Pogue,

I continue my reflections on the character of Jonathon Livingstone Seagull by way of another letter. I hope you enjoy my indulgence.

Dear Jonathon,

Last week I suggested that there are only a small number who are wired to seek after perfection. You are one such person, (if I can refer to a gull as a person?) single minded, focused and uninterested in the world where most people exist (I use ‘exist’ because you seek life in its fullness and they, well they just move from day to day on a treadmill of experiences- rinse, repeat). And here I sit, pen poised over paper, wondering if there is a realm that I currently don’t see but imagine is there? A bit like your conviction that the possibility of flying faster and further existed although you had never done it, nor knew another who had. You just continued to push the boundaries further and further.

The prospect is exciting. The thought of having unrealised potential and the possibility of living a life beyond the existence that the world offers, well, that’s so appealing. To not be tied into the cycle of work, play, sleep or for some, work, sleep. Yes, it all comes at a price. It is possible that we will give up the society of others and live a rather isolated life. It’s certain that we will be misunderstood and being misunderstood be treated as foreign. You want to be talked about? Well walking this path will certainly encourage that!

It seems that many fear what they do not understand.

Someone once said, “God keeps His best for those who dare”. It suggests that we require the separation from our peers that ‘daring’ will bring.

Those who dare to fail miserably can achieve greatly.

J F Kennedy

Success will always bring out those who respond negatively. Those who are motivated by envy or jealousy. Who want what they see you having but have no inclination to make the effort to achieve. God will no doubt be accused of having favourites rather than sitting on a mountain and making Herself available to all. The only prerequisite is the inclination and determination to undertake a tough climb and a degree of hardship. How easily people blame others to cover their own shortcomings, even blaming God if they can deflect responsibility.

The wise will admire you.
The wishful will envy you.
The weak will hate you.

This is the reality for those who dare to be epic.

Dr Steve Maraboli

But your journey teaches that there are others, small in number, who will think like us and we will, in time, find those kindred spirits on our path. I have written many times that we attract what we project. Maybe not immediately but in time. Like a tuning fork that is set to sound and then causes all things on the same frequency to also resonate. There are those who need people like you to show them the way, and you did in time, realising this, become a teacher. However, your journey has taught me that you can only give to those who are ready to receive. When you took your discovery back to the flock they were unresponsive, even hostile because their minds were closed.

I guess if you have to force it you are better to leave it altogether.

But then you collected the waifs and strays who had an inkling that there was more to life. The rebels who refused to conform because they also knew there was more and that the flock refusing to acknowledge this did not make it less real.

So we are choosing to walk what has been titled “The path less travelled”. But I am assured that doing so will reveal things most will never see and bring understanding that most will never grasp. It’s all sort of crazy, don’t you think Jon?

Yours, anticipating being epic,

Wic.