From Ashes to Art Shows

Friday the 13th is an unlucky day. Not in a Jason sort of way. More like in a I-didn’t-win-the-1.7-billion-dollar-lottery kind of day. It’s all good though. Luck comes in many forms. Looking back on the events of April 13, I can really see that I’m the luckiest guy in the world. There I was, high above London, riding the London Eye with my son and his friend. We actually made it! And I actually caught him smiling (granted I had to sneak the picture, but it did happen!) How lucky is that? Roman philosopher Seneca once said, “Luck is what...

Usually, my mind is all over the place. Either I’m reflecting on the past, or racing ahead to the future to calculate all the alternate timelines that lie ahead (Ironically, I’m doing that now, aren’t I?) The drawback to this is that I often miss the present moment, until I’m thinking about it later. The evening of April 12 was different. Several times during the art show at the Brick Land Gallery, I reminded myself to pause… to look around… and take it all in. “You made all this happen,” I told myself. The art, the trip, the life I...

You gotta get in it to win it! That’s what I thought about when I picked up a lottery ticket this morning for the $1.7 Billion jackpot (I won’t reveal if I win, but there will be signs). Yet it fits in perfectly with my reflection of six months ago. You gotta get INTO THE WORLD if you want to experience Life. Take a chance. Say yes. Create something to hope for. Instead of all the cab rides, and train rides, and bus tours we took a long, looooong, loooooooong walking tour (did I mention it was long???) from one...

“Ikigai” is the Japanese “Reason for Being”... Your Life’s Purpose. I’ve never felt it as strongly as I did six months ago today. The guys and I went our separate ways, with them heading off to what they loved (A Stars Wars Convention just a walk away from our flat) and me towards what I loved (the art gallery). All the planning and the fundraising, all the moments and the miles, all lead up to that one moment. Handing my suitcase of art to the curators felt so right, almost holy. Even though, yes, it’s all about the show itself,...

We started off on the right foot when we landed in Heathrow on April 9. Instead of going directly to our rental we commissioned a 3-hour Black Cab Tour of London. Our guide Brian was so knowledgeable and friendly that he not only taught us about the city, but he also gave a valuable lesson that I carry with me even today. If you find yourself in unfamiliar territory, here’s what to do: Seek the Expert: Find someone who’s been here before. They’ll show you the most important stuff you need to know now and will save you tons of...