Daydreaming!

Please watch this video before reading the rest of this post.

Imagination: Tom Wallisch

A friend shared this video with me recently and it sparked a discussion on daydreaming and how we would daydream in school about skiing, motorcycles and other activities that we'd rather be doing.  The discussion led to how many adults stop daydreaming or at least limit their daydream "adventures".  

Personally, I still daydream often, probably during times when I shouldn't be.  I believe daydreams help me center myself and move towards what I'd rather be doing than what I'm currently doing.

My suggestion is to get back into the habit of daydreaming, if you've not done it in a while.  If you're still a daydreamer, keep doing it!  

Here's another video that was most likely sparked by the "kid inside".

Danny MacAskill's Imaginate

Gerald Trees

Musings and Observations of an Adventurous Life Seeker

Good Friends

This weeks post is going to be a short one, mainly because I'm heading out for a couple of days and my computer isn't coming with me.

While part of this trip is centred around business, a good part of this trip will be spent with friends.  The older I get, the more I'm understanding the importance of good friends.  People who you enjoy being around and who will be there for you no matter what.

With that in mind, here are a few pictures of a group of guys I consider brothers.

Gerald Trees

Musings and Observations of an Adventurous Life Seeker

I'm Back!!!

It's been quite a while since I've last written something for this blog.  Nine months and a few days to be more exact.  Anyway, I will be writing something once a week from here on and I trust my readers will find my words helpful and at the very least, amusing.

The past nine months have been filled with more than a few adventures and some insightful and at times sobering lessons.

Perhaps the most sobering lesson came when I was in Peru with a group by the name of IRIS Mundial, providing eye care to a community that has limited access to health care, especially eye care.  To put the need into perspective, the team saw over 2,000 people in the span of 5 days, working 10 to 12 hours each day.  There were people who'd arrive at 5:00 AM after walking or taking a bus from a remote village to wait their turn to be seen.  For some, that wait was 10 to 12 hours.  When I'd see one of these people, they were not upset that they'd waited hours to be seen, sitting outside the makeshift clinic in the hot Peruvian sun.  Everyone, to a person, were extremely grateful that we were there.

Waiting patiently to be seen by doctor

I have two short stories from my time in Peru.

The first is a lady who gave me a big hug after her exam, with tears in her eyes telling me "¡Dios te envió a ayudarme!" or "God sent you to help me".  She'd not been able to see clearly enough to read for some time and simply needed a pair of reading glasses.  I found this very eye opening and sobering.

The second is a lady who I saw, after I examined her 13 year-old son.  I asked her "¿ese es tu hijo?", or "is that your son".  Her response was "Sí, él me vuelve loco".  Translation, "yes, he drives me crazy".  With that, I burst out laughing, realizing teenagers are the same everywhere.

With this in mind, here are a few of my musings and observations from my time in Peru.

• Patients is something we all could have more of.  Being impatient will not make things better or get us were we want to go any faster so relax and enjoy yourself.
• Where ever you travel, you may be the only glimpse someone will have of your country, state (province) or town so be on your best behaviour and be curious about the place your visiting.  Both you and those you meet will be better for it.
• What may seem trivial to you, will mean the world to someone else.  In other words a little help and kindness goes further than you imagine it will.
• Look for similarities instead of differences in others.  You'll be surprised at how many similarities there are.

My new friend and fellow motorcyclist, José.

Here is a link to the summary of the IRIS Mundial Peru mission.  2017 Mission Caneta, Peru

Gerald Trees

Musings and Observations of an Adventurous Life Seeker

News "Blackout" By Choice - The Ultimate Vacation

I've just returned from a Spring trip to Baja, Mexico.  Myself and 5 friends rode our motorcycles to San Jose del Cabo in November of 2016 and it was time to bring them out, along with getting some much needed sun and time away from the office.

The Baja is a great place for a vacation if you like desert, cactus, sand, beautiful beaches with water to match, warm, friendly people and want to get away from the news of the world.  You see, outside of the more populated areas, there is limited connectivity to the outside world.

On this trip I made the decision to stay away from TV and chose not to look at the news from home or anywhere else for that matter when I could get online.  It was actually easier than I thought to "shut off" the news.

The 10 days in Mexico were relaxing, visiting with my friends, making new ones, eating way too much excellent food and seeing sights that were new.  I found that I wasn't missing anything by not knowing what was happening in North America politics or other news outside of what the locals were telling us about their part of the world.

Good friends!

I've been back for 3 days and I tried to watch the news my first day back and found my stress level going up so I turned it off.  I'm not burring my head in the proverbial sand, however I'm realizing more and more that much of what we're being fed is out of my control.  So, for the next few months I'm going to continue on my news blackout and focus on what's happening in my local world.

I challenge you to take your own News Blackout holiday and see what happens.  I'd be interested to hear how it goes.

Gerald Trees
Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Happy New Year - A Little Late

The first full week of 2017 is in the history books and week number 2 is in full swing.

For some, the new year is a time to start over, resolutions have been made and likely already broken.

For others, January 1st is simply another day, other than a welcomed day off.  Nothing new planned and no resolutions made.

There is a group of people, however,  who view the new year as another phase in their life.  Their 2016 was mapped out with specific goal.s  Personal goals and professional / economic goals.  The beginning of the new year is spent reflecting on the prior year.  Where they fell short of their goals and what needs to be done to get back on track.  Their successes, celebrating them, learning from them and most importantly, gaining energy from them.  These individuals live their lives with a purpose, seldom complaining about politics or outside influences.  Instead they change what they can and adapt to what they cannot change.  Constantly moving forward with purpose and with a specific goal.

Often times people in this group are viewed as "Lucky", "Smart", "Advantaged", "Privileged", in other words, they have something that the rest of society doesn't have.  In reality, members of this group have made the decision to control the direction their life will take and have set, purposeful goals they wish to achieve.  In short, they live with purpose, their purpose.

Living with purpose will be a challenge.  You'll have to be dedicated to controlling your own life and outcomes.  There will be events out of your control that will cause you to alter your course and may even block the path your on.  It will seem "unfair" when this happens and many will use a lot of energy worrying and complaining.  Someone living with purpose will choose to use their energy to take a different path.  A path that may at first look like it's moving away from their goal to those on the "outside".  The key here is CHOICE.

The hardest part of living with a purpose is deciding on what you want.  The more focused, the better.  The second hardest part is making a plan to achieve what you want and then taking action daily until your goal is achieved.  Yes, you'll likely have to make changes in your daily routine, saying NO to things you really don't want to do and realizing that a few of those people around you will be "unsettled" by the changes you'll be going through.  (See Expect Resistance From Those Around You).

To gain confidence, start with something small that you've always wanted to do.  It could be reading a book that you've wanted to read for sometime or participating in a 10k run.  Pick your goal and plan what you must do every day to reach that goal.  The final step is scheduling the time each day to work toward your goal and being very "stingy" with that time.

What destination have you chosen for 2017?

All my best in 2017 and I trust you'll reach the goals you've set for yourself.

Gerald Trees
Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

2016 Is Almost Over So What Happens Next?

"We but mirror the world.  All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body.  If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change.  As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him.  This is the divine mystery supreme.  A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness.  We need not wait to see what others do." - Mahatma Gandhi

We're at the end of 2016 today and quite a lot has happened in the world in the past 364 days.  The big questions I'd like to ask is what happens next?  

The quote from Mahatma Gandhi is powerful and says that what happens next is entirely up to us as individuals.  Of course there will be circumstances and situations that come along that will have an effect on us that is out of our control.  The control that we do have is how we chose to deal with them.  In other words, we have the ability to change and adapt if we choose to do so.  

That choice and the belief that we can change is difficult, especially at first.  The reward is a feeling of piece and empowerment that will power your actions.  That I can guarantee.

Heading into 2017, please read and reread the words of Gandhi and put them to use.  It will help make 2017 a great year.

Gerald Trees
Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Tonight is Christmas Eve and for many it's a time that's being spent with family or friends or preparing for Christmas Day, also with family or friends.

For others it's a time of sadness, remembering love ones lost or spending time alone, having no one to share the holidays with.

Still others do not celebrate this time of year and life continues on, leading to the end of the year and preparing for 2017.

For me, this time of year is one where my children and grandchild will be home, extra time will be spent with good friends and greetings and reminiscing will be done with friends and family who live far away.  Indeed there will be thoughts and feelings for those who are no longer here, knowing that they will be a part of me for the rest of my life.

For those who celebrate Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas!

For those who don't, I wish you all the best in the remaining days of 2016!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Baby!

Gerald Trees
Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker