If You Need to, Rewrite The Narrative

Last month I got a WhatsApp message from a man that claimed to be my uncle. Naturally, I asked my dad. He told me it was his older brother who he hadn’t seen in about 30 years. And the last time they talked was a decade ago.

In my uncle’s message, he said he wasn't sure how he found my number but smiled when it came up. He was planning a trip to San Diego to see my dad, but had no way to contact/find him.

Old stories came to mind about some buried family feud that led to a 30-year disconnect between my dad and the rest of his family. So I hesitated. I told my dad and to my surprise, a smile came on his face. The great thing about him is he’s one of the most forgiving and forgetful (not my mom’s favorite) people I know. 

So last week, my dad and his brother reunited. Our days were filled with hysterical laughs, childhood stories and frequent hugs. They spent the evenings singing old music together. They watched all their favorite movies. Woo'd off the top of their lungs after a Bar?a win. Laughed at all their own dad jokes. The list goes on. I've never seen my dad so happy than in those brief moments of bliss with his brother.

One night, while we all indulged in our homemade Honduran feast, we talked about leaving old feuds behind and turning a new leaf. My uncle said a phrase that became the mantra of the week, "it's time to rewrite the narrative."

No one will ever know how my uncle found me. But I'm thankful he did. Because so much greatness happened last week that we would've otherwise missed if it weren't for a random WhatsApp message. And now I get to share this lesson with you.

Take control of your narrative and write the story you want. Go ahead and reconnect with your family. Make that career switch. Reach out to an old friend. Move to a different city or country. Bring your passion project to life. Create a business. Tell the story of your marginalized community.

You are not bound to any narrative. You are the creator of it. Don’t let fear (or old feuds) get in the way of the greatness you can create. Now go on! Write something phenomenal.