Friday, May 20, 2011

Make Your Moment

I had a conversation with my father the other day. It's a pretty on par converstation that randomely occurs when talking to people who don't understand why we do what we do. Most people can't possibly comprehend why we would ride bikes like we do.

What suprised me about this convesation with him was the fact that he says he used to be full of adventure too. I remember the fishing trips we would go on as a kid. He always seemed to enjoy that. He was also a bullrider, a boxer, and played football in HS. So it was unusual to me to hear his particular perspective on this conversation.

We were talking about life moments. I expressed that money wasn't as big of a deal to me, because I value the moments in life over the amount of money in my bank account. Sure I enjoy having enough money to do those things that I love, but ultimately I base my life fullness not on my possessions, but the memories that I possess. Sure, I bought a crazy expensive bike, but it was a means to a way. I could do probably as well on a less expensive bike, but I also recieved such a great deal on the bike that in the end I'll at least break even. But back to the means to a way, it's a way to help me possess the memories that I'm after. My sought after memories are different than your's, but that doesn't matter as long as you're depositing memories that mean something to you into your memory bank.

He said as he's grown older, that memories don't mean anything anymore. The past is dead and none of it matters. As he's aged, the things that matter to him the most are what lies ahead. It seemed to me that what he meant by that was having a house that's paid off, a retirement account, and a secure future.

I can't blame him I guess. To each their own. Maybe I'm wrong in my thinking that the only thing that matters to me are the places, people, and experiences that I have encountered and still seek to encounter. Life outside the confines of an office have always been what drive my life's ambitions. The office isn't what fuels my soul. Money isn't the root of my happiness. I don't care as much about what the future holds, because the future may very well not extend past tommorow. I've had moments in my life where if luck had not been on my side, I could very well not be here.

Most people seem to share his thinking. They focus on all the wrong things too much. Sure, there's still a place in making sure that your future will be stable, but making your whole life about just securing a secure future doesn't make sense to me. What's a secure future mean if you had to waste you life getting it?

Money won't go with you. Possessions won't follow you. Memories will always remain. I'll remain on my path of memory collection, and continue not to sweat the details of life. Work will always be there. The future can always wait.

Today is primed for memory making.

Hope you make some sweet memories this weekend.

Bikes are a great way to do so...

Clif Bar brought this post up... Check out their Make Memoments website. Pretty cool.

G

2 comments:

  1. I believe that these moments you speak of all require passion to obtain. Passion in turn is a desire to live out and fullfill your dreams. Maybe as we age our dreams become harder to obtain, and maybe in the instance of your father, those who give up on thier dreams will discourage yours. You can live this lifestyle forever, as you wish, but you will be alone on your journey - but you will alawys have these moments in excess. If you desire companionship such as a family, you can still have the moments as long as you have a passion to do so, the motivation to do what it takes and the compromise to allow it in moderation. As for me, I lived as you do, maybe a bit more extreme for a long time. I thought it would never end and has not, but I have made compromises to allow for new dreams to flourish. I have committed to not letting the passion die therefor I, as you, are still living in the moment, but also planning for the future so that I have no dobts that I can comfortably continue to fulfill my soul with these moments. Best of luck my brother!

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