Sincerest Apologies from a Chronic Weirdo
By Danielle MacQuarrie

Introduction

Hi friends,

I wrote this book hoping you might appreciate things from my vantage point. That I might impart some wisdom on you and change your life in some small way, and that you will read these words, put down the book, let out an audible sigh, and realize life as you knew it would never be the same again.

Wouldn’t it be cool if that were true? How novel of me if that were the case? Although my intentions are altruistic, the reality is that I wrote this solely because this is a passion of mine, with the intention that others might appreciate it, too. I have always dreamt of writing a book, and although I never really knew how that would unfold somewhere along the line, I decided I just needed to take Nike’s advice and “Just Do It.” I wish that the stories within these pages allow you to feel something, and hopefully, the emotion stems from a good and helpful place.

I grew up reading many books as a child and loved the escapism they provided. As a kid, I remember making little books out of loose-leaf paper, hoping to see my name on the cover one day. One of the reasons I love reading so much is that you can fall away from this reality and fall into a different one and find kinship with characters you couldn’t find in your everyday world.

As my title might suggest, I have continually apologized for everything! I don’t think there’s been a single job that I have worked or a single group of friends that haven’t picked up on the fact that I, and their mind, needlessly apologize, and I thought what better way to encapsulate who I am then incorporate those words into the title of this book.

Regardless, it stems from feeling misunderstood and lacking a sense of belonging and how, at times, I felt that my mere presence alone was an offense. Regardless of how those feelings came to be I have found a way of turning negative situations into positive ones. Instead of viewing things from a victim standpoint, I turn my life lessons and my proverbial lemons into lemonade. What I have learned in life will always be part of a more significant spiritual lesson since spirituality has always been a part of my life. Finding a deeper meaning to my experiences has helped me cope with hardship and feelings of isolation.

The purpose of this book is not only to highlight notions around otherness but also about how often those emotional scars can help us evolve and assist in healing others who might relate to similar circumstances. I try my best to go through life in a way that I force myself to look for the silver lining in every situation and that I seek out the lesson in every hardship I face to transmute that pain into something that has healing properties—even if it’s just for my own sake.

That way, I can go through life and feel like I am making advancements and creating positive changes, even if the only difference I can make is my perspective on a situation because, ultimately, the only thing we can control is how we respond to situations sometimes. I feel like it’s one of the best strategies I have for navigating a world that can sometimes feel so uneasy and “unfair.”

There is so much importance in finding gratitude no matter your situation, and by proxy, this approach assists me in finding compassion for myself and others. When I choose to find moments of joy, no matter how brief, it can make my day brighter. I think there are seeds of truth in every cliché, and the adage, “life is too short,” helps remind me of the impermanence of our lives and how transient our suffering is—I prefer, “Time is Precious,” but to each their own!

This way, I can prevent myself from wallowing in self-pity since I refuse to subscribe to the belief that we are only here to suffer through life and struggle — until the end. I think it’s about choosing to find moments of joy when you can and find the time to appreciate the happy moments despite it all.

Anyway, I hope this book finds you well. I hope you’re drinking plenty of water, sleeping well at night, and eating your vegetables. Hopefully, you enjoy this book and feel better after reading it.

Sending you Love and Light,


From your Friend,

Danielle