Larry’s Meaning of Life Travel Experience

December 13, 2014 | Updated: January 22, 2015 | By Elizabeth | Reply More

Meaning of life travel experience: floating over the sandstone cliffs in La Jolla, California.

My friend Larry Kessler contributed this guest post.

The meaning of life. No small task. Thank God for Google ’cause we’re running out of real estate to house the volumes of texts that cover this subject. But hey, since I just had a life changing, meaning of life travel experience, I’d like to offer my metaphoric two cents and invite you on my journey.

So what is life all about? And what is its meaning? Maybe the reason we’re here – is to connect with our true selves, to figure out who we really are – and what better way than to test our limits. So, today I traveled down the coast to La Jolla to go hang gliding. Of course, hang gliding! What could be more natural than to go hang gliding for a guy who basically lived his first 6 decades with a metaphorical safety net under him and dared not venture outside the lines? Well, why not hang gliding? Fear? Concern? As my NYC brothas would say “Fugetaboutit.” Not today baby…watch out wind ’cause I’m throwing ya to caution.

Meaning of life travel experience..not just a new place, but crossing psychological borders.

Now mind you, I’m not a fearful guy. I am yoga. I am meditation. I’m centered. I’m one with the Universe. I’m good. I’ve got this covered. And after all, I’ll be flying tandem with an instructor who no doubt knows his way around thermals and wind stuff. I’m just along for the ride. But for the heck of it I wander over to Google and start tapping “Hang gliding safety record” and find a lot of this: “Hang gliding is actually one of the most dangerous in-air sports possible.” (This was confirmed by the 12 pages of my signatures on the release forms). Next I make the profound (I was gonna say “fatal” but scratched that) mistake of posting my skyward travel plans on Facebook. Mind you, good friends of mine are now advising me to rethink my will and request I make a list of things they will each want once I’m gone.

My meaning of life travel experience

Intro to my pilot Entreau O’Connor (cool name, gotta be a good pilot, right?) All gear strapped on including emergency parachute and GoPro camera fixed atop my helmet. Feeling very Bond, James Bond. After final instructions, we are set for lift off. (#Neal Armstrong)

In tandem, we walk slowly on a plateau of soft green grass, gather momentum, then, where grass meets rock we run to the cliff’s edge…and…we’re off. Floating. Just floating with movement. I look down. Whoa. Awesome. My eyes trace the cliffs of Torrey Pines. Wow. I’m in my own IMAX movie. The stillness of flight. Everything slows down. The stillness of time. That oneness with the universe I can now have with my eyes open.

Looking down below, my eye captures afternoon shadows on razor sharp yellow sandstone cliffs slicing into the icy blue Pacific. Then I feel the pulse of the world as my gaze takes me to the shore where gentle sets of soapy waves dissolve into earth’s parental hug of shoreline sand, only to have the earth send those waves back out again to fend for themselves…as a good parent must do.

I am free. I have no limits. I can fly. I give thanks. A silent prayer. A perfect moment.

The meaning of life is what we ascribe it to be. Want to live in fear…you will cower in corners. Want to live in the light..you will be your own beacon to guide you on your life’s journey. I choose light. I set out to have an experience. To travel to a destination, yes. And that I did. But I assure you my metaphorical passport was stamped not with a place, but with a life lesson. And that dear friends, most assuredly has meaning.

Meaning of life travel experience: “Fear? Not today baby!”

If you missed it, you may also want to read Larry’s earlier post First Time in Europe – Journey to Connection about his “six glorious and graceful weeks traveling through Europe.” He took the time to connect with people, got invited to dinners in the homes of strangers and to the wedding of a “new friend.” Based on this experience, he’s planning a new blog “Tell Me Your Story,” where he will travel the world in search of inspiring people and places, and create a virtual home for real people, where everyone can share and respond each other’s stories.

Elizabeth