Not Giving Up Yet

It's been months since I have written. I was not really pleased with the direction of my writing, nor with the direction of my life.

I am going to post the books I have written. I don't care if they never are published traditionally, I want them to be available for past explorers and present explorers and future explorers. I want them available for my grandchildren and great grandchildren after I'm gone.

Yesterday I fasted as is my custom on the first Sunday of the month. I fasted and I prayed for help to understand my calling and purpose in life. I'm not so old that I have lost the deep desire to do good and great things with my life. As I sat in church and prayed and asked questions it went something like this.

Q. "What is my calling in this life?"

A. "To be a guide, a wilderness and spiritual guide."

Q.  "What is it I want to do?"

A.  "To explore. To write about my explorations. To spend time in the jungle, in the tropics to be among native peoples. To spend time alone in the jungle, in particular up river on the Mulatos river where I did my first vision quest. To build a bamboo cane house there and plant fruits and nuts and vegetables."

Q.  "Why am I not doing what I want to do?" (Here is where God told me what I didn't expect nor want to hear.)

A.  "Because I don't follow through with anything I start."  (Ouch. So true and so hard to hear and yet wonderful to hear because I can do something about my own behavior.)

I was reminded then about a form of therapy called "Solution Focused Therapy" Also called "Brief Therapy" because it consists of helping the client recall or recognize an instance or time or part of their life when the problem was not the problem, then help them transfer that problem solving skill over to the problem area.

I realized that I always complete the hikes I start, whether I'm alone or leading a group. So I asked the question -"What skill do I use to complete the hikes?"  A.  "I focus on only one thing - the hike and only focus on other things if they are supporting the hike ie, stopping to rest, stay hydrated, eat to stay energized, stay warm or cool, or prevent blisters. 

I focus on the hike and all that is needed to complete it and I don't lose that focus until the hike is complete, even if it takes a week or a month.

So that's the skill I will take into other areas of my life including this blog. I have to "Stop trying to do many good things" - Bruce Lee.

 I'm going to post my book here called "Don Maico" or Don Michael the story of ten years in the amazon jungle.

If you enjoy it - good. If you don't, don't read it.

Have a great life