Jamaica Me Uncertain



Last winter for Christmas Vacation I sojourned to the snowy Canadian province of Quebec. I wanted winter and I got it. Cold, bitterly cold, and two big snowstorms--one of them a Blizzard. How massive was it? The Winterfest, an annual celebration of carnival rides and such, was completely deserted. I recall the Ferris Wheel spinning around empty. Snow is a lot more enjoyable without shovel duty and driving. 

 This Christmas Vacation, instead of Mr. Cold Miser, I am Mr. Heat Miser. Mr. 101. Jamaica, Mon. Not resort Jamaica, sitting in some cocooned enclave sipping a rum-infused concoction, but off-the-grid Jamaica. In the Blue Mountains. In search of that elusive perfect cup of coffee. Very much the opposite of the cold austere Quebec, vibrant, lush. I am hoping the rats ain't too massive.

 Traveling over Christmas has become a tradition. I don't have a family of my own and I don't want to spend the holiday vacation sulking. Don't get me wrong. I am happy to be single and unencumbered. Yet, sitting around the house for a week ain't a good idea.

 I finalized all of  the  details of Jamaica today. It started out as an email about a month ago to an organization that coordinates tours of the Blue Mountains. From that one email, about 50 in total to various parties in Jamaica, I have the flight, lodging, transportation to and from the mountains, and the back country tours arranged. 

 Saturday I spent a whole lot of time copying and pasting the various emails of information into one Word Document and today I bought the Passport Plan from AT&T so that if I have to make a call from Kingston wondering where my lift is, I can do it. I don't like the prospects of white-boy stranded tourist. I am working on my psycho look with tics.  

 I have learned that I have to leave my comfort zone in order to create new avenues of positive experiences. I have been listen to a Tony Robbins podcast recently where he talked about the two great needs of people. One is for certainty. One for uncertainty.  I thought the contrast was intriguing. If things are too certain, there is a good chance that it is nothing new. If things are too uncertain, then chaos reigns. So, I have tried to negotiate the two poles here.

 I like traveling alone because I deal with what I do 100%. If there is another party along and I screw something up I may spend a day or two on the shit list. Sorry, that ain't my groove. Life is messy and attempts to kill the bad experience germs also wipes out the good culture.

 So, I am embracing the uncertainty, hesitatingly. I have had a retinue of not so fun dreams about things not going well recently. No tragedies but a general vibe  of dis-ease. I figure that my psyche is emanating some fears about a loss of control. I am not naive to believe that God will keep me from all unpleasantness and I also know that safety and security is never promised in this world.   But, be of good cheer, He has overcome the world (John 16:33). 

 Soren K. in the book of his that I have been reading slowly for a few years wrote that "Probability is the sworn enemy of enthusiasm." In order for things to go right in a big way, one has to tolerate the possibility of it failing macro. Hopefully, I will be back blogging in about ten days or so. Until then, embrace the wonder of Christmas where Jesus came into an uncertain world on His certain journey to restore us back into fellowship with the Father.                

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