Guest Author - Ronald Peter Ciras

Last weekend , for the first time in over two years I took some time off from
job hunting and went to Perry , Maine to relax and rewind . I went with a few
friends , since I can't drive and it would take me about 2 years to get there
if I had to walk .Now , Perry , Maine is no Las Vegas but I had some lifelong
friends there and I just had to get away .
Now this trip took about 8 hours one way and the roads to get there were well
marked and my friends had cellphones should we get lost . Being a city boy ,
a few days in the wilds of Maine made me look at life from a whole new view .
I quickly found out that the world was much more than the small computer room
where I did much of my job hunting . In fact , I didn't touch a computer for
four days and I still lived to talk about it . And I also learned that the
world is full of many amazing things like the Northern Lights which I couldn't
see from my house and that rain , wind and cold follow me around wherever I
go . In short , my life was at the mercy of Mother Nature . My friends from
Perry , Maine told me that last winter was extremely cold hovering close to
25 degrees below zero most of their winter . All I had to deal with was about
5 snowstorms that were about 8 inches to a foot deep . And it never got below
10 degrees all winter .

I also learned to love chicken cooked over a barbeque with coals , well burnt
with baked potatoes . I also learned how to sleep on an air mattress without
falling off on to the floor . There were no local weather reports there so we
had to rely on New York City weather to tell us what we could do outside .
I also learned that Canadian Molson tasted like American Molson . Which is
great !

When I returned home yesterday , I found that everything in my life was much
the same as I left it . But , I wasn't . I could now see that there is a
wonderful world out there for my taking . I may never get everything that I
want out of life but I was going to make sure that the world saw the best of
me . But , that won't be easy . I have only limited career skills and I
look normal (whatever normal is ? ) . I have very little money left in my
bank account and no woman would mistake me for Brad Pitt .

I have a keen sense of humor and many family and friends to help keep my
spirits up during my job search and my life search . I am but one person in
a world full of billions who are all looking for jobs , love and whatever
else move their spirits . We are all different , yet , in many ways , the
same .All our lives intersect at some point and we all run in the same human
race .

So my advice to you is to take some time off to look at the world from a
different view . You can always come back to where you were . But , when
you do you will be able to look at your troubles with fresh eyes and ideas .

Even if it means that you take a trip to Perry , Maine . And , if you do
bring a sweater and a smile and have a cold Molson for me !