Life – Page 2 – Christa Avampato

action, adventure, choices, learning, Life

This Just In: My Hundred-Foot Journey

January 13, 2015January 13, 2015 Christa Avampato

With a groan, I stepped outside into the dark and chilly morning to let my dog, Phineas, do his business. It was 5:30am and I went to bed too late to be up this early. I was cranky.

The school bus came down the street and stopped in front of the neighbor’s house across the street. One of their sons has cerebral palsy, and his bus arrives before the sun comes up to take him to school. He’s always at the door waiting, fully dressed and ready to go, to get on the bus as soon as it arrives. He walks with great difficulty, on his own and always with a smile.

I’m out here groaning about being tired and here’s this kid who’s raring to go despite his challenges. I went inside and took a long, hard look in the mirror. I realized I’d just been given my hundred-foot journey in complete silence and under the cover of darkness, the lesson right across the street that taught me everything I needed to know to do everything I want to do. “Stop whining and just do it. You’re one of the lucky ones,” I thought to myself.

Now the school bus is my alarm clock. When I hear its come to a stop at the neighbor’s house, I swing my legs around and let my feet hit the floor. It’s time to get started.

adventure, change, Life

Inspired: An unexpected kind of wonderful

December 30, 2014December 30, 2014 Christa Avampato

If anyone had told me last year at this time that this is what my life would be like right now, I would have laughed out loud. This life that I’m living now wasn’t conceivable to my December 2013 self. A lot can happen in a year. A lot did happen this year.

We’re two days away from bidding adieu to 2014 and saying bonjour to 2015, and I’ll be brutally honest: I have no idea what my life will look like a year from now. Not. A. Clue. Given my passion for planning, you’d think I’d be a nervous wreck over the ambiguity. And I am, usually around 3:00am. But once I get up and move around and drink in the morning light, I really feel just fine. Even peaceful about it all.

2015’s going to be fine, better than fine. I know 2015 is going to hold change and transformation for me on an unprecedented level. I’m okay with the roller coaster. I’ve spent my whole life preparing for this moment. We all have. Let’s make this one a year for the record books, the year when we’ll look back and say, “Damn, that was one heck of a wild and wonderful ride. I’m so glad I was there.”

courage, discovery, faith, fear, Life

Inspired: It’s okay to feel broken

December 28, 2014December 27, 2014 Christa Avampato

“Be crumbled so wild flowers will come up where you are.” ~ Rumi

I know a lot of people who’ve had a tough year. Maybe you’re one of them. You feel a little broken by life, by the holidays, or maybe you feel a little broken and you’re not even sure why. Maybe someone you love is facing this reality right now. I came across this quote by Rumi yesterday in my reading and I think it’s an important one to keep close. Know this: perfection is a myth. Truthfully, we’ve all got small cracks, chips, and breaks somewhere in our lives. They aren’t always visible, but they’re there and there’s some comfort in knowing that we’re all on this imperfect journey together. So don’t be embarrassed or afraid or feel despair for the parts of you or the people you love that are a little crumbled. The flowers are on their way.

choices, creativity, Life, patience

Inspired: Benefits of taking the long way

November 30, 2014November 29, 2014 Christa Avampato

“All the work worth doing is about taking the long way.” ~Seth Godin

I always look for shortcuts, ways to get twice as much done in half the amount of time. I’m ridiculously impatient with myself, and many times that serves me because it forces me to make the most of every opportunity and maximize my creativity. But when I’ve been forced to take the long way, when no other way was possible, I’ve never regretted it. I tried to enjoy the view and stay open to what may happen that I had never planned. The long way, while never preferable for me at the outset, has always ended up being a blessing because it took me in directions I never knew existed. The next time your route feels more circuitous rather than a direct shot, take a beat and look around. Every step along the path has a lesson. Take it and use it.

change, grateful, gratitude, Life

Inspired: Today is the 5-Year Anniversary of the Apartment Building Fire That Changed My Life

September 5, 2014 Christa Avampato

Today is the 5-year anniversary of my apartment building fire. Tonight is also the awards ceremony for the Thespis Theater Festival in which my play, Sing After Storms, is nominated for best play. A portion of that play is based on my fire experience. The synchronicity is not lost on me.

I used to regard that fire, in which I lost almost all of my belongings and barely got out of the building in time, as the worst day of my life. Now I know it was one of the best because it taught me that no matter what happens, I’ll always be okay. That fire literally burned the fear of living right out of me. In the same way that fire chemically transforms everything it touches forever, it changed me forever, too. It showed me how strong I am, and that knowledge serves me well every day. The recovery from it was painful and difficult, but when I consider how much I love my life now compared to my life then, I know it was worth the struggle to get well.

September 5th now feels like a second birthday to me. In my home, I keep a photograph of my old apartment after the fire. That’s where I began again, completely from scratch, to build a life worth living. It’s a self-portrait in a way, a daily reminder that I am fortunate to be here at all. That we all are. I’m glad I hung in there, even in the darkest, most frightening, lonely hours, because on the other side of that fear I found everything I ever wanted. I found me, and that’s something not even a fire can take away.

Life, Washington

Inspired: Northern Virginia – where the living is good

June 29, 2014June 28, 2014 Christa Avampato

Roosevelt Island - one of my favorite recreation areas in Northern Virginia — Roosevelt Island – one of my favorite recreation areas in Northern Virginia

Last week, The Upshot (a New York Times blog) ran the results of a study on the best and worst places to live in the U.S. According this study, northern Virginia has cornered the market on good living and that includes my alma mater’s home of Charlottesville. Cheers to all my Virginia-based pals. Perhaps I should join you and move back to that area if I want to live long and prosper! Maybe we all should. What do you think?

Note: The study uses six criteria: education, household income, unemployment level, disability, life expectancy, and obesity.

Life

Inspired: Take the Sign You Want

June 25, 2014 Christa Avampato

Signs are everywhere. I snapped this one yesterday. I was really trying to capture the “Risk Everything” and while taking the photo then saw “Caution”. It made me giggle out loud. New York City, and the Universe as a whole, give you any and every sign you look for. Best to look for what you want and grab it!

discovery, dreams, Life, risk

Inspired: Everyday’s Chance

June 24, 2014June 23, 2014 Christa Avampato

Life is a daily series of once-in-a-lifetime chances. Keep taking them.

encouragement, Life

Inspired: Remember you’re a diamond

June 14, 2014June 14, 2014 Christa Avampato

Star of Africa, the world's largest flawless cut diamond. It is 530 carats! — Star of Africa, the world’s largest flawless cut diamond. It is 530 carats!

Feeling overwhelmed? Here’s an idea that might help: whenever life is grinding me down, I remind myself that a diamond is made brilliant in the same way. Your moment to shine is on the way.