Over the years, as a result of the people and places I have been, the philosophical bricks that constitute my world view have been gathered from a wide array of sources. Some of my favorites are –
Hard work is a sure death but a slower one than starvation.
Always be prepared to meet your maker because check out time is always a surprise.
Never base your happiness on the comparison between your wife and another man’s. After all, thanks to modern science his wife may have started this life as a man.
Navigating the road of life by focusing on the review mirror will never end well.
Now, you may ask, what does all of this have to do with Route 66, the primary topic of this blog, or adventures on the road less traveled? Well, simply put these little snippets, and a few thousand others that decorate my office and litter my mind ensure a proper focus on the life of a writer, which is in itself an adventure on the road less traveled.
They also ensure I never take myself, or life, to seriously. In addition, I find they add a bit of perspective for the grand adventure that is my quest to fulfill a childhood dream.
Over the years I have been fortunate enough to have lived a rather “interesting” life. However, with the exception of being a husband to my dearest friend for three decades, a father, and a grandfather, they all pale in comparison to the one embarked upon in 1990.
That was the year my dearest friend gently nudged me to take the plunge and chase the dream. That was the year I took the first step in my journey as a writer.
Fast forward about twenty years. The portfolio of published material includes hundreds upon hundreds of feature articles on a wide array of topics for dozens of publications that range from the local paper to prestigious magazines.
With the release of my latest books late this year and early next spring, the count will rise to ten. Another is the works.
Still, it is not the body of work, or the accolades that make this adventure so rewarding. Nor is it the pay (trust me on this one).
No, it is in the people met as a result. It is in the road trips I have encouraged and the forgotten history unveiled, and in the resultant thank you notes from readers.
And it is that, even more than the current projects, that have me looking toward the next few weeks with eager anticipation. It begins this weekend with the now legendary fun run.
Last year Mark and Jo from England surprised me with a visit. Will they be back again this year? Who else will surprise me?
On Saturday evening it is dinner with Mike and Sharon Ward from Mesa, Arizona. Sunday morning it is another opportunity to share a bit of the history from my corner of Route 66 with a tour group from the land down under courtesy of Dale Butel, and his charming wife, Kristi-Anne.
Wednesday evening it is dinner and interview for the German magazine, Spotlight. Next Saturday it is another visit with a group from the land of Oz and on the morning of the 14th, breakfast at Dora’s Beale Street Deli with Zdnek Jurasek and his group of Route 66 enthusiasts from the Czech enthusiasts.
What old friends will we encounter on our New Mexico odyssey in June? Will our summer adventures on the double six this year cross paths with Croc Lile, Tom Dion, Kevin and Nancy Mueller, or Michael Wallis?
The adventure of writing becomes the adventure of life. The adventure of life becomes the story. With each, the excitement and eager anticipation of what comes next keeps me turning the pages.
