The Franklin Street Globetrotters
All living things are connected, of that I am certain. Albeit, my certainty does not exist within the realm of absolute, but rather is a function of my faith in that idea. How challenging it can be in this day and age – with every possible distraction under the sun – to be more than ever disconnected from that connection. It is, however, essential to the human experience; it is crucial to the “whole-being” development of one’s self to understand where we come from, where others come from, and to realize what makes us different may be the exact things that make us all the same.
I am proud to say that I have had the privilege in my lifetime, starting at a very young age, to have traveled extensively around the globe. I was fortunate to have parents that valued the concept of seeing new places and experiencing different cultures. It is what makes me who I am today. I am now blessed, to share my life with a partner that also values the concept of travel; not as an escape or vacation, but rather as a journey, an exploration of infinite possibilities. It was Mark Twain that once proclaimed “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” I cannot think of a more appropriate sentiment at a time in modern history where mankind finds itself in a battle against the evils of this world – tyranny, ignorance, bigotry and fear.
Given the challenges of the modern world, my wife, Aila, and I have the great responsibility of raising children of our own, three beautiful human beings. Our kids, Zayan (11), Kenza (8) and Kaysan (6), are all dynamic individuals, thirsty for knowledge and enthusiastic for living new adventures. My family and I are taking a step away from our lives at home and traveling around the world for over one year. Our objectives are clear: to spend undistracted time as a family, to engage with different communities and to explore the beauty of our mother earth. We call ourselves the Franklin Street Globetrotters, and we believe that this journey will be a formative experience that will shape our individual paths moving forward and enhance our level of connectivity with our world and fellow human beings.
