Everyday Superstar: Avri James

  Under normal circumstances, this would have been one of the most uncomfortable conversations ever, but, on the contrary, I was actually quite at ease.  Adonis looked as if he was about to jump out of his skin.  He kept starting to speak, and then stopping.  I could tell he was struggling, but the more I said, the more he suffered.  I could not do anything to make this better for him, he had to face his truth alone.  He sat for a while, quiet, then finally said, "SO, the you that lies beneath, is in Love with the HIM that lies beneath; this will NEVER change..." "EXACTLY," I began, "but the way I see it, he doesn't deserve it.  What has he done but hurt you?"  A sense of relief washed over me, he did seem to get it.  "That connection, is ALL that I care about.  This Avri and Landon stuff is all secondary; I have already EXPERIENCED him.  If he doesn't get it, then it's his problem and HIS loss.  I have NO interest whatsoever i...

  When you look at life for what it REALLY is, that's when shit hits the fan...the moment you realize it's the ultimate reality show,  and everybody is writing their own parts.  The person you wake up as each day is the role you are choosing to play, and the way you decide to present yourself to the world.  The sets, the costumes, the cast; all designed by the individual.  Granted, participation in this show is why were are here, after all, however, it's when we lose sight of the fact that it's all an illusion, and begin to believe the character is real that we give up creative control, and the show you created becomes your truth.  Before you know it, your have become a supporting  castmate in someone else's show.  For some, they embrace the illusion; choosing this persona as their authentic self.  For others, however, the storyline being written is so outlandish and far-fetched, the character created is immediately dropped, and suddenly, you...

  Co Written By: A. Reid Avri once asked me what it was I saw in her that makes it worth all the trouble....In order to answer that question, I would have to go all the way back, to before Avri and I officially met... I had watched her; for a long time before I said a word.  She was social, but not like most girls.  You rarely saw her out, but you could  tell her interactions were genuine, and the people she surrounded herself with mattered to her.  Even the individuals who seemed no where near her level could be at perfect ease in her presence.  She was gorgeous, no question, yet it was probably the last thing she would present about herself.  She KNEW it; and it wasn't all about the physical.  Avri wasn't the type of girl who rotated different guys regularly, so if she was involved with someone, it meant something.  I got my first real introduction to the world of Avri James when we worked on campus at the office of Greek Life together....

  There comes a time in every person's life when they are pushed to their breaking point.  Depending on your strength and determination, there will be one of two outcomes:  If you're not strong enough, it will literally BREAK you-drive you insane.  Hopefully, you find your way back.  Then, there's the other instance, where you ARE strong enough; there's just not holding back.  With every emotional trigger is going at once...You just can't take it anymore; and so, you BLOW...The way you needed to, ALL along... What happens when you let someone in is, you end up exposing all of your vulnerabilities, one by one.  If you are truly connected to someone, you are fully exposed.  Therein, you are fully protected, so it's not supposed to matter.  It's when those walls come down that the true test of character happens.  I like to think I'm pretty tough taking most things in stride that would have broken others.  But I'm not a machine.  I...

  It's amazing how the psyche works; it will go to fantastic lengths to protect us from pain.  My mind was constantly doing this without me being aware.  Each day, these walls would come up, fortifying me, and blocking me from my feelings for Landon.  I didn't allow myself to feel ANYTHING for him on a daily basis.  They were too strong.  It was like trying to take hold of the wind-they were a force of nature.  No matter what I tried to do, they just continued to GROW...The only way to deal is to ignore them altogether.  Every once in a while, it's too much, and it all comes spilling out-in the nastiest ways.  Sometimes I shock myself with what I'm capable of saying.  Afterwards, I feel both better AND horrible simultaneously.  It's like a much needed release, but then I'm embarrassed because I lost it.  I absolutely HATE not being in control of my emotions, but the fact that I let Landon see it, really burns me up!  I use...

  When it comes to love, we always crave the big gestures.  It's because of the fact that they are so few and far between.  Or perhaps it's in those gestures that we get a glimpse of how someone truly feels.  It's something in their willingness to throw all caution to the wind that we identify with and long for...Our tattoos had us on both on Cloud 9 for a while.  So much so that I found I wasn't paying attention to much else-like the fact that all that nothing Landon and I had been stuck in for months was still looming ALL AROUND; unchanged.  My summer abroad was going to have to wait-my blog had taken an unexpected, yet pleasant turn towards LITT, and I was going to be busier than ever!  There were even talks of Avri James being PUBLISHED!  Can you Imagine?!  I just couldn't believe it... One Saturday morning, I came across an article that discussed the Divine Feminine and the purpose of this energy here on Earth.  One particular pass...

  "Out here in the world I'm not alone; As long as I have you, I've got a home..."  SA Peace is a conscious choice.  In order to have and maintain it, you have to CHOOSE it every single day.  I was so caught up in my own emotions that I lost sight of everything.  The further apart we seemed to get, the harder it became to focus on what was ahead of us.  It was what pushed me to the edge, and feeling like we would NEVER get there.  I lived in constant fear that the past would repeat itself, and I would be left alone to figure it all out again.  Truth be told, my strength is overrated...It was time for a RESET.  Once we let it all go, we were able to FLOW.  Complete surrender was the ultimate testament to self-love.  Turning your back on your ego to go after what you truly want is damn near impossible; and yet, my elation is UNMATCHED.  Absolutely NOTHING feels like this; EVERYTHING was better.  Waking up in the morning felt...