Lessons From Christopher McCandless

I recently watched "Into the Wild" and it left me with more questions than answers. Theres nuggets of truth scattered throughout this film that I'd like to share. It's infused with an expansive, somewhat optimistic sense of potential and possibility:

"I know how important it is in life not necessarily to be strong but to feel strong."

-It's important to realize that emotional strength is so much more valuble than other forms of "strength." The question is, what is it that makes us "feel strong?"

"Society man, society! Cause you know what I don't understand? I don't understand why people, why every damn person is so bad to each other so often. It doesnt make sense to me. judgement, control, the whole spectrum."

-Why are we so selfish? Why are we so impatient? When are we going to come to realize that the way of Jesus is the original way we were made to live? When are we going to see that humility is better than arrogance, that sympathy is better than judgement, that love is better than apathy? Ya know chris, I don't understand it either.

"When you forgive, you love, and when you love God shines His light on you."

-How many of us walk around holding grudges against people? Why can't we just let go? If we only knew the potential of life, happiness, and freedom when we forgive. Did you know that the original meaning of the word "forgive" involves liberation of slaves? But think about this: perhaps forgiveness is more about liberating the master than liberating the slave? Ironically, when we don't forgive, we become the one carrying the extra luggage, the one captured with resentment, we become the slave.

"Happiness only real when shared."

-To me, this is the essence of this movie and more importantly, life. sharing experiences, progression, victories, and even disappointments with fellow travelers.

"Rather than love, than money, than fame, than fairness, give me truth."

-Word.

"So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned to a life of security, conformity, and conservatism, all of which may appear to give one peace of mind, but in reality nothing is more dangerous to the adventurous spirit within a man than a secure future. The very basic core of a man's living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences, and hence there is no greater joy than to have an endlessly changing horizon, for each day to have a new and different sun."

-There are far too many of us walking around this world with no intention, no purpose, no passion. We settle into our lives of security and we miss the exhilaration of the unknown, the adventure. Stop ordering the grilled chicken sandwich and the caesar salad. Try the obscure. taste it, live it, be it. Find something new to be passionate about. Live for more than a salary, a new house, or a new car. Joy comes from our encounter with new experiences.

The movie is more effective, try it. KL.

When You Feel It, You Know...

Ya know, life is so beautiful. It's such a wonderful mixture and it's the mixture that makes it what it is. With this realization on the forefront, I'm gonna wake up every morning and celebrate life.

Sometimes I wish I grew up in the 60's so I could be a hippie because hippies really understand truth at its core: love for all people, places, and things - regardless. They make life so simple - I think we make it too complicated. Enough working for "the man" and just paying bills with our lives. Sometimes I think about leaving everything behind and spending my savings on a flight to a beautiful island and living with the natives...and just breathing it all in, realizing theres more to life than accumulating more stuff.

We need to come together and rise above the hatred. I wonder, will we? Will we become peaceful, forgiving, hopeful, loving? We all need a little healing and a lot of love. I've learned that if you give it, it will all be returned. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but it's on the horizon. So dont worry, let's come together and rise above.

There's something incredible that happens when you forgive, perhaps its more about releasing the innocent than about freeing the guilty. When you forgive, you love (both others and yourself) - you let go of the bitterness, the anger, the pain. Don't go through life carrying the bags of other travelers -don't carry more luggage than you have to, there's too much positivity to waste it. Make the most of this life - let go of the regret, the shame, the mask. Let's make the most because...

There's people on the streets, children with no fathers, daughters with no mothers. There's just so much potential, possibility, opportunity to give back.

I believe love can set us free, the question is will we let it?

KL.

Imagine A Man...

Imagine a man who is confident yet humble, honest yet sensitive, authentic yet encouraging. A man who listens more than He actually speaks. A man who is direct in speech, caring in nature, and loving in heart. He realizes there's a time for light humor, but also a time for deep talks into the night. A man who always puts relationships above work, and a man who thinks with his heart and feels with his mind - and He isn't afraid to follow a perfect mixture of both.

A man who loves everyone - regardless of race, gender, or appearance. A man who walks two miles when you ask him to walk one. A man who thinks about others before himself. He always tells the truth, always sticks to His commitments, and always forgives - no matter what.

That's what I'm goin for.

KL

Bittersweet Song of Life - Equilibrium

Songs have a final note, vacations have a flight home, flowers wither, ice cream has calories, monopoly has "go to jail", sunsets become darkness, love has a final kiss.

I used to be such an optimist (and even though to some extent, I still am) I'm searching for the balance between positivism and realism, idealism and rationalism - and the beauty of the bittersweet.

I've recently been thinking about balance and I've decided to stop drinking alcohol for 3 months. March 18-June 18. But not because it's wrong but because it can be. Not because it's in control but because you have to know and feel you're in control - know with your mind and feel with your heart. I want to be able to say "no" with the same certainty with which I say "yes."

This is my attempt at equilibrium: It's been quite a beautiful journey since June but He's just getting started...

Thanks for listening. KL.

Put That In Your Pipe And Smoke It

I spent the last week traveling the west coast with some real cool kids and I'd like to share some things I realized, some things that need to be on the forefront:

I realized that laughter truly is the best medicine, so be able to laugh at yourself. I realized that traveling opens up windows you've never seen before. People start being real when you live with them, so take a trip. I realized that happiness is only real when shared, that connection is better than anything else.

I realized that there's a time and a place for schedules and itineraries but sometimes we need to put the map back in the glove box and just drive. Planning every step of the way becomes more of a hassle than a vacation and before we know it, we're missing the forest from the trees. Let's keep our options open, you never know who you'll meet, connect with, laugh with, etc. I realized the importance of progressing to new things, new places, and especially new people. Talk to the sweet old woman in the store, the middle aged man selling t-shirts, and the kid playing at the beach.

I realized that walking away can be the best decision you've ever made, so stick to it. Don't look back, keep pushing forward to the potential, the future, the unknown. Believe me when I tell you that sometimes the best feels the worst but the better will be so much better.

I realized that drawing on someone while they're sleeping results in getting tossed off a boat into freezing cold water. I realized that it's important to remember your towel when getting a shower. I realized that laying on the beach for an entire day can actually be very productive. I realized that nothing worth anything is ever easy: you can't sit at a blackjack table and make millions, life just doesn't work that way.

I realized that the heart of life is good. It's certainly not a silver platter but life is beautiful.

KL

Always Know If the Juice Is Worth the Squeeze

Ever been in the grocery store, squeeze a fruit, and think you got the steal of the year? The most succulent fruit of the bunch. You anticipate rushing to the kitchen, cutting it open, and enjoying the freshness on your palate. And in that moment, something potentially dangerous happens: expectation.

Then you get home and take the first bite, only to find out it tastes worse than britney's comeback performance at the 2007 VMA's. You feel disappointed as you walk away, somewhat curious as to why we set such unrealistic expectations for ourselves. I'm learning a few things about life that I need to share. It's very simple, but it's essential for us to get through this:

1) Fruit isn't always as good as it appears, things aren't always as they seem, people aren't always who they claim to be. A major part of life involves deciding who to trust and who to hold at a distance, who to be exposed to and who to block off, who to believe and who to doubt - it's all about discernment.

2) Don't just take her word for it, wait till she earns it. Please believe.

3) Stop squeezing the fruit that's lost its flavor, try another. Always know if the juice is worth the squeeze and if it's not, move on to another fruit. Don't fear the fruit you've never squeezed, the unknown, the brand new. Squeeze it, see what it tastes like. You'll never know if you don't try.

May we all realize that expectations arent necessarily wrong but they have the potential to set us up for disappointment, frustration, and even failure. So be careful what you assume, what you promise, and what you believe. Put your faith in the One who might let you sink, but who will never let you drown.

Moving to the next fruit. KL.