DEFYING THE ODDS - THE NON DUNG BEETLE LIFE
Once upon a time there was a tiny planet on the edge of the milky way galaxy.
Against all odds, planet earth won the lottery of life in an otherwise dead universe.
Against all odds, we are here.
In a strange twist of galactic fate, we have been put on planet earth to defy the odds.
From the day of our birth, we have been defying the odds.
We were not placed here to live forever. Even if we could, we would get very old, very wrinkled and very miserable. I am willing to bet half my kingdom that living a thousand years would be a punishment and not a reward.
In a global sense, we are here to do one thing. We are here to defy the odds.
Some people believe they are here to collect stuff - lots of stuff - big piles of stuff. They work like trojans to get more stuff and this strange thing called money. They even do bad things to other people so they can get a bigger pile.
If the purpose of life was to make piles of stuff, I am not sure it would be worth living. A dung beetle life doesn’t work for me. Rolling poo into balls and pushing it around year after year is not the way I want to live.
We are meant to travel light on our trip through time, and we are meant to defy the odds.
The easiest thing to find on planet earth is people who tell you everything you cannot do. Their favorite words are, “Nope, no way, impossible, it can’t be done, and don’t even try.”
It hard to find people who say, “Go for it, make it happen, anything is possible, you are here to defy the odds.”
When children are young, we ask them the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
What we are really saying is, “What are you going to do to fit in?”
What we should be saying is, “You are here to defy the odds. Don’t worry about fitting in. Go out and make a difference in the world.”
The essence of life is defying the odds.
My life is far from a death defying performance, but I have an excellent life that defied the odds.
What are the odds I would be born on planet earth?
What are the odds I would be born in a nation with a bill of rights?
What are the odds I would be born in a family that was loving and nurturing?
What are the odds I would be given a good mind and the power to think?
What are the odds I would receive a good education?
What are the odds I would get into medical school?
What are the odds I would survive malaria in Africa?
What are the odds I would do an internship in the Panama Canal Zone?
What are the odds I would become an ophthalmologist?
What are the odds I would become a retina surgeon?
What are the odds I would drive Land Rover Defenders across Arabian Sands and around the world?
What are the odds I would survive a serious car accident in New Zealand?
What are the odds I would sail around Planet Ocean on my own boat?
What are the odds I would that I would be a Flying Doctor in the Indian Health Service?
What are the odds I would start a second sailing voyage around the world at age 70?
What are the odds I would be in Covid 19 quarantine for 40 days in the Galapagos Islands?
What are the odds I would sail for 21 days and nights from Galapagos to the Sea of Cortez?
What are the odds I would be cruising the Sea of Cortez with my family during a pandemic?
What are the odds I would write twelve books?
What are the odds I would create the Positive Thinking Network?
What are the odds I would have hundreds of positive websites?
What are the odds I would send out positive newsletters?
What are the odds I would have adventures for 32 years outside my country of birth?
If the bookmakers in Vegas made bets on my life, they would have lost all their cash.
If I had placed bets on my life, I wouldn’t have done much better.
The point of this homily is that even the smartest person who ever lived could never have predicted the trajectory of my life or yours.
Although you are master of your fate and captain of your soul, your ability to see into the future is less than dim. It’s a black void.
But that’s ok, because wherever you are, and no matter what happens, your job is to defy the odds.
You beat the odds in the past, and you can do it again.
Those who defy the odds are the heroes of life.
The smartest thing you could ever do is give up your small ambitions to become rich and famous, and instead, live a life that defies the odds.
You will be glad you did.
That’s all I have to say about that
Captain Dave
Awesome music video that captures the essence of what it's like to sail offshore in a catamaran around the world when conditions are less than perfect. David Abbott from Too Many Drummers sings the vocals, and he also edited the footage from our Red Sea adventures. This is the theme song from the Red Sea Chronicles.
Sailing up the Red Sea is not for the faint of heart. From the Bab al Mandeb to the Suez Canal, adventures and adversity are in abundance. If you take things too seriously, you just might get the Red Sea Blues.
If you like drum beats, and you like adventure, then have a listen to the Red Sea Chronicles Trailer.
Flying fish assault Exit Only in the middle of the night as we sail through the Arabian Gulf from the Maldives to Oman. And so begins our Red Sea adventures.
Sailing through Pirate Alley between Yemen and Somalia involves calculated risk. It may not be Russian Roulette, but it is a bit of a worry. Follow Team Maxing Out as they navigate through Pirate Alley.
Stopping in Yemen was just what the doctor ordered. We refueled, repaired our alternator, and we made friends with our gracious Yemeni hosts. We also went to Baskins Robbins as a reward for surviving Pirate Alley.
After you survive Pirate Alley, you must sail through the Gate of Sorrows (Bab Al Mandab) at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The Gate of Sorrows lived up to its name with fifty knots of wind and a sandstorm that pummeled Exit Only for two days. Life is good.
Captain Dave and his family spent eleven years sailing around the world on their Privilege 39 catamaran, Exit Only. During the trip, the crew shot 200 hours of video with professional cameras to show people what it's like to sail on a small boat around the world.
The Red Sea Chronicles is a one hour and twenty-two minute feature film showing their adventures as Exit Only sails through Pirate Alley in the Gulf of Aden and up the Red Sea. The professional footage documents their experiences in Oman, Yemen, Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, and the Suez Canal. It chronicles the rigors of traveling in a remote section of the world rarely visited by cruisers. Exit Only dodges Yemeni pirates, fights a gale and sand storms in the Bab al Mandeb at the southern entrance to the Red Sea. The crew explores deserted islands on the western shores of the Red Sea, and learns to check the cruising guides for land mines before venturing ashore.
The Red Sea Chronicles also has outstanding Special Features including an Instructional Video on Storm Management that tells sailors how to deal with storms at sea.
And don't forget the two Music Videos: "The Red Sea Blues", and "Captain - Save Our Souls".
The Red Sea Chronicles is a first class adventure that stokes the sailing dreams of both experienced and wannabe sailors alike.
Join Team Maxingout as they sail through Pirate Alley and up the Red Sea
See what it's like to cruise on a catamaran before you spend a bazillion dollars purchasing one
After watching the Red Sea Chronicles you will be able to see yourself sailing on the ocean of your dreams
Although I like the feel of a paper book in my hand, I love trees even more. When people purchase an eBook, they actually save trees and save money as well. Ebooks are less expensive and have no negative impact on the environment. All of Dr. Dave's books are available at Save A Tree Bookstore. Visit the bookstore today and start putting good things into your mind. It's easy to fill your mind with positive things using eBooks. No matter where you are or what you are doing, you can pull out your smart phone or tablet and start reading. You can even use electronic highlighters and make annotations in your eBooks just like paper books.
