THE LEGACY WE LEAVE

Here we are, finally…

My first BLOG post on my very own website.

The truth is I’ve been apprehensive to do the work and put in the time to make something like this come to fruition because of fear. Who am I to have a big, fancy website and try to add value to a world full of incredible talent? The fear of spending time on something and giving a piece of yourself away to create it and then share it with everyone, can be crippling. But, therein lies the reward hidden in the risk. I hope to continue to take risks in that they reward me in ways safety cannot..

There are so many things I hope to share on this space over the coming months, but I never questioned what the very first post would be saved for. I knew it would be choosing to share the two Mount Rushmore of men in my life, my grandfathers. While I do plan on sharing very soon what I want this space and website to be, I specifically want to share what these men did and continue to do for me that has led me to be exactly where I am. They imprinted valuable lessons and characteristics on me as both a young boy and now as a man. I hope by sharing a snippet of that impact, it can saturate this space for as long as I contribute.

My grandfathers Tom and F.M. were exactly what a wild, adventurous little boy needed. I don’t care to share their personal lives or accomplishments here because that is beside the point currently and will later come to fruition in the form of a book. But, what I do want to share are values, principles and traits that I realize as I’ve aged, as critical components to this puzzle called life.

PERSISTENCE

Both men showed with their work ethic, skills and life they lived that this alone can get you through the hardest of times. Finding your “why” and attaching the mindset of persistence to it defeats hardships oftentimes. Stubbornness alone can be an incredible trait to have, but also can lead to the opposite of humility.

HUMILITY

The family unit as a whole came first. Sacrifices were regularly for the family which was not just made up of blood relatives but the people they knew were apart of their circle. Ego was constantly checked at the door because hardships forged it out of them. They knew and accepted it was not possible to do everything solo, so they relied on the family. Rising tides lift all ships.

LOVE

It is not weakness to show love and accept love but it’s a strength to understand the many forms of it. While one believed in tough love more than the other, there was never a doubt the reasons for their actions. This is one lesson that I come to learn years later in life. Sometimes when it’s no longer there day in and day out, you learn the most from it. Reflecting back, I’m now able to see all the ways these two men showed love, shared their time and stood up for what they believed in.

RESPECT

This can be hard because we often find giving respect is easier once we feel it’s been earned, but that’s not how I see their lives. Respect was given because it’s what they desired in return. This specifically applies to the next attribute I want to share.

NURTURE

Pouring into everything we do with Persistence, Humility, and Love will allow us to Nurture the life and circle of family and friends we want to be around us. That circle will be a direct reflection of yourself.

NATURE

Both men were consumed by nature and adventure. The ability the wilderness has to wash away troubles, anxieties and fears is uncanny. They guided me time and time again on trips into the sanctuary nature gives us and that is ultimately what molded my spirit and passion for all of it. I cannot specifically remember either of them stopping and saying to me, “what you’re looking for and need is out there,” and pointing towards the wood line. But, I’ve heard them say just that hundreds of times over the years now while out in nature.

I want to conclude with my mindset and purpose for starting this website, and I hope my intent is shown overtime.

Sadly, these days we cannot gather together enough  to share campfires full of laughter, stories and memories. We are constantly torn in hundreds of directions and have more obligations than time allows to travel and create that kind of community. My goal though is to try and recreate just that with this space. I hope to bring together all the wonderful things a campfire can do on this platform and at least fill in the time between the physical moments we can share as a community.

Get Outside and Enjoy The Woods

-Jonathan