I read this a couple of days ago and decided to finally comment on it. It really started me thinking about where I am in life, and where I am headed. I have self-published four books since October of 2009, and I hadn’t stopped to acknowledge my accomplishments. I was too busy trying to get into the next novel. Social netwworking has allowed me to interact with some very cool people, and I love when they share their thougths and insights on life with me. Passport is yet another way of viewing things, and I really enjoyed it’s message. I’m about to have my first interview as an author and I remembered reading this, Darien. I dropped back by to say thanks, bro. Hope all is well.
Hey Glen,
If you haven’t heard it enough, congratulations on some amazing accomplishments!! Sometimes the arts can be a thankless position and one thing I know about you, is that you give back and encourage. I am glad you dug this blog. Maybe for you it’s meaning should be take a vacation! 🙂 You have definitely put the work in. Time for some R&R. 🙂
(smile) Thank you, bro. That meant quite a bit. My first radio interview went well last Saturday. Got a few more contacts in the industry too. It’s all a matter of time. Vacation, huh? Now I know what the saying means, when you love your work it doesn’t feel like work. Thanks for the encouraging words. I’m still jammin’ your CD, If these Walls Could Talk…
OMG.
I just can’t get that picture of that deep fried camel hump outta my head. I’ll be back, Duke…
DAMN.
Wow, I have had this same conversation with Sho’Nuff (you know who that is Darien lol) And it has never struck me this way…. Now of course I was prob. on the defensive during said conversation but I get it…. ( I really need to get my passport like ASAP) Anybody got a loose 160 dollars lol…. But I promise you that as soon as the funds are avail. for me to get the passport I’ll be right on that line…. Next anybody wanna fund a grad student overseas lol…
My man, well put! I love the use of similes and metaphors. It’s great when you make a decision (as in starting this blog) and end up coming up with some good stuff! (that you may not have written otherwise). This one goes perfectly with Gaston’s song “Around The Globe” (recorded with Us3)
“….Well I got my passport I’m ready to blast off
I asked for the same seat I had on the last tour
Ain’t taking no bags just the clothes on my back
And when I’m on the road I don’t know how to act
And if I like it I ain’t going back…..”
“…..I’m going round the globe….”
Hey man, I left a response last week – or, atleast I thought I did. I don’t want to try to remember everything, but basically I wanted to tell you what an enjoyable read it was. Funny, real and thought provoking. It’s great how one decision helps lead you into a whole new untapped part of yourself that brings out new examples of your creativity. Great job man! Sorry to catch on late, but I’m ON now!!
By the way, the soundtrack to this piece can include my brother Gaston’s song he wrote and performed on the first of the two Us3 albums he featured on. Here’s just a taste from “Around The Globe” :
Well I got my passport I’m ready to blast off
I asked for the same seat I had on the last tour
Ain’t taking no bags just the clothes on my back
And when I’m on the road I don’t know how to act
And if I like it I ain’t going back
We’re going round the globe
Where will it stop? no one knows
We’re going round the globe
Round and Round it goes
-Gaston
Wow! I couldn’t see my last response. But now that I’ve rewritten it (to the best of my ability), all of a sudden I see my last one! My bad! Re-dumb-dant!!