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Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks. William Shakespeare, Hamlet (1600), Act 2, Scene 2, Line 286
Sometimes I get into a rut; a comfort ability to the point of boredom. When
that happens, I feel as though I will lose my mind if something drastic
doesn’t happen soon.
Since retiring from the world of adventure cycling seven years ago, I began to drift into another world of obsolescence, devoting nearly my entire time to charity within my church and community. It was not uncommon to find me cleaning toilet bowls; assisting my neighbor’s spouses or elderly parents in their day-to-day care; making sure homeless men and women and even entire families had food, clothing, shelter, and in some cases an education for a decent paying job; even raising funds. And I discovered being a full-time volunteer is a lot tougher than being an adventurer. I was so busy being a servant, I’d forget to be even remotely thankful to the Ultimate Servant. Even when I would be reminded to be thankful, especially at this time of year, I’d do so half-heartily, almost repetitiously in thought and word. Last year, I decided to take action upon myself and began to seriously think of returning to work (at least the work I knew and not necessarily what others would call work). I reasoned that if I went back to work, I could give more financially to the various charities I supported instead of whatever hours I could provide. And after a seven year itch, I was ready to get physical again. Thus, I began in earnest, locking myself away; planning and executing another set of dreams, praying all along if this was the path I should walk on, or forever remain in exile. I am a firm believer in stepping out in faith and testing the spirits along the way, which is a whole lot different than running in blind faith and risking the wrath of God. In short order, I was amazed at how easily I was able to transform from the life I was now living to the one I had known during the ‘90s. It was like...riding a bicycle again, as though no lapse of time had occurred. I was thankful for this among other things; thankful to a Creator who made me in His image; thankful for the mind He had given me that allows me to think outside the box and not go with the flow. Two of the new adventures have already taken place and the fruits of the labor will soon be apparent. One now and the other, a year from now, with still another major dream in the works that won’t even materialize for several years. I won’t get into too much detail about this now, as I will elsewhere on the site, but suffice to say, I know what it’s like to truly be blessed after all these years of laying up treasure in Heaven. Thank You, Lord, for the small withdrawal You’ve allowed me to take! All of us have many things in common...living, dying, dreaming, to name but a few. Yes, we all dream and hope one day at least one of those dreams will come true, but how many of us will actually go out and physically work and persevere to the point that you will cross that imaginary boundary and enter into the world of reality; to become once and for all, realistic dreamers! For me, I’ve given up an ordinary life for an extraordinary one. Yes, sometimes, I look back and wonder, What if?... but I know what my life would have been like if it had gone the normal way, instead of the way it did. It hasn’t been an easy life, but it has been a fulfilling one capped with enough memories and experiences to last throughout eternity. The last 18 months have been tunnel-vision. The last six of those months have been exhausting, and I am now, when I can actually relax for a heartbeat, feeling the effects. I am told that I seem to have added a few more gray hairs near my temples. I’m not surprised. At least I can say I know where those gray hairs came from. Life for me is about to change once again. I try not to think what is about to happen, but simply try to take it all in a day at a time, and handle it all as the situation allows. That’s all I can do. And enjoy the next six weeks when the last three holidays of the year (Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve) arrive. I’ve earned a rest and the time to reflect and be thankful to the One who shows me Love, Mercy, Forgiveness, Compassion... even when I don’t feel any of those things at times. He still cares for me; still makes me feel competent in myself. That with the Lord, not only are all things possible; they become real to those who are willing to make Him happy and step out in faith. Only then can we ever receive the rewards we so diligently seek that He has waiting for us. Within days, my first book will be hot off the presses. Many fans email me after reading my adventures, and ask for more thorough detail, and I have always shied away from this (mostly out of laziness), but gave it much thought and went ahead and gave it a try. The results? The Tour de Cuba in more detail, with nearly 400 pages and over 100 photographs, all in a hardcover, glossy format. I know most fans want more about the China adventure, but I wanted to begin with Cuba and work my way backwards for some reason. This will be a test. If the book does well, then I will write out the Great Wall and American Summits adventures in time. And for the last month, I had been hard at work (?) on my first feature film. Called Yesterday’s Dreams, it’s just a simple, old fashioned love story that will be in theatres sometime next year. Those 18 hour days were killers, not to mention writing, producing and starring in the film, but I believe the end result will be worth it. If not, it’ll certainly be a fast career in film. This Thanksgiving, this incompetent beggar is truly thankful and blessed beyond measure. May all of you reading this be the same as well in mind, body and spirit. Until Next Month, Kevin |
