Erik Stout Adventure

Life is not a problem to be solved, but an adventure to be experienced!

In our development as human beings, we have two main sources from which we can derive information: Acquired knowledge (from other people and media like books etc.) and our own experiences. Since knowledge without experience makes one dry and experience without knowledge makes one often act silly, it is obvious that we need both to know who we are and what we need as unique individuals.

Therefore I urge anyone to live by the motto: “If it lingers in my mind, I will try it out.” Because just like you can only know for certain how an apple tastes when you put your own teeth into it, so you can only discover whether or not certain recurring tendencies represent your own unique innate passions and talents when you try them out. If they do, they will be carried out with much zest and enthusiasm. If they don’t, you’ll most likely resent the activity from the start since it’s not meant for your unique design, and it will drain the energy out of you.

Acting in this way I came to find out that activities like bodywork, music (particularly playing drums & percussion), reading, learning, writing, storytelling, traveling, swimming, and tai chi are innate passions, while playing chess, horseback riding, lobbying, picking tomatoes, or the boy scouts, did not fit my particular organism very well.

Naturally all this trying out cannot happen without falling flat on my face, dusting myself off, and getting back in the race. Therefore I am happy to share many of my adventures, complete with emotional breakdowns and lessons learned, through various media; whether they be stories from my European tours as a drummer up until leaving everything temporarily behind to travel to China and learn tai chi. My wish is that the stories inform, entertain, and ultimately provide you with the confidence to start living your own life.

Our difficulty as humans is that we, unlike an apple tree, have to search for our purpose in life. Yet when we seek and find, the satisfaction is unmeasurable because all of a sudden every act becomes meaningful; even such seemingly trivial tasks as cleaning the dishes.

Welcome to my adventures, and I look forward to hear about yours!