Exploration ignites excitement and curiosity in our souls. One should go to a new place when they can. Sometimes we get so used to our daily routines and immediate surroundings that we forget there’s a whole world full of different people, places, and cultures. Emily Dahl herself traveled to many places - as far off as Sydney, Australia. On a trip to Kyuquot Sound recently it was a pleasure to stop at The Java The Hutt Café in Kyuquot BC. Best hand cut fries, great coffee and the pie was delicious! The chats, stories, laughter, and smiles were fun.
Eric Gorbman and Megan in the picture - have a real desire to help others feel welcome. They made a pie to take back to the cabin to feed our group. Also, they provided the ice cream to make the dessert complete. As I walked around this special little village on the edge of the continental shelf, looking out towards Japan, I reflected on the purpose of life and my chat with Eric at Java The Hutt. Eric had some deep thoughts for me about life. The basic source of all happiness is a sense of kindness and warm-heartedness towards others. We are all the same as human beings. We are born the same way, we die the same way, and we all want to lead happy lives. The key to happiness is peace of mind. This is not something that can be bought. Inner peace must be cultivated by each of us from within. All our religious traditions, despite whatever philosophical differences there may be among them, carry the same message of love and warm-heartedness that is the foundation of such peace of mind. I sometimes wish that we were more like children, who are naturally open and accepting of others. Instead, as we grow up, we fail to nurture our natural potential and our sense of fundamental human values. We get caught up in secondary differences and tend to think in terms of 'us' and 'them'. Education can change this. We need to learn to distinguish the destructive nature of emotions like anger, fear and attachment, which disturb our peace of mind, from the positive qualities of compassion that are genuine sources of happiness. We must continually consider the oneness of humanity, remembering that we all want to be happy. And indeed, everyone has a right to a happy life. Along the way we may be faced with problems, but we must not lose hope. We must keep up our determination without being impatient to achieve quick results. Eric, Nancy, and Megan are special people and I thank them for the kindness. I visited Java The Hutt three times, and would probably be there daily if I lived in this unique place. Sherman Dahl The Emily Dahl Foundation
