One Year Today!!!!!!!!

It has been one year today August 31, 2005 when I started this adventure, which is the day I stepped on the MV Explorer to start my “Voyage of Discovery”! A day that I will never forget, a day that I should never be aloud to forget, a day that began to shape and mold my life, emotions, outlook, love, passion, personality, spirituality, and beliefs about my Faith, family, friends, world, country, and mentality.

This has come from visiting 17 countries entailing six out of the seven continents (Australia you can’t hide from me forever), one circum navigation by ship around the globe, numerous flights, uncountable amounts of cities and villages, tens of thousands of miles, but most importantly getting to experience and interact with the unbelievable variety of cultures that make up this planet. Several words come to mind when I think of this such as perception, insight awareness, observation, view but most importantly I would say that it has taught be sensitivity. To be sensitive it brings on a whole new meaning to look, analyze and educate oneself before placing judgment or assumption on a person, place or thing. Obviously there are things that with out question that are evil and the Lord shows us these things with out question. But a lot of what I see is in views and perceptions that leads to anger is lack of sensitivity and communication.

I hope that through the last year I have helped not necessarily shape but helped enlighten and educate through one persons perspective and experiences, those of you who have been so kind to read this blog to the great World that God has created and the amazing cultures and people that make up this amazing creation.

To put some numbers behind it (it’s the businessman in me) in the last year there have been over 7,000 viewers to this site, and an amazing total of 17,960 viewers of my photo journal at http://community.webshots.com/user/chadgriggs . It has now been three months since I have been away from my home in Texas. Away from my family, friends, and comforts. But through your love, support and encouragement along with Gods faithfulness and watching over me I am thriving in the Middle East. A place that has such a negative reputation in the states, a place that I hope that the people of the US and the world will truly look to the heart of the region and see the true beauty, friendliness and love that is here.

All my love and hope for another amazing year where ever the world takes us on our travels.

Chad