Sisters...Stop Wasting Time!

Those who know me know that I love the works of Shakespeare. What they don't know is the reason. Naturally, one would assume that my admiration for such literary great stem from the dynamic stories found within the pages of the plays or the use of the captivating iambic pentameter normally used in his sonnets.

But no.

What drew me to Shakespeare was a simple quote from his play,Richard II – “I wasted time and now doth time waste me.”  Although I had been exposed to several of his works prior to this, Shakespeare never stood out to me. I saw no major difference from him and say… James Joyce or Virginia Wolfe.However, this introduction of Richard’s soliloquy changed the course of my life. Like Richard, I realized that my life thus far had been a waste of time. 

I know this may seem a bit harsh, but at age 16 when I first read this quote, I had not accomplished much. Yes, I excelled in school. Yes, I was involved in extracurricular activities; but, what I realized at that moment was that I was not truly living up to my full potential. Some may argue that at 16, there’s not much that can be done. But what about Jordan Coleman of Hackensack, NJ? At age 16, he produced films which promotes awareness about issues affecting teens in America. Or RitwikaMitra (age 15) and Radhika Mitra (19) of Fremont, CA? Both founded Renaissance Now which helps artists and craftspeoplein India and other countries by providing free tools, training and marketing assistance. And Martand, who at age 11, began Kids and Smiles which is a nonprofit organization with the goal of simply bringing a  smile to children in hospitals via toys, film, card games, etc. So at age 16, what had I contributed to society?

                                                                  Not much.

After lamenting on this realization, I was determined to leave an imprint that would impact my community, even the world. I began volunteering at various organizations that focused on serving the community – hosting food drives, feeding the homeless, cleaning up the community, etc. This eventuallydeveloped into a life of servanthood. By the time I was 22, I became president of Operation Productive Endeavor, a nonprofit organization aimed at strengthening the community. Our efforts include a food bank, resource fairs, partnership with local hospitals to provide free health screenings and health series, school supplies giveaways, over $10,000 worth of turkey distributed during our annual Thanksgiving drive, toy drives,and have made our city home for 12 individuals displaced due to Hurricane Katrina. And now at age 32, I intend to expand my service to the world by sharing my experiences. Life’s journey has been tough and I want to help others reach their full potential and assist them in leaving a legacy of servant-hood.

                                                                     How?

Well, I wrote my first book of The Bitter Root Series titled Rewriting My Story. In it, I bring years of real-life experiences to the forefront, giving pearls of wisdom for transforming the bitterness of the past into the catalysts for life changing positive experiences. Sounds like a sales pitch right? Well, in actuality, many women are dealing with past hurts and I know that for so many of us, leaving past hurts, rejections, and disappointments is never easy; however I’ve learned that allowing negative experiences to fester will only lead to destruction. Bitterness will not only affect you, it’ll create a dominos affect to those around you. This book afforded me opportunities to speak to and reachmany women who no longer wanted to allow their past to dictate their future. Sparking a dialogue was just the beginning! Now, two years later, I’ve written my second book in the series, The Rage Within, which takes a fictional approach to reaching the masses in a tail of redemption and second chances.

You see, I have determined that I will not restrict my level of servant-hood as well as limit the method of helping people. That is what the Shakespearean quote taught me. I refuse to leave this earth knowing that I have wasted time. I will cease any opportunity to help my community. 

                          I WILL MAKE A POSITIVE IMPACT TO MY COMMUNITY! 

And I encourage you virtuous women to do the same. Don’t limit yourself to your self. Reach the world, one person or one community at a time.

Your Sister,

Dina

Author / Speaker