Africa - land of Adventure

Africa is a place of imagination. A place of great beauty and great horror.  A place of great courage and great tragedy. A land of such injustice and such redemption.  It has been called by Richard Dowden "Altered States; Ordinary Miracles."

For me, Africa is the birthplace of mankind and the source of my dreams of adventure. 

Adventure!

Endeavor

So today was the final launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavor, the youngest space ship in the fleet.  We watched outside from Orlando, Florida as it took off from Kennedy Space Center.  The USA hit its debt ceiling of $15 trillion today and many other things happened around the world.  I told my story to ex-federal prisoners at Dismas Charities and perhaps I inspired them to try to change their lives.  All I know is I did my best today and will go to bed to get up and do it again tomorrow.

If you want what you never had, then you have to do what you have never done.

I was told when I got sober, I had to only change one thing - everything.  I was also told I could start dreaming again.  However, I tried to fulfill my dreams before my drinking took over my life and I achieved many dreams, but still I have many more to achieve.  In order for me to achieve what I have never accomplished or have (materially, spiritually, emotionally and otherwise) I must be willing to try new things and do things differently.  I need to be willing to do the things that I don't want to do and have the courage to do things that I have never done.  My experience is that running a race, going to a new place, starting a new adventure is doing things that I have never done - and, whether the result is good or bad never matters.  I have a new experience and I am always better for it! 

FAITH = The Ultimate Adventure

FAITH - So, it is true for me that my Faith with a capital "F" is my ultimate adventure. Trusting God in all I do, in all my actions and in all my desires and intentions, is the ultimate "I have no idea where I am going, but I will keep going!" There is a famous recovery prayer that I carry in my wallet and I refer to it when my faith is tested especially hard.

Dear God,

I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe this: I believe that the desire to be sober us your will for me. I hope that I practice that desire in everything I do. I hope that I never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road though I may know nothing about it at the time.

Therefore, I will trust you always; for though I may seem to be lost, and in the shadow of death, I will not be afraid because I know you will never leave me to face my troubles all alone."

All I can attest to is that I have never been left alone. Faith - I dedicate each month to a spiritual concept, Jan-Honesty, Feb-Hope, Mar-Faith. March is the month of faith. I have faith because I took a leap into the great unknown and I survived. I have faith because my right prayers were answered and my wrong prayers were not. I have a heart bursting with love and a body made strong by challenges. I have everything I need today; I have enough to spare and to give away.

Hope and Adventure

One of the things that adventure has taught me about hope is that challenges create opportunities for hope. HOPE can be an acronym for Hearing Other People's Experience. In other words, adventures, challenges, trials and tribulations force us to either remain in fear and despair or seek hope. Hope never abandons us; we abandon it. Hope creates opportunities for faith, confidence and encouragement. Thus, adventures foster fear or hope...the choice is up to us!

Take the Challenge

Without Challenge, Stephen, Adventure is Impossible!!!

Adventure in Sobriety

Sometimes my recovery regime from alcoholism is just my "chemo" or "dialysis". Other times, it is an inspiration for doing the things I always dreamed of doing. Two weeks ago I completed the Chicago Triathlon on August 30, 2009. My mother, my aunt Robin, and my brother's girlfriend, Susan, were there and I completed a race at 47 years old that I truly believed was IMPOSSIBLE when I was 33 years old and only did the swim portion in a relay. Yesterday I completed the OUC Orlando Downtown Triathlon. All people who live, die. But some people who die have never really lived. I was dead in my alcoholism. Today I am alive in every sense of the word. What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?