Awesome

Last Friday, after a seven-day cruise from Vancouver to Alaska, I flew back to Los Angeles. As my older son pointed out (pointedly), it was a day of sitting. We took a three-hour bus ride from the ship to the airport in Anchorage and then spent the day sitting in airports or on airplanes until nearly midnight.

For me, a lot of sitting means a lot of reading – always a great opportunity to.

Years ago, I read an article in the Wall Street Journal listing the ten rules of business. The first rule was — don’t run out of cash. The tenth rule — don’t run out of cash. The other eight aren’t nearly as important. I’ve done my best to follow the first and tenth rules.

Last Friday, as we spent the day en route, I read an article on the seven rules of joy. The first, and best, idea was to find life awesome.  I’ll second that.

Think about it for a moment.

The human body — awesome.

How about wind, whether it’s blowing two miles an hour or two hundred?  Awesome.

Other awesomeness, in no particular order:

Love
Eyesight
Memory
Language
Cities
Space exploration
Cell phones
Television
Friends
Cash
Electricity
Airplanes
Water
Humor
Touch
Trees

When I really think about it, I see wonder into whatever window onto the world I’m looking through. How many awesome discoveries have been made by others during my lifetime?  How many friends have I had for more than fifty years?

Last week I read an excellent biography of Einstein.  Even though he died in 1955, before most of us were born, I’d guess that most people alive today know his name, which is often used a metaphor for genius.

The week before last, I read a new biography of Mark Twain. Next up is Sister Sinner: The Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson.

We all know that experience is the best teacher. By reading biographies I can learn from another person’s experience, in addition to my own.

In a few weeks I’m off to Edinburgh for their annual theater festival. It was there I began writing my blog a little more than ten years ago.

Life.

Awesome.

Alan