Paradise Lost or Misplaced?

A great friend once told me, "Each of us define our own Paradise; what it looks like, feels like and even smells like." When I initially heard her say it, I appreciated the thoughtfulness in her words. But I didn't take the time to absorb what she was saying. She went on to ask, "Are you living each day in Paradise or are you on a never-ending voyage to reach what you 'think' is Paradise?"

Today, I stopped to reread her words, 11 months later. Profound words? Indeed. As the years pass and my body ages, I have learned life is mostly about...timing. Maybe I wasn't ready to understand or maybe I wasn't in the mood to listen. Who knows? Timing, timing, timing.

Anyway, the point of this post is the brilliance in her words. Most of us plod through life searching for or climbing some imaginary ladder to reach their own Paradise. Trouble is we waste most of our natural life trying to accomplish this when we can have it right now. I'm not talking about the 50 ft. yacht moored in the British Virgin Islands (that's mine). I'm referring to the obstacles we create and poor decisions we make during the course of our maturation into adulthood. My grandmother once said, "If you lean your ladder against an oak, you may get high up, but don't expect to be picking any apples."

If you dream to wile away your life in a hammock under a palm overlooking the ocean, then why are you in the big city working in an office building fighting for a promotion that you probably don't even want? If your dream to be the mother of three living in a wholesome small town with an adorable house with a white picket fence and tree swing, then why are you working two cocktail jobs in Las Vegas trying to make ends meet? Guess what? You will not ever find your Paradise. You are looking in the wrong damn place! And what really sucks, you already know this to be true. You are just too afraid to make the changes in your life necessary to find and live your Paradise. We all make mistakes and poor decisions, some are seriously life altering wowzers. But other than say, capital murder, these poor decisions can be overcome.

I believe in a degree of free will, the choosing is the constant. These choices accrue throughout life to a determining effect that ultimately limits options. Thus, seemingly innocent decisions have catastrophic consequences in dire situations.

My Conclusion - The initial innocuous decision in the chain seems to be tantamount and keeping "options open" is the key to achieving you own Paradise.

BTW, my grandmother and this great friend are two of the smartest people I have ever known. I love them dearly. This is good advice.

Happy Easter!

Al, the Travel Valet

Pick of the Day(60-13-1)...Butler +7 on Monday