my hero journey

Tonight i was reminded why we are lucky, lucky to be on this fantastical journey called life. I was reminded of that by a documentary film called Finding Joe. It's slowly rolling out along the west coast, so be patient east coasters, but it's definitely a MUST SEE for all. And what was most profound for me in watching it was how reminiscent it was of the weekend I recently had in Santa Barbara, the "Life Launch" seminar i participated in. Much of the same theories and practices I experienced on that journey were spoken of in this movie. Things like being the hero of your own journey. And finding bliss (not happiness, not ecstasy, bliss.). And how along our hero journey there are 3 critical stages: departure, initiation and return.

And so this reminded me of my own hero journey. How in january 2009 something came over me and compelled me to make my own departure, from my life in Philadelphia at the time. My life where I was surrounded by friends and family, and my mom. And I came to LA to "initiate" a new journey but i wasn't quite clear on what that was yet. And then as we all know, after a few months, my world came crumbling down in the form of cancer steeling my mom from me in the most dramatic and traumatic way. And that caused me to go on a different journey, one that was a long dark road called grief. But at some point in the 15 months that followed entering that path there was light. And I still couldn't quite see what it was pointing me toward but I know it was pointing toward the true Initiation i came here the 18 months prior to find. And so i picked myself back up, dusted off, and went toward the light.

And now I can truly see that I have Initiated a new journey for myself, one that I've spoken of in my few entries just prior. One that i believe is truly my life calling and one that I will feel that greater sense of purpose that i've longed to discover. That I came out to LA on my own new path to define. And so now I venture toward the Return. I'm looking to return back to who I am, but it won't be the same me. We are never quite the same after going through the cycle. We come back around, we return, as a new form of ourselves, ready to face the world with a fresh perspective. And as the movie tonight said, the best way to return is when you can share your story and inspire others to find their hero journey. And that's precisely what I'm looking to do. Not just share my story, but to help others find that light in themselves, that state of BLISS. Even when life throws things at us that seem impossible to overcome, my hope is to help others depart, initiate and return. That's what i want to be remembered for.