SPACESHIP EARTH

The only real nation is humanity. Paul Farmer

 

 We are all in this together people.  "This" happens to be our Spaceship Earth.  No, no, I am not going to write about how to save the planet, have done it and will do it, but this is something different.

I happen to realize that our spaceship got a whole lot smaller over the past few years.  Things that happen across the world get to us in a few seconds.  THAT is a big change.

Last time I took a long trip (11 months) was about 8 years ago.  Now I am on the 7th month of a trip and I am just at awe when seeing the big differences in just 8 years.

Today I am rarely not in touch with my friends through text messages, twitter, Facebook and such.  And not just in touch, I can see what they are up to, look at their pictures and when in deep need of "having a drink" with friends we skype and have drinks together.

My point is, when we have so many tools to be connected, lets use them to make meaningful connections, to put out there positive, inspiring messages.  Imagine the impact of all this communication when used for positive things.  Imagine the Spaceship Earth interconnected with all of us trying to improve it, not just the "spaceship" but the lives of all on board.  Now KNOW, that dream can come true.  In every interaction., literal or virtual, lets put our best intention out there.

We WILL change the world.  Join me.

Pablo

ON DEATH

Because I have loved life, I shall have no sorrow to die.~ Amelia Burr
Today I found out someone I know an have been friends with committed suicide.  I am not going to lie and go for the "pity party" thing.  We were friends many years ago and I had not seen him in probably 10 years.  Yet, when I heard the news I went into Pablo-crazy-mode.  So I had to walk away from everything and let my feelings be felt and understood, or try to understand why it hit me like a ton of bricks.
I went for a walk at sunset, I saw an amazing sky, clouds, horizon.  All me was a bunch of tears.  I kept trying to understand why this news hit me so hard.  Yes, he was someone I know, yes, we had great times, but I had not seen him in years and yet, here I was, walking on a country road crying like a baby.
I took a deep breath. I allowed myself to feel whatever was coming over me, to be present to this feelings and I befriend them.  As friends, we talked and I tried to understand.
I realized a few things.  Having been in a place where I did want to commit suicide myself a few years back I realized that one of my burdens were knowing that regardless the fact that my friend committed suicide, I did not and do not feel like I cannot respect his choice, even though I don't agree with it.  When I was at my wits ends, that was my reality, suicide was a tangible, reasonable option, regardless of how others saw my situation.
So there, I can't even be mad at my friend, but on top I respect his choice.
Then I also realized I have a bitter chip on my shoulder.  When I was 21 my cousin died on a car accident.  We grew up together, we were like brothers.  Since his death, 11 of my friends have died, either committing suicide or in accidents.  So yes, I am bitter.  I have friends who don't even know what is like to loose someone they love.  I realized I have all this frustration for the things I have had to experience, my uncle committing suicide when I was 5, then my grandparents dying and then after a breather, 11 friends in 10 years.  I realized I have been angry and also not allowing myself to grieve because I felt I would just go insane.  Yet today, walking, looking at a pink sky, feeling the breeze I realized: I won't go insane, feelings are to be felt.  It is ok to cry and cry and cry a bit more.  It is ok to miss, to long for someone, to remember something and smile.
It is ok to FEEL, to be honest and KNOW that sometimes we will hurt, and sometimes we will cry, but above all, to know that to feel and cry and hurt we will have had to enjoy and had been close to friends and family.  So yes, I cry as I write thinking of my friends that passed and I am happy I can cry and I can hurt and I can feel, because god damn it, I only go through this because I was present at each time with them.  So, ALWAYS, I will take the crying. 
Go, LOVE, HUG, FEEL, HURT and CRY, its all WORTH IT.
Pablo

Where to begin?

One of the most beautiful gifts in the world is the gift of encouragement. When someone encourages you, that person helps you over a threshold you might otherwise never have crossed on your own.~John O'Donohue

 

I have been thinking about the deep breath we take before "jumping."  Whatever that jump is, to change our jobs, our relationships, to get in or out of a commitment, to do something that is monumental to us and that will change our world as is.

A few months ago I "took the plunge" and got out of my comfort zone, got in a plane and headed south with a mild idea of what I was going after.  I left a job I had been doing for about 10 years (2 jobs really) and I liked, a lot.  However the job did no longer bring the passion out of me, it was a comfortable gig I did, the novelty gone, the challenge almost not there.

I am one of those creatures driven by an honest passion in all I do.  I do what I want and I put my heart in it, not always to my benefit.  I am the crazy guy not ashamed of ending each conversation with a hug and an "I love you" and believe me, I mean it, each time.

In everything in life I find that when the passion is gone, in my job, my relationships, the book I am reading, well, I just do what it takes to "get through it."  I also know that life is what it is, I won't get out of it alive and because of that I don't want to "get through" life.

A few countries and months after I left my home and friends in Salt Lake City (by home I mean my stuff stored away) I am finding my bliss. I am waking up again excited for each day and each new challenge I have taken upon myself.

I have to "take my hat off" to all those that have encouraged me, knowingly or not to follow this path.  Not one of my friends told me that I am crazy for what I am doing.  Not one told me to stick to my job, routine and "get through it."  Quite the opposite, they have been the most supportive friends, writing, texting, sending care packages but above all encouraging me to do what I feel needs to be done.  Same can be said for my amazing family.

Then there are those people that I know and the ones that I don't that unknowingly have encouraged me as well.  How? By living the life I never want for myself, for them or for those I love. A life of doing what they hate, to pay what owns them that they never get to enjoy, because, well, because they have to work to pay for it.

I am understanding that everything we do is an encouragement to others.  When we do nothing in front of injustice, we are encouraging those imposing it, saying "it's ok, if we don't stand up for what's right, then you might not be wrong." I am realizing that our lives, lives of choice, of action and reaction, are as well lives of encouragement to those watching.  Oh, and people watch.  You can take that example to the max and think of celebrities, their lives are encouraging generations to follow and imitate their life styles.

We are not celebrities, but we live in a society, we have a community that is watching.

Let's lead a life that will encourage others to do their best, to be kind, to be loving, to be mindful, to be strong, to be hopeful.  And let's do that with our example.

Will you join me?

Pablo