Look Forward, Never Back

By Alexandria Brown

Two years ago I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I was in school studying biology because that’s what my family wanted me to do. That was the “norm” for us - getting an education, finding a good job and surviving until life comes to an end. I just wasn’t happy with that. I knew that life was meant to be more than just “making it” until you die.

I just remembered being in school, sitting in my classes and wondering what I was even doing there.

What is to make myself happy?

What is to make my family happy?

If I quit, would my family be upset?

Would I be a disappointment?

I’ve spent a large amount of time doing what others wanted me to do and caring way too much about what they thought. I was “living” my life to appease other people until I realized that my life, is my life. When my life starts to come to an end, I want to be able to recount all the things I did and experienced. I want to tell my children stories of all the places I’ve traveled, the people I’ve met and the things I’ve created.

 I explored in several different “creative outlets” but nothing seemed to feel like the perfect fit until I picked up a camera. I started taking photography seriously last September. The transformation I’ve experienced within the last year has been one for the books. It took a tremendous amount of effort and courage to quit all of what I knew and do what truly made me happy in this lifetime.

As someone who is sometimes intimidated by change, I wonder if I made the right decision but I always remind myself to look forward, never back. Your life is yours and it is what you make out of it. I’m happy with what I’m making of my life.

My art is the true testament to my reconstruction and transformation.