Why Do I want to Row across the Atlantic Ocean?

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When I first heard of people rowing across the ocean, I thought they were crazy.  Why would anyone do such a thing?  The adventure is wild and very risky.  Besides, many problems face our planet.  There are other challenges to focus on.

For example, Right to Play - an organization close to my heart – uses sport in 3^rd world countries to aid the development of war torn refugees and impoverished children. What a noble, and simple mission! Right to Play believes that all children have the right to thrive, learn and develop though healthy play practices. Their programs train local coaches to run play programs that teach about health issues like HIV and malaria, while encouraging cultural and gender inclusion.

The main slogan of Right to Play is “Look after yourself. Look after one another.”  Play teaches valuable lessons our communities need to survive. Learning through play also embodies the Trans-Atlantic mission I will take with Jordan Hanssen, Rick Tarbill and Greg Spooner.  Essentially we aim for world records with a sophisticated toy boat in the world’s largest bathtub.

I believe that rowing across the ocean will make a difference. This event will capture the imaginations of millions of people: Millions of people who have their own metaphorical oceans to cross.

Concrete honesty, integrity and self-awareness precede any significant contribution any person makes to our world. Only when we get the past our outer layer of self-absorption can we make a lasting impact on our community. Too many people do not take the time or effort to figure out who or what they are. This voyage encourages our collective pursuit of self-knowledge.

On this journey, my teammates and I will be discovering some of our limits. When we push ourselves to the limit we find two things: What we love about ourselves, and what we hate about ourselves. This journey will be a showcase of both human aspects.

Because self-awareness ultimately leads to contribution, we have decided to support the organization ‘Right to Play’ on our journey. Play and sport are some of the greatest tools for self-awareness.

We live in a high-paced, instant world, whereas our minds and souls take time to explore and develop. There are no quick fixes for the psyche. When we step back from society we fall out of the mob mentality that can often grapple us.  In the wild of nature we have peace, and space to reflect. We find what truly makes our community happy. We find what truly makes us happy. We come back into the fold with a renewed sense of values that helps balance the senseless behavior that tears our world apart.

Rowing across the ocean with 3 other men will make a difference. The result will be 4 more humans with a greater sense of who they are.  This event will capture the imaginations of millions of people: Millions of people who can find better ways to look after themselves and look after one another.

Check out our team blog at: www.oarnorthwest.com