To Inspire:

Matt Palmer here. Lisa and I are taking one of our daughters and her husband and children to Disney World later this fall. We’re very excited – it’s been 25 years since we last were there, when our three children were young.

Thinking about the trip reminded me of some thoughts that Bob Goff shared in his book, Love Does, a book we often give to clients and friends. Bob lives near Disneyland and loves to go over to Tom Sawyer Island; he says he does some of his best thinking at a picnic table close to the pirate ship docked at the island. For Bob, Tom Sawyer’s island is a place where he can escape to sit, dream, plan – and write his books. He derives energy, peace and joy from being on that island.

Read these words of Bob’s with great care and thought:

While many people that come to Disneyland know about Tom Sawyer Island and want to go there, most never do. Perhaps it’s because you have to take a raft there and that seems like too much work. They simply don’t get around to it. It becomes a “we’ll do that next time” kind of place.

Many of us live our lives that way – we never get around to really crossing over to a place that we want to go but don’t. Living a life fully engaged and doing the things that bring love and joy into our lives and the lives of others is something that all of us want to do, but most of us just forget to do it. Along the way, the intentions, dreams and plans we hold in our hearts become one of those “we’ll go there next time.” The sad thing is, for many there is no “next time” because passing on the chance to cross over is an overall attitude toward life rather than a simple decision. What we need is a change of attitude, not more opportunities.

There are no admission requirements at Tom Sawyer Island and no waiting lines – the Tom Sawyer Islands in our own lives can be whatever we want them to be. We can do countless things there – primarily through our creativity, our heart and our imagination. It’s a place where we can go and just do stuff. In that way, it’s a place that mirrors life well. Go to your Tom Sawyer Island and reflect on God, who didn’t choose someone else to express His creative presence – He chose you and me. We are the means, the method and the delivery vehicle. You see, God almost always chooses the ordinary people like us to get things done. Rather than continuing to plot the course of our lives, just land the plane on your plans and dreams and make a difference by getting to the “do” part of life – to love. Love is never stationery and in the end, it doesn’t keep thinking about or planning for life. Love does.

Thank you Bob. Have a great weekend and oh yes, go and do love.

Written by Matt Palmer, Partner & Co-Founder