Father's Day

Dad

I am fairly certain that this picture of my dad was taken in the Sequoia National Park at age 25 during a trip we all took together which would have been my first trip into the Sequoias to see the trees.  That would be 35 years ago.  What is amazing is my dad and I have been back to the Sequoias together many times over the years and I just returned from a trip on Thursday, where I was able to share it with a new group of souls (the 5th Grade Class my wife teaches).  The Sequoias are one of my dad's most favorite things to see and to be around since the massive giant trees represent a world of majestic beauty and stillness unsurpassed. My dad and I have hiked amongst the Sequoia trees many times and the amazing thing is every time we go back to the park, the same feeling of awe and disbelief that trees could be that giant and old returns.

This year on Father's Day, there are many things going on...My niece's father is celebrating his first Father's Day, my cousin Sebastian is visiting and celebrating with his three children and family and of course, my dad, the Pater Famila is celebrating his Father's Day.  While hiking in the woods with 17 young kids the other day I was struck by the amazing gift my dad has given me by always sharing his love of the trees with me and it was the first time I was able to give that back to some young kids who were having that experience for the first time.  It made me feel proud to have a father who has shared so many experiences and given me so much in this life.  

The Sequoias are not just any forest....when you return you remember each tree that you visit since they are so distinct and every time I saw a familiar tree it made me think of my times in Sequoia with my dad.  Our last visit was on the motorcycles in 2010 and it was the first stop of an adventure to see more trees in California.  Our plan was to ride to the Sequoias, the Bristle Cone Pines, and the Redwoods...it was a tree trip...the weather, however, did not quite cooperate and after seeing the Sequoias the route was changed due to a huge storm in the Sierras...so we rode north and stumbled onto some incredible roads and scenery that we had never been through before until we arrived at another favorite spot...The Redwood Forest in Humbold County.  Yet again, my dad and I have passed through this incredible forest many times before and it was another opportunity to spend time with the majestic trees that seem to understand that life is not a race, but a slow journey into the wind.  

Those times in the forests with my dad are some of the ultimate times together as father and son.  It is a simplicity of life that illustrates how small we are and how important it is to spend time together and to experience the richness of life. I count myself as lucky since I am well aware that there are those of us in this life that did not have a father or had too little time with them.  I am 40 now and having always wondered if I would make a good father is no longer a question in my mind as it is obvious to me that the only prerequisite to being a great father is making sure that your child knows that no matter what, they are loved and supported and as long as there are Sequoias to hike in, there are paths that you can share with them that will last a lifetime.

I love you dad.  Happy Father's Day.

Love and Understanding.

J

Faryn the Fairy.

This is my niece Faryn.  Remember that idea that I wasn't going to spend a bunch of time telling you a bunch of history over the last year or so?  Well, last night I realized that I couldn't possibly get away with that.  Faryn Irene Klapsis was born on January 4th, 2012 which makes me an official uncle on my side of the family. I am also an uncle to two other amazing young ones, Kai and Ruby on Nita's side, but there is is for sure something a bit different when its your own sister's child.  Faryn is a fairy for sure and as such I have been more aware of the fairies all around.  I think about her all the time even when I can't see her due to her napping schedule or my sister's strict regimen of errands, which I love, but when i do get to see her I am always amazed at how much she has grown and changed within an instant of time.  She is already almost 6 months old???  I know many of you reading this have had experience but I have not and it is an incredible thing to behold. Not only the life that has just entered the world, but the immediate effect on all of those around her....her Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles and strangers who constantly come up to her when you are on a walk to stare in amazement. Babies bring the world together if only for a brief moment in time and the fact that we come into this world in complete and utter helplessness is an amazing feat of nature. We all start this way, in wonderment and trust and simplicity of sleep, eating, listening, observing, crying, and sleeping.  How could it be that we all start there?  What a joy it is to see this and be reminded of how fragile we are and how much we need in order to survive. Its a good thing to remember since, as most of you know, I usually challenge this idea of adults losing all things child like and with this in mind, it would be interesting to reflect on the idea of asking for help and trusting others to provide help because they want to.  I am not saying we have to cry and poop and act like a baby (although sometimes that is for sure necessary), but we can benefit from the idea that the tribe is there for us whenever we need them, and sometimes we have no choice. We are all going through our challenges in this life and it is easy to forget that we are not alone in those moments, and no matter the challenge or how steep the hill, or how scary the ride, we can find comfort in the fact that we were all fairies to begin with. Knowing this will help us remember that life is a precious and magical thing and we can always trust the love we have all around...I wonder what Faryn is doing right now.

Love and Understanding.

J

A New Ride

Well its been far too long since I updated my blog...let's just say I have been on a writer's hiatus for a while. I have finally gotten my act together and created a new website for my photography, www.justindavanzophotography.com which links to this blog and since that is the case I need to update and write and share my exploits.  I have decided to leave the title the same since I still feel the need to escape from Los Angeles if not physically, then mentally for sure.  I am not going to spend a bunch of time telling you what I have been up to the past year since that would require a book, but let's just say I have concentrated on centering my intentions towards photography and creating a lifestyle that is full and rich and layered with the actions that I want to create.  My recent return to motorcycling has brought me back to a place that I absolutely love which is the adventure of camping, and riding and exploring the world from a simpler perspective.  I just returned from a trip into King's Canyon National Park where I was part of a trip that my wife had for her 5th grade end of year camping experience.  I rode the motorcycle out....and in doing so found a peace and happiness that has been absent for a bit.

During this ride, I was alone going both ways for about 9 hours which gives one lot's of time to reflect and think about things. It also slows down the process of processing life as you ride through endless breathtaking moments around each new turn.  I have ridden many miles on two wheels and it never ceases to amaze me at how life changing each experience can be.   The exploration is not unlike riding a horse in the west during the gold rush.  Tack on the ultimate experience of spending 3 nights and 3 days with wide eyed and energetic young souls in the 5th grade and life comes into perspective a bit.  It hit me when we were all gathered around the campfire on the last night with smores sticks in hands and the fire crackling that I was finally at an age to understand the arc of life to some extent.  What I mean is the 5th graders won't fully grasp the memory of the night and the experience for some time, but as I sat there I realized that time is a fleeting element and the moment of smores and 5th grade is gone in an instant and only later will these young ones look back and understand what a special time it was.  The adults that were with me were having a similar (I can only assume) experience of remembering childhood moments whilst observing the sheer innocent joy and experience that the young ones were having...I marveled at the young beings and their laughter, care free and ernest importance of each passing moment throughout the trip and realized that life is always this way...what I mean is we all have our moments and no matter what age, those moments always feel huge and emotional and dramatic....but the main difference between a 5th grader and an "adult" is that the 5th graders very much live in the present and maintaining this mindset as and adult can be a challenge. This idea is also why I love to ride a motorcycle because you have no choice but to live in the present. One cannot focus on the last turn or the next turn, it is the turn you are in.  Each dynamic variable of the riding experience represents a chance to practice life as it should be. Small journeys and triumphs, exhaustion, perseverance, patience, control, freedom, glee, laughter, doubt, fear, terror, satisfaction, trust and simplicity.  The fragile existence we call life....I cannot say I am a master at any of this, but I am trying to be a better student and with each passing day in this journey we call life, I will strive to remember the 5th grade campfire and the moment the stars came out with flames dancing, and the laughter, and the singing, and the fear of the dark, and the giddy excitement of getting into the tent and sleeping in the wilderness with the thoughts of what will I do when a bear comes?  

What will I do?

Love and Understanding.