"In this bright future you can't forget your past..."

The words of Bob Marley seem to always fit into my life and I can't think of a better lyric than this at this point in my life. My future is bright and looking back at all I have been through in life, my past 2 years, and the incredible journey I am finishing up are the things from the past that remind me how bright my future is. My road of recovery has been a road that I hope no person has to go down. I have kept my head high and pushed through the bad, the questions, the confusion, the selfishness of others, and the negative emotions. I have found what matters and what is meaningful in life. Lessons from the past are the motivation to keep chasing the bright future. I remain simple, no matter how complicated things become because of others. There are no regrets in life, only lessons. Even with the bad things that have happened to me in the last 2 years, the lessons I have learned show me that the future is bright. I just have to chase it.


Be fearless and play. Hoppipolla. Waka Waka. Maintain internal heights. Love all, serve all, create no sorry. Blissful company goes from sea to sea, from the depths of the valley to the mountain peaks. Toast my glass to all my loved ones to let them know that the stars well they still shine...


This journey is now a part of my past and I will never forget it. It was a challenge that pushed me to my limits. It was an experience that expanded my eclectic personality. I lived in an environment totally different from the one that I come from and now have the ability to view life from a new perspective. This journey was the catalyst for recovery. It will always remind me of how bright my future is.


I guess I should explain what the title of this blog (sigh) means. I am sure it is like any other quote, song, poem, or sentence in life and can have multiple interpretations, but for me the statement reflects part of my road of recovery. I had to reassess what I was doing with my life and establish my priorities after two events (hurt by another and near-death) that occurred in the last 2 years. I learned that life without reason, without meaning, and without virtue is not life at all. It is easy to sit around and watch TV shows, but is that really living? For me, the answer is no. I needed to find purposes for my life and work to pursue them. The purposes that I have found in life become my dharma and I constantly chase them. As I chased dharma, I found out that a lot of the purposes in my life deal with other people. I don't need another person to control my life and make me feel good, I interact with others and it is this interaction that is ubuntu. "We may not have it all together, but together we can have it all"...this is how chasing some of my life purposes (dharma) led me to solidify my belief in working for the betterment of society (ubuntu). That is about as open as I will get on here...I am going to remain top secret.


I have many memories and stories from this journey. They will always be with me and they are now part of the past that will make my future bright. I have grown in many ways. I did not change Nepal, but Nepal changed me. As it comes to an end I have so much to think back on. It is too much to write about, but the travels, teaching to Tibetans, working at a local hospital, immersing myself in a different culture and lifestyle, visiting some beautiful and holy sites, and experiencing rides of a lifetime have been enlightening. I will keep these memories always and share the pictures and stories with those who are special to me.

I will miss you Nepal.

To my apple, android, and kia family/honorary family member, my fire departments, and my small group of close friends...I will be home soon...as long as the pollution stays low and I don't have to live out the indian jones scene over the Holy Himalayas : / 


Kathmandu to Delhi to Newark to Columbus


It has been great rascals...find a purpose and chase it...humans are social animals and we should work to coexist.


Om Mani Padme Hum