by Erick GarciaI am a mystery because, for most people, this is how I come off.
I can actually be a mystery to those who know me and those who do not! A person could know who I am for years, yet not know very much about who I am. You see, I’m a pretty reserved person. This is not to say I won’t open up to others, not at all. I can do so with relative ease, but sometimes choose not to. I am very much an introverted person and for that reason sometimes I shy away from people. If you’ve ever been to a large gathering of people, I am the guy who is the quiet observer. However, if you take the time to get to know me and peel back the layers that surround me, you will find that: I am the son of two hardworking individuals who I am extremely lucky to call mother and father. Two individuals who have raised me to work just as hard as them but at the same time to always pursue my dreams no matter how difficult the journey. I am an older brother to a younger brother who suffers from autism. I am someone who has battled with depression many more times than I’ve cared to. Of course, you would never know it just by looking at me. But the fact that I’m able to write (and tell) about it shows that I’m someone who’s determined to rise above his demons. I am fascinated by the human mind, and for that reason, am a forensic psychology major in a graduate program. Being in this program has taken me on a journey of ups and downs, highs and lows, and self-discovery. I am a lover of art. Particularly, I love to draw. Drawing is a very crucial part of who I am. This love of drawing helped me to foster my imagination and during my childhood it was one of the things that helped me to realize that I was good at something and it was the first big thing in my life that gave me a sense of purpose. Nowadays I draw more for my friends than I do for myself. There’s nothing like the feeling of being able to give something to someone that you made. I am a lover of music, and I have used that love to survive some of the darkest moments of my life. Aside from drawing, music is also a crucial part of me and the second biggest thing that gave me a sense of purpose. Whether its music that’s found on my many music devices, or whether its music that comes from my own two hands on my guitars, it is that which has helped me to get through the most insufferable of times. I have mostly my mother to thank for gift of music and art. She knew these two things would be crucial parts of who I am. While I do have my favorite genres, artists, bands, what have you, I do take recommendations from others. I love to read as well. Specifically, I love to read anything that pertains to the horror, the supernatural, or the mystery genre, but I also love reading biographies, fantasy novels, and comic books. Oh and in case you’re wondering, I love both Batman and Superman, but I love Batman just a little bit more! In my spare time, I like to narrate horrors stories. It’s something I’ve only recently gotten into. I don’t really post my recordings (yet) online, but it’s something that’s increasingly starting to sound like something I might do. As I said before, I am very much introverted (even though that’s somewhat subsided in recent years). I generally try to be someone who takes the time to talk to people and get to know new people even if it can be a scary experience sometimes, but in some cases that can be easier said than done. Whenever I find myself with a bunch of strangers (or even with a mix of friends and strangers), I go back into my shell and shut down. I become extremely shy and sometimes that same shyness makes me more aware of how quiet I am being in a given setting. Of course I’ll always have that one person ask if I’m ok (which in most cases doesn’t help), but I appreciate the concern. But I’ve come to find that more often than not, this isn’t a big deal or a problem. I may take a while to open up to other people, but that doesn’t mean that I’m unapproachable. In this case, I may present myself as a mystery, but not as an unsolvable one! Although when it comes to parties (which I don’t tend to go to too many of), you can find me doing what I do best: sitting in a corner, keeping to myself and just taking everything in hahaha. But that’s ok. Like one of my anthropology professors once said to me: extroverted is overrated. And lastly, I am a writer. I don’t just write stories either. I write poems, which sometimes can turn into song lyrics. I am a part of an online magazine called A Home @ The End of The World, which we lovingly call, The Zine, and being part of this amazing collective full of other young talented minds has given my life even more purpose, because it grants me the creative space with which to express my thoughts and feelings through writing, a space that would not be possible without Professor Atiba Rougier and my other colleagues, who took a chance on my abilities as a writer even when I believed I had nothing to offer and considered me worthy enough to join this online magazine. I thank them all for that. These are just some of the things that there are to know about who I am and that help to solve the mystery that is me. Maybe I’m something more. I say this because in some ways, I am a mystery even to myself sometimes, let alone other people. I’m sure there’s a lot more to discover about who I am, but all in due time. I am a son, a brother, a graduate student, an artist, an aspiring musician, a narrator, an introvert, and a writer. I am an amalgam of all of these things and maybe even other things yet undiscovered. At a glance, I am a mystery. Upon closer inspection, I am so much more.
1 Comment
Lisa Holahan
7/11/2017 07:15:00 pm
This was a beautifully written article Erick. You took the reader on a journey with your words and definitely accomplished giving the reader a glimpse into your world. Great job!
Reply
Leave a Reply. |
Categories
All
Archives
November 2017
|