As promised, I will reveal to you some of the other reasons this is a special trip for me. I am staying with my good friend David Mullings. He and his family have graciously offered their hospitality to me. Even more special is that this will be our first meeting face to face. David and I have developed a great friendship over Facebook for the past 6 years.
The means of which we met is really kind of a fluke. Here’s the story…
In October of 2007, I began a Facebook account, mainly because MySpace was getting kind of silly. In those days, Facebook wasn’t as popular as it is today, and it was mostly inhabited by college students and young professionals. My good friend Dana Kermanian nudged me to join. So I gave in, and soon began building my profile.
At that time there was a Facebook App called Causes, which was a means to identify with other likeminded folks and rally behind and contribute to various causes on Facebook. I was a big fan of Bono’s charity called ONE, so I searched it out. I found it, (or at least I thought I did) and I immediately joined it. I was very enthusiastic about it. I began inviting many friends to it, and even donated around $25.00 to it. I requested to be friends with its administrators, Kathryn and David Mullings, and they quickly responded in kind.
(Now, it turns out that this was not the official worldwide organization charity ONE…it was a local Miami chapter. And it clearly stated that information. I’m still wondering how Kathryn responded when she saw my donation and note that said something along the lines of, “I plan on making ONE my primary cause to donate to…” Probably thought, ‘Silly Redneck from Texas.’ I noticed my error in my ways about a month later. It’s never come up in conversation. )
I began reading David’s posts and links and blogs on a regular basis, and thought him to be very fascinating and thought-provoking. I began corresponding with him, and he always answered my questions and was always encouraging. This has gone on for the almost six years we’ve known each other on Facebook. He is quite business savvy, and has a heart of gold when it comes to raising up leaders in the ranks of the young people of Jamaica. (David has dual citizenship with Jamaica. He bleeds both red, white and blue, and green, gold , black.) His ambitions in making a difference in the world, and his devotion to his family, have inspired me to the core. I have learned so much from him, he has widened my perspective. I am 12 years his senior, but I truly consider him a mentor.
So, on that note, not only am I taking this adventure to a place I’ve been longing to return to for the past 26 years, I also get the pleasure of meeting a dear friend face to face. Some friends have jokingly chided me, “Scott, what if he is a serial killer?” My response, he doesn’t fit the profile, unless of course, the profile of a serial killer has been updated to include men of integrity.
Here’s to 9 ½ days of adventure in the World of the Mouse, and exploring friendship’s new journey.
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