Look at all the people who...

Isn't it funny how you notice things? Say that you get a new car or a dog and then you look around and suddenly "everybody" is driving that kind of car or has that type of dog. It really isn't that you have become this hip trendsetter that seemingly everyone is trying to imitate, no it's more that you become more aware of something when it becomes a part of you.

I have been having this type of scenario the past few years. Things come into my awareness; and people and events seem to intermingle into my life with a subtlety resembling a bull in a china store. It started off slow at first with a book that someone gives you to read: starting a small flame on something that you really can't quite put your finger on but you know you want to experience more. Then some new people become your friends and you have discussions previously thought of as off limits - religion and politics come to mind and you begin processing information and looking at your perspective in a whole new light. It's quite amazing to think the snowballing effect these seemingly unrelated events have on ones life until you start to put things together...for me it had taken some time.

There has been a distinct alignment of people who are being put in my life that have access\influence to projects and causes that I'm interested in working on. How does that happen? You start thinking about what you might do if... and then all of a sudden you meet someone and they directly are involved in that same project or they know someone who you can talk to. I was talking to a friend a while back about a project I had been interested in but didn't know how to go about moving forward on it: BAM - they knew someone close by who was working in this field. So people who help shape my life are being introduced just by asking. I think the better answer is that I'm opening up more with conversations and "talking" to people instead of the usual, blah-blah-blah. If you take the time to really invest in some good conversations you never know what you're going to get in return. Women are probably much better at this relationship thing with each other - men, we tend to worry more about the hunter\gatherer type of needs rather than how each of us "feel". That's probably a genetics thing...another time for that maybe.

Seven days back into the “real world”

So here I am, a week back into what many people would consider a good life. Were there any revelations or life changing moments to reflect on? For many who know me I doubt if you will notice any outward change although that doesn’t mean things didn’t stick with me. I think the direction in which I’m headed (both Sandy and I) is at least a little clearer. The hopes that our entire future be set in stone and that path followed…well let’s just say that we plan – God laughs. Right now I’m just content with being able to see a step or two in front of me; anything more than that – well that is where my faith begins and my planning stage ends.

One story I wanted to share about this trip…we almost didn’t make it to India. We had some bad luck with weather in London – ours was THE last flight out for 5 days due to weather. Then in Delhi, the British Airways folks lost and rebooked our flight several times over the course of 3 hours while we struggled to get them to release and rebook our confirmed seats – it really was a dark comedy. One agent would send the info to another agent 100 yards away, then by the time we get over to that agent…they would lose the information. Anyways, with the deadline approaching for boarding and our team without confirmed seats, a call for a team prayer comes up. Literally, within 10 minutes of that short prayer -  we finally had seats, boarding passes and piece of mind. You can never not offer up to God even the littlest issues…

Here were some photo’s from Christmas eve, a lovely 93F day we got to swim in the Bay of Bengal. A nice relaxing day with the team.  

                                        

 

 

Goodbye India – hello life!