I had the most random epiphany the other day when I was in the shower. My shower time is my favorite time of my day. It’s the one time of the day that I truly feel alone and that I get the most me time in my thoughts, and it has been that way for like decades now. I even wrote one of my college essays about my love of the shower.
A couple days ago, I randomly had the thought pop in that I was officially an adult. It hit full volume and it was simply “you are now an adult. This is it. All these hopes and dreams you had as a child, and all these false thoughts you had for yourself about where you’d be now, are exactly those. False thoughts. This is it. You are an adult. Figure. It. Out.”
Now while it almost seems like a negative thought, the waves of emotion that hit with this notion weren’t negative, they were simply realistic. Life offers the option to change paths, or realize new dreams, but at the same time, I think I was still holding onto some idea that being an adult hadn’t hit yet and that it still was going to suddenly become something I’d seen on tv or in movies, or something I’d read in books. It’s not. It’s a whole lot harder.
I try and tell this to myself every day, but we’re all usually our own worst critic, so for today, I will just tell you instead. If you woke up today, had the strength to get out of your bed, face the world and seize the day, you are a fucking superhero. There are many days this is very, very hard for me. The combination of depression, the weight of my body always being tired, and the pure comfort of my damn bed, leads me to be very happy being in it. I suffer from very severe insomnia and have since middle school. It takes me forever to fall asleep and stay asleep, yet I sure do still love just existing in my bed, under all my covers, making forts like I’m a kid again, reading as many books as possible and just existing by myself in this secret world no one can invade. But everyday, we have to tear those walls down and have the strength to exist in this world. To face the day, and walk around in our truths and presenting that truth to so many humans with a smile and an open heart. Sometimes it’s light and cheerful, sometimes it’s shrouded in darkness. But each day we do that, and we return home having survived another day, we are our own superheroes.
The new Marvel movie opens this week. Oh, you didn’t get your tickets yet? That’s cool. You’ve been too busy wearing your own secret cape and saving the world each and every day by just being you. Being a superhero is exhausting work. Take a moment, pat yourself on the back, and remember that everyone roots for the Underdog.
Next month, I’ll tell you some detailed stories of me attempting to be my own Caped Crusader, but until then, shine, fly, and soar. To Be Continued…
Peter William Dunn is a born and raised New Yorkers, who is currently a freelance writer, producer, director and sometimes actor in the city.
His professional passions include: film, music, literature, helping other artists thrive and all around storytelling.
His personal passions include: puppies, babies, black and white milkshakes, and attractive men with accents (he has an extra strong track record for attracting emotionally unavailable men, but don’t tell him we told you that, and don’t yell at him for speaking in third person right now).
His current loves are his dog, Domino, a whiskey neat, and in case you didn’t know, his mother is the greatest human being on earth