My Admiration for the Gift of Life
My name is Vincent Van Patten, I’m twenty-five-years-old, and I currently call Del Mar, California home. I’m a writer, media creator, and co-host of The Dare to Dream Podcast. Most importantly, I’m an inspired citizen of our ever-changing world.
Four years ago I graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. After four years of studying journalism, I knew I didn’t want to be a news reporter.
During my time as an undergrad I interviewed a wide range of subjects: a local police chief and city council members, dairy farmers (it is Cal Poly), student entrepreneurs, and a top media executive among many others. The funny thing is I dreaded each interview and contemplated switching majors countless times.
In retrospect, I’m thankful this was near impossible to do at Cal Poly; I don’t know if I’d be the curious individual that I am today without that experience. I know that my time in journalism was for a reason. Firstly, I learned how to write, even though it felt grueling at times. Secondly, I learned to get out of my comfort zone and embrace my fears.
I realized that I resented news reporting because I felt like a nuisance, a fake, a fraud. I was writing stories I had no interest in; I felt inadequate as a writer because of this. I believed those I interviewed were judging me and were insulted that I’d want to take up their time. That was me, the college journalist me, and I acknowledge that part of my past. I’ve grown.
Now, I believe the opposite is true. I don’t only embrace my past fear of confrontation, I strive to make it the focus of my life.
We’re all human beings on this spinning rock. We’re here to support and respect one another. A title, an accolade, an accomplishment doesn’t make anybody better than anybody else. Moreover, we all want to be treated as human beings. I determined to treat everybody with the same amount of respect no matter who we are. This is a valuable lesson I’ll cherish for as long as I live.
I became obsessed with writing once I graduated from college and started a blog on Medium.com, a platform where anybody can share their unique voice. Beginning to write about the topics I genuinely care about unlocked my heart and soul’s dormant potential. I now write on my website, Medium, and News Break about travel, health, books, life, philosophy, spirituality, self-improvement, and history. I also write poetry and short stories — doing so soothes the soul.
This awakening of my spirit was the beginning of my writing career. The more I wrote, the more I realized it’s not just the act of writing that I love. While nothing makes me happier than waking at the crack of dawn to put my inspired thoughts on the page, I write because I long to better understand living.
I write to express everything from the thoughts in my head to the relationships we share as human beings. Writing is how I impart my admiration for the gift of life.