Day 14- Touring Cape Cod, MA

I ran out of road!

            The Cape Cod, MA area is very special to me for several reasons. First of all, it is a popular destination for national and international travels and its “out there” location only adds to the mystique. I enjoy being places that are difficult to get to, my favorites to date: Blancaneau Lodge in Belize, Orkney Islands, Point Barrow, Alaska, and Manatoulin Island. So, after today, I can add Provincetown, MA and the Cape Cod National Seashore to the list. Race Point Beach, part of the Cape Cod National Seashore facilities, lies at the end of Cape Cod, outside of Provincetown, literally, at the end of the road as the sign and picture below suggest. My day began at Race Point Beach and that’s where today’s reflection begins.

Visiting the far corners of the country...first Acadia National Park, now Cape Cod, MA!

            I love the beach, I love the water rushing around my feet, I love the simplicity of connecting with nature. I feel at peace when I’m at the beach. One goal of this fellowship journey is to serve as a trailblazer for others. I hope to encourage all of you to create journies that impact your lives. Sometimes, the journeys can be very, very small, other times  you might be able to pull off a trip of a lifetime. Regardless of the path you choose for yourself, I want to encourage you to find your path and set your goals. In some ways, our dreams can become the foundation of our realities. I would like to offer this fellowship as an example of a dream becoming a reality. On the beach today I met a family who represent an important element of the American dream realized. Their story fits into the story of this fellowship and I’d like to share some insights about our conversation. 

A great feeling...my journey to the end of the road, Race Point Beach, Provincetown, MA

The view of the Atlantic Ocean from Race Point Beach, Provincetown, MA

The view along the shore of Race Point Beach, Provincetown, MA

The view looking along the shore of Race Point Beach, Provincetown, MA

Recently, I wrote of risk taking in the historical context as it applied colonial leadership during the American Revolution. However, I interpret my role as a social studies teacher is to help shift one’s focus back and forth from the past to the present and to the future. Thus, we’re able to observe human activity along the continuum of time and make some interesting conclusions.

Karen and Nicole run a family business and their story represents an important component of the entrepreneurial spirit that plays a part of defining American character. They certainly are risk-takers as they are committed creating and running a family business that is now in its fourth generation…if the business wins, they win, if the business loses, they lose. Most people view work as something you need to do for someone else. In Karen and Nicole’s case, they work for themselves and continue to run the business on their terms. They are the Generals designing and economic offense and an economic defense to run the business. Kudos to them for keeping the business afloat in these challenging economic times.

Pursuing the American Dream relies on entrepreneurial ability and I believe it is important to keep this risky, but rewarding career path in mind as we visualize our own personal economic future.  Most people I know get up and go to work for other people. What are the risks and the benefits of trying to get your own company off the ground? I’m sure that pitfalls abound, but if you never try, you’ll never know…The picture below is of a local gift store (NOT Karen and Nicole's type of work, BTW) and should motivate you to think that your own ideas can get off the ground…

Something there for everyone...let's shop on the roof!

As I close this evening’s post, I’d like to revisit the importance of connecting with nature. Author/lyricist Neil Peart wrote in a song called Dreamline a chorus that bears mentioning here:

When we are young
wandering the face of the earth
wondering what our dreams might be worth
learning that we're only immortal -
for a limited time

Eventually, time runs out for all of us. Try and make the most of your opportunities to make connections with nature. Tonight I spent over an hour standing on the shore of Cape Cod watching the sun set and the stars emerge. It was serene. I’m glad I had the chance to connect with nature again tonight, and it won’t be another year before I visit the water again…What are your plans?

 Thanks for joining me…~Mr. K.

Sunset at Ellis Landing overlooking Cape Cap, Brewster, MA