Once upon a time there was a boy who loved to fly around the world using his miles and points. Around the globe he flew, visiting the far corners of the world; meeting new people and surveying new lands.
The boy grew into a man and his eyes were opened to the world around him, to the beauty of nature, the sights and smells of the world’s great cities, and the elegance of the human race. But he noticed something else, something troubling.
Humanity, for all its hints of goodness, was inimitably at war with itself. Not just wars of weaponry and nation states, but deeper wars of ideas and values. Like a cancer imperfectly treated, the pestilence of irreconcilable division ebbed and flowed…but perpetually manifested itself in fierce battles and spilled blood.
The man took this all in, wondering where his place was in all this was. A humanitarian? A missionary? A soldier? A politician? A writer? A peacemaker? Perhaps a little of each. Perhaps none of the above. He married a woman from a different culture and with a different worldview. The challenge of marriage personified the challenge of the surrounding world — putting differences asides to build trust, loyalty, and respect while growing in love and patience. Was this even possible absent divine intervention?
Then one Thanksgiving Day it hit him. He could not change the world. Not alone anyway. But there was one one thing he could do, something so trite on the one hand but absolutely revolutionary on the other: he could love his neighbor as he loved himself.
Just how would that look? Being honest, generous, forgiving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, and faithful to everyone he encountered. He would often fail, but it became a primary goal in life.
The man still ponders his place in this world, but there is one thing he knows — there may be many things he is not, but he is a traveler and that gives him a unique opportunity to put his maxim to practice in venues far beyond the friendly confines of home. Blessed with so much through circumstance of birth, he pauses to reflect upon the blessings he has been the recipient of, many from those who follow a similar maxim.
Perhaps one day you will meet him and he can encourage you or share in your struggles. His goal is to leave every person he crosses paths with knowing that they are loved and respected. Life is often unkind and this goal is insurmountable in all places and at all times, but it is worth pursuing.
Now, he invites you to join him in his journey to put others before himself. One day and one person at a time, humanity can tame the inhumane world it finds itself in.
This post has appeared annually on Thanksgiving Day since 2015.
I love this post.
Really thankful that you are striving to live out these values.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Well said, sir 🙂
The sentiment is endearing but that picture is absolutely vile. A disgusting whitewashing of reality. I know you’re a closet Republican but dear god. I know you’ll attempt to claim ignorance but I know you’re not THAT stupid.
Yes, he puts pictures of colonizers and disease spreaders on Thanksgiving post. Haha
Colonialism was and still is a good thing.
Gives civilization to primitive people.
I see no evidence that the English, the French, the Spanish, the Portuguese or the Belgians were civilized by colonizing the rest of the world. If you can provide evidence that their colonization helped civilize those savage countries it’s up to you to provide it.
It’s an ideal, not a reality. Let’s love one another.
I agree if it was reality those Indian savages would be ravaging through that town killing and mutilating everyone
Wonderful essay. Thank you!
May the Lord bless the Explorers.
A thoughtful post but you my want to rethink the imagery that glorifies the white colonists…. and presents them as benevolent. thank you for all that you offer to the travel community.
Nice play on The Giving Tree. The book I always loved reading to my daughter when she was young. Lovely, Matthew.
Petula Clark sang something sharing your sentiment :”In the morning of my life I shall look to the sunrise.
At a moment in my life when the world is new.
And the blessing I shall ask is that God will grant me,
To be brave and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.”
Yes. Beautiful song, from her 1969 movie GOODBYE MR CHIPS
Im waiting for Andy K to post a comment here bashing gay people
I will do it for Andy K. Gay men are frequently so gay. They laugh, they know the latest in men’s and women’s fashion. They are the social 1%ers and must be punished! Tax them more. Free People Magazine, GQ, and expensive clothes For All Paid for by the LGBTQIA!
60% of pedophiles are lgbt.
86% of statistics are made up.
This is a nice essay but I strongly disagree with it.
It seems to describe Matthew. He has changed my world. When I’m short of time, say on a busy morning, only email, home page of a news website, and Live and Let’s Fly is checked. The latter is like a bowl of cereal that gets me through the day.
Similarly, I could point to a few others. For example, my doctor of one specialty (not psychiatrist for those curious) is also important to me…ok, I will disclose…ophthalmologist (eye specialist), not to be confused with chain store optometrists, who don’t go to medical school.
Thank you, Matthew.
You have a rare blend of the inner world (spiritual) and of the outer (corporate) world. To experience their interplay is nourishing. Generally folks have either one or the other.
In a world where so many have sold their souls for ambition, greed and human approval – you are refreshing.
So grateful to meet you daily in your column
Beautiful essay. Simply amazing. Looking forward to reading more such blogs.
As your wife engages in avian necrophilia by fisting a dead turkeys nether regions to stuff it with stuffing and you cheer her on from the side, I wish you all happy Thanksgiving.
Remember every time you fly for no reason other than you can, it pisses off a tree hugging liberal freak. And also know you are doing a great thing by showing them you can do whatever the hell you want because it’s the American way and you can afford it. While you would love to explain to them that they made poor life choices or are just too lazy to succeed like you did, it easier to just ignore or laugh at your critics. Instead of protesting and smoking dope while thinking a politician will make up for their bad decisions, you show it can be done.
So congratulations for living your life the right way and showing hard work and good decisions pay off. Sometimes it’s big things and other times, it’s a little thing like a plastic duck. But in any case, never forget you worked for what you have and most liberals never will. Instead they will be using today to look for a handout for kids they couldn’t afford and try to make us feel guilty about it.
Happy Thanksgiving and Fly on brother!
While all the time you make life miserable for all you come into contact.
Mathew acknowledges he’s blessed to be able to do what he does. Do you hate everyone who takes advantage of their blessings?
Criticize on Mr. Edwards! Continue to live your perfect life so you’re free to judge others. And try to have a nice day.
Douchebag Dave Edwards, proving with your every (too frequent) comment that your nickname is absolutely accurate and completely deserved and that you have nothing better to do with your pathetic waste-of-oxygen life than to post abhorrent and revolting comments here over and over again every single day. Thank you for confirming again that you and other MAGAs are stupid hateful racist cretins. Trolling or not, the extent and frequency of your comments are indicative of severe psychiatric and/or addiction problems. Your insults, undoubtedly projection, speak much more to your lack of character than to anyone you attack. You should crawl back under whatever rock you crawled out from you SHPOS.
Good grief. Chill out there, angry one! You gave me an upset stomach.
Hopefully, the Navy Doctor can return to their original form now that Dave is banned and if there’s any more crap from anyone, they’ll be banned too. I’m done with this with the condescending insults that do not advance civility.
“He would often fail, but it became a primary goal in life.”
This is my favorite sentence in this post. In addition to ourselves as individuals, it reflects our nation as well. We have aspirations and ideals that we strive to adhere to, but fail to do so everyday … yet, most importantly, we must try again tomorrow.
Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m Brandon and I kicked Trump’s A$$.
Well said. Maybe over time, even if we have to remind ourselves that there is no way to earn a Debit or even if stated 46 times, others will come to understand the love we can share with others.
Thank you Matthew. Your words are welcome in my heart today. May your family have a well deserved Thanksgiving.
Lovely. Happy Thanksgiving.
Happy Thanksgiving and grateful for the plenty, for the kindness and genuine affection that abounds in my life.
Joyfully had wild turkey running through the backyard today. But as we’ve already had our share of turkey in the stomach, there was no need for a turkey call today to try to grab a turkey on the loose to add food to the tables.
Speaking of turkeys on the loose, I am thankful for the loose information about the still pending disingenuous games trying to sell a turkey about why I went cold turkey in a frequented place.
Happy Thanksgiving! One Day, One Person at a time. Micro Humanity. That’s all we can do to rationalize the awful we see every day.
Very telling that the words “charity,” “giving” and “donation” are absent.
Stay humble? You’re the farthest thing and the most self centered in attitude, outlook, and occupation. You’ve got a very lofty opinion of yourself Matthew, especially the 3rd person/ biblical connotations. I’m expecting by Christmas you’ll be comparing yourself to Jesus Christ on this blog.
Basically, the gist of this post is that we need to quit hating each other cold turkey 😉
Nice post. Surprised by some of the liberal talking point stuff, but just ignore the hate and be kind. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving.