Imagine walking through a picturesque city with no evident extravagance. It’s just normal. Every person looks ordinary, nobody standing out. Sure, the cars may vary slightly, or not one building looking the same, but there’s something clearly missing and off about this scene. It’s completely basic. Our lives aren’t meant to be as basic as they can be. We were born to fulfill our life goals and dreams and conquer the inevitable. But, we can’t do that if we are all completely basic, can we? The key to fulfillment in life is taking chances and risks to be anything but ordinary. I always had, and still do, have aspirations in life that I strive for. One of them, which I’m surprised to admit, was supposed to happen when I was at least in my fifties when I clearly knew what I was doing with the rest of my life. Even if I don’t know what I want to do when I’m fifty, that’s okay too. There’s still going to be plenty of bingo nights and band concerts that I can attend by the time I’m over the hill. One of my most valuable achievements thus far, thanks to taking chances, is writing my first book.

One could compare my writing process to that of a volcanic eruption. A full blown, volcanic eruption of interesting plots and strange characters that had no beginning and had no end. But before the eruption, and before the calm, there has to be that calm before the storm, so to speak. I sat for some time, staring out at the beautiful sight before me outside my freshman dorm window: a brick wall. Yes, my view was a brick wall. But, I can proudly say that the brick wall sparked my knack for taking chances. Of course it was the ugliest thing to wake up to in the morning, but it was that dull and that boring that I realized I can’t let my first attempt at a book to be dull and boring. So I guess I owe part of the completion to the brick wall. And congratulations! Thanks to the brick wall, you have a bouncing baby book plot.

The first lesson I learned in taking chances was letting yourself out of your comfort zone to take those chances. Search for those dreams and make them realities because I know you won’t regret it. I know I don’t. Hold on to that chance like it’s the most expensive ring in the world and run with it. Let that chance expand your knowledge and prove that you are anything but ordinary. Odds are the people around you don’t know what your aspirations in life are and the more you are to express them, odds are you’re going to be happy that you let them know of what you want to do and what you want to achieve. It isn’t hard, believe me. I told my dearest friend at school that I planned on writing a book, and she smiled and said she wanted to write one with me. Just the knowledge that she had a shared aspiration I had was enough to be elated. By getting out of my comfort zone and making my goals known, I gained knowledge that other friends had similar goals to mine, and that plays a major role in the succession of the entire process.

The second lesson I learned is that it is okay to mess up and start on a clean slate. That’s how we learn to try something new and make it extraordinary. My volcano by this point just full-blown exploded. I gave my plots a go eight times before I stared that brick wall down the ninth time and told it to give me something good. Apparently, three isn’t the magic number, it’s nine. Sorry, three, you know what they say. Out with the old, in with the new. Messing up never means if you fall down, you better stay down and never get back up. This is not okay and will never be okay. You get right back up and try it over and over and over again until you see that chance you’re taking impress you in your dream. Never think about staying down. You get right back up and punch never square in the face and tell it you can finish this with flying colors. Everyone knows you can. Take that chance and run with it, even if the chunks of volcanic explosion are still flying through your life at uncontrollable speeds. Keep your head high, running with the flags waving high in the sky with roaring victory!

The last and final lesson I learned is to be so very proud of yourself. Be happy with the fact that the volcano is now satisfied and staying dormant and quiet so you can bask in the glory of the great moments you have achieved. Smile at your achievements because you know that you are remarkably talented in every way imaginable. Be proud of who you are and what you have achieved because there is so much more life to live and so many more chances that you will take to be anything but ordinary. Writing my first book, no matter how terrible it may be, was a journey that has made me proud of what I love and why I love being a writer. Be grateful for the chances you have to take and know that you will always go out to be the best version of yourself you can be. So go out there, my adventurous flock, and see what chances are waiting for you down the road ahead.