Life is a continuous adventure - July 7, 1996

LIFE IS A CONTINUOUS ADVENTURE.
A letter to my God, my family and friends.

July 7, 1996

One day a friend asked me "what is life?" and I told him: "Life is a continuous adventure." It is an adventure because each day you have to face new challenges, new goals, new dreams, and after you accomplish them, you have to start the cycle all over again.

On July 7, 1976, I finished an adventure that began four years earlier when I entered the Venezuelan Naval Academy. After four years of studies, challenges, goals, and dreams, I accomplished my most secret desire. That desire was a goal I wrote on a small piece of paper that I have hidden inside my wallet since January 73 during my first year in the Naval Academy. On July 7, 1976, I graduated as the first of my class. I broke a 40 year old record as the student with most honors in the different subjects. I got 13 out of 22 graduation prizes. Today, 20 years later, nobody has broken that record.

On July 7, 1976, I wrote my new goals in another piece of paper. I started a new adventure that took me at sea in different ships and Navies. I traveled to different countries and had new challenges, dreams and goals. On that piece of paper I wrote that I would go up the ranks in the top of my class and be an Admiral before the end of the century. I always went up the ranks around the top up to Lieutenant Commander when I decided that I could not wait until 1999. I wanted to be Admiral of my own life and on July 1989 I left the active service and started two new adventures. I took the helm of my life to a new course, a new horizon, and with a new partner. I married a Lieutenant Commander who was also an adventurer and together we started to dream, set new goals and started to sail the business and family worlds. Our dreams took us to the United States to pursue our family and economic stability and to have a safe port to start new adventures.

Exploring different options, we found business opportunities, places to visit, friends and God. On July 7, 1996, 20 years later, we had an experience that impacted us and gave me the motivation to write another piece of paper. For two days, we went to Orlando to listen to a group of speakers talk about businesses, dreams, goals, products, etc. All of the guest speakers were excellent because they went directly to the important facts. At this point, I want to mention three of them. One of them, a professional speaker who talks to corporations talked about dreams and goals. He had had many problems in his youth and he managed to set up his sails to go out the storms of his life. A Korean lady talked about her lack of identity and nationality and how she had managed to survive to get to this country. The third one talked about finishing the races in life, whatever it takes. He had finished his races with no legs. Today, we went to a worship where the Korean lady talked to us about the presence of God in all her most difficult moments in life. Then, to my surprise, the man with no legs went out and started to mention all the Bible versicles that influenced his life and how to use them to have a better life. Finally, and that really surprised me, the corporate speaker closed the worship talking about Christ and his influence in his life. He said that Jesus Christ helped him to change his life and start to help others.

On July 7, 1996, I saw three leaders integrate their messages into one. It was a powerful message giving a completely different perspective from their previous and separate speeches. This message, along with my previous understanding of God power, made me ratify my commitment with Him, my commitment to my family and most important of all, my commitment to myself. I must sail my ship with the mind and eye on my North, with my family at my side, with my hands firmly at the helm and, with the guidance of my God.

On July 7, 1996, as Captain of my own life I set up my sails and go underway into new seas to start a new adventure. I will be Admiral of my life before the turn of the century. I will follow every star to do whatever I have to do and do it fast. I will sail forcefully to gain more speed. I will help my crew to do it better. I will enjoy the journey because I will find storms and days with no wind, but I will also find the best winds and smooth seas. I will focus on my North because at the end I will find the Admiral star, sun or diamond that symbolizes this goal. Then, I will start a new adventure!!! I already know the results of this adventure and I am really sure that with God, my family and friends' partnerships we will enjoy the journey. We will finish this race and will be able to start all over again.

On July 7, 1996, I am a happy man, with a wonderful wife, lovely kids, a dog, a home and a group of friends who are around sailing their own ships. We need each other and the wonderful idea about this new adventure is that I have a way to lead and help them all to finish their races while I am finishing mine.

On July 7, 2016, I will celebrate the 40 years of my first goal, the 20 years of this spectacular day and will make new commitments for the following 20 years!!! So help me God.

Jose G. Lepervanche
Captain of my own life

(published in my website in 1996 - http://www.geocities.com/pentagon/1972/jladventure.htm)