Nostalgia for the new year. I have never been one to reflect only on the past year, but rather all the years I can remember. I love to reflect on change, both for good and the bad. I will not be wrapped up in the world of Nick and Jessica or be consumed by all that is CNN. To not appreciate all those we come into contact with each day, may lost in typing this Bolg and the various iPods that dart the auditory landscape.
I recently had the opportunity to ask a 94 year old women, What is the most amazing or beautiful things you have seen in your life? Her answers floored me. First, she said the refridgerator. She remembers the day the had a fridge in the house and no longer had to worry about the iceman bringing supplies for the icebox on the porch. She said this really eased the cooking duties in her house. Her second answer truly through me for a loop. She said the cell phone. She knows that so many people driving and talking can be dangerous, yet added how beautiful it was that people can connect at any time. The cell phone would have brought so much more time with her mother and sisters that she never had.
This year I hope my vision can be so broad that I could also see cell phones as beautiful. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

CONFUSION

Recently I was having an invigorating conversation with some dear friends and the topic of Iraq came up. I am in the military and this can be avery sensitive topic. I found this painting and it summed it up, the title CONFUSION-BAGHDAD. That is all we have for sure is confusion. I will never dismiss the good in restoring resources, educating children, instilling women's rights and removing the horrors of the old regime. Yet when will history allow us to learn from it. We have seen this before have we not?There was a little thing called World War I. The heavy laden Ottoman Empire was oppressing the Arabs from the North and the French and English from the South. "Lawrence of Arabia" ,the Movie, is a true story of T.E Lawrence an Englishmen who found himself rooted in the Arab lifestyle at the age of 22 after a four month walking tour of the Middle East. Lawrence was recruited as an intelligence Officer in the Great War. He would dedicate his life for the next ten years to the plight of the Arab. He would eventually capture a position of King of Iraq for his best friend. This journey was bloody and would take a great toll on Lawrence for what appeared to be for the good of man. Lawrence would later be quoted as follows. Need I say more!!

"Do not try to do too much with your own hands. Better the Arabs do it tolerably than that you do it perfectly. It is their war, and you are to help them, not to win it for them. Actually, also, under the very odd conditions of Arabia, your practical work will not be as good as, perhaps, you think it is." T.E Lawrence

BE OPEN
Kenny Pepper always told me to just write, here we go bro! I reflect today on the lost art of open relationship. So often we want to talk of the things that get us through conversation verses those things that get us into conversation. We grow up learning how to get through things. We need to get through school, boy scouts, a sports season and our youth. This is not true for all of us but it is for most. We spend so much time focused on "getting through" that we lose out on the experience we are in. The old cliche', The treasure is not in the destination, but the journey. This could not be more true than my cross country trip in 2002.
We set off on a journey to cross the country in 9 days. You say to yourself, nine days? We planned to take our time and enjoy this awesome country. We planned to take two lane highways and hit every cool restaurant and diner along the way. The trek took us through some of the greatest places; San Diego, Disneyland, Vegas, The Grand Canyon, and New Orleans. Yet our most triumphed memories came in Tucamacari, New Mexico!!
Tucamacari New Mexico is a desert town with nothing, I mean nothing. Tucamacari was made famous as the town of 10,oo0 motel rooms on the historic Route66. 10,000 rooms is all they had, it was the ultimate hype campaign. Well today it stands as the land of 2,000 rooms. We were blown away by the story the modern folklore and the history of the name of the town. For this place to be one of the most famous towns on all of Route66 is beyond belief. The road that connected the country to the Pacific Ocean, from Chicago to L.A., it had everything. You could go to a zoo with lions, tigers and bears on the side of the road in Texas. There were trading posts, amusement parks and water parks. Why would tucamacari have such an impact?
The impact on me was as it was for many, I am sure. It appears to be nothing on the way to everything. It stood as the shining example of the joy being in the journey not the destination. We had great fellowship and spent years just laughing over the stupid name. My wife, sister and future brother in law, forged a relationship in the middle of nowhere out almost nothing. While our supporting cast was the greatest man-made and natural structures this country has to offer. Hey Jeff, was that a freaken Elk?
Bottom line! Your Tucamacari could be on the bus, train or in your cubicle. It does not have to be on some cruise ship or elaborate setting. If we stop and make it today, or everyday, how much more will we enjoy the incredible people, places and times we will have?