30 Random and Offbeat Things About Me
From the weird to the (somewhat) wise
“Nothing can make our life, or the lives of other people, more beautiful than perpetual kindness.” — Leo Tolstoy
Many beautiful souls on Medium are writing articles detailing their life journeys. Below are their stories, and beneath that are 30 offbeat things about my life journey full of twists, turns, pain, promise, and ultimately — healing.
From the weird to the (somewhat) wise, 30 uncommon things about me:
1. For 18 years, I lived on a commercial farm and horse ranch turned animal sanctuary.
2. At age 3, I remember crouching down on a dusty chicken house floor, tenderly picking up week-old chicks with misshapen beaks and limbs, giving them water, and trying to heal them with light. A bright golden light that I saw everywhere I went. I still see it.
3. I trained as a classical ballerina for 16 years. Bloody toes were a sign of honor and prestige. I’ve had more broken toes from pointe dancing than I can count.
4. I was mostly raised by depression-era grandparents. My grandmother had a closet full of flour, spam, beans and franks, cake mix, and canned fruit. When I was stocking up for possible COVID disasters, it felt like I was paying homage to her kind and loving character.
5. I was an equestrian for 15 years. I also judged the state 4-H equestrian anatomy test when I was 13.
6. I am unabashedly nice. Doing good for other humans, animals, and our planet lights up my soul.
7. One of the best summers of my life was the summer of 8 foals on our farm. I delivered 5 of them. It was magical to watch them grow.
8. When I was 16, I had a serious car accident that left me unable to recall months of my life. I also had an NDE at this time and remembered an angel breathing life back into me.
9. Our farm ran primarily on well-water from two wells dug in the 1930s. There wouldn’t be enough water for all of the animals plus our family during hot summers in North Carolina. We would buy jugs of water and go to the laundry mat. Water is precious. I still marvel that I can turn on the faucet, and water immediately comes up from the well, from the earth, that is safe to drink—what a gift.
10. I was the first in my family to attend a university where I got 3 degrees in 5 years. Cue the student loans. I was too broke to afford graduation at the time, and I always wonder what it would be like to walk across that stage and receive degrees in hand versus in the mail.
11. Throughout college, I ran marathons up in the Appalachian mountains, sometimes with others, but most often alone deep in the wilderness. It was cathartic.
12. In 2006, I choose to move by pointing my finger on a map and ended up in Washington, D.C., where I met my loving husband.
13. In 2005, I adopted a beloved ferret named Nico. She traveled with me from NC to Capitol Hill in DC, and then down to Virginia. I carried her in a small cloth purse for years. One day I was riding the elevator up to my job at CNN DC, a gentleman on the elevator asked, “How’s the ferret?” “She’s doing well,” I replied. “How do you know I have a ferret?” I asked. “Everyone knows about Nico,” he replied. This was a building of about 1500 employees.
14. I took a 6-month break from work in 2010 to search for meaning and belonging in this world.
15. I’ve been a voracious reader since I was about 3. Before my son was born, I routinely read at least 20 books a week. It sounds far-fetched, I know. I read about 3 books a week now.
16. Many years ago, I sang in a harmony group.
17. I’ve had some form of chronic pain since I was about 8 years old. The pain became severe in 2011, and it took many years to come back from that time, which I recount as a very dark night of the soul.
18. Nothing makes me happier than staying weird and offbeat — authentic. In 2012 my husband and I adopted two fancy rats, who were left near a military base with the word “BOMB” on their box. They were then affectionately named “Boomie,” and “Pow”. Boomie would stand on my dachshund to reach the fridge.
19. I am a survivor of severe abuse. Feel free to read more here and here.
20. My first job after college was in broadcast journalism at CNN.
21. I love movies and books about space. Star Wars, Star Trek, and Battlestar Galactica. Anything that involves space, physics, or time travel.
22. I have a photographic memory, so does my brother.
23. I lived with a sweet and shy hedgehog for 6 years.
24. I have met several angels and spirits. The first time I knowingly encountered an angel was in 2017 when I became life-threateningly ill from an infection. That night as I started a new course of medicine to hopefully eradicate the problematic infection, I had a dream of myself standing in a void surrounding by warm light; a man below was holding his hands up in thanks to me. An angel named Raphael stood beside me, and the love of the eternal, God, the great spirit, the universe was bathing me in a love unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced. When I woke up and opened my eyes, the first words I said were, “Agape, Agape. And who is this angel named Raphael? I’ve never heard of him.” Later that day, my husband came into the room and said, “I keep hearing the name Raphael on the television; that is an uncommon name.”
25. Nature is life. I never feel more alive than when surrounded by the forest.
26. I’ve written on Medium for one year.
27. I am investigating/planning on getting P.H.D in Psychology within the next 10 years, hopefully, sooner.
28. I have three animal rescues and several wild animals that live together in harmony. At our previous home, the squirrels would eat out of my hand and sit at my feet; that’s my goal here, too.
29. For some odd reason, I remember other lives that I have lived.
30. Forgiveness has become the fount of life for me. Looking back on the past with a different perspective ended up being a great insulator of freedom, healing, and growth. I plan to write a book on forgiveness and how it changed my life within the next few years.
Tagging the following writers in a non-exhaustive list. If you feel inspired, please share your list; we would love to read it! Amy Marley, Selma, Rebecca Romanelli, Chris Hedges, Paul Myers MBA, Tree Langdon, Liam Ireland, Dew Langrial, Joe Luca, Geetika Sethi, Charlotte Zobeir Ali, ScienceDuuude, Manasi Diwakar, Erin King, Sumera Rizwan, Dr Mehmet Yildiz, Desiree Driesenaar, Art Bram, Jessica Cote, Terry Mansfield, Rasheed Hooda, Agnes Laurens, Lanu Pitan, Britni Pepper, Dr John Rose, John Ross, and Wolfie Bain.
Before you go, here a few photos:
With love and gratitude, Aurora