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

Time Is Short So Get On Living!

Last week I received news that a friend from my youth had passed away after a 2 year battle with cancer.  We'd not seen each other since college days, more then 30 years, and yet through the power of letters and Facebook we kept in touch.  We connected with each other more after her diagnosis and I got a small glimps into her vallient fight.

In the past two years I've lost no less then 4 friends due to either heart attack or cancer and each time it jolts me into the reality that I need to get on with living and doing the things that are important instead of things that are "easy".  

In other words, it's time to get on finishing the "bucket list" and stay connected with family and friends on a regular basis.

Rest In Peace Marci and my God give your family, especially your sons, comfort and peace.

Gerald Trees

Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

What's Wrong With The World?

What's wrong with the world?

I am

You've probably compiled a mental list and are about ready to shout it out loud.  It's easy to take the snippets of the news and form an idea of what's wrong.  Unfortunately your view and mine are skewed by what the media reports, what friends and family say and our fears.

Over one hundred years ago British writer G. K. Chesterton was invited to write an essay on this subject.  To the question "What's wrong with the world?" he wrote, "I am."

Chesterton was an influential writer in his day and he was humble, which why his contemporaries, even those with differing opinions, had great respect for him.

When Chesterton was asked to write this essay (the invitation was made by a well know London news paper), he could have easily taken aim at government, religion, race, the wealthy, how some dressed, things we often look to today and yet he chose to look at himself.

For me, Chesterton's two word response was "eye opening" and caused me to look at myself and what I was doing to make the world a better place.  I quickly realized that it wasn't much, which has set me off on a new adventure.

I'm going to stop here as I would like anyone reading this to gain their own meaning and answer to "What's wrong with the world?"

Gerald Trees
Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Different And Yet The Same Or Better

History has a way of being repeated and yet most of us fail to see this.  We feel the events that are happening in "our" world are new and worse then what's happened in the past.  Some will long for the "better times" of the past and worry about today and what the future has in store.

Recently I ran across a story written by economist Roger W. Babson that has helped me gain perspective and has reduced some of my concerns about our times today.

"When I find myself depressed over present conditions, I can, within one hour, banish worry and turn myself into a shouting optimist.

Here is how I do it.  In enter my library, close my eyes, and walk to certain shelves containing only books on history.  With my eyes still shut, I reach for a book, not knowing whether I am picking up Prescott's Conquest of Mexico or Suetonius' Lives of the Twelve Caesars.  With my eyes still closed, I open the book at random.  I then open my eyes and read for an hour; and the more I read, the more sharply I realize that the world has always been tottering on the brink.  The pages of history fairly shriek with the tragic tales of war, famine, poverty, pestilence, and man's inhumanity to man.  After reading history for an hour, I realize that bad as conditions are now, they are infinitely better than they used to be.  This enables me to see and face my present troubles in their proper perspective as well as to realize that the world as a whole is constantly growing better."

Babson passed away in 1967 at the age of 91 and this story was likely written during the time of World War II.

In memory of where the World Trade Center Towers once stood.

A testament to the resilience of humankind.

I believe the point of this story was to point out that humankind has issues and if history is an indication of the future, humankind will continue on and worrying about what will happen in the future (including tomorrow) is a waste of time and energy.

Gerald Trees
Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

The "Truman Show" Escape!

On July 22, 2008 I wrote the following to myself.  I read it regularly as a reminder to follow what I want to do and go where I want to go.  Looking back, this has helped more then I'd ever imagined it would.

Enjoy!

A painting on an electrical box along the Road To Hana.  Maui, Hawaii

July 22, 2008

The “Truman Show” Escape

Last evening I was taking a short motorcycle ride to relax and think. On my way out of town I thought how nice it would be to keep going and explore. It was at that moment I thought of the movie “The Truman Show” and how life mimics the plot of the movie too well.

In the “The Truman Show”, Truman has grown up on a movie set without knowing it. His “friends”, “co-workers”, “neighbors”; even his “wife” are actors.  Their purpose is to make Truman feel “normal” while at the same time limit his movements and his advancement. If Truman tries to explore, the people around him respond and his exploration is limited or stopped abruptly.  Whenever Truman tries to leave town, all avenues of “escape” are blocked.  The only true way out, the water, holds a deep fear for Truman as is father “died” in that water. Over time, Truman discovers the truth about his environment at the expense of his friends, wife and work.  He finally mustered the courage to overcome his deepest fear, even when the “powers that be” were against him and he escaped his “world”. How did Truman accomplish this? It was a burning desire, passion if you will, to fine his first and true love who’s “father” told Truman years before that they were moving to Fiji when the director didn’t want Truman getting involved with that actress.  Truman was going to Fiji! He dreamed about Fiji, learned about Fiji and finally took action to go to Fiji.  Roadblocks, big ones, ere put in his way and he either went around them, dug through them (watch the movie) or blasted through them.

Life can be be the same, at least for me it is. I have dreams but I've let friends, family, obligations and habits keep me from breaking out. I find more and more I want to break free from my comfort zone and live!  I’m the one to blame as I've let people and situations control me instead of me controlling me. Today that will come to an end!  Today I choose to be the Truman who has the courage to face fear and ridicule in order to break out of the world that I’ve allowed others to create. I want my own world, thank you very much!

"Spontaneous"

Gerald Trees
Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Just For Today

Occasionally I run across something that simplifies and helps.  Something that will be placed where I can see it every day.  Today is one of those days.

This was written in 1925, by the way.

Just For Today

1. Just for today I will be happy.  this assumes that what Abraham Lincoln said is true, that "most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."  Happiness is from within; it is not a matter of externals.
2. Just for today I will try to adjust myself to what is, and not try to adjust everything to my own desires.  I will take my family, my business, and my luck as they come and fit myself to them.
3. Just for today I will take care of my body.  I will exercise it, care for it, nourish it, not abuse it, not neglect it, so that it will be a perfect machine for my bidding.
4. Just for today I will try to strengthen my mind.  I will learn something useful.  I will not be a mental loafer.  I will read something that requires effort, thought and concentration.
5. Just for today I will exercise my soul in three ways.  I will do somebody a good turn and not get found out.  I will do at least two things I don't want to do, as William James suggests, just for exercise.
6. Just for today I will be agreeable.  I will look as well as I can, dress as becomingly as possible, talk low, act courteously, be liberal with praise, criticize not at all, nor find fault with anything and not try to regulate nor improve anyone.
7. Just for today I will try to live through this day only, not to tackle my whole life problem at once.  I can do things for twelve hours that would appall me if I had to keep them up for a lifetime.
8. Just for today I will have a program.  I will write down what I expect to do every hour.  I may not follow it exactly, but I will have it.  It will eliminate two pests, hurrying and indecision.
9. Just for today I will have a quiet half-hour all by myself and relax.  In this half-hour sometimes I will think of God, so as to get a little more perspective into my life.
10. Just for today I will be unafraid, especially I will not be afraid to be happy, to enjoy what is beautiful, to love, and to believe that those I love, love me.

Sibyl F. Partridge.

Gerald Trees

Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Be Yourself!

“Everyone seems to have a clear idea of how other people should lead their lives, but none about his or her own.” 
― Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

What prompted this post was a MEM that popped up on my Facebook feed this morning.  Here it is.

My first thought and the one that I still have is "What makes a person think they're actions are better or superior to my own?".  

Then one of my favorite quotes from the past popped into my head.

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." 

- Theodore Roosevelt

It's easy to be a critic, to sit back and observe others and point out what you see as shortcomings.  It's far more challenging to jump into life and live, accepting the failures and injuries (both physical and mental) that are part of the adventure.  

Perhaps the hardest part is to dig deep and discover who you are and become best friends with that person.

There will always be someone who will try to change who you are.  Remember the "issue" is with them.  

Be yourself and live your own adventure.

Gerald Trees

Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Move Forward Already!

I'm hearing more people yearn or long for the past.  "It was better back then..."  They complain how progress is ruining society and our youth.  "We survived without computers and 3D-Movies and ..."

A modern bridge for it's time

Perhaps I'm hearing this more because it's my generation saying it, just like my parents and their generation were saying the same thing about us and our Walkmans and arcade games.

Progress is a part of life and part of adventure.  Without progress man would still be scratching pictures in rock walls striking rocks against each other to make fire.

Without progress, this would not exist



Move Forward Already or at the very move over and let those who are moving forward by.  They'll pass you anyway!

Gerald Trees
Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker

Less Stuff - More Life

A few years ago I spent 1/3 of a year on the road, living in hotel and motel rooms.  Part was for work and the rest was chasing a BMX racing dream with my son across western Canada and the US.  I basically lived in a one bedroom suite and out of a small duffle bag and backpack for 122 days.  I had a blast!

All I needed for two weeks in South America

Not long after that I began taking long trips on my motorcycle, lasting one or two weeks at a time.  The luggage capacity of a motorcycle is limited and so only the essentials could be packed.  A smaller duffle bag and backpack, if you will.  People would tell me that I needed more and yet when I'd get home I found there were items that never came out of the bag.  I could get by very well with less.

What I learned is that most of the stuff I spent years accumulated and time working to buy and maintain, I used very little.  Since then I've been working to get rid of the stuff I don't use and only buying what I need to live and have fun.  And I'm having more fun then I've had in a long time.

By having less stuff I have more time and money to travel and explore, which is my source of adventure.

If you want more adventure, consider less stuff.

Gerald Trees
Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker