I met Larry the first time while he was volunteering his time as Santa to raise money for an animal rescue. I sat down with my own little rescue babe, Delilah, and had to ask - first, is the beard real (yes) and second, how did you become Santa? I was so curious as to how someone goes about becoming Santa (the beard alone can't be the qualifier, can it?), and I am really glad I asked. 

I got to speak with Larry for about two hours while we recorded the podcast; truthfully, I could have listened all day to the stories he has to share. He's a member of Mensa International who has ridden cycles and incumbents all over the country - and world - and has collected knowledge, experiences, and wisdom he so generously shares with me in the first full episode of the Backwards Path Podcast. 

He has met Isaac Asimov, Steve Wozniak, and his wife through all kinds of circumstances that you'll hear about in the podcast, but in short, it came down to what he described as "hopping lily pads." 

It's a nice visual, really. Take a moment and consider the major moments in your life, and as you look back at them, imagine they're lily pads. The resting place you may have needed at that time in your life.

Interesting that he chose that particular metaphor, because lily pads and water lilies in general hold meaning across many different cultures. In Buddhism and Hinduism, the water lily is a symbol of resurrection because its petals close at night and reopen with the morning sun, mirroring the cycle of spiritual rebirth. For Buddhists, the flower also represents enlightenment, as its flower rises from the darkness of the underlying mud, illustrating the journey toward wisdom and awakening.

There's something fascinating about a plant that has adapted so well to its environment, which provides habitat and shelter for its surrounding pond inhabitants, and remains beautiful on its own and as part of the bigger pond picture enough to be a part of Eastern and Western art throughout history. The parallels to Larry aren't lost on me, either. He has adapted to each and every challenge and situation presented to him in his career; he volunteers for his communities; and he is known locally and globally for helping to push the popularity of the recumbent bikes he so enjoys in his own unique style.

I asked Larry what it was about him or his life that he had been able to achieve all of the success he has; as a software engineer on the forefront of so much technology, to traveling the world on cycles of all kinds, to finding his wife who inspired the second life as Santa. He laughed and thought about it and told me that he has remained curious and interested about everything. He has done his best to be aware of the opportunities that present themselves and make the choice that interests him most. If there is a pathway that would be more of a challenge or would just plain be fun, he takes that option, and so far? It's worked out pretty well! 

It's how he found his career, his wife, his most beloved hobbies of cycling and Santa work. I'd say that so far, following your curiousity seems like a pretty good idea. So don't let something new scare you - let it teach you something new about yourself.