Scribbles

One of my most memorable Thanksgivings was spent with a family in Los Angeles during my college years.  Whether it was the beauty of gratitude or young love, the poetry we wrote or the melodies we created, it impacted me greatly and compelled to write this piece.

Come with me to a place of warmth and special meaning.  Allow yourself to be enveloped into this scene as your imagination roams about.  To know this moment is to know beauty.  To live in this moment is to know life.  To ever leave this moment is to know loss.  And to desire this moment’s return is to know longing.

Now sit down, press play, and enjoy this moment...

Have you ever noticed how certain moments in life reveal such depth that for a brief moment in time, perfection seems within reach?  It can be surreal sometimes...

... even heavenly.

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Sea Lions

There once was a Sea Lion who lost the sea

His love, his passion, ceased to be

With dust in his lungs, he could no longer breathe

But truth be known, the Sea Lion is me

 

At some point in our journey, it is almost inevitable not to lose heart.  Someone hurts us.  We fail at something important.  Insecurities surface.  Enjoyment fades.  We become blinded by lies.  We travel another path only to be disillusioned again.  Weariness sets in.  Hope is lost...

It's so easy to become the like Sea Lion who lost the sea and thus, enslaved by the dust of a new environment.  In search of safety, we actually jeopardize ourselves.  But what led us here?  Maybe for you, you were hurt deeply as a child - wounded from the very start.  For me, my journey has included unforgiving regret.  Someone else lost their passion in life and just checked out.

And together, we left something crucial behind: the sea... our home.

We must remember that anything worth chasing will come at a great cost.  So if sacrifice is a requirement, perseverance must be accepted and even, befriended.  The survival of our hearts is of utmost importance and if we fail to keep them alive, we will surely die.  Death will set in as we live with the regret of dreams not pursued, passions quieted, and our potential left a mystery. 

Have you lost the sea?

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Adventures in China

Greetings from China!

So far, my experience at SIAS International University has proven to be better than I had hoped for.  I am amazed with the campus, the relationships being built, and the fun to be had.

Using Chopsticks To Eat Popcorn Was A First!

Each week, I teach Oral English to about 200 students (imagine learning their names!).  The classroom experience is very enjoyable, relaxed, and personal.  The students are bright, helpful, and incredibly considerate.  I enjoy getting to know each of them and they are excited to get to know me.  And the campus!  If I had to describe this campus, I would compare it to a small town... of 25,000 people.  There are restaurants, grocery stores, shops, a pool, a gym, a track, a driving range for golfers, a hospital, and more.  And since it's an International University, they represent different places from around the world all throughout the campus (i.e., Russian Square, European Street, Italian Square, etc.).  It adds a unique element to everyday life as you explore.

    

One of my favorite things so far is taking scooters out into the city.  I've done so every week!  It's so much fun and costs about $0.50 per ride.  We also go bicycling and take strolls through all the little markets and such.  The food is delicious and the drinks are incredible - there are so many varieties of both!  I've gotten into playing volleyball, ultimate frisbee, and ping-pong every week.  And I will soon start playing basketball and tennis, as there are so many courts on campus.

Beyond all of this, there is still more to do!  There are parks to explore, games to play, and people to meet.  We also like to ride the bumpers cars; however, they are very rough and it actually kind of hurts, sometimes!

But anyway, this is just a quick update on how I'm doing in China!  I hope all is well with you and feel free to update me on your life as well.

Still venturing into foreign lands...

It's nice to see the American Flag sometimes

Four Years Later...

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Distant Lands

I'm off without a master plan

To the grounds of a different sand

The people of another man

I'm off into a distant land

For about a year now, I've been preparing to make an international move.  With the guidance of a friend and the help of many others, I decided that I would begin preparing to teach English to foreigners abroad.  Initially, I wasn't sure where it was that I wanted to begin my journey - maybe somewhere in Africa or Europe, Japan or the Middle East.  The opportunities were many and I had to start somewhere.

Throughout the research process, I quickly began to realize that Asia (in general) was a great place to start.  Typically, a school in Asia will fund your airfare, apartment, visa, and language courses.  And sometimes, a contract will include a monthly food stipend in addition to your base salary.  This seemed to be a great place to start so I began my search there.

I soon decided that I would focus my attention on China and got connected with a great school in Xinzheng, Henan, called Sias International University.  The contract I reviewed also included three meals a day and all inclusive excursions into some cool places.  It wasn't long before I signed it.

For more information on teaching, see below.

And as of today, I'm excited to announce that I'm finally packed up and ready to go.   I'll be getting on an airplane tonight and will begin my adventure into a foreign land.  Over the course of this last year, my emotions have been all over the place as I've found that it's actually not that easy to leave everything you know behind and to venture into the unfamiliar.  However, it feels as though I'm being beckoned to do this... like something's calling me from beyond.  It's as if I must do this for myself and for those around me.

After all, talk is cheap, right?

For a while now, I've been encouraging people to see past the things that weigh them down, whether it be a dead-end job, a financial issue, the comfort of life, a lack of hope, a harmful relationship, etc.  It's so easy for us to just keep going with the flow of this thing we call life.  We've gotten really good at playing it safe and many of us are bored to death.  I don't know about you, but I don't want to be "careful" anymore.  I would much rather venture out into the unknown and find something great to give myself to.

We all have the option of giving ourselves to something bigger than we actually are.  What might that be for you?  What are the dreams on your heart?  Consider your talents and abilities and how they might fit in.  Is there anything that you aspire to do?  Each of us have a specific role to play and it's vital that we play our part.  Our eyes must be opened and our hearts awakened.  We must find freedom from the things that hold us back.

Do you remember the movie, Braveheart?  And what about when William Wallace proclaims, "It's all for nothing if you don't have freedom"?  That is a powerful statement.  In fact, those are fighting words and in the movie, many died so that freedom would come to their land.

And when Wallace's father imparts strength to the young boy at the beginning of the film, what a beautiful thing it was.  "Your heart is free," he tells him. "Have the courage to follow it."

So what about you?

Is your heart free and do you have the courage to follow it?

Into distant lands, I go.

For Teaching English Abroad: 

www.AcademicsInAsia.com

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We Worked At A Zoo

When done right, a zoo can be a wonderful place!  And I'm fortunate enough to say that I once worked at such an establishment...

Before I left for China, I worked at The Kansas City Zoo.  And I loved it!  And then I made a video about it, which I'm dedicating to my friends there.  We shared in some great memories and fun together!

Press Play & Enjoy!

And since it's on my mind, have you seen the movie, We Bought A Zoo?  I found it to be an inspiring story and very well written!  The themes throughout the movie are quite powerful and dynamics between the characters are great...

There's loss and love, joy and sorrow, adventure and new beginnings, hardship and passion, hope and romance.  It's all there!  And it was easy to relate to the characters as I reflected upon my own life and journey.  So if you haven't yet, you need to see this movie.

Here's My Favorite Quote:

“You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery.  And I promise you, something great will come of it."

And lastly, I wanted to mention that while I was in Singapore, I was able to visit the zoo there.  It's considered one of the best zoos in the world and I've gotta say, it was impressive.

(This is my favorite monkey and yes, I can sound just like them!)

The entire zoo is designed in such a way that you don't notice the caging around the animals.  Everything is very open.  But in some locations, this unique feature can be a bit dangerous... like when you're walking on the bridge above the crocodiles.  The railing's there, but it's nothing special.  It wouldn't be at all difficult to accidentally fall in with them!

But thankfully, should this happen, there are life-preservers available above.  That way, if one gets thrown to you, it will take longer for the crocs to eat you, thus ensuring your chances of survival.

Just make sure they start with feet first, yeah?

So all that to say...
I enjoyed my time at The Kansas City Zoo!
I'll never forget it.
 

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The Real You

So I just listened to this song, "Breathe Me" by Sia.  Have you heard it?  I found it to be beautiful and sad, artful and filled with emotion.  But most of all, I found it to be real.

This song is vulnerable, honest, and authentic.  She seems to be crying out for help.  I love it when an artist is able to identify with their own pain and struggle.  And here's the thing ... there's something about this that we all feel and know and can relate to.  Whether or not it's this song, a scene from a particular movie, a passage of your favorite book, or something else, we know it's there - something beneath the surface.  Something truer than we're comfortable exploring.  It is so important that we come to a place of genuine self-awareness. 

But let's be honest: this isn't fun.  This isn't relaxing.  Many of us are afraid of what we will find if we spend too much time looking inwardly.  So instead, we'd rather hide behind a busy schedule, a hobby, and our addiction to Facebook ... anything that will suppress the truth of who we really are or at least numb the pain for a few more moments.  Some get lost in video games.  Others with the party scene.  Still others with a career path or a relationship.  Heaven forbid we actually spend any substantial amount of time having a quality conversation about something real.

We are afraid of what others will think.  Too much risk is involved.  Maybe they'll let us down or worse.  So instead, we put up our guard and build our castles.  But what do we do with our unanswered questions?  What about the pain?  That inward sadness?

In the song, the girl seems to surface just long enough to get a few words out before diving back into the abyss of her false-self (the person that everyone knows her to be).  But how long can she hold her breath?  After all, we can only go so long without breathing and one thing's for certain ... it will kill us all to live a disingenuous life.

It will always be easier to lie about who we are and how we're doing than to be real with ourselves and others.

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Foundations

I recently heard a man talking about the foundation of a house.  He mentioned that he and his family had been looking for a new house and how he would bring his brother along to examine the structure of each house.  You see, his brother was a designer of custom-built homes and could tell the good from the bad.

Right away, he would walk past all the expensive appliances, the granite counter-tops, and the hardwood flooring and would go underneath the house with his flashlight, crawling through the cobwebs and the dirt.  In a short time, he would know if the house was build on a solid foundation or not – the most important part of the house.  Then, he would examine what the house was built up with.  It didn’t matter what type of refrigerator was in the kitchen or the eye candy of fashionable furniture in the living room.

What really mattered was deeper and truer of the house.

The same is true of our lives.  What have we built our lives upon?  What are we anchored to?  Whether you like it or not, you are building your life on some sort of foundation.  But is it the right one?  It is firm?  Does it need work?  When the winds blow and the storms come, what will be said of the house you've built?

Whether it be the loss of a job or death of a family member, the filing of divorce papers or an abusive father, storms will come.  But this is certain: we will face opposition everyday and we can't afford to build our lives on the wrong foundation.  Is it wise to rely solely on a relationship, a career, or a government?  And if so, what happens when they fail you?  What if they fall apart?  What then?

 

On the surface of a person’s life, they may look pretty and well kept.  But in reality, they may be a complete mess on the inside – unstable, uncertain, and in pieces.  We can only build so securely on a poor foundation.  Nice clothing, a pleasant smile, and polite words will only get us so far.  But in the night when no one else is around, who do we become?  What do we look like when the mask is taken off?

Whatever it is, it will reflect the foundation we’ve been building upon.

(Click HERE to listen to a project I made corresponding to this post!)

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And Then, It Began ...

I'm so excited to have finally created a blog!

It's something I've wanted to do this for years now.  My hope is that, together, we can go somewhere special as we venture into this thing called life.

This is me!

Feel free to share from your own experiences, hopes, dreams, failings, successes, disappointments, and/or aspirations.  Throughout our time here, I hope that we can be honest and open, and true and helpful.  I can't say that I know where this thing will take us, but I suppose that's the beauty of the unknown.

And speaking of the unknown, it's something that's intrigued me for years now; there's something about the mystery of not knowing what's to come that evokes a mixture of curiosity and expectation in my mind and heart.  Is there really more to be had?  Is hope still alive?  Is love just around the corner?  The unknown draws me into a place where questions can be asked and then wrestled through... and hopefully answered, someday.

While the road ahead is filled with great uncertainty, I'm not sure there's another path for us to explore...

Or is there?

What does the unknown mean to you?  Does it frighten or free you?  Do you feel hindered or released by it? 

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