Sponge in the Sun

Ever since I was little, I have imagined a life beyond my own. A life filled with adventure, chaos, love, and passion. There is a plethora of experiences that can only be shared through the art of storytelling. People's lives are dictated to some extent by their boundaries and stories allow people to manipulate these boundaries and surpass them. These experiences are what I yearn for as well as the lessons and perspectives that come along with them. Like a sponge in the sun, I hope to soak up any and all of the moisture that I can. In this case, moisture is all of the perspectives that reading allows us to look through. Without this moisture, the sponge remains dry and starved of hydration, not allowing it to reach its full capacity. These experiences range anywhere from being a closet homosexual man in mid-century England to an abandoned little girl from the bayous of Louisiana who is being looked at for the potential murder of a man in town. The best way to learn is through experience and reading allows people to undergo countless experiences.

More than any other, The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Juno Díaz has left a lasting impact on my life. I read it last year and it completely transformed my thinking. Diaz simultaneously presents me with experiences that I can relate to while exposing me to new and exciting experiences that I otherwise would never even know existed. Diaz showed me that although I can be halfway across the world from someone, I can still see the world through their eyes. I'm now conscious of the fact that people might feel displaced or confused by their heritage as well as how important it is for someone to feel like they belong. This book has helped me to become more aware of people all over the world who might be feeling the same way that I am or are experiencing something much worse than I am. The book is humbling because of all that happens to Oscar but also serves an assurance that I am not alone, even when it feels like it.