Leave your mark wherever you go.
Never in my life have I ever been grounded.
I've been arrested (more than once), had my parents discover drugs in my bedroom, been found passed out cold in my own bathroom from drinking (underage), and have stayed out to God forsaken hours partying in my teens. And not once in my life, have I ever been grounded, scolded, or gotten in any more trouble other than a, "Ali, stop it."
I could have sworn that it was because I was the unplanned third child that had caused them to give up and let me live my own life. I found out December 25th, 2008, that I was an "unexpected pleasure", to put it nicely, and realized, at that very moment, that that was the reason that I was the way that I was. Wild, free, and living the life that we all wanted to live, but had parents and/or authorities in the way. It was at the ripe age of twenty five when I realized how good I had it.
While kids who had done what I had done up until now would probably have been sent away to either a psychiatrist, therapist, or juvie, I had been left alone. Left to figure it out on my own, the "hard knock" way. I lived my life finding out what right and wrong was on my own terms. Having two older sisters/being the baby, you would have thought that I would have learned what I can and can't do, what I can get away with, what I should avoid doing at all costs, and if I chose to do it, how to pull it off seamlessly. Instead, I pushed the envelope. Apparently, at every chance I got. I can honestly say that when I look back on my past twenty five years, I can not understand why I ever spent even one waking moment complaining about anything. I've been living the life I've made for myself, having the time of my life. Is that not ultimately the "American Dream"?
I'm pretty sure I'm the reason why my parents stopped having babies after I was born. I was a handful, to say the least, always keeping them on their toes. And still, at twenty five, I like to think I'm keeping them young. You'd think I'd have grown up by now, trying to start a legit family, like my other two sisters did. But I'm having way too much fun. Instead, I'm coming home with new tattoos every few weeks. I've even convinced my dad, and even referred him to one of my own artists, to get a huge piece done. Don't get me wrong, the last two years of my life have changed me more than anything in the world. I found faith, which changed my life, enabled me to see things, go to countries I never dreamed I would ever in my life see, experience the most intense situations and meet people that were ultimately life changing in countless ways. This past year alone, I've slowly broken out of my shell and become who I was always supposed to be. I do not, in any way, regret not doing this sooner. I fully believe that I'm in the perfect place at the perfect time. And that says a lot, considering where my peers are right now. My life is amazing. And I wouldn't trade it for any given lottery jackpot. We all travel at different speeds.
Because I understand what I've gotten myself into/away with in the past few years, I like to think that I have the raddest parents around. I'm sure I could have been put in line a little harder, but I'm sure I would have ended up no differently. I truly do respect them for letting me be who I am, at my own pace. They let me do what I wanted, suffer the repercussions, ride out the good and the bad, and let me figure it all out on my own. Am I a different breed from the rest of the Pinho's? Sure. Am I proud of who I am? Of course. And really, in the end, that's all that matters. If my own family can let me figure out who I am and what I'm made of and still look at me and love me the same way they did the day I was brought into this world, then I'm happy as long as they're happy.
We all live a different life. We all see things differently. We're all taught to follow a different path by different leaders. It's finding your way through it all, and what you find along the way, that's important. It's how you turn out in the end that matters most, not how people view you, or opinions, or what you "should have" been. Pride yourself on who you are today, right now, at this very moment. Because, like it or not, this is who you are. I've said it once, and I'll say it again and again ...
To be nobody but yourself in a world that's doing it's best to make you somebody else, is to fight the hardest battle you're ever going to fight.
Never stop fighting.
