In the presence of an Angel

Recently while flying home, I overheard a woman speaking behind me.  She was talking to the airline attendant.  She politely called her by name.  She asked the airline attendant if she would be so kind as to watch over her throughout the flight.  The airline attendant happily agreed.  Every time she spoke there was "please, thank you and excuse me".  I was so touched by her spirit.  She spoke openly to those around her.  Asking how they were.  How was their day.  Where they were going.  She would make kind comments to the airline attendants as they passed by.  She made kind comments to fellow passengers around her.  It became clear to me and all surrounding her that there was not a bone of guile in this young lady's body.  She was kind.  She was polite.  She was truly interested in others.  She brought a smile to my face.  She was an angel.  She also happened to have special needs.  

I was touched as I watched and listened to her interact with those around her.  Just being around her made me want to be a better person.  I was inspired.  I thought, how would it be to see all people, not some but all as God sees us - with pure love.  1 Corinthians 13:2 states, "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing"  What is Charity?  Later this scriptures describes it as, "Charity suffereth long, and is kind' charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up...doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth...beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things...charity never faileth"  This young lady was and is indeed Charity.

I believe we come across people in life for a reason.  I was placed in the path of this young lady, this angel for a reason.  As the saying goes, "A rising tide raises all ships".  Being around this angel, I felt I was lifted in my life as I seek to improve my charity towards others.  

Summary

It has been quite a while since I last blogged.  I have actually had a blog written for months but have simply sat on it.  Now is the time to start my blog again.  The focus as you will see is one of my newest dreams which is to climb the Seven Summits, http://7summits.com/ of the world.  I would like to invite you to join me as I blog about my training, thoughts, impressions, victories and some challenges that will accompany me along this journey.  Welcome to my first blog.  Again, note that I wrote this blog several months ago.  This will be followed by another blog shortly afterwards.

Movement

I believe that as human beings we need to be moving forward in life.  Newton sums it up with saying that a body at rest remains at rest.  A body in motion stays remains in motion.  I believe that for us to achieve our God given potential we need to set and achieve goals.  Stretch.  Much like a muscle, we must exercise our dreams.  Not just dream, but to act on those dreams.  Dreams without action are like a wish.  For this reason I push myself.  I do Ironmans, endurance events in biking and running, extreme skiing and rock climbing.  

Action

Recently I decided to dust off a dream I have had for years.  That is to climb the 7 Summits of the world.  This means the highest summit on each continent.  Kilimanjaro in Africa, McKinley in North America, Acancagua in South America, Elbrus in Europe, Vinson in Antarctica, Carstensz Pyramid in the Australia region and the mother of all mountain tops, Everest in Asia, the highest point to stand on this earth.  Why you may ask?  This will give me years of goal setting and goal achieving.  A dream to work at.  Staying in motion.  Pushing my human limits.  Leaving no regrets.  

Overcoming

 It is at moments where we want to give up and quit where we grow the most.  These moments define who we are - if we let them.  The key is, "allowing them" to help define us.  I believe life is not meant to be easy.  I am not against modern conveniences.  I love them as much as the next.  But it seems like we want a luxury for everything in life.  As a society we seem to be looking to make life easier.  We want a remote for everything,  Some new gadget to...well make like easier.  The truth is, life is not easy.  It can be tough.  I think it is meant to be tough.  Greatness is forged through adversity.  I did not make these rules.  Through the journey, we become who we are meant to become.  All too often we attempt to skip the journey.  I welcome the journey.  I am not always grateful for that which pops up on the journey but I welcome it.  

Happiness

 It is easy to get caught up in the "bling" of this world.  Thinking we need to constantly have more in order to be happy.   Don't get me wrong.  I am not against material goods.  But does it cause us to be happy?  I think we will all agree that it does not.  When pushing my human spirit I am reminded that it is truly the simple things in life that create lasting memories and bring happiness.  Something about being in the lonely moment at mile 16 in an Ironman having already accomplished 2.4 mile swim, 112 miles of biking and now knowing there is still 10.2 miles to go.  You have time to reach within yourself and think.  Contemplate this journey we call life.  What is most important?  At these moments I am drawn to thoughts of my wife, my children, my faith in God, friends, my parents etc...  Interesting that at these moments in time, material possessions do not occupy my mind.

Why? 

 One could argue that I can do this without climbing the 7 Summits of the world.  I will not doubt there are other ways.  But I have learned in my life that when I have a dream building inside of me, I need to act.  It is in the "acting upon my dreams" that growth happens.  It is in the space between exhaustion and feeling of defeat that we have breakthroughs and once again help define who we are.  So I take on challenges that will truly do just that - challenge me.  I have done 8 Ironmans, Century bike races, a 206 mile bike race, Relay foot races, soon to enter the world of Ultra Marathons and obstacle course events.  Next - the 7 Summits.  

So here I embark on this quest.  A quest that will take years.  Years of goal setting and goal achieving.  Trial.  Growth.  Gratitude.  Defeat.  Reflection.  I will stay in touch along the way.  Giddy Up 7 Summits.

Update

As I mentioned, I wrote this several months back.  Since then, I am humbled to announced that one summit has been conquered.  Kilimanjarao - the highest point on the African continent.  1 down 6 to go.  I can't wait to blog about it.  I felt this blog needed to go in order so you will hear shortly about this experience with my 16 year old son Cayden and my good friend Lance Schiffman.  Lance will be joining me on this awesome 7 Summits journey.  Wooohoooo.