A Game of Reckoning

Life is a game
Is the old cliché really true? As I stood on the deck of the riverboat Sternwheeler, gazing upon the same mighty Columbia River Lewis and Clark once navigated, I thought about the previous week. I'm not a riverboat Captain but a passenger, a tourist in my own city. Just like you, my whole life I have always striven for something more. Like so many Americans I have never been satisfied with what I have and am obsessed with what I could have. And then it hit me.

Let's back up for a moment. One week earlier, on Tuesday June 17, 2008, I found myself at 9,500 feet elevation over the Siskiyou Mountains. Having just flown past mount Shasta I'm sitting right seat in my Step Father's Cherokee 235 airplane. The airplane is considered small by most with just enough room for four passengers and their luggage. If you want to know more about the adventures of flying and airplanes you can go to my step Dad's blog here. His name is Dan Pimentel and is actually quite well known in the aviation blogging world. He has given me the controls to fly the plane over the mountainous region on our way down to Yosemite from Eugene. I'm not a Pilot but Dan is comfortable with my ability to keep the plane on course and at the correct altitude.

We landed at a small airport 24 miles outside Yosemite on our way to take photos of a client's RV park. My parents own an Advertising Agency and I am doing some consulting on the side for them as they expand their business.

The next day we got to work early and I even had time to go check out a gold mine near by. I eagerly crept into the dark hole with high hopes, like so many before me, of finding that large nugget of gold so we could live happily ever after. I didn't find any gold but it sure was a cool adventure and one I'm glad I didn't pass up.

That morning we took off and flew further into Central California and landed in my old hometown of Reedley, California. Here we visited with another client for the day and I had time to hang with my best childhood buddy, Kevin and his 7 year old daughter that night.

The next day we were in the air again on our way to Concord, where I met my Aunt and said goodbye to my Mom and Dan. The plan was for me to crash at my Aunt's house that Thursday evening and take the Bart into San Francisco early the next morning for an Anthony Robbins seminar. I'm not here to promote Anthony Robbins but his teachings and coaching are incredible.

The weekend was incredible, like so many others before

And the best part is, I did it all with less than a few hundred dollars in my bank account.
How do I manage to live a life of such abundance with so little cash? I got paid for the time I spent consulting which paid for my trip.

As I stood on the deck of the riverboat Sternwheeler, gazing upon the same mighty Columbia River Lewis and Clark once navigated, I thought about the previous week. I'm not a riverboat Captain but a passenger, a tourist in my own city. Just like you, my whole life I have always striven for something more. Like so many Americans I have never been satisfied with what I have and am obsessed with what I could have. And then it hit me.

I am so fortunate to be alive

I have been running around trying to find ways to be wealthy financially. And
I am already so blessed by amazing things everyday that I completely have been taking for granted how wealthy I already am. There are so many people around the world that would be happy to just have a warm bed for 1 week's time let alone have an adventure just like the one I just had over the last week.

Aren't we all kinda like that? We go around complaining about our lives like they are so bad. The thing I now realize is that no matter how messed up you think your current situation is. . .I can guarantee there is someone else who would be VERY excited to walk in you shoes, even for one day.

Gratitude is the key, my friend

The truth is, dear friend, that your real life's purpose is whatever you decide it is. Renew gratitude for what you have in your life. Take 4 seconds right now and think of one thing in your life you are grateful for. Everyday is another chance to remind yourself you are only 4 seconds to freedom! Because freedom is a state of mind. Start now!