a new adventure, woo-hoo!

My mom always wanted to go to Hawaii. I don’t think there was such a thing back then, but it would have been on her bucket list. Unfortunately, my father passed away long before his time, and I didn’t get how important it was to her until it was too late. I’ve always kind of regretted that, but that’s life.

By this time tomorrow, I’ll be jetting through the air on my way to the Aloha State! This, too, has been on my wish list, and since we can finally travel again, I’m out of here!

I’m considering this adventure a celebration since I finished the first draft of my new book yesterday. The sense of pleasure when Grammarly completed the final grammar check and I plugged the last chapter into the document was exhilarating. I’ve written several two hundred-page documents throughout my educational career, but this writing was far more enjoyable. So far, it has taken about nine months, and I still have much editing to do, but I am ready for it.

I’ll take a photograph of my mother with me on this trip to remind both of us how much I love her and wish she would have fulfilled her dream. I’m sure she will look down on me and enjoy the view from an even more beautiful place.

We all have dreams that will likely go unfulfilled, but we should pursue them anyway. And there is no better time than now to get started. Life is shorter than we appreciate and too valuable to waste a moment.

For me, travel is high on my list of pleasurable activities. There are so many marvelous sights on earth and many interesting and enjoyable people along the way as well. Exposing yourself to the plethora of American sub-cultures and viewing foreign cultures broadens your horizon and gives us an understanding that the world does not revolve around us. I am blessed to have traveled to nearly every state and many countries worldwide, and I do not regret one minute of my experiences.

I was reading earlier this week a portion of Scripture that makes it very clear God will eventually create a new heaven and a new earth. I think His present masterpiece is worth the visit, but I’ll be happy to explore Earth 2. The thought of enjoying everything on a new planet void of wars, racism, hatred, sadness, crime, injustice, and death is astonishingly appealing. If one can relish our present home planet with its blemishes, think how fun it would be without its problems.

I admire the Creator for His imagination and creativity, and I am also grateful He saw fit to grant me just a touch of it myself and a heart that appreciates the fruit of His work.

I am ready to don a Hawaiian shirt and do the hula. I wonder if Hawaiians wear Hawaiian shirts. I don’t mind looking like a tourist since touring the world is a noble endeavor, and I enjoy giving the locals a good chuckle.

God tells us that we are tourists on this planet our entire lives. Earth 1 is not our permanent home place, and we shouldn’t get too comfortable here. One day, we will take flight to a new location that will put our most imaginative bucket lists to shame. Beam me up, Scottie!

Live Inspired!

Don Mark