Blog Full - Maurice Leavitt | Personal Essays, Travel Writing & Reflections

26 Jun 2022

The Conservation Effort at Its Best – The Pacific Ocean Archipelago – Galapagos Islands

by Maurice | posted in: Adventure, Love, Nature, The Human Condition | 0

Since I was going to be in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru I wanted to make sure I made it to the Galapagos National Park. I’ve heard such wonderful things about the Galapagos. I will admit that I got a little concerned about all the rules and regulations that could “stifle” a good time but, I was willing to surrender into the greater good of the collective… the land and its inhabitants.

What I saw was unbelievably amazing! Only the local indigenous people are allowed to be the national park guides. And in order to enter the national park, you MUST be accompanied by a Galapagos Naturalist Guide. What a great way to educate visitors from the locals who grew up there. Did you know that only 3% of the Galapagos islands are inhabited by the 40,000 residents? And there are 150,000 visitors annually.

There is a wealth of information to take in about the Galapagos… the volcanic nature of the islands which erode over time, the shifting of the tectonic plates that send the islands eastward and underwater and the animals that have adapted to their environment by changing their physical characteristics. Even the extinction of some animals because they could not adapt and the humans decided they would take 700 giant tortoises off one of the islands to near extinction.

The combination of the conservation efforts and the responsible tourism in the Galapagos has led to the preservation of the area and allowed most of its human, plant, and animal inhabitants to thrive. The only other place I have seen this kind of conservation effort is in the Grand Canyon. And even the Grand Canyon I saw more evidence of humans’ impact on the delicate ecosystem than here in the Galapagos Islands. I think they are doing something right here. This has been the highlight of the Galapagos trip for me, above and beyond the rare animals that I have seen.

The park rules here in the Galapagos can easily be seen as over the top. As a challenger of the status quo, I was able to really sink into some of my perceived limitations about the restrictions and accept them for the good of the whole ecosystem. It was a great decision to take an 8-day cruise to see a lot of the islands as it can cost hundreds of dollars to hire a guide and a boat ride to one of the islands you may want to see. Sometimes it was a bit difficult for me because I wanted to spend more time onshore and not on the boat. I knew my surrender was imperative to have the most positive experience, to honor and respect the land and animals. The park rules are the best for the good of the whole. I wish there was more conservation and sustainable efforts around the world somehow.

I am completely awe struck. The landscape and the animals that are just as they were when Charles Darwin was here at age 22 in 1835 (and even for many centuries before that). There is evidence of how creatures had to evolve and adapt in order to survive on these islands with limited natural resources. The different species of Galapagos finches, with their specially evolved beaks that allow them to eat specific foods, helped Darwin understand that organisms can evolve over time to better survive in their environment. Darwin developed his theory of evolution here in the Galapagos. The adaptation and survival of the species of animals were clear to him here.

There is such a wealth of information to learn here, and I’ve only scratched the surface in the 8 days I have been here. I’ve met wonderful people on the boat… and even some who I am embarrassed to say represent the loud and entitled sector of the USA which I was hoping to get away from.

23 Jun 2022

Worthy of Desire… (Almost At The Galapagos)

by Maurice | posted in: Adventure, Personal Growth, Spiritual, The Human Condition | 0

It’s been a great 10 days so far on this South American adventure. Cartagena, Colombia did exactly what I thought it would… wring out the winter from my body by sweating through every article of clothing I brought with me with 90F temperatures and 100% humidity. It was awesome to see the tropical storms breeze through and watch the streets be flooded. The week I spent there was not enough and if I did not have this Galapagos tour planned, I would have stayed. Which means, I will return before the summer is over… or should I say winter because it’s the southern hemisphere… well, kind of.

It became time to get to Ecuador and to the Galapagos Islands whether I was ready or not. But before I landed in the Galapagos, I had to meet Roxanne, a young woman from Germany on the flight from Quito, Ecuador to the Galapagos. Roxanne is in her early 30s and I overheard a conversation she was having a couple rows behind me that raised my antenna. At first, I wasn’t sure I was hearing things correctly, so I listened more intently…

This young lady had asked her employer to go on a part time basis so she could focus on some things in her life. She had requested a 4 day a week and was refused because the business wanted her 100%. So, she gave her two-week notice. After she gave her notice, her employer realized she was serious, and they were willing to negotiate with her. She was not. She was done.

She explained the realization she had about her situation. That the corporate world wants their employees to be 100% dedicated to the business and their mission, while the business doesn’t have to take an interest in their employee’s personal desires for themselves. Every single employee becomes dispensable and replaceable to big business. Get a load of this… she was saying the jobs become dispensable for the people just as the people are dispensable to the business. It’s unfortunate that a lot of people become so attached to their jobs and making money that there isn’t much room for movement should a person want some time or space to do something different.

I was struck by this woman’s story. Not only because of the courage she had to quit her job so she could do the things that brought her pleasure. But, because I think she hit the nail on the head when she said big business doesn’t care about their employees, they only care about their own mission, productivity, and economics.

I admire the courage it took for Roxanne to quit her job and follow her dreams. She told me that her desires are worthy of having AND exploring and seeing through and that no employer of hers was going to try to convince her otherwise. This young woman is brilliant and courageous. She was about to spend three weeks in the Galapagos with only the first few days planned out with places to stay. Something I did not want to do in the Archipelago region of the Galapagos due to all the rules and restrictions.

It makes me wonder about the employee-owned business model. Like Bonners Soap Company or Publix and how they may support the individual employees and their own desires for themselves outside of the work environment.

What is the moral of the story?

You are worthy of your desires. Just don’t get attached to the outcome and remain open to the boat being steered in a direction you could not imagine it going to. Just take what the Universe puts in your path and let the rest unfold. Balance the observer within and the driver.

12 Jun 2022

Family Values – Cartagena de Indias, Bolivar, Colombia

by Maurice | posted in: Adventure, Family, Personal Growth, Spiritual | 0

Family Values

Traveling reveals many of the similarities and differences in the planets humanity and the way humans choose to live their lives… from religion to economics to academics and family values. I continue to be amazed by how people in emerging countries really look after each other. Whether they are on the streets selling stuff to make a living or sharing rides to work, they all seem to watch out for each other on a level I have not experienced in the USA.

One of the topics from my travels that has continued to grab my interest are the differences in family values from country to country. Since we only have our own personal experience and perspective to go by, mine being the family values in the USA… or the lack thereof. So, when I travel to other countries, I get to witness the people really looking after each other and not getting so caught up in the minutia of the rat race collecting materialistic items and money. Don’t get me wrong… I think everyone must go through the process of wanting status, power, money and material things before we realize that those are not the important things in life that bring us happiness.

The plan was to come to South America the summer of 2020. I had airline tickets and a place to stay in Uruguay… and then the pandemic hit. Now fast forward to today… Uruguay wasn’t the place for me to go. I wanted more of the tropics in the north and not have to experience winter in back-to-back seasons. Oh, the joys of traveling to south of the equator.

So, Colombia it is! I’m not exactly sure how I came to this decision other than I’ve wanted to visit Latin America, let loose a little bit, wring out the doldrums of the winter snow and cold and sit on the white sand/blue water beaches. Cartagena seemed like the best place to do that. The place where Colombians travel to vacation.

Sometimes when people see me in a foreign country with the light color of my skin, they think I am a westerner full of money, rich and thriving. Granted, I am comfortable, and the USA has provided for me so that I can be generous with people and where it will make the most difference. I have bought groceries and food for two families since I have been here. I believe that raising humanity from the bottom up is the most important. So, we can get the basic needs of food, clothing, and shelter to everyone who needs it. It’s not that I can’t do that in the USA, I just don’t agree with the cyclical economic principles of the USA… encouraging debt, working to never pay it off, only to go into debt further, to have to work forever to pay it off. USA is the place where medical bankruptcy is the most common form of bankruptcy. We have an unstated obligation to each other… to see each other thrive in our lives.

I am staying with a really nice family in the middle of party central, Cartagena. The rules here in most family Airbnb stays is that you cannot bring people back into your room. Which is fine with me. But I’m curious as to why? In india it was because the government wanted to keep track of all the tourists. I do know that it’s not because they are afraid you are going to steal everything from them. It’s a bit different. Most people here live with their families. The family I am staying with have grandparents’, parents and grandchildren living there. Yes, that’s right…. three generations, with the possibility of a fourth generation. Even the 25yr old daughter doesn’t bring her boyfriend home to stay overnight with her. There are hotels you can rent for a short time for that, where it’s unspokenly encouraged. It’s nothing like that in the USA. I see this as an example of the importance of family and their family values to the people here. Something I highly respect, admire and desire for myself as I have experienced some of the lack of family values in my life experience.

Another way I can translate the family values here is in the history of religious dogma that has translated into dharma here. The Spaniards came here in the 1500’s and brought with them Catholicism and the teachings of Jesus which has stuck around for centuries. Jesus’ teachings are all over the place here…

Love God.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Forgive others who have wronged you.
Love your enemies.
Ask God for forgiveness of your sins.
Jesus is the Messiah and was given the authority to forgive others.
Repentance of sins is essential.
Don’t be hypocritical.
Don’t judge others.
The Kingdom of God is near. It’s not the rich and powerful—but the weak and poor—who will inherit this kingdom.

It is obvious to me in my engagements with the locals that they are kind, friendly and understanding. Yes, sure, I have to tell the street vendors “no gracias” so many times for them to get the message of “no”. One of the men I met on the beach recognized some of my irritation at the end of the day. He saw what was happening and came over, sat next to me, put his hand on my shoulder and said to me “no thank you” with a smile. Giving me the lesson I needed to put away that irritation and realize people are only trying to make a living. I made up the story that he was looking out for my well-being. Was this an example of how we can care for each other? I think yes!

Now what? I have a few more days to explore Cartagena and the islands before I head to Quito and Otavalo, Ecuador and the Galapagos.

10 Jun 2022

The Emergence of a New Sacred Intimacy – Diversity/Equity & Inclusion/Discrimination

by Maurice | posted in: Adventure | 0

Something happens to me when I travel great distances. Something in me shifts. It’s easier for me to get into a bit of a routine to write, walk, and be. Life seems to slow down. Which allows the focus to be on the simplicity and joys in life. Rather than feeling like I must keep getting things done, being forward moving and productive. Traveling for me has changed from a break in the routine, to being part of the routine. Not just going to some pretty place and running around seeing everything that is to be seen, but to actually be still enough, to soak in and be affected by all that is around. This piece of writing is a continuation of a piece that my friend Caffin Jesse wrote on social media. Wanted to give her all the credit. And it got me thinking even more….

We are at a turning point in our world. The United States of America has been the greatest world experiment to date in human existence. Allowing and even welcoming any race, creed, skin color and religion an opportunity to flourish suppression free with democratic ideals. It hasn’t been perfect for sure but, then again, humans are purely imperfect. And as a people, we still struggle with accepting and being curious about others, the beginning point of developing a new intimacy of the ages. We are currently being driven by the concepts of equity / diversity and inclusion / discrimination when it comes to the question of how we can develop intimacy between ourselves when we come with such differences and life experiences.

In order to try to understand and comprehend the development of a new paradigm of intimacy between us, it’s important to review some of the spiritual teachings of the past. The one worth mentioning here is in the Buddha teaching of “dukkah” and how we are intertwined and interconnected and effected by each other.

Buddha taught that “life is dukkah” and I’d like to put aside the idea of “life is suffering” for now. Dukkah is divided it into three main categories.

Stress, pain or ordinary suffering that comes along with being in these human celestial bodies. Including physical, emotional and mental.
Impermanence or change or anything that is not permanent and subject to change. This includes happiness and even the purest states of bliss. Nothing wrong to enjoy them, just don’t cling to it.
Lastly, the most difficult to understand is … conditioned states. To be dependent on or affected by something or someone else. All circumstances are conditioned because everything effects everything else. Another way to look at it is that everything is all interconnected.

The Buddha taught this 26 centuries ago even without the invention of the internet which continues to bring the world closer together. Not necessarily developing intimate connections, even though it does happen. The connections the internet provide still holds great value even as of today. Just look at the media and what we are seeing in Ukraine, on a moment to moment basis, because of how fast information travels. Why has it been so hard to practice teachings of oneness, sameness and how we can develop compassion and empathy can bring to our intimate relationships?

How is it that all the teachings out there for centuries that profess kindness, sameness, oneness and non-violence, seem to be nonexistent when it comes to “seeing” others as ourselves? How we want to be treated is how we treat others? Why haven’t we moved past human behavior such as slavery, genocide, war, and power over others? Haven’t we evolved and learned in history from our misguided actions? Obviously not, because our planet still continues to experience all of it.

It seems like no religion, race, color, or creed is free from experiencing the many forms of discrimination. The house of worship I used to belong to said they welcome diversity but, to participate in the rituals (marriage, coming to adult) people must go through some of the out of date and arcane rituals. Our decision of choice is just not enough. These old and out of date practices still determine the inclusion process. There are many religious practices, not unlike Judaism which are out of date that continue to promote separation and discrimination.

The concepts of equality, individuality and entitlement have emerged as constructs that don’t completely respect, honor and embrace our differences. These concepts alone haven’t done much to teach us how to respect and get along with each other. What these “modern day” constructs have done is create and promote ongoing environments for tolerance and punishment for our differences. Putting our differences under a microscope in order to gather evidence to criticize and demean our inequalities. Leading us to a mere tolerance towards each other at best, instead of following the laws of nature and spiritual teachings where we can really honor and respect our differences and use them for the benefit of everyone involved.

There needs to be a new intimacy created between people that brings together our appreciation and differences for each other. A new kind of sacred intimacy if you will. One that isn’t limited to marriage or partners or lovers. The kind of intimacy that creates an inclusion and welcoming of all parts of ourselves. An intimacy that gets cultivated by friends, colleagues, and peers. Uninfluenced by any power dynamics such as political, teacher/student or client/practitioner. Free from presumptions, expectations, privilege, or entitlement.

I’m not exactly sure how it all will work but, what I do know is that the system of our acceptance and even the embracing of each other’s differences is not working particularly well these days. Has it every really worked? Has it typically been over the course of our existence that some humans will embrace the spirituality of our existence and others will stay locked in the matrix of the day-to-day insanity? These are just a few of the things I ponder in regards to all this.

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