The journey to here has not always been perfect and at sometimes it has been extremely difficult but, it has led to now…. and NOW is good. (with apologies to my good friend Andrea who inspired this saying).

Welcome to my little online world.

---

It has been said that “life is a journey –enjoy the ride.” Very often, we fail to appreciate the wisdom hidden in those words often printed on a sugar packet, car bumper-sticker and even on the pages of some or other motivational piece of literature. The saying can so easily become a sort of cheap anecdote that is said glibly – even sarcastically. I invite you to join me as I reminisce on parts of my journey as well as share lessons that I have learned along the way. Some of the lessons have been painful, some joyful and all have had a part in making my “now” what it is… and it is indeed good. I will invite you through my posts to reflect, learn, interact and teach. One of the greatest lessons that I have learned is that the more that I know, the more I realize how much more there is to know and how slowly I have learned. I have also learned the concept of linear time – the one resource that we have that is (until Einstein’s theory of relativity is proved and applied) truly non-renewable.

---

But now, enough philosophical rambling to begin with. Who am I at a basic, easily definable level? I am a human inhabitant of this crazy-beautiful planet – just like you. My name is Michael. I was born in Africa. The dark continent’s rivers still flow red in my veins.

My journey has led me to live in 5 countries spread over 3 continents. I have finally returned to the continent of my forefathers – to the continent of Europe. My journey has led me to the Eastern Regions of this old world where the pangs and chills of the mini-ice age are still felt as the velvet fleece of white covers the land in the winter.

My path has led me through various careers from banking to saw mill management, to entrepreneurship. I will share more detail as we embark on the next part of the journey together – to the next “now” as it were. My last “formal” business was in commercial photography – this was also the industry where I learned some of the most valuable lessons.

I invite you to comment freely and interact kindly. The human spirit is both immensely strong and intensely fragile. We all have much to learn both from and about each other. Our “life’s book” is not completed until the very last chapter. You are welcome to add words to the pages as long as they are in the spirit of learning and teaching.

This chapter in my life starts with my wife and I settling with our 2 cats in a tiny village in Eastern Europe. My next post will start at this point and move backwards and forwards in time in as the conversations and themes dictate.

---

Here are a few more photographs I decided to share with you.

Thanks for stopping by to read this post. I look forward to sharing the journey to here- and now –with you.

---

All photos are my own and shot by me.

PS: I'd just like to give a big shout out to @ivangeevo for introducing me to this platform and kindly agreeing to manage the technical side of things... big ups man! Half of the rewards of all my posts will go to him, excluding this one.