I'm one-hundred percent sure that if now was the the year 1800, I would be
packing my Conestoga wagon and heading toward the setting sun to explore the
western expanses of North America.
In my first sixty years, I have owned two Toyota Landcruisers, five Defender
Land Rovers, three monohull sailboats, and one catamaran. All of these
conveyances were my 21st century Conestoga wagons that made it possible to
live my dreams.
My catamaran made it possible to sail around the world on the ocean of my
dreams.
The Landcruisers made it possible to explore Mexico, all of Central America,
and Puerto Rico. The Defenders made it possible to explore Saudi Arabia,
Oman, the Emirates, and the outback of Australia. I still have two Defenders
ready to drive from Cape Town to Cairo and from Buenos Aires to Alaska.
For me, the dream is all about adventure, freedom, and being really alive.
Although I like seeing the sights wherever we go, I think it's the sense of
adventure coupled with the freedom to do what I want to do with my life,
seasoned with a pinch of adrenalin that makes it all worthwhile. It doesn't
matter whether I drive down a hundred foot sand dune, sail through pirate
alley, or voyage across an ocean, I still get the feeling that I am really
alive and am accomplishing something that's important to me. I'm living my
dreams, and although it's a lot of work, costs lots of money, and spends the
currency of my youth, that doesn't matter, because I'm doing what I want to
do with my life as I live without regrets.
On the wall in front of my desk, I have a graphic emblazoned in large red
letters:
WWSD
Those letters mean, WHAT
WOULD STEVE DO?
I've always admired Steve Irwin from the Australian Zoo
and his outrageous ability to get the most out of life. Whenever I feel like
chickening out and surrendering my dreams, I look up at my
WWSD sign, and I remind myself that if Steve was still here,
he would be living his dreams, and that there's no reason that I shouldn't
be living mine.
It's my dreams that get me up in the morning and keep me
going all day long. It's my dreams that keep me sailing, and someday will
take me around the world in my Land Rover Defenders. Every time I go out
sailing on the seven seas and travel in my Defenders, I can feel the freedom
bubble up in my heart and mind.
Once you have a taste of freedom and live your dreams,
you are hooked for life, and nothing else will do.
If you want to see some freedom in action, check out
this music video:
CAPTAIN MUSIC VIDEO
