Better late than never… someone once told me. Do you ever wonder who comes up with these sayings? Wouldn’t it be cool to be THE ONE who made a saying like this fashionable and timeless? I mean come on… if the “where’s the beef” lady can live on forever with a saying like that, I’m sure one of us can think of something clever. Someone had to say it first, right? BTW: If you feel a sudden burst of inspiration, please share… I would love to say I knew the person who coined the phrase “all we are is dust in the wind, dude” or something like that. 

Why Am I Thankful? I’m sure this question was on all your minds this past week. For me, I found out something interesting as I traveled back to Atlanta, Georgia to spend Thanksgiving with family and friends. By spending time away from the people in my life, I was able to create stronger and deeper connections when I returned and was reunited with them. I now realize that our adventure to Costa Rica is not only making a difference in my family’s life, but also in the lives of the people around us.

This insight reminded me of a story… one I’ve heard many times in my life… but it was not until I heard it being told in a movie that I truly got it.  Yeah, I know… there goes John again… quoting from movies. But you know what? I’m always thrilled to discover meaningful messages in movies, like in Holy Man where I finally heard the true meaning behind the Starfish story. The character named G (played by Eddie Murphy) says it all when he tells this story. 

“There was a storm. And thousands and thousands of starfish were washed up on the shore. And there was this beautiful little girl was running down the beach and she was picking up the starfish, she was frantically throwing them back into the ocean. When I saw her doing this I said to her, ‘Why are you doing that? You can only save a few before they die, what difference does it make?’ And she looked at me and she said, ‘To THAT one, it makes a difference.’ To THAT one, it makes a difference, that little girl said. And she was right and at that very moment she was making a difference for that starfish and she was making a difference for herself too because she was connected, to that starfish. And that’s what life is all about, connecting. In fact that’s the only time you’re ever alive, really, is when you’re connecting.” 

Thanks for joining us on this journey. 

Pura Vida,

John