The Art of Believing

Believe. The word itself is a hypothetical (and rather cliché) term, loaded with big ideas, encapsulating bursting possibilities. That is, if you choose to submerge. Believing, like my friend Kumi describes it, is like jumping off a cliff, going over “reality’s” edge and hanging on, with your dear life, to a dream that will be saved by faith. Needless to say, believing is a lot harder than it sounds.

Up until recently, I’ve come to think that life is harder for dreamers. Dreamers hold the gift of limitless vision, imaginations that create unconventional paths to follow. At times, that same gift of vision disguises itself as a burden, because as any dreamer knows, pursuing your dream is a road filled with adversity, and your job is to prove that you want it bad enough to reap the overflowing rewards. You will be tested severely, be frustrated often, and be tempted to give up, time and time again. And if you’re anything like me, you’re a lot harder on yourself than you deserve.

But at anytime I feel like this, you know what Kumi says? She smiles a big, warm smile from ear to ear, claps her hands delightfully and exclaims, “Why, Ruby, this is GREAT! This is excellent!”

I’ll look at her, on the verge of tears, frustration crowding my brows, and reply, “What? Kumi, this is terrible!”

She shakes her head, her smile unfazed. “No, this is GREAT. This is an opportunity to change, to build strength, and for you to fully realize your ability to believe.” She helps me realize that I am often swayed by fear and doubt, and the secret to achieving is holding an immovable confidence firmly planted inside. But like I said, believing is a lot harder than it sounds.

Yet, I know Kumi is right. Through challenges, we learn to become the strongest we can be, and we have the opportunity to strip away the things we’ve learned to accumulate but no longer serve us: stress, doubt, fear. We emerge, a rock solid foundation built by wisdom, whole and indestructible, powerful and unshakeable, ready and deserving of the inevitable victory awaiting.

Often I ask, what needs are these lessons when ignorance has proved to be bliss? To this, Kumi reminds me that in the end, all that will matter is the life and person you’ve become, because it is the only thing that can’t be taken away. While a job, money, your house can be taken away in an instant, the only thing that what won’t be moved is your lasting, and resilient ability to overcome.

At this point of my journey, I can truthfully say I’ve taken huge risks and leapt freely. But I suppose none of these efforts will serve me unless I have the conviction to back up such audacity. And so, as frustrating as it can be, I fill in every blank space with the joyous understanding for the art of believing, confidently look to the sky, and jump.

I hope that you, dreamer, will be proud to call yourself such, and learn to trust, like I am, in the beautiful imagination that has led you in your path.

And remember, you don’t have to see everything to believe it.

It just is.

I own all seven of the Harry Potter books, including an additional three of the original UK version. I owned Harry Potter glasses, dressed as a Hogwarts student one Halloween, and seriously considered a transfer to the school of wizardry when I was a freshman in college. Weird, you might say, but to you I say, “You can love it or hate it.”

J.K. Rowling has gotten me through many hardships by allowing me to enter a world to ‘apparate’ into, and she got me through the pressures of my college years. How appropriate then, that I woke up to a message by my friend Pam Allyn encouraging us to start our day reading J.K. Rowling’s speech for the Harvard Commencement.

I highly recommend you read it along with the video version on YouTube.

Not too long ago, I told you about my very dear friend Maya Hatch, a jazz/soul singer based in Japan. Luckily for me,  it seems I keep coming across beautiful Japanese singers, because last night during Jazzy’s show at SOBs, I had the pleasure of meeting a new friend: MYE, a Japanese soul singer with voice full and rich of a love supreme. I wanted to do an interview with her, but I can’t speak Japanese- yet! In the meanwhile, please peep her website and watch her video below, you will adore her just as much as I do!

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erykah badu- window seat remix

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MIA- xxxo

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Check out the documentary  below, and LISTEN TO THE ALBUM here! Let the guy LAND, let him finish what he started….

Part 1:

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Part 2:

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How proud and happy am I that Oakland (The Golden State Warriors) is responsible for signing this guy on.

That, is why “I put on for my city, I put onnnnnnnn…..”

So timely with my rejuvenated fascinAsian for basketball as of late. I’ll be keeping my eyes on the NBA this season.

Ballin,

Ruby

My good friend Olivia is so talented (and oh so beautiful). She is my co-VJ (and veteran!) at MYX, and before I left for NYC, she was a huge support system (and still is!) towards the pursuit of the dream. She had my back 150% during the Alicia Keys campaign, and I am so happy that I am able to return the favor. She is currently in the running to become gaytravel.com’s newest host, where she’ll travel for 6 months around the world to do what she does best: bring you the scoop while being gorgeous, charismatic, and engaging. Please VOTE for OLIVIA , and help her get her dream job!

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I blogged about Rafe a few weeks back, and now he’s coming to the Bay Area. Bay fam, check out the work. It’s a remarkable journey of a sports journalist who fell in love with the Philippine nation.

Check out the EVENT LINK HERE.

Rafe Bartholomew Reading: Pacific Rims
Tuesday August 3 at 6:30 pm
Eastwind Books of Berkeley
2066 University Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704

Please RSVP here: http://www.facebook.com/eastwind.books