Good Morning fellow W AffiliGators...

This Blog is dedicated to a Fellow Gator here @ WA, which after reading his Blog I felt compelled to write the following.

His feelings I'm sure, are not unique, or abnormal. Many of us at one time or other, have and will face the same sentiments and challenge.

I began to reply to his blog, soon to realize, it would be much to long.

Then it dawned on me, write a Blog about it. Who knows, maybe my words will touch you, as You sit behind your screen, feeling and experiencing the same sentiments and Challenges.

And so, unabridged, here's is my Reply.

Hi S...

I can definitely Empathize with you, and understand the sentiment. I think there are very few answers that can be given in a simple reply, and be of genuine help, all the while being of support as you face your present challenge.

After reading your blog a few times, then getting over the initial heavy laden atmosphere around me, I sat back, finished up my first coffee, and went into deep thought.

I then decided to be perfectly Candid with you.

Now, I'm not sure if you've read some of my blogs on here, if you have, you'll know where I'm coming from.

A little over 6 months ago, I left Canada, jumped on a plane with a Heart full of Hope and headed for Beirut., to Manifest One of my Lifetime Dreams; To become an International Freelance Writer/Journalist, ya I know, pretty big cookie to swallow.

Before leaving I sold much of what I had, bought and sold a few other things. When the dust settled I had amassed just enough to pay a cheap rent for a year, and had about two thousand left over for food.

Bonus, at least good scotch is cheap here! ;))

To my close Friends back home, it didn't come as to much of a shock, they know me as a risk taker, and also as the kind of guy who has Rolls Royce Dreams powered by a Volkswagen Budget.

It was certainly a huge risk, pushing close to 60, having to start over should all not go according to planned, would be hard to say the least.

Now bear in mind S..., that when I left, I had neither a contract or Editor to back me. However much like you, I believed in my Dreams, and more importantly, I Believe in Myself. on that note, there's a quote I absolutely Love.

"Great Minds think alike, and Fools seldom differ.

I think it's important to be a little of both, and a lot more fun.

And so a few months passed, my resources were running low, fear and doubt began to rear their ugly heads. I began to consider jumping on a plane, with my tail between my legs. However, I did decide to hold out, then not long after, I found myself down to my last Twenty bucks.

I pulled out my sock drawer, dumped it on the bed, removed my Passport and the thousand dollars taped to it's underside, which I had stashed away for my return ticked, if needed.

I sat for awhile, looking over the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and towards Home, which at that moment, "Home" might just as well have been on another planet. I glanced down at the crisp new hundred dollars bills in my hand, felt like I was at the casino, only the stakes ranked much higher.

My initial Mind

I began to think back to my "initial Mind", the reasons I had come, and goals I'd set. I suddenly found myself immersed once again in my Dreams, and my true Desires.

The hell with it, I thought to myself, let's risk it. I taped my Passport back in place, and put the drawer back .Then I took a really deep breath, as I stashed a few hundred bucks in my pocket.

A few days later, returning from a story I was working on along the Syrian border, I opened my emails to find I'd won a tender I had placed, to translate a manuscript from French to English. The pay wasn't great, worked out to about a hundred a day.

Well I'm still here, got a couple more translation jobs, and a few more good articles written. I'm also happy to say, finally got a few Editors looking at my work.

So You see S..., my Camarade. The reason I'm writing all this, is in guise of sending you some Hope and Courage

Remember your Initial Mind, why you started. Go deep, remember Who You are, and Be That!

Along with all this, I'm sending You My Friendship, and Support

To Our Success