Captain’s Log – Star Date: 12006.13 – Some Sunny Day

Happy to report that the crew of the USS Terra enjoyed a lovely day here in central Ohio. After a rainy morning the sun broke through the clouds and provided pleasant temperatures in the 70s. Tonight is cool and calm. A few clouds have rolled back in so sunset tonight should be colorful. Not sure this captain will stay on duty long enough to see it. My bunk is calling and it sounds very inviting. Perfect night to leave the windows open and enjoy the sounds of the woods and the aroma of the campfires.

Living on the Terra full time for these past 10 months has been exactly what I needed and had hoped for. There’s a peace that comes with this style of living. The road can be tiring some days but once we reach our destination, there is most times than not a serenity waiting for us. Once we’re docked at our site I have found nothing better that sitting in a camp chair either under the awning or around the campfire and just relaxing. There’s a rejuvenation of the soul that occurs from this simple way of living. Much less stress. Much less demand. And way more peace.

There was a song recorded by Lynyrd Skynyrd called ‘Simple Man’. It has sort of become my theme song since last August when the Doodle and I started this journey. I haven’t looked back at my previous posts and I’m thinking I may have written about this song before but it’s worth bringing up again.

In my life, at times, I’ve tried to be more than I have been. I don’t see anything wrong with that and you never know if you can make more of your life unless you try. Sometimes I have been able to ‘improve’ my life by obtaining a better job, gaining higher pay, or living in a better neighborhood. Those times were good and felt right during those years of achievement. The most meaningful accomplishment in my life was winning the heart of a beautiful woman and with her raising three wonderful children. I’m proud of that. But the honest reality is that it wasn’t really me achieving those things by my own decisions and actions. They were gifts.

Which brings me back to the song ‘Simple Man’. The song is about a mother giving words of advice to her son. Here are a the first two verses:

Mama told me when I was young
“Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this it’ll help you some sunny day”

“Oh, take your time, don’t live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
You’ll find a woman and you’ll find love
And don’t forget, son, there is someone up above”

When I first heard Simple Man, I thought the fourth line in the first verse said “And if you do this it’ll help you some stormy day”. Makes sense doesn’t it that on some stormy day a son could sure use some wise words from his mama. I sang ‘stormy’ instead of ‘sunny’ for a very long time until one day I looked at the lyrics and noticed that I was wrong. I was surprised that the writer used the words ‘sunny day’. If it’s a sunny day then things must be going well. Why would we need help on a sunny day I thought. At this point in my life, after the storms I’ve gone through, those words about a sunny day make sense.

When someone shares with us their life experiences we need to take that information to heart. I’ve learned that we are meant to hear those words when they are spoken because we will need them at some point down the road. Most likely many times. Both stormy and sunny days. Those words of advice and encouragement are blessings that we need to hold on to. They are gifts given that we could never earn or learn on our own. Gifts from those that have gone before us and also from someone up above.

A simple life of thanks is what I’m trying to live these days. The storms of life have been rough. I’ve learned we can’t avoid them. So when they come we need to remember the words shared with us before and do our best to simply get through it. Because on the other side of those storms, the sun still shines. Thankfully.

“Boy, don’t you worry, you’ll find yourself
Follow your heart and nothing else
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you, my son, is to be satisfied”

There’s a lot to living a life and perhaps, just maybe, keeping it simple is the right approach. Because I think when it all comes right down to it, isn’t what we’re all really longing for is to just be satisfied?

I aim to keep following my heart while living this simple life of mine. Where ever the road takes me. To be satisfied. I hope you can too.

Thank you mama.

See you down the road my friends….

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Captain’s Log – Star Date: 12006.12

The following begins a new twist to Posts From Along The Road as I am fully engaging my nerdness and connection with Star Trek to share with you what’s going on in my universe. I have embraced my fondness for Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, Picard, Data, and all the other members of Starfleet and feel it’s only logical to log my experiences as the captain of the USS Terra should. I would imagine Mr. Spock approves of this enterprise.

So, with that in mind, let’s begin to boldly go….

For the past couple of weeks, each day has brought many thoughts and emotions to me. With the virus seeming to spike up again across the country (and world), with the economic impacts so many are living with right now due to the virus and the decisions made by our leaders, and with the civil protests continuing to try and bring equality and harmony to all our communities, I’m sensing a change is coming to our world. Yes in the world as a whole but more specifically in our local more personal worlds too. What that change or changes will actually be I do not know but it sure feels like some major shift is happening.

Change is always difficult and usually confusing. It’s a bit of a paradox. On one hand I can see changes are needed in our society, in our government, in our faith communities, and in my life. But on the other hand I feel how hard those changes are going to be for many of us, including myself. To understand, accept, and adapt to those changes will not be easy but not impossible. I’ve never feared change. Especially when it was for the betterment of our society. But not all change is good and it’s attempting to discern the good from the bad that causes me some anxiety and frustration. Perhaps you feel the same.

Our world, the Earth, is round (sorry flat worlders). It spins thankfully in a steady controlled fashion and we are able to hold on each day and not fly off into space. Every 24 hours we come back to where we started the day before. 365 days each year this holds true. But our personal worlds seem different. Each day we may wake to find it the same as the day before but often it’s changed. While we were sleeping something happened that now makes our personal world, our lives, different. We question if we can hold on and what the future holds for us personally.

In my 60 years of living, change seems to come in cycles. Repeating cycles. Not always orderly spaced out like on a schedule but still occurring over and over again. It seems to me that like the Earth, our lives are round and repeating. We experience seasons. Times of growth and decay. Times of plenty and hardship. Times of health and illness. There sure seems to be a circle to it all and we are traveling around that circle. We can’t get off even if we try.

The crew of the USS Enterprise, when they began their three year mission, had no idea what was waiting for them out there. Okay the actors in the show had a script so yes they knew but the characters they were portraying did not. The captain and crew knew nothing of what might happen the next episode but still they continued their journey with the hope that what lied before them, no matter what it would be, was something they could face and learn from. They would make it through and be changed, hopefully for the good, by what they encountered.

So whatever changes are coming for me and in my world, I think it’s only logical to do all I can to understand why those changes are happening. To discern if they are for the good of the world and the people around me. Perhaps they are or perhaps some may not be but I feel it is my duty to try to understand what’s happening and why. And then to boldly make those needed changes within myself to take one step closer to a world that is better for all of us. I think that is the prime directive we are all called to live by.

Have a fantastic Friday! See you down the road….