Travel with Purpose

Pilgrim statue by Jose María Acuña in front of Parador de San Marcos - LEON, SPAIN

"Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends." ~Maya Angelou

I am fortunate enough in life that my job gives me the opportunity to travel all around the world. It certainly isn't every week or even every month that I travel abroad, but so many places I have seen.

Some of these places I have been able to share with my wife. Others I have had to document in pictures and stories for her and those that I know. The world is still quite large in spite of how small it seems at times.

The statue above reminded me of the pilgrimage all of us are on. The journey to something in life that requires us to sit and reflect at times. A short rest from the travel we endure each and every day.

It could be your daily pilgrimage around your hometown or possibly across state. Where ever the road leads you in life, I have found people are pretty much the same as you and I are.

People all around the world, from where I am today in Shenzhen, China across the globe to my home in Atlanta, Georgia; all are living life the best way they know how. Each of us get up in the morning and get ready for work. If we have kids, we are getting them off to school. We are battling traffic to get to our job or running to catch a bus or train.

The work goes on, the lunch time routine and back home to make supper or shop for groceries; it remains the same for all of us. If we look beyond ourselves, we'll find that our similarities outnumber the differences. The languages might be different, the cultures not understood, but the act of living is the same.

I might be the only red-headed Irish-German within 100 miles of Shenzhen. Although there was the teen with brightly painted red hair walking down the street. But as you can see, even young people go through their phases across the cultures and generations.

If we take the time to look beyond ourselves, to look beyond the distance and cultural differences, maybe we can work things out. The arguments and disagreements will still occur; even our own families argue. Yet to understand each other a little better could go a long way in making life a little better.

Travel with purpose to understand those near to you and those far from you. The journey will take us to a better life, a better way of living and a better tomorrow.

Communicate

"Communicate, communicate, and then communicate some more." ~Bob Nelson

It happens to each of us, a situation comes up between two or more people and feelings get hurt or misunderstandings arise. One person thought the other knew something or another didn't give the whole story.

The problem normally is caused by a lack of communication. Its a pure and simple explanation for many of the problems that occur in our life. The lack of communication could be intentional and at other times inadvertent.

But in the end, if we just keep talking to each other we'll avoid many of the misunderstandings that get in the way of a great life.

Keep talking, keep communicating and life will be a whole lot easier. Can you hear me now?!

After All

“Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragement, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak” ~Thomas Carlyle

Thirteen years ago on a quiet Monday morning Lawrenceville Georgia Police were called to a family restaurant called Tanner's. It was a nice and friendly place that specialized in chicken dinners. What police found was a horrible double-murder carried out in a cold and brutal fashion.

A manager named Marc Ratthaus was killed and when the day chef, Adolfo Gonzales showed up, he too was shot and killed. Two young men with different stories and different lives with the same ending. It was heart breaking all around. The killings impacted many, many lives; the restaurant closed, people moved on.

Two brothers were arrested and found guilty of the robbery and murders. They each claimed a third man was the trigger man although one of the brothers was found to have killed at least one man. This third man escaped and it was felt by many that he would never be found or that he ever existed.

You have likely guessed correctly already. They found William Zepeda. They captured him, and now a court date will result and William Zepeda will have to confront this awful crime.

But what of the law enforcement officials? Their persistence in pursuing this case didn't end thirteen years ago. When the third suspect disappeared, they didn't give up, they continued the search. It is this persistence that defines their work. It is this persistence which defines their character.

I had thought of many ways to talk of persistence in our daily lives. To never give up and to keep pushing forward with our lives. It was when I picked up the newspaper today, February 23, 2011 my mind changed about the actual application of the word persistence.

It made me think about the word in a different context. It also gave me a chance to honor not only the Lawrenceville Police Department, but also any of the folks in law enforcement. You see my son worked at that restaurant. My son had been in the store that same morning to pick up his pay check. My son was not hurt and the persistence of law enforcement people comforts me.

Persistence can do quite a bit for your life. It can capture a suspect after thirteen years but it can also capture a dream. Remain persistent in your life and things will work out eventually.

A Brick

"A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." -David Brinkley

I guess you figuratively are not walking down the street with people throwing bricks at you. But it can certainly feel like it at times. The oddity is that it also feels like you are picking up those same bricks to carry.

It is sort of a "double-whammy" in that you are being pelted with bricks and having to pick them up carry them away. You could say it is very similar to a wagon full of rocks. An ever increasing load that you allow others to put upon your life.

The weight and size of this load slows your progress and eventually might break you down. It is a terrible thing to see a load of brick or rock come tumbling down upon someone's life. When it happens, there are only two possible results; complete destruction of the persons life or fighting renewal.

I have seen the destruction in people's lives. The kind in which they never recover and no matter how much you want; they are buried forever. It is a heart breaking process to watch but one that I learned from. No matter how heavy or burdensome, there is hope and possibility as long as life exists within you.

Start laying the bricks down, stop shouldering them and let them lift you. The foundation you can build can serve a couple of purposes. One is give you greater footing and raise you above the soft ground. A foundation that creates a means for you to reach greater heights.

These same bricks can be used to build a path for others to follow. A path that serves as an example to your spouse, your children, your friends, or others that are watching. Because the choices we make, the decisions on how we respond are being watched. Other people are learning by seeing how you respond and the path you lay for them will be everlasting.

Are you going to leave a pile of bricks or a nice brick path behind?