Up the Mountain

And sometimes, you climb a mountain that is tough. But it grounds your perspective during the entire trial. Sure, us monkeys are smart enough to design, build and pilot a helicopter (though not me) to take you up there. We’re very clever. But can you walk up? Are we physically capable of ascending the mountain?

The Earth challenges you with this simplicity. To walk, or to turn around. The plants and animals up there exist, can you? It’s a zero sum experience.

The beauty is there, it’s here, it’s all around us. We just need to wake up, climb up, and we’ll see it. 

Stepping Out into Nature

You’re surrounded by karst red topography in Sedona, and on many of the hikes, it’s a 360 degree view. It can be enough to inspire, to reset, to revive. Sedona is one of thousands of places on this planet that represents its incredible diversity and uniqueness. Earth’s nature is all around us, beckoning… we just have to step out. 

Return to Earth

Sometimes a trip can be used for a reset, and that’s exactly the journey I intend to embark on today. What better place to do it than among the red rock in Sedona? The Earth is our home, our anchor within the rest of the matter soup in the universe. We must return to it as a species. I look forward to grounding myself this week, returning to the rock and soil from which I came. Sedona here I come. 

Photo Browsing

There’s something simply joyous about looking through old photos with your family. We don’t realize it, but it’s amazing how much we’ve grown and aged over the years. What a wonderful existence this is, and how grateful we can be for our tribe. We are all mortal; it’s up to us to make it count. 

Starting Point Duality

I had a conversation with a coworker recently regarding the difficult and delicate balance of staying informed versus simply consuming content and not straying your focus from your own empowerment. In today’s digital world it’s all too difficult, and I’ve yet to determine a solution. 

But I’ve learned that when life happens, the news is one of the first things to go, all concern with it immediately gone. 

It seems there’s a duality to our perception and our course of action. When we embrace a big picture paradigm, on the largest scale of space and time, the universe, and work backwards to our single being at this very moment, we can more easily appreciate the incredibility of reality. But when we want to take action to improve our environment, if we start from the smallest possible circle of control, ourselves, and work outward to increasingly larger circles of influence, our impact on that reality is that much greater. 

It sure is one big beautiful amazing world. 

Commute Sensations

The crisp cool air whips across my face. I feel the steady irregular bump of the uneven gravel beneath my board’s wheels. Here and there you can catch an early morning bird darting from one tree to another. This is my morning commute. And in the grand scheme of the universe, it’s a pretty amazing experience. I try to set that context as often as I can, although it is difficult. For when you consider our position within it all, and how we’re all connected to everything, and everything to us, it is remarkable. 

Mortal Dance

Remember that we are mortal. Our deeds may echo beyond us into the future, if we behave with conviction. Inspiration can ripple beyond the grave, and the lingering effects of strong action certainly do. I find it a delicate balance to find satisfaction from contribution, but to also simply enjoy. It’s one of life’s main dances. Can we master it peacefully? Can we collectively master it together?

Ancestral Honor

Memories are an important part of our existence. To honor the past is to understand where we come from. Progress is imperative to our species’ survival, but to recognize it requires a grounding in what has already come. We stand on the shoulders of giants yes, but also on the work and sacrifice of our ancestors. 

Starting with Tribe

Spending time with family has become my favorite thing to do, and I think I’ve officially become an old person. Being together with one’s tribe is a part of our biology. Let’s build a better world starting from there. 

A Special Lady

My name is Trevor, and I’m one of Granny’s six grandchildren. We all know ‘Doris’ was special. I called her Granny, and I'd like to share why she was such a wonderful grandmother.

My Granny was fun, supportive, and caring, and she lived a full, joyous, and adventurous life.

My Granny has been fun since my earliest memories. When I was very young, I loved to ring the doorbell at her house. She would make a big fuss about coming to answer it - “who's at my door? who's at my door?” I always got a kick out of that, and I always looked forward to going to Granny's house. Have you ever heard of a 4 year old being excited to visit their grandparents?

I remember her using my toes to take the pigs to the market. And when 'this little piggy went all the wee way home," she would tickle me past tears, and we would laugh and laugh together.

I especially loved it when she would read me a bedtime story. She was so animated with her voice and expressions that I always followed along with rapt attention, and didn't want to sleep afterward.

The house I grew up in had a pool, and all her grandchildren always wanted her to join in the swimming. Once in a blue moon she would come in with us, and that was always a treat. “Granny's in the pool!“

Over the years, we had lots of fun together. We watched plays and movies, drank beer at dive bars, invented new words while playing CatchPhrase, and enjoyed beer breaks in the parking lot while wine tasting.

My Granny was fun!

She was also supportive. Granny was a teacher for 30 years and contributed to many noble causes, which others can better speak to. For us grandchildren, she was a positive and loving force.

She attended almost all of my sports games growing up. Granny didn't particularly like soccer or football or basketball or baseball, but there she was in the stands, cheering me on. Even when, according to her, "those other boys are much too rough and push you around too much." I felt so special to have my Granny watching.

Granny created special birthday cards for all her grandchildren. She also wrote me letters for some of the most seminal moments of my life - birthdays, graduations, leaving to live abroad and embark on world trips, and my wedding. These letters guided me while I transitioned to new phases in my life. And yes, I cried while reading every single one. I believe Granny's power with words was the cause of my love for writing.

Yes, my Granny was supportive.

And of course, my Granny was incredibly caring.

Everyone here is certainly aware of Granny's prowess in the kitchen. I remember always telling friends, "My Granny is an amazing cook. She makes this and that and it's so good." They would reply that their grandma was a great cook too, and in my head I would always think, "you have no idea. My Granny is a way better cook." Sometimes I would even say it out loud.

My wife can attest to this, as crab cakes are now ruined for her--she can't order them anywhere because they're never as good as Granny's.

My mom's birthday dinners were especially extravagant - two huge platters of paella, all made from scratch! The dish with the yellow rice, as my mom calls it, epitomized Granny's fantastic cooking skills.

I have so many fond memories of our family sitting around the table enjoying a wonderful meal. Granny brought that to us. She was an amazing cook because she cared for others, and loved her family.

Yes, my Granny was caring.

She also lived a full and joyous life.

Granny had many deep, long friendships, and many of those friends are here today to honor her. Whenever I would see her, she would rattle off the 15 things she had done recently with various people: going shopping with so and so, having lunch with this person, attending an event with this group of people. And that was often just in one day!

Granny's friends were always very nice to me. I think that says something about who she chose as friends, and the type of person she was.

Granny was a prolific shopper. There's a pillow in her house that reads 'if the shoe fits, buy one in every color.' We used to joke that she had her own parking spot at Macy's, and that business suffered when she'd go on a long trip. I remember all the times she would take me shopping for my birthday, buying me clothes and shoes. I also remember Grandpa's reaction when we got home; he was never pleased with the bill.

Music was an important part of Granny's life. She taught me songs on her piano, but I was never as good as her. Whenever I would play something at her house, she would always tell me, "that was nice, now try to play it softer and slower." She sang in the church here, as well as with the Fun Time Singers group. And who can forget the dancing recitals in downtown San Jose? If you haven't seen pictures of those costumes, make it your mission at the house today. As a kid I loved to yell out with my Mom,  "Go Granny!" when her group came on.

Yes, my Granny lived a full and joyous life.

She was also adventurous.

Granny was a world traveler and visited five continents. I will forever treasure the trip to Africa with her and my parents. We rode in a helicopter over Victoria Falls, enjoyed 'sundowners' in the company of 1000 cape buffalo, and traipsed around drunk gorillas in the rainforest!

Granny didn't save adventure just for travel though. Try a new stretch on the grass? Play some corn hole? Have a go on the PlayStation? Why not? My Granny would try it!

Yes, my Granny lived an adventurous life.

There's a sticker on a garage cabinet in her house that reads "It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice." I think my Granny embodied that, every single day. She emanated so much love everywhere she went.

My whole life, we shared this running gag. She would always ask me, “have I ever told you…how much I love you?” I would respond, “yes Granny, you’ve told me, I know, you love me.” Over the years, we would simply say, “have I ever told you?”

Granny, you have left an inspirational legacy and impacted all of us. Have I ever told you?

Starting Points

That calm before the storm can be pretty rough. Something that’s come across recently to me is blood is blood. I’ve seen it in movies and TV growing up but it hasn’t occurred to me in full force until now. Family is forever. It’s best if we don’t wait to realize it. It’s important, to acknowledge our starting points. 

Along the Way

It can be difficult to parse our way through the universe, don’t you think? We encounter ever changing circumstances during this experience. We must make decisions on a minute by minute basis. Can we not be kind and considerate along the way?

Waves of Presence

Waves of presence roll over us intermittently—at least that’s how it seems. We have these little moments every day to feel alive: riding a longboard through a tunnel, the cool air brushing across your face.. bonding with your dog on a spring afternoon on fresh green grass. I’m reminded in these little moments that I’m alive. We have this one life afforded to us; what will we do with it?

Thinking Space

I’ve accumulated a lot of thinking space regularly: with family events I haven’t had the bandwidth to listen to my news podcast (I’m completely out of the loop on Ukraine or inflation), my news app has discontinued its service, and I haven’t been reading or watching a lot of tv. Most of my consumption has been listening to music.

It feels nice. I’ve long struggled with the balance of staying informed versus focusing on being the best human I can be. Over the past two weeks, I’ve successfully centered my attention on myself and my tribe—and this is crucial to being able to contribute to the world.

We each can offer something unique to society, and it requires thinking space to develop it. Thinking space can sometimes be painful, or feel foreign. But the dividends are worth putting everything down and honing in on our humanity and the well being of our tribe. 

Unifying Paradigm

Our species has come so far over the last few hundred years. Despite how wretched the world may look in today’s news landscape, it’s much better than it was in the 1700’s, or 1000 AD, or 5000 BC. 

That doesn’t mean we don’t have significant challenges before us, or that there is much to improve. Any middle class person living in the first world can point them out to you. 

But to acknowledge both truths is to see balance, and provides the most level perspective. Can we unite around this paradigm, and collectively push for greater?

Breaking Bread

I often think about how important family dinners are, and how lucky I am to enjoy them fairly regularly. A family dinner can be between as few as two people. It occurs when members of one tribe sit down for a meal without distraction, and enjoy each other’s company over food. It’s so simple: we use it for first dates, us fortunate ones eat every single day, and yet it’s one of the most powerful acts people can perform together, something our ancestors have been doing for thousands of years. To break bread with your tribe; it’s one of the fundamental elements of being human. 

Seeing the World

And then, when you settle enough, you regain that appreciation for Earth’s beauty. Driving to the Sacramento area today, I was able to see through the smog and admire the scenery unfurling in front of me. While I may be fortunate to reside in California, most of the planet is incredibly beautiful. We just have to stop and see it. 

Path of Agency

Coming to terms with a major live event is important. We experience such things only a finite number of times during our lives, so we don’t necessarily get much practice. Which means it’s sort of a clutch thing: you decide, you choose how you will move forward. We can face these moments with family, but in a certain way, we face them alone. Each of us has agency, and we can all decide our other forward. What will it be?

Pursuing Balance

Days pass one way another, whether you’re upset or sad or recovering or happy. It’s good to spend these days with family while you’re figuring it all out.

Speaking of, you have to hand it to us clever monkeys: we have figured a lot of things out. What’s struck me recently is this balance—we rest on the shoulders of giants, and we too often take that for granted, but we also have so much more to determine and discover, and know so incredibly little. 

It’s living in this balance that can be so difficult as we navigate through life. While we keep loved ones close, we can pursue that beautiful balance. 

Photos of People

It’s fascinating to see a lifetime of memories in pictures. We’ve greatly changed the circumstances of photography over the years. We used to only have the ability to take them for special occasions, and candid photos were rare. Now we snap away with our phones, even through our watches or on sky faring drones.

I’ve always had a connection to photography, because it sparks emotion. I’ve mostly practiced landscape, street, and wildlife photography, because that’s the kind of traveling I do. But looking through family photos today, I realized the incredible importance of capturing moments with those you love.