Do you remember a moment that shifted the trajectory of your life? Perhaps it was the moment you first made eye contact with your (now) wife on a speeding train? The moment you held a little white stick in your hands and saw confirmation of your upcoming role as a mother? The moment you first Googled “volunteering internationally” and began to dream about an overseas adventure?

Sweat pools on my upper lip as men in traditional muslim caps or sloppy white t-shirts yell out in stereo, “Hey Lady – I give you good price” or “Hey lady – it’s free to look”  as they point inside the dim interiors of shops cluttered with giraffe statues, Reggae inspired Zanzibar t-shirts, and canvas paintings of African stick women balancing baskets on their heads. As I wind from one narrow street to another, I explore each crooked lane and alley of Stone Town until I finally find a shop without a hustler at the door.

When I step inside, my eyes slowly adjust to the dim light and I pull my t-shirt away from my sticky chest (I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to the African heat). A man sits in the corner, his brush dancing colourfully against a white canvas as the smells of dust, damp cement, and paint filter through my nostrils. Instead of the typical souvenir prints, a woman carrying two parcels on her head stares back at me from a slot on the wall. I can’t look away from her eyes and the untold stories of wisdom and hardship she holds there.

The artist turns to me and quietly says hello.

“Your work is beautiful.” My voice comes out in a wistful whisper. “Do you have any pictures with mothers and babies?” I can’t help but think about my Recent Heartbreak and how much I miss a special little Rwandan baby.

“I don’t. But, how long are you in town? I can paint one for you.” he offers.

“Sorry – I leave tomorrow. Besides, who am I kidding. I’m on a 6 month trip around the world and I am currently homeless. A painting – as beautiful as it may be – is the last thing I should be spending my money on.” I’m not sure if I’m talking to him or me.

But, I still can’t stop from gazing intently at his work, asking how much each piece is, and dreaming about my future home where I could hang a Majeshi original on my wall (by now I’ve asked his name and can spot exactly which of the pieces he has painted).

“I hope one day I can order one of your paintings for my house,” I say.

“Where are you from?” he asks. And, so I tell him the whole story. Why I gave up my apartment in Vancouver back in September, how a big hairy audacious dream led to a six month volunteer trip around the world, and how I now have an even bigger dream of creating the Fresh Chapter Alliance Foundation to help other cancer survivors volunteer internationally. It must be his kind eyes and his earnest expression because I break my don’t-share-your-stresses-with-strangers rule and admit to him that sometimes it feels overwhelming and scary because I have over $10k I still need to raise and I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to get this Foundation off the ground.

“You’re already doing it.” he says.

“Well, I guess I am…” my voice trails off as I shrug my shoulders and shuffle my feet.

“My Grandfather always told me, everything starts in a minute. The minute you have a dream and take your first step towards it, your life has already changed forever.”

I am speechless. Everything Starts In A Minute.

He’s right. The hardest part is committing to your idea, your dream, your back of the napkin plan. The rest is about having faith that if you keep moving confidently in the direction of your dreams, you will create your future. I can’t help but think of one of my favourite quotes:

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become.”
Buddha

The next day, I duck back into the shop right before a downpour and he offers me his chair while he sits on the top of an overturned plastic bucket. While the sound of crashing rain echoes through the room, he tells me about the work he has done with teaching disadvantaged kids how to paint and his dream of using art to create a better life for himself and his daughter. He even offers to one day paint a picture I can auction off to raise money for the Foundation and our future dreams to take survivors to India.

When I eventually head out to enjoy my last afternoon on the beautiful island of Zanzibar, I ask him for his contact details so I can order one of his pieces as soon as I have a home to hang it in. His pieces are beautiful and he has more soul, wisdom, and determination than almost anyone I have met.

As I continue on my travels around the globe, I will carry his words with me in those dark moments when I feel lonely or lose faith. I will think of how much has happened since this Big Hairy Audacious Dream was born and remind myself that EVERYTHING does in fact – start in a minute.

Majeshi – this post is for you! Best wishes my friend. You are a true talent and it was an honour to meet you!