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My father doing what he loved, being on the ocean.
My father doing what he loved, being on the ocean.
So the more I do this, the more I question why I am afraid of what people think.
The most common question I get is, “Why are you doing this paddle?” And when I answer, “Because it is something I am called to do,” I get crazy looks, blank stares, and silence on the other end of the phone. Is it such a bad thing for someone to pursue something for the sake of adventure and to know what it might have been like to walk in his father’s shoes? This is the best answer I can give. I posted a video about it last night (3 minutes 23 seconds long). But I wanted to write about it. Writing is therapeutic. A lot of people keep telling me I should be raising money for a charity or organization. Maybe so.
But what if I choose to paddle for other reasons? What if I choose to paddle to know what its like to be in nature for this amount of time? What if I choose to paddle and experience significant amounts of time on the water as my father, a commercial fisherman in Alaska, did? What if I choose to be out there alone to honor my father’s memory? Is this not enough? Is this not a big enough purpose? To some no, but to me yes. I choose to paddle for change. I choose to paddle to change myself, to change my world. I choose to paddle to learn what its like to do something that many say isn’t possible.
Chances are you already have a favorite charity you choose to support. Who am I to ask you to support one more charity? You are probably approached, emailed, or asked for to support a new charity, church, or organization at least once a week. I don’t want to be that guy. I want to be the guy who pursues what his heart is telling him. And perhaps my story will rekindle something in you… some dream, hope, or aspiration that you’ve forgotten about amidst the busyness of your life. I want to be the guy who delivers on his promise so that one day I can look my kids in the eyes and say, “Don’t let anyone steal your dream. You can do it. I believe in you.”
Related Posts:
- The End of Striving
- Public Failure and Picking up The Pieces
- I’m Paddling to New York from Miami. Is this the End or the Beginning?
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Sounds like you have a very good reason for doing this paddle. Be proud of it!!
I say Go Josh! Put your hand to the plow (or paddle) and don’t look back:)
Josh,
my 3 kids lost their father at the age you lost yours. I would be very proud of them, if, someday, they would do something meaningful in the memory of their father. This would tell me that their father is still very much alive in them. And that alone, would be a great victory…
Go for it,
Maryse
Thank you Maryse for sharing. I am constantly reminded of what wonderful qualities my father passed on to me: a love of the ocean, a spirit of adventure, and the willingness to live from the heart. Your husband passed on wonderful character traits that you probably see evidenced in your children today. I’m curious, what are these character traits?