"The Trip in the Tracks"
By: Adam Thomas
Intro
"As I look down upon the ground I see these old wooden yet rusted out railroad tracks. To me these tracks along with these ties that lay in the rubble of small rocks under my feet. I am reminded of life's rewards, and the many defeats, and challenging times. Ah, yes this thought I have had in my mind from whence I was, but a small child of infancy up to the man I am grown up today. Approaching my third decade of my short little life lived day by day.
Without hesitation my thoughts bring me to a state of a humbled reminisce within my constantly running, and overly hyped up mind. To which my past trials both ended with what seems as, but a few wins, yet countless defeats. Just as those good old corroding metal railroad ties now deteriorating beneath my tired, and worn out feet.
As I sit my body down upon the tracks I think to myself deep in my mind. Than suddenly a thought enters my mind as my brain speaks to myself of how no matter the places I found myself in, or the places I would go of to adventure all on my own. Literally It truly does take me back to my homeland of Russia, a child of five out on his own. Surely these tracks would make evident statements to me that I could not help but ponder, and realize the many places I shall one day find myself to go be.
All of my life adventures were unique in their own beautiful ways. That I can truly say in all honesty. For example I once came out from the depths of Siberia in a third world town known as Spask. Hidden far away in the lost woods of Russia. Those days seemed so dark, cold, and dreary.
How could anyone ever hear me out on my own talking to know one, but myself as a child lost in the wild. There I was just a small boy asking for help to whomever may listen to a child cry out for his mom one more time. Though as I have written this story has both ups, and many downward spiralled out falls. Yet for all the times I have fallen, You shall read I've gotten up with a lesson learned in my mind, and a body built that was much stronger through physical change of life lesson learned both with free will, and not.
Yet something, or someone must have heard that young boy I claim to be me. I was asking for help because the child had found himself soon to be on a mighty winged aircraft in the night sky coming down low into the valley of Salt Lake city what a site this would be for a child only to be at the age of just seven.
What a twist in a track when you think of where I had just come from it sure was quite a site I shall never forget. Arriving in Utah my life was forever changed in the most positive ways.
That being said the intake from writing this intro is that now I would find myself on many journeys to many lands such as Washington D.C. And even Fort Benning wanting to have served the nation that I wanted to do. So I Enlisted as an Airborne Infantry G.I. best of the best. Ah that lasted a short while sadly it came to a quicker end than I ever wanted it to be.
To which I then once again came to an unexpected sad end of a track I had planned out within my own mind. For a medical injury would get me a discharge right out of the army. To which was what was all I ever wanted to do, was serve not only them, but serve you in the way I thought to be best. This event put me into a spiral of a major depression, and self hate of both my inner, and outer image I would have placed upon me.
Though times get tough in my journey I must be honest and say. Yet it was quite alright with me now as I look back at the tracks I once stood dazed, and looking confused. For my friend don't you see for life's tracks go on for miles as far as the watchful eyes are able to see.
Though I would find myself again all alone wondering what was the meaning of not only my life but, those that have come, and gone before me. And the lives stories of the living people all around me. Do we all serve a purpose I often had thought to myself, as I would sit on a lake front or, high upon the mountains of one of Utah's best hidden National Forrest's all hidden far, off in the thick aspens, and the pines of the woods.
Oh my how I wish I could fully explain with pencil, or pen the places I've sat, and contemplated not only the life I have struggled to live, learn, and to somehow adore. I wish I could know for which of the tracks I should go is the fight I constantly see in line with my site of over thinking, and the constantly running deep within my none stop running brain. Never do old rickety railroad tracks seem to come to an end. For life is a struggle, an opportunity at each, bend.
Sometimes it makes me laugh even cry quite a lot if I must be honest with you. Yet the thing that truly keeps me awake, and inspired is this very thing that I as a person not only want what’s best for just myself that's hardly the case. I find far more joy when I see family, friends, and even enemies doing their best as we all should get the chance to do. I shall call you a friend to whom I have never actually really ever truly have met. Yet to me matters not, for my goal is not to intend hate, strain, or any sort of animosity upon any of you.
So why not stay a while perhaps sit down for a minute or, two read a page, perhaps three, or maybe even four. For this I have written for you my friend of unknown persons to which might be reading a story I have written on paper, it's a life story of me, and the places I've been. And how life has taught me so many lessons all never let slip past my mind as it was time in a home of a family all so loving of each other.
Why not sit calmly, take five minutes that you truly deserve to relax, and read a sort of motivational book I have tried to write so you may find joy in your life as I have searched as most people first do. Why not read about my trials, my blessings, my teachings life has taught me over, and over again, with a new lesson at hand.
Perhaps you may understand that what one person had found in the trip of the tracks was an opportunity of both good, and the bad times we all seem to go through. For I'd like to share with you of how my life story had taken not just a bend in the tracks. But a fault or, a bumpy dark ride, and also what seemed as a crawling speed of time that sits still which at times seems to slither on by. Those are the moments that silence all thrills for the over thinking mind can be a sad deal.
One honest truth I can say about my life story I share with you. Back then as a small child I was taught a life lesson I could not fully see because the tracks kept me guessing at each bend of each edge of life’s ride. I soon found a hope nearing the bend of the track, that which I was given a mindful lesson over, and over awwagain never will I look back, and hate myself, nor mylife as I once did my good friend.
So it may be that you find the time to open the pages of a stranger's life you shall read. That I have written about not only myself but many inspirational characters along my life's way. No doubt about the truths that life lessons I now would like to take the time to share with you now my short motivational story may seem sad here, and there, but remember to keep to yourself not to worry of me for I have made out on life's bumpy ride alive, and doing quite well.
I ask please if you may, or you would like to sit down In the comfort of your own home, or casual dwellings wherever it may that you shall find yourself that you are.
Go ahead read what I may have to say using my computer keyboard, or a rough drafted blue pen. I'd like you to see that as you read page, by page of my short motivational book. I wish that my short story moves you far, far away, towards a more brighter, and a beautiful day”
Chapter One
Motivation
As I have found myself constantly alone in my mindful thinking about writing a book that would not only benefit myself, but also the reader of my motivational novel I cannot help, but think how to properly begin my novel. Clearly I must make a clear cut statement of why I am writing the book, although I had mentioned a few reasons of why I had the will, or want to write a motivational book. Which brought me to a stupor of thought in the aspect of what have I achieved in life that has given me the willing want of purpose to expound on my life's journey, so that I may be able to not only motivate myself as I write my book, but motivated the reader as well.
It has taken me about six years to constantly think over, and over on what I would write to you, my fellow reader, so that you may find motivation to do what it is you desire to have, and accomplish in your life. Throughout the last six years I have found myself contemplating weather, or not that I should write this, or that. Or how do I make this chapter flow evenly with my overall message of becoming motivated, and staying motivated throughout the course of your life.
And then it dawned upon me, one day I said to myself “Adam, there is no perfect way to write a book, especially on a first rough draft.” I would find myself getting so caught up in the perfect cut clear message I wanted the reader to attain that I totally forgot the purpose of even why I was writing my book in the first place. I knew that I had to take a step back and rethink my overall goal of why I even wanted to write a book in the first place. I instantly began to think of the number one reason why I wanted to write the book. Believe it, or not this actually took a few years to figure out why. I had everything in my mind that I wanted to write about, the people i've met, the places i've been, and the trials I have gone through, and how all these things, and many more ideas would play out upon each other in creating my novel.
But the very one important thing I didn't have figured out in my mind was the reason for writing a book that would motivate people through their everyday life trials. One day I was revising my intro on how to better articulate my message. I came upon my writing which I had stated I joined the U.S. Army
“To which was what was all I ever wanted to do, was serve not only them, but to serve you in the way I thought to be best.” As I read this sentence numerous times it became clear that all i've ever really wanted to do in life was to help people. To serve people in a way that I could bring to them a benefit of happiness. Perhaps it was the LDS faith I grew up in which taught to serve thy neighbor constantly, where scripture states, “When you are in the fellow service of your man, you are in the fellow service of your god.” After all I grew up attending church quit regularly each Sunday from the time I was adopted as a child of age seven, to well into my early twenties. Serving those around you has always given me a self of accomplishment, and gratitude when serving those in need such as the eledrly, poor, or those in need of everyday life essentials. I began to build my reasoning from the way the LDS church taught me to serve others. From these building blocks of thoughts I came upon another life thought in why I had wanted to write a book that would serve others by motivating the reader. That thought was given credit to the Boy Scouts of America. I had been a boy scout from age eight to age fourteen when I had earned my Eagle Scout Award Since then I have also through the B.S.A (Boy Scouts of America) been taught to serve those around me with a will, and want to do it not because I was told it was the right thing to do, but because it was something I rather enjoyed doing. Naturally I had been taught through the Church I belonged to , and the BSA to serve my fellow brothers, and sisters whenever I had time, and effort on my part to give.
Now I was starting to dig deep into my mindful reasoning of why I wanted to write a book that would motivate people to overcome life's obstacles, and to write a book that would work as a tool of service to the reader that was perhaps looking for answers, or examples from another life perspective. As I thought of this ideology I came upon an even deeper thinking of why I just had to put words on paper that kept itching in my mind telling me to write a book that will help motivate my reader, and to help them stay motivated. To help my reader realize that whatever they are going through, or wherever my reader wants to achieve, or advance to that they are not alone, and that there are people out there that truly do want to help others overcome life's challenges with the help of others.
Which also brought me to the final idea of why I wanted to write a book of motivation to the public. That last idea I came upon was one that correlated back to trying to write the perfect novel. The more the years went by I finally realized that there is no perfect book, or advice I could give on how to become motivated, and stay motivated by pursuing your own goals all while helping others with their everyday life wants. I came to the conclusion that I was going to write an imperfect book about my life. I decided I would write about my life trials, challenges, and the people I have met, and have learned from to which all three of these things have kept me motivated day by day to keep moving forward in life's right direction.
So there it is I have stated to you my novels thesis that I would be creating a novel on how I have stayed motivated throughout my life during the many downfalls, trials, and errors I have had to live through as an individual human being with the help of so many family, friends, and complete strangers that I now call good friends. This will be the first truth about my book that I will lay claim to is that had it not been for the many wonderful people that have come into my life I would not be where I am today. I would not be sitting in a comfortable chair within an office space of my home writing a book on how I want to motivate, and help my readers through their life challenges, through achieving their goals, and through showing them how to stay motivated. My father James Neil Thomas always repeated many phrases of what I saw as simple wisdom throughout my life. Some of those phrases of wisdom I have followed rather instantly without a problem. And than other advice of wisdom that my father would bestow upon me I clearly thought I knew what was best for me, therefore those phrases of wisdom have taken a lot longer to learn through trial, and error. Some of these lengthy lessons I shall cover in later chapters of my book. But the one word of advice that has always stuck out to me that my father would constantly share with my sister Gina, and I was that, “When growing up you can never have too many friends. Treat each person with kindness of how you would want to be treated.” And then he would say something like the more good friends you have, and the more people you have treated with respect will make your whole life a lot easier than you can ever imagine.
This advice on befriending as many people as I could has always been easy for me to do. One of the advice I really listened to what my father was saying, and I aloud those words of wisdom to set in my mind, and instantly be taught of the simple comprehension of understanding that small advice on life. On the other hand my sister Gina seemed to have a hard time opening up to people as I did. Growing up I could talk make anyone I wanted to become my friend just by showing every individual the respect I wanted to be shown. I cannot tell you how making as many friends as possible has made my life so much easier, and more likeable simply because of a variety of friends I would constantly be trying to make throughout life. Its always good when you are having a bad day to know that there are many individuales you can reach out to for motivational help, advice, and friendly comfort. You never know when you’re friends will constantly be the ones to pull you out of a rut, or from a downward spiral of what may look like a hopeless state of life mentality.
I came to the conclusion that yes my book was not going to be perfect, my book was going to be unique for it was my life story, and no two people are the same in the aspect of life's individuale journeys. I came to the idea that I would write a book about why I wanted to motivate others through words on paper. I started to understand each of us has a story that should be told. That no life story is boring. That we are all here on earth working to find some sort of motivational guide to bring us success. And that success has no limits or boundaries, what I see as success may differ from that of your viewpoint, but overall we our all working on bringing self happiness to ourselves through overcoming life's trials, staying motivated to ultimately find a constant state of happiness that we may acquire for ourselves, and finally share joy with those around us all while seeking to serve those that need our motivational vibe.
These are the very will, and wants of mine when writing this motivational book. My goal in writing this novel is to give you my life examples, and ideas of how to become motivated throughout life at both the highs, and lows. How to stay motivated so that you may overcome obstacles, and how to eventually find what makes, and keeps you happy. And last, but not least how to share your life story, how to share your vision of happiness, and how you can also befriend, and serve the many people around you that also have a unique story just as you, or I have.
Now as you read through my book, remember I am telling a life story that may be similar in many aspects of life to one of yours. It will also be quite different for we all experience life on different wavelengths,time periods, environments, and with different emotions that we may, or may not be able to controle. I hope that as you read further into my book that you will be able to correlate to the life challenges, opportunities, and the many people I describe, and write about for if there is a correlation of understanding to what my over all message is than there will be a natural desire on, your part to become motivated in your own life with whatever you are wanting to accomplish, overcome and maintain in a state of happiness. To which hopefully as you finish my novel you will have the natural want to not only help yourself out in life , but many individuales around you.