"The Battle of the Sidewalk Square Puddle"

I took my dog Cohen for a walk yesterday and we got in a fight. We encountered a puddle which Cohen refused to wade. So we stood there, staring at each other across the vast ‘sidewalk square puddle’, both refusing to move. I tugged gently on his leash; he just looked at me and sat down. Things looked bright when Cohen boldly walked to the edge of the puddle and stuck his paw in the dark waters...only to find the crossing to risky and resume his 'sit-in' protest. After a tense minute of battle between man and man’s best friend…we compromised and walked down the alley to the right!

That story has no bearing on my life or this blog; I just have no idea how to start one of these other than with the first of what will most likely be often told Cohen stories! But I will get straight to the point and say this blog has more of a purpose than sharing random stories, thoughts, ideas, rants from the serving world, and other general ramblings (of course these will often appear); it will be my documentation for the next year of my life.

A couple months ago, while in the middle of my 74,329^th job search I started to wonder why I wait to do so much until I have a better job. And with my 30^th birthday approaching I began thinking about how much…impact I have on those around me. Was I really living my life in a way that made a difference to others? Was there more I could give to my family, friends, and community? I thought about this for a few days and started to formulate an idea: what if I started doing all the things I’ve always said I would do? Not like the big things that take a lot of time and money. But the small things I think about doing all the time but never do. For a while now I’ve told myself I would do more once I had a better job, more money, and more security. Instead, how much more would my life mean to me if I started…‘living for more’ than what’s next, for more than myself, for more than the status quo. And so I came up with a simple…and hopefully fun idea.

I told Amy what I was thinking and she told me to go for it! The simple slogan of ‘living for more’ became my all- consuming thought for the next few weeks. Finally, sometime in October I sat down and made a list, of all the things I always think about doing or want to do but just never do.  I thought about ways to make a difference, activities I want to do every year, and a few items I thought by 30 I might have accomplished.  After intensive feedback from Amy I narrowed down my list….to 30 things.

And so I start this blog with a purpose…to document the 30^th year of my life and my attempt to ‘live for more’ than myself or a job or a routine. The list, my 30 things I will do this year, is not a secret and I will share it with you. And I can promise that this is serious and these things will happen, some in big ways, some in small ways, some involving you, some involving strangers. Tomorrow, on my 30^th birthday, I will post my 30@30 list. But today I am still a twenty-something  and I’m living out my 29^th year!

Esse Quam Videri