Where The Wind

"Go West, young man, and grow up with the country." ~John B. L. Soule

While Horace Greeley often times gets the credit for saying this famous quote, it was actually first made by John B. L. Soule. It appeared as the title to an 1851 Terre Haute Express editorial written by Mr. Soule. The quote by Horace Greeley was, "Go West, young man, Go West" and became a part of the American lexicon.

And why would I really talk about this particular quote? It was the first thing I thought of when I learned a friend was moving west with his wife. A new job that will invigorate his soul awaits him in Stillwater, OK. Gary and Marion are on a new journey of excitement; a new journey of change.

As the song from the musical Oklahoma goes;

OOOO-klahoma, where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain
And the wavin' wheat can sure smell sweet
When the wind comes right behind the rain.
Oklahoma, Ev'ry night my honey lamb and I
Sit alone and talk and watch a hawk
Makin' lazy circles in the sky.

What a great change for a man that has kept faith in his beliefs and abilities. He has certainly had to overcome the depths of self-doubt but his journey has always been an inspiration to me. So many times we teeter on the brink of allowing life to overcome us. We come perilously close to simply giving up. Yet we keep ourselves inspired and push forward.

There's never been a better time to start in life-
It ain't too early and it aint too late!
Starting as a farmer with a brand new wife-
Still be living in a brand-new state!
Brand new state-
gonna treat you great!
Gonna buy you barley, carrots and pertaters,
Pasture for the cattle, spinich and termaters,
Flowers on the prarie where the June bugs zoom,
Plen'y of air and plen'y of room,
Plen'y of room to swing a rope!
Plen'y of heart and plen'y of hope.

And no, not a new wife....but together they can change the lyric to say, "starting as a farmer with a brand new life-" Together they are planting the seeds of great new friendships. They are certainly going to be missed here in Atlanta, yet we know we haven't lost them. Once you have sown the seeds of friendship, it remains for a life time.

We also know that change happens all around us. The scenery will look different when we redirect the path of our life.

We know we belong to this life
And the life we belong to is grand!
And when we say
Yeeow! Aye-yip-aye-yo-ee-ay!
We're only sayin'
You're doin' fine, Everyone!
Yeeow!

I'm proud to know Gary and Marion; happy to see them on this new adventure. And as the song goes, "We're only sayin' - You're doin' fine." In fact, "we're all doin' fine."

Embrace the changes that can take place in your life, your best life.