As I sit here in the Air France terminal, waiting for my flight to Amman Jordan, I think about everything going on in the middle east right now. While it’s more than likely I will be safe in Jordan, it’s close enough to Israel to be a concern. Yet, I go for a different reason than politics or business, I go to create. I am creation, I make things that satisfy me. I make photographs and I make friends. I make a mess sometimes too, but that’s not deliberate…. or is it?
I was thinking about the irony of taking this trip at this time. My life has stress, who’s doesn’t? It’s filled with aspirations and frustrations, it all seems so real when it’s in your face and yet just 24 hours away, sitting here, it’s almost odd how I can separate myself from it all. Not that I want to escape but I want perspective. This is what having these moments, these days away does for me, it gives me… perspective.
I was exchanging emails with Tony Robbins and he told me his combined charities feed 2 million people a year. Now that’s a perspective I had to wrap my head around. TWO MILLION PEOPLE. My family and I maintain a small charitable organization that feeds about 25 people. It’s a start: http://prosperitythroughprogress.tumblr.com/ It was started by my nephew Jesse and he lives in Vietnam. He visited these people and fell in love. It’s a love that will give him great satisfaction all his life. I hope this plays a big role in his future.
This trip is more than photography, it’s about helping the people of Jordan as well and I will share more about that later in the trip as we make our way through the villages where we will be assisting as volunteers. It feels good to help, particularly on or around Thanksgiving. Maybe that will help me feel a little better about being away from my family.
This will likely be the only post I make on this trip that doesn’t include some photos. It’s just me sitting with a blank screen.
More to come…..
