Espe-whattt?

Throughout human history there have always been barriers that separate people from one another. These barriers include language, religion, race, and they are still as strong as ever whether we like it or not. The language barrier, however, is without a doubt the strongest. If we can not communicate with one another we can’t prevent disputes and come to resolutions. Esperanto is an interesting solution to this problem. If you haven’t heard about Esperanto: it’s an artificial language. It was created by L.L Zamenhof in 1887, making it young relative to other languages. Esperanto’s meant to be a unifier of peoples and eventually a universal language. People all over the globe have decided to learn this language to be able to connect with others half a world away.

To me the idea that people of different nationalities could communicate with one another in a common language means more than an interesting chat. It means that they would be less ignorant of one another’s cultures and willing to accept their differences. It means that they would no longer be complete strangers, and would have something in common instead. Esperanto is certainly not the solution to all of the world’s problems, but it is a way that we can understand each other through communication.

“How good and pleasant it is

when brothers live together in unity!”

The Good and Simple Life

Because the attainment of money, power, and fame has become the accepted determiner of success, many people have forgotten that a simple life can be just as satisfying. Here’s a story that is based on that theme:

A boat docked in a tiny Mexican village. An American tourist complimented the Mexican fisherman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took him to catch them.

“Not very long,” answered the Mexican.

“But then, why didn’t you stay out longer and catch more?” asked the American.

The Mexican explained that his small catch was sufficient to meet his needs and those of his family.

The American asked, “But what do you do with the rest of your time?”

“I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, and take a siesta with my wife. In the evenings, I go into the village to see my friends, have a few drinks, play the guitar, and sing a few songs. I have a full life.”

The American interrupted, “I have an MBA from Harvard and I can help you! You should start by fishing longer every day. You can then sell the extra fish you catch. With the extra revenue, you can buy a bigger boat.”

“And after that?” asked the Mexican.

“With the extra money the larger boat will bring, you can buy a second one and a third one and so on until you have an entire fleet of trawlers. Instead of selling your fish to a middle man, you can then negotiate directly with the processing plants and maybe even open your own plant. You can then leave this little village and move to Mexico City, Los Angeles, or even New York City! From there you can direct your huge new enterprise.”

“How long would that take?” asked the Mexican.

“Twenty, perhaps twenty-five years,” replied the American.

“And after that?”

“Afterwards? Well my friend, that’s when it gets really interesting,” answered the American, laughing. “When your business gets really big, you can start buying and selling stocks and make millions!”

“Millions? Really? And after that?” asked the Mexican.

“After that you’ll be able to retire, live in a tiny village near the coast, sleep late, play with your children, catch a few fish, take a siesta with your wife and spend your evenings drinking and enjoying your friends.”

And the moral of this story is: ……… Know where you’re going in life… you may already be there.

Four Years. Go. – An Inspiration From SuperForest and the World

SuperForester Jon and Jesse have put up videos of the new and grand movement: Four Years. Go.  It is going to blaze across our world! I know it!  Here are their posts!  First Jesse, he reposted the first commercial Four Years. Go. has produced, it is featured in Jon’s post too, but it is worth to see it twice.

Wow… I just watched the video Jon recently posted and my heart and mind and body are ablaze with the excitement of the concept of people everywhere around the world becoming even more motivated to create a beautiful future on this planet.

Here is a short video from the organization called Four Years Go that they showed in that Vimeo Clip which you can share, and check out the website as well: www.fouryearsgo.org

We can do anything we collectively decide to do…

Let’s wish us luck…
jrc

THEN! Jon’s post! He started this fire on SuperForest, and now it is here:

This video BLEW ME AWAY. So inspiring!

WE ARE THE RENAISSANCE!

PLEASE SHARE THIS!!! This is incredible, and definitely check out their website like SuperForester Jesse suggested.  This is our time, nothing is impossible.  Watch Will Smith talk as well and you will see what I am saying:

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE TO YOU ALL,

Mathew

That Little Blue Marble That Means So Much & The Star that Shines on Us!

HAPPY EARTH DAY EVERYONE!

Never Forget…

The outdoors is a truly grounding place. I can trace several of my most cherished memories back to a few backpacking trips over the summers, memories I will never forget as long as I live, and memories that have shaped me into the person I am today. I distinctly remember the feeling of a fresh breeze in my face while gazing over the precipice of a mountain and staring into the landscape beyond, miles away, yet close enough to touch. I remember majestic sunsets, with oranges and reds and yellows hanging over the outline of distant mountains and reflecting off the textured clouds. I remember the creeks, the trees, the sounds, the smells, the feelings of exhilaration and tranquility. All these memories really put things into perspective. You start to care less about the sanity of your own life, knowing that these natural beauties exist whether or not you die tomorrow. I tell you, being isolated from the confusion and anxiety of society for a few weeks does more than relieve stress; it totally flips our perspective of the world upside-down. Things become visible in whole new lights and we reprioritize our life.

I took this photo myself after summiting a mountain in Idaho. Truly an amazing sight...

I strongly recommend that everybody go out into the middle of nature and have one of these grounding experiences at some point in their life. Whether its with a group of friends or a bunch of strangers, either works remarkably well. On my past adventure’s I’ve sailed, canoed and hiked with people that I had never met before, and each time I’ve come back with remarkable friendships and memories. I now realize it was the challenges that made the experience so remarkable. Not simply the challenges of cooking and hiking and living through terrible circumstances, but also the challenges of making a group of strangers function as a single cohesive family of brothers and sisters. Perhaps it’s this combination of isolation and challenge is what makes the wilderness so exhilarating and unforgettable.

To all you readers out there, don’t be afraid to share about a particularly grounding experience you may have had. I think I speak for everyone when I say that this blog is all about recognizing ways in which we can feel inspired even in our daily lives, something that is very hard to do in the haze of our busy, modern lives. And remember, if you happen to come across such experiences that make you feel truly alive, insightful or simply happy, never let go of those feelings… never forget…

much love,

Max

Revisit of Heather’s Post

Hey all! My last post was about SuperForester Heather’s post about moments of happiness.  Head over to SuperForest and comment! We have a had some great comments and would love to hear yours as well!! Click here!!! Jackson even said his was, “when you fart for a reallllyyy long time, and then doesn’t smell” HAHA, if that doesn’t inspire you to go check it out I don’t know what will.

Much love,

Mathew

Repost: “Heather’s Journal 4/18/2010: Moments of Happiness”

Hey guys! I wanted to repost this because it is great!

Photo via Flickr user Martin Cathrae

Hello SuperForesters! Today I was thinking about some of my favourite happy moments so I thought I’d share! Please share yours as well…

My Moments of Happy:

1. Gazing into the flames of a campfire in a gorgeous natural setting

2. The moment right before you kiss someone for the very first time

3. Realizing you are singing perfect harmony with someone and it sounds really good

4. A spontaneous night out that turns out to be way more fun than you expected

5. Cooking a meal for someone you care about, and they love it

6. A really comfy bearhug

8 Making a new doggie friend ( I heart dogs!)

9 Waking up before anyone else you may be living with and having some quiet moments alone in the morning.

10. The stars in the sky on a completely clear, calm winter night

Alright SuperForesters! Those are mine, what are yours?

So what is it?

Much, much love,

Mathew