Your Adventure Awaits

One of my favorite memories would occur just as Summer arrived each year. Being a meticulous planner, my father would drive a couple of miles to the local AAA office in my hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. There, Dad would procure the various maps and travel guidebooks for our annual summer trip. Oftentimes, my brothers, Ken, Steve and I would tag along, and sometimes Dad would go on his own, but he always would return home excited and eager to begin plotting our course and setting the plan of action.

Upon his return home, our entire family would gather around our rickety old kitchen table...There, the maps would be unfurled and our adventure would literally begin.
Trips to St. Louis, “exotic” Rock City, Ruby Falls, Chattanooga, Historic Williamsburg, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Disney World, even Dublin, Sydney, and London, all occurred, just to name a few.

No matter the destination, however, our process was always the same.

The five of us would discuss what we wanted to see and do, always building in time to visit the necessary museums and, of course, any of the “sideline” attractions, which would often include a sporting event, outdoor activity or local “highlight”.

We would ALWAYS spend a good bit of time with the map, identifying those unique spots and stopping points, particularly if we were planning to drive.

Would we stay at Howard Johnson’s? Maybe, if we were lucky, a new Holiday Inn? Or, would we stay with family? How much time would we try to “push” each day, on the road? Where would we eat? Or, would we pack our bologna and cheese sandwiches?

Back in those days, especially traveling throughout the Southeastern US, we could usually count on stopping at our favorite rest point, Stuckey’s, and get a great cheeseburger, a chocolate shake and maybe a pecan log roll or Goo Goo candy bar for the road.

Perhaps it was in those early sessions my love of travel began...

However, it was at that young age that I became aware and appreciative of just how important and how exciting the process of planning could be.

After thoroughly reviewing the map, Dad would begin building the itinerary. My brothers and I often joked about all of Dad’s various lists and meticulous focus on these seemingly unnecessary details, and I came to realize later in life just how wise he was--and is--and just how important those lists were--and are---today.

For, as I have learned from dear old Dad and know now---it’s really not about the destination, is it?

It’s the process that’s so darn rewarding.

Making a conscientious effort and allotting the time to dream, allowing for the creative energy and “juices” to spew forth, and visualizing the details to reach that ideal...Yes, it’s that all consuming process that is really quite wonderful and, in many cases, life changing.

It should be noted that I was in Nashville earlier this summer and I noticed that Dad still had all of his various travel information stored in his big closet located in his office at home, holding numerous books full of information, and even accompanying photo albums and small scraps of souvenirs.

In today’s world of Google Maps, Waze, Map Quest, and countless other electronic aids, this story probably seems a bit antiquated...I am guessing that many of you may not even know what AAA is (the American Automobile Association, by the way), or, for that matter, may not own a map!

When’s the last time you actually opened a map, or figured out how to fold it back together properly ...? Here’s what one looks like, by the way….

However, as adventurer and author Mark Jenkins so simply notes,

“Maps are essential. Planning a journey without a map is like building a house without drawings.”

And while I certainly appreciate and rely upon Google Maps oftentimes to navigate Miami, we all know of numerous tales in which “blind” reliance upon GPS can be catastrophic.

Consider the 23-year old woman from Ontario this past Spring who, while traveling in the town of Tobermory, actually drove directly into the Georgian Bay, following the directions commanded to her, dutifully...Thankfully, she survived, but her bright red Yaris did not…

One man in Manhattan actually drove into a park, and tried to drive his car up a staircase!

I am sure each of us have had an experience or know of someone who lost sight or greater sense of his or her surroundings, and relied too heavily upon that soothing electronic voice to lead us to our proper destination...It’s easy to do.

As we begin what promises to be an exciting year and your adventure awaits, here are just a few thoughts for you, which I hope will be helpful, especially as you begin to plot your “course”.

Set your sights high.
Take the advice of Henry David Thoreau, and
“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.”
Visualize your success. Imagine the great things you will accomplish and draw your energy from these positive potential outcomes.
Emmy award winning producer and author Lois Farfel Stark simply advises us to
“SEE what you think.”
Dare to dream big, and get excited about the opportunities that lie before you. Everyone in this room has privileges that countless others would love to have.
It’s up to you.
 
Don’t be afraid of the unknown.
As those ancient renderings caution each of us, “there be dragons” out in the big world…
Throughout history, maps have shown a variety of cautionary symbols…
Tales become exaggerated, sea monsters lurk in deep dark waters, and gruesome creatures abound. However, it’s those the “edges” of the map where the adventure awaits!
As with any journey, getting lost along the way is always a possibility, and usually the reality.
Plan as best you can, but don’t let those awful sea creatures frighten you off your course.
 
Don’t forget to ask for help.
Don’t be too proud or arrogant.
You will need assistance, and the sooner you realize this, the better off you’ll be!
There are plenty of folks here, by the way, who are more than eager to partner with you.
Seek out your Advisor, a friend or someone on this campus if you are in need. There are nearly 1,000 of us on these beautiful 55 acres, and help is literally a few feet away.
 
Remember to say “thank you”.
You are supported and loved, and you have an entire Community behind you.
You’ll be challenged along the way, for sure, but don’t forget to let the people who have helped you know just how much you appreciate their support.
Start by going home tonight and saying “thank you” to a family member who made this opportunity possible, whether it’s mom, dad, a grandparent or family friend.
Find the person or people who have helped you reach this state in life, and let them know just how grateful you are to be at this School. As you may also know, you are in the minority, in terms of actual numbers, as far as school enrollment goes---only 2% of school age young adults have the opportunity to be in an independent school---It is a great privilege, and a great responsibility for you to be here.
Be thankful.
 
Soak in the journey.
Take notice of the sights, the sounds and savor the experience.
The twists, the turns, the unexpected---it’s all part of the fun!
Don’t be so caught up in the end result that you lose track of the day to day joys and little pleasures.
Check out the view---
Our campus alone is arguably the most beautiful spot in all of South Florida. We have 76 different species of trees, a variety of live creatures, including hundreds of proud peacocks strutting their stuff everyday...The list goes on.
Remember to savor your journey.
 
Be flexible.
Adjust your plans, as necessary.
As you already know, there will be unforeseen challenges in your trek.
For every smooth path, there will be one filled with obstacles. Consider the daunting task that the great American explorers Merriweather Lewis and William Clark faced in their 3,700 mile trek across the American West.
Previous maps had indicated the Rockies as a singular mountain range---
Imagine their surprise when they arrived, as historian David Rumsey notes,
“...So, they thought they were just going to cruise up to it, go over the top, and pop their canoes back in the river and go all the way to the Pacific”.
Well, we know how the story goes, and, as Rumsey furthers,
“It was a bloody nightmare, up and down, up and down, up and down.”
Prepare for the unexpected, and adapt accordingly.
 
Record your journey.
Keep a journal, a record or simple log. Document your experiences.
As Palmer Trinity provides and requires actual journal entries for all travel, force yourself to be disciplined enough to detail your experience.
You’ll be glad you did, especially when you are old and grey like me!
 
Rest, as necessary.
Remember how important it is to relax and to revive.
Take the necessary “pit stop” along the way.
Your physical, spiritual and mental health are necessary for you to thrive.
As a wise man once claimed,
“There is virtue in work and there is virtue in rest. Use both and overlook neither.”
 
Use your Compass.
In this case, trust your instincts, your gut.
Be confident in the path you have chosen.
Legendary explorer and frontiersman, Daniel Boone claims,
“Having an exciting destination is like setting a needle in your compass. From then on, the compass knows only one point; its’ ideal. And it will faithfully guide you there through the darkest nights and fiercest storms.”

As I shared with our Seniors recently, follow Ralph Waldo Emerson’s advice and remember,
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

You are here, at this School, at this time, for a reason.
You have been given a wonderful gift, and we are here to help guide you.

And, so, dear Students and Colleagues,
We begin our journey together, TODAY.
Set your compass, get your map out and enjoy what lies ahead…
Try to remember that it’s really not about the destination.
And, if you don’t want to take my advice, heed the wise words of the beloved Dr. Seuss:

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.”

All the very best, and I truly look forward to “traveling” with you on this most precious and promising excursion this year.

Your Adventure Awaits...Let’s go!
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