Captain Jim

You work long days, sometimes through the weekend. You barely have time for your family, friends, or even yourself. You get uptight, stressed, and angry, over time. You even burn out. Is this really the way to live? Is this really what you want? Jim has asked himself that question. It brought him back to when he took a two-week sailing course in the Bahamas. Ironically, that was where he got the perspective he needed.
Jim was caught up in the rat race. He had a small business, lots of money, a Mercedes Benz, a mortgage on an expensive home, enough credit card debt to choke an elephant, and a wife and son whom he didn’t have time to enjoy. It was the complete image of success, until it all came crashing down with the Internet bust. He lost his business, many of his friends, and his Mercedes Benz. What didn’t go away were the mortgage and the credit card debts. They took on a life of their own and just about swallowed him alive. That’s when he decided it was time for a change in life strategy.
In high school his nickname was “JT” for James Taylor. He had long hair down to his shoulders, played the guitar and sang. He wrote songs, and everyone thought he sounded just like the real JT, though his favorite songs were by Dan Fogelberg. Music was a hobby and passion in his childhood, and almost became a profession in college. He wrote a boatload of songs. He even had one for his graduating high school senior class, which he almost played at graduation. Unfortunately he had strayed from the artist in him and pursued the American dream of owning a small business. His third year in college, he had the opportunity to get a record deal with CBS records in Nashville, and turned it down. A decision he now regrets. He figures he lost his business for a reason. He was never supposed to have it in the first place. He had missed his calling. The true American Dream for him was exercising his freedom as an independent artist.
So, realizing this, he put on his captain’s cap, Hawaiian shirt, picked up his guitar, and started writing again. He set out to recapture the feelings he had in the Bahamas over 20 years ago. Life isn’t worth living if you can’t enjoy it, even in the midst of storms. Smell the tropical flowers, feel the tropical breeze, see the clear blue water, and taste that fruity tropical drink. Let go of being serious, and just enjoy! Relax and chill out!

He also believes this is part of the solution to all the things going on in our lives and in the world today. If we could all just chill out, maybe we’d let go of our prejudice and ambitions for world domination. We all need a little slice of heaven to keep our perspective.