Wednesday, July 30, 2014

#TRUTH

This man writes the best lyrics I've ever read. I say that... because he does it consistently... and he writes from the heart. Writing, or reading something from the heart, is one of the truest things you can experience on this earth. Writing from the heart, is letting eyes peer deep into your soul, to see what makes you, what moves you, and what shakes you. I've always felt, words hold more power than weapons. And sometimes, unfortunately, words are even used as weapons. 

These lyrics that come next, come from Ryan Lewis. Also known... as Macklemore. Some truth, coming out of Seattle, Washington.

"He doesn't sleep, so in truth, he never wakes up. Another day rushing to his death, out of breath, on the treadmill of the famous.  He makes mistakes, tells stories to his paintbrush, and when the world finally sees his art, he wishes that he never would have shared it.

Just escape, just escape, ricochets and eclipses faith, living in a city with a grey umbrella over your shoulders and you're becoming suffocated by the weight. Cant hit those breaks. This is what you wanted, right? But you got it all in vein, cause you forgot who you are right as the world learned your name, it goes...

Let me ash my issues, ashtray is the asphalt, american spirits, black coffee, conversations, and my passport. When God gives you everything, everything, that you ever asked for, and it still looks a bit different, then when you pictured it, on that back porch.

And I'm gone, world traveler, all I got is my songs, when the nights start blending, into one another, and I don't recall, Tom Petty, in this mother f*cker, all I wanna do is free fall. Yeah, free fall, and i'm so caught up, i'm so caught up, and i'm so tired.

Stare into the light, and guess who tried it, shit i'm blinded, by this lime light, this lime light, its all night, its all day, these bright lights, these bright lights, once you turn 'em on, you cant walk away.

Don't die here, don't die here, i cam too far, i'm too great, but i'm too scared, and i'm too afraid, afraid to stare this world into its face, i'm almost home, i'm driving lost, my eyelids are closed. Lights turned to grey, the cameras off, the show is over, you close the curtains and just escape..."

-Ryan Lewis, Macklemore

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Curve Ball...

They say life will throw you curve balls… but life only throws curve balls to those that have a plan. Without a plan, there is no such thing as a curveball, but rather, it’s just…. Life. Emotional week for me, and a few tears.  So many changes, so fast.

Cancelling two trips, on the same day, because I have no other choice. I wait all year, to spend the 4th of July on the river, with my best friends, rafting and camping. And I was treating myself to a week on Vancouver, British Columbia in 3 weeks for my birthday treat to myself. Neither of these trips will be happening for me now.

I woke up last Wednesday morning, with a pain in my abdomen. I didn’t think much of it. I haven’t had a health issue my entire life. It didn’t go away the entire day, but it didn’t get worse either. Thursday, I woke up with a little more pain. I assumed it was a light case of food poisoning from something I had ate.. maybe 24 hour flu. Friday morning, I woke up to a lot of pain. Nausea, tenderness, and a tremble.

I realized I needed to call my doctor… something I try not to do at ALL costs. I’m not a fan of traditional medicine, particularly the ENTIRE pharmaceutical industry.  I was able to see him that day, Friday. After x-rays and a couple procedures, we detected a growth on my colon. Nothing is more humbling than being naked in front of your doctor, and his nurse Lol. After a 5 minute discussion about options, and a few signatures, I made a decision, and we scheduled surgery for 6 days later. That is… tomorrow. Lol, with additional appointments Monday, and Wednesday of next week.  

I was put on a heavy antibiotic, to strengthen my blood for the six days leading up. The recovery for that procedure alone, is 3 weeks. A piece of it will be removed, and sent out for testing/diagnosis. I am not worried about any of that, because it’s out of my hands. What I am emotional about is the timing.

I am a happy person. I am a positive person. I am looking at this as an opportunity to recognize a few things. 1) Your health is your life. Without it, no other plan will work. I try to live a healthy lifestyle, but from here on out, I will pay even closer attention to it. 2) This is an opportunity now, to lay low and continue to capitalize my business. Something that I am passionate about. I started working for myself, so that I COULD take off whenever I wanted… but I refuse to look at these vacations as a loss, and rather I will see the time as an opportunity to grow my business faster.

The human body, in its function, abilities, and entirety, is the most amazing thing on the planet. No technology will ever be capable of reaching the intricacy of the human body. We live our lives, every day, EXPECTING to wake up, EXPECTING to grow old, EXPECTING things will be smooth, rarely stopping to acknowledge the vessel in which we live and operate daily. Problems with our body are quite the humbling experience. 

You lose a job, you can get a new one. You lose a friend, you can make a new one. You lose a lover, you can dream of a better one. But when your mind recognizes your body, is the battery of our life, and it can’t be replaced… that can frighten the mind… It’s so important to live a full life, love without regret, and chase your dreams. 

We all know when our Switch was turned on. It was the day we were born. None of us know, when our switch will be turned off. That alone, should create a fire inside, to achieve, and climb, and smile, and help, and hope, and spread love with every breath we take, every step we make.

Certainly, there is a Moral To The Story…

Setbacks may not be setbacks at all… setbacks may be curve balls. And curve balls, just might be opportunities. Opportunities may change the outcome to something better than ever imagined. That’s my story… and I believe it.


When this passes… I’m going to Canada. And I’m going to smile a lot, when I get there.