PROGRESSION

What does it mean make progress? In my younger years I defined this as the amount of time I spent reading my Bible and praying. I used to spend hours and hours reading scripture. I have read the bible cover to cover 3 times. I used to make it a practice to pray for 1 hour daily. As I got older I got away from that. It felt like a performance and did not feel graceful at all. I began to broaden my definition of what it meant to be spiritual to try and include all of life. I began to think that if my definition of spiriutality or making progress did not include every daily decision I should probably revist my understsanding of it. So my current definition is that it should involve the ramifications of the choices you make in life both little and small. So lets start with the choices I make on a daily basis. EATING-I take into consideration what I eat so I am a vegetarian. This is the healthiest way to treat the body God gave me. TRANSPORTATION-I think it means you consider the ramifications of your choice in transportation so I am a bicycle rider. ENERGY USE-SYSTEMS-I think it means you consider the ramifications of of the systems you support so I proudly DO NOT have medical or dental insurance. EDUCATIONI do believe in health care which is why I am a vegetarian and ride my bike everywhere. Circular reasoning I know. I think it means you consider the ramifications of the how you spend your time with people so I try never to be in a hurry. MY DAUGHTER I try to be present with people. I try to be a listener. I think it means that you develop your mind so I read alot and I do not own a TV(but I do enjoy live sporting events like the Lakers Playoff games, Soccer matches, and Cycling races.) I do use my 4 year old laptop to read the Sunday Edition of the NY TIMES which is my fav. I think it means that you use whatever you are passionate about and love in this life to serve others. Which is why I am going on a bike ride around the world to help people get clean water.

This brings up a bigger point as well. Where do I find the motivation to move forward in life. Do be my best. To do my best. To achieve? It is something that comes from within. I do not look to others for it. When I think about my life and what I want it to be about I dream big. I try to think of the things that I really want to do. I really want to ride my bike around the world. I want to meet new people because I find the process of meeting others to be one where my understanding in broadened and I find it to be the best education that life can give. The exchange of ideas. The different ways of looking at the world. I want to take this passion of mine and use it as a way to serve other people because I think a life spent on me would be a wasted one. I want to write and shoot video because it gives people a window into the collective experience. I want to speak because everytime I do it gives the audience a chance to reflect and if they want to-make changes in their lives based on what they hear and experience when I am able to share. Speaking is a gift.