The dog's view of the world....one fantastic journey!

I read a story about James Benson who joined a science fiction book club at the age of ten and his journey through life - how he acquired an education, earned a living , founded a company, sold it but how he stayed connected with his dream. He found many ways to be connected to space technology for eg, he founded SpaceDev, a low cost rocket technology and small satellite developer. This company designed the Near Earth Asteroid Prospector to mine orbiting objects and asteroids for minerals and water. He also supplied hybrid motors for SpaceShipOne ( the first privately funded manned space flight) In 2006, two years before he died , he started planning the launch of his own space tourism business. He still had his book club membership card with him when he died at the age of 63. His 50 year old book club card carried a promise to submit the bearer's name to the first company offering commercial space travel.


Some people may read his story and feel sorry that he never achieved his dream, but that's a shallow view. We dont really know what we are here to do on this planet and our purpose is not going to jump out of the sky and land on us. For some people , it may be very clearly laid out infront of them and for most of us, it will be a bit like James Benson's life where life takes us through some detours. We , often, get caught up with the destination and James Benson clearly wanted to commercialise space travel and make that available to the average man. But reading about his journey touched a chord inside me, I was inspired by how he stayed on his journey all the way to the end.

Life's purpose is not going to come and get us in some dramatic moment ( although we sometimes hear about these stories, these are rare, which is why we read about them or hear about them). For the rest of us, it may seem like we are just plodding along and doing things that come along the way.....is there a bigger plan? Does it all culminate into some final conclusion?? In my view that depends.... on our view of life. If we go through life with a purpose that inspires us,
we start enjoying the journey and everything is connected and there is meaning to what we do. If we go through life resenting the journey, thinking if ' this is all life has to offer me" than we miss out on life and are "absent" and not participating in life, we are mere spectators on the sidelines waiting for next thing to happen.

I really believe that true leaders stay on purpose despite the detours but take time to appreciate the ''side trips" ...after all life is a journey....sometimes to the frustration of the people around us. We dont know if we have succeeded or failed in our life, and its not for us to make that decision...but we will know if we have enjoyed the travels and that has to do with our own attitude to life.

Reminds me of a Gary Larson cartoon , that has pictures of two cows dressed up like monks sitting by the side of a road eating roses, the advice one of the cows gives to other goes something like this "and as you go life's journey, dont forget to stop and eat the roses"

or .... maybe... in my world , it should be dont forget to find every excuse to celebrate life and share a meal with your friends...