Foundations Built Upon Sand

There was a time when my readers complained about the frequency with which I updated the blog.

A time when I never missed a day of writing and it was common for me to post two or three new posts each and every day.

Though it is only a handful of years since then it feels to me like much more time has passed and as if I have lived a dozen lives between now and then.

So it is understandable that changes would take place here because the man who used to post with reckless abandon isn’t around anymore, but he is not entirely gone either.

In many ways I am more myself than I have ever been but still very different.

The changes aren’t necessarily things people who know me in person are aware of so I wouldn’t expect those of you who only know me based upon the words you read here to recognize either.

I am not just a dad blogger, blogger or writer and this place should reflect that.

You know what I like best about that quote?

“Life is about creating yourself.”

It is active, not passive and it doesn’t feel as wishy-washy and soft as finding yourself.

That is an important distinction that I am trying to impart to my children. We don’t always know what we want or who we are with the sort of crystal clear clarity that we want.

We go through periods of time where we think we want to be a doctor, lawyer, athlete, teacher or any number of other professions.

These ideas grow and change based upon any number of factors. Sometimes they change because we recognize our skill level will never enable us to become the center fielder of the Dodgers or because we decide that being a doctor isn’t what we want.

Sometimes they change because we recognize our skill level will never enable us to become the center fielder of the Dodgers.

Or because we decide that even though we are capable of becoming a doctor we just aren’t passionate enough to put in the time to make it happen.

The cool thing about it all is that some of these choices aren’t built upon foundations of sand. They are decisions we can revisit down the road.

The Sleeping Giant

Some weeks back I had a dream in which I was a sleeping giant that was woken up by a bunch of tiny people.

Sort of a Gulliver’s Travel type thing but the Lilliputians that had tied me down didn’t do it because they were afraid I was going to crush them but because they wanted me to focus my attention elsewhere.

They wanted me to open my eyes and become more aware of a few things.

I did, I have and I still am.

That is part of why I haven’t been around in the same way as before.

I am running with the moon now, chasing after my own personal pied piper and heading towards a future I can’t quite see but can picture.

That giant may not be the most graceful of creatures but he lumbers with purpose and determination.

Sometimes that is all it takes.

• Saved: Children, Life