Introduce Yourself : Poet/Writer/Storyteller/Performer/Dreamer by Shqipe Malushi

As I am turning 60 I realized that I have spent most of my life trying to make a living; then living to get stories, and then writing the stories long after midnight, and then forgetting to publish them, treating them like my abandoned children of a single mother who is always rushing to survive. So in chase of the stories I did about 28 different jobs, finished four universities, had 18 surgeries, survived 3 close to death occasions, went to war zones, couldn't make peace with enemies; wrote 13 books, published only two, travelled half a globe in search of myself; became an American Citizen, brought my family to America and from one person (we) we became twenty. Saw Phantom of the Opera 30 times; saw all the plays on broadway, bought opera subscriptions each year, had fights with myself, felt guilty for not pursuing the life of an artist; made a vow never to get married; became a fake solitary creature; I was never alone ever; made thousands of friends globally, danced when doctors said I couldn't walk again; read thousands of books; became confused on issues of God and humanity; acted as fortuneteller-healer, hated the violence, stood up in demonstrations and protests and tried to make people laugh. Now finally I am ready to surrender to that call, that voice, that vision that brought me to this door of 60 and begin my life as an artist, writer, poet, storyteller and performer. I pray that I won't change my mind. One thing I know for sure it was all about LOVE.