My Serendipity - A Magical Week in South Wales.
How many times do we imagine something thinking “That would be so cool if..” or “If only…” but we don’t even bother looking into the details of the steps toward the dream because, deep down somewhere in our subconscious, we don’t believe that this wonderful thing with somewhat impossible odds could ever happen to us. But something magical happens when we allow ourselves to believe.
This faith walk began after writing my film “The Heart Wants”, a big-budget faith-based fantasy for which I had no resources to produce. To raise capital, I decided to package the script in book packaging and sell it so people could access the story. I then used the earnings from my “book” sales and my savings to hire a production company to film one of the most pivotal scenes from the script to use as proof of concept. This short version of the movie would have VFX, amazing wardrobe production, ethereal scenery, and an incredible cast and crew to help me execute a quality production! After much hard work, a few bumps in the road, and empty pockets, the short film was completed!
What’s a Dream Worth If It Doesn’t Cost You Anything?
So, I began submitting to film festivals in hopes that this might be a step in the direction of more visibility. I hoped that I’d be traveling to several cities to screen my movie, I was ready to go on tour, okay!
On a day when I felt overlooked and rejected at my day job, I checked my Film Freeway account and to my surprise, I got my first “Yes”! Huzzah! The Carmarthen Bay Film Festival in Wales accepted my submission! But wait, I’d never been to Wales and I had no idea how I’d get to this town called Llanelli. I couldn’t wrap my head around traveling to this very far away unknown land. Fear stopped me from looking into the dream so, instead, I waited to be approved and accepted by the other festivals in my home country. But my submissions were, declined, rejected, and access denied! Every film festival I submitted to “regretted to inform me”.
Should I at least look at the flights? See what hotels are near the festival? Where would my film be screened? What would the presentation be like? I saw that the venue had three spaces where they would be screening the films, a large theater, a medium-sized theater, and then a small space. Yes, my film was on the list to be screened in the small space.
~Stay tuned for some wisdom on why humility and gratefulness should always be written on your heart.~
Can I be real, I thought, “Would I travel so far, and get all dressed up for my film to be shown on the baby screen, what if the festival isn’t that fabulous?” The truth is, I wanted this festival to validate me as a creative filmmaker. Would they bring the sparkle?
I kept praying, asking for a sign but I didn’t need another sign, what I needed was faith. The sign was in the yes, now I needed to go. I heard God say, “You are the sparkle”. This was also confirmed by my friends who told me “Get dressed all the way up and walk into that small projector room like it’s a red carpet premiere!” So, I began my research and I booked my flight, hotel, and train tickets (Llanelli was a 2-hour train ride from the Cardiff Airport). I had never paid this much for a plane ticket or hotel stay but what’s a dream worth if it doesn’t cost you anything?
You Know it’s God When There’s Overflow.
The flight I booked had an 8-hour layover in NYC, my second home where a major part of my community lives! So, of course, I planned to connect with my girls! Since moving back home to Cleveland, I don’t see them as much and I needed their encouragement and powerful prayers to send me off on this great journey of the unknown!
AND THEN… A few days before leaving, the stars aligned and there was another surprise waiting for me—Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour.
I’m serious! But before I go into full detail I want to be transparent. The tour was going viral and I just looked at the dates just to look. Bey was in Europe, I was heading to Europe, maybe we’d cross paths. Honestly, at first, no I was not committed to the idea, just daydreaming and heck I was already on a roll so why not dare to at least look it up? I’d never even left North America before this film festival, on another continent thought my film, out of all the submissions, would be a valuable addition. It was already more than enough but when God does something it overflows.
Protect Your Magical Moments
I had already booked my trip to the UK when, three days before leaving, I discovered that Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour would be in Cardiff the very same week! After I thoroughly researched how to best travel from Llanelli to the Principality Stadium (which was a two-hour train ride in distance), I had to shew away the butterflies in my stomach as I held my breath and nervously purchased one of the last available tickets to the concert. Once I completed my purchase my fear faded into a wave of excitement layered with the warmth of self-love. It was a grand gesture not from an outside source but from me to me. And I didn’t share it with many people until I got back from my trip. There’s something special about holding onto exciting, unbelievable moments for yourself, even if just for a little while. It gave me a quiet moment to truly absorb how I felt before sharing it with others. Sometimes someone else’s reaction isn’t at the level you want and can affect how fully you allow yourself to celebrate. I wanted to experience this moment in its purest form—for me, it was like stepping into a magical, serendipitous dream world. It was my “something extra,” an unexpected layer of joy added to an already beautiful reason to travel.
Like Something out of a Fairytale
Between festival screenings, I ate at Llanelly House, a darling restaurant frozen in the 18th century. I took a cab ride along the countryside to the nearest castle. I found myself wandering through the ruins of Kidwelly Castle, ending my tour in what would’ve been the courtyard. I lay in a bed of daisies opened my laptop and wrote a scene in my newest script about a man falling in love for the first time. I reflected on my trip, it was something out of a fairytale. I saw not one but two marriage proposals (one in NYC and another in Cardiff!). It was a beautiful confirmation of why I write love stories where the characters always find each other in the end. There’s magic in those moments, and seeing those strangers’ joy filled me with hope.
The Fearless Version of Me
This trip was about more than just attending the CBFF Film Festival and catching a Beyoncé concert. This was an introduction to the fearless version of me. I embraced the idea of doing “main character sh*t” by fully leaning into who I am, in all my weird, over-the-top glory. Glamorous, outgoing, kind, interested in other people’s stories, emotional—this was me, with my guard down, free-falling into my true self.
Final Thoughts
Taking chances in an effort to increase your quality of life, is like giving yourself a great big hug. Doing things that bring you joy, fill you with love, and connect you to your authentic self is worth the risk. You’re worth the risk.
So here’s my advice: Be intentional about loving and accepting yourself. Go where you’re loved, but also remember to be your own biggest cheerleader. Always remember to live life with a heart full of humility and gratitude. You never know, the owner of the entire establishment might be in that tiny room sitting right next to you! Yes, CBFF Owner and Director, Kelvin Guy and his beautiful wife Judith Guy were sitting next to me as my film played and I got the opportunity to have the most beautiful connection with them. They even picked me up from the train station after the Beyoncé concert because there were no cabs available that late at night!
Two of my favorite quotes:
“You can do hard things” – Jay Shetty
“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”