Do What You Want To

Sometimes in school, I find that I spend a lot of time focused on I should be doing… Instead of what I want to be. However, my English degree will help eventually guide me into the field of journalism, so no matter how tired I get over Shakespeare and other such writers, I know I am doing the right thing.Today I met with John Davidson founder of Jesse's Journey and father to Jesse Davidson. It was an honour to meet him again, as I had met him once with Jesse when I was six years old. I remember the story well, he was promoting Jesse's Journey in Spring Bank Park and my mom had brought my sister and I to see. We went up to see them and he asked what my name was. instead of Karli, he assumed I said Harley, and he cracked a joke about the fact that if I married his son my name would be Harley Davidson. The man I met today was just as friendly and charismatic. Since the passing of Jesse in 2009, John has continued to speak, but in a different sense. He gives speeches to important figures including businessmen and otherwise in his talks, he includes the fact that we often mistake of our goals for our dreams, we get so caught up in our careers and what we think we should be doing, that we never take the time to realize what we've always wanted to do. He expressed the importance of traveling when we feel the need to, and even revisiting an old childhood hobby, or trying to do the one that we told ourselves we couldn't do. I've been lucky enough to do several of the things I thought I couldn't, like going to University, something as simple as riding a skidoo, riding a Harley-Davidson and publishing small pieces of work. We discussed how in the field of journalism it is important to get a lot of practice in many sectors of the field, but it is also important to become an expert in something. For myself I hope it allows me to become an expert on spreading the word about disability, and bringing to light isuses that are usually swept under the rug, because celebrity news takes a forefront. I have already experienced positive feedback in the form of this blog, and small editorial piece published in the London Free Press. I only hope that I continue to feel positive force in my life, because I know I will be happy as long as I am able to freely express myself in writing, and in doing so giving others a new perspective.

Karli