Ready or not...

Let's do this.

So Alex and I leave tomorrow. We hop on a plane, and the next morning we wake up in London. Almost as good as the naps in Kindergarten where they woke you up with goldfish and chocolate milk, but it'll do. ;)

Hopefully we're ready. Physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, physiologically. I mean, we're healthy, we have everything we think we need in our backpacks from our packing list, and we have contingency plans. (Because let's face it, Dad taught us all about Star Trek as we were growing up. So we're "secondary backup" kind of people.) Personally, I'm feeling a little bit bulletproof these days. On the way home from Houston, I totaled my car. And by totaled, I mean I did quite a few flips in my car, not very different from what you see in car wrecks with stunt people in the movies. (I'm happy to know there's a potential for a career as a stunt-woman in my future. After all, it's good to have options.)

 "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion..." - Philippians 1:6

But fear not reader. I'm not updating this blog from the afterlife. I'm perfectly fine, and I'd say I'm better than fine. After finally landing, (upside-down I might add), I simply unbuckled (not even shameless plug for wearing seatbelts), and crawled out, and simply proceeded to take care of business: call Dad, get him informed of my location and on the way, and start cleaning up the stuff that came out of my car during the somersaults. I was able to see the beautiful sunset that I suddenly realized I was never promised. I was able to tell my dad, the rest of my family I called later, and many friends I love them. I went home that night to hug each one of my three incredible brothers, and have since had moments and days and hours and breaths that are nothing short of extraordinary opportunities to love the world and its people around me. I have the opportunity to tell each and every one of you how much I love you, and how incredible I think you are. Even though we've never met, the fact that we share humanity together and  life on this planet, that makes us brothers and sisters, and I truly think you are, in yourself, a miracle.

I'm even more convinced this pilgrimage is weighted with blessings, lessons, adventures, experiences, and meaning. To be given back my life, I have to say I'm no longer afraid. Of death, or of life, really. Because so often we run around life motivated by fear. We're afraid of our pasts, we're afraid of what the future might hold, we're afraid of looking like idiots if we say what's on our minds or what's really on our hearts. For what purpose? For the sense of regret we get when we wish we'd taken advantage of the opportunity to tell someone how we feel? For the sense of disappointment at having failed to seize an opportunity to have an adventure or do something extraordinary, simply because we were too tied down to believing the world wouldn't spin if we didn't hold things all together?

This life isn't meant to be lived in a dream. As much as I love NCIS, Heroes, Friends (for those of us that are old school), Burn Notice, etc, our lives are meant to be lived in incredible, extraordinary ways, not spent idly watching other people live their great adventures. You and I were not meant for a sense of regret, or to live within a sense of fear of what might be. You and I only have right now, and we were created to live full and abundant lives.

"For we have not been given a spirit of fear, but of strength and love..." - 2 Timothy 1:7

"I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." - John 10:10

So despite the fact that I'm slightly bruised, and now without a car, a job, and some of my belongings that I think were left on the side of the highway, there's no turning back now, nor am I afraid of what might befall us in the days ahead. Because I have a sneaking suspicion that everything we need will be taken care of...

"The Lord will supply all your needs..." -Philippians 4:19

I won't be taking my cell phone, or my computer. If you want to keep in touch, email me at gershom.eliezer@gmail.com. It would be a pleasure to hear from you!



"We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open." - Jawaharal Nehru