“In a world that teaches us how to think, we must not forget how to feel.” – MJ Martin
In youth, there is a purity of curiosity – a desire to explore, question, and wonder. The world is full of marvels then, and the heart is light, unburdened by structure. But somewhere along the journey into adulthood, something shifts.
“Second star to the right and straight on ’til morning.” – Peter Pan
We begin to trade spontaneity for efficiency, inquiry for instruction. Institutions teach us how to function – how to be responsible, practical, clinical.
And yet, in this transition, many find themselves quietly asking: what happened to the magic? To the simplicity of just being? Life becomes a checklist of expectations – measured, managed, and often misunderstood. We become categorized, analyzed, and optimized, all in pursuit of some vague version of success. But beneath the surface, a deeper question lingers – not of what we do, but of who we are.
The soul resists reduction to data points or job titles. In our most private moments, we long not just to be seen, but to be known.
In a world increasingly logical, it is easy to forget the poetry of existence. And so, the challenge emerges: to reawaken that inner voice once silenced by conformity, to reconnect with the essence of wonder, and to remain both wise and wild in a world that insists we choose between the two.
“It is not in doing what you like, but in liking what you do that is the secret of happiness.” – Peter Pan
Personal Note: For me, in the years gone by, my happy place was at the helm of my various sailboats. For over 30 years I escaped the stressors of modern life by simply floating on water.
Now that I am much older, sailing is behind me. However, the sparks from my childhood passions are ignited by wondering around Canada in a motorhome. Still, ever searching for unexpected inspirations and fun.
Even as I age, I continue to seek these grand adventures – meeting new people, discovering different places – as a child of the world, it is these moments and adventures that feed my soul.
“You don’t stop laughing when you grow old, you grow old when you stop laughing.” ~George Bernard Shaw
About the Author:
Michael Martin is the Vice President of Technology with Metercor Inc., a Smart Meter, IoT, and Smart City systems integrator based in Canada. He has more than 40 years of experience in systems design for applications that use broadband networks, optical fibre, wireless, and digital communications technologies. He is a business and technology consultant. He was a senior executive consultant for 15 years with IBM, where he worked in the GBS Global Center of Competency for Energy and Utilities and the GTS Global Center of Excellence for Energy and Utilities. He is a founding partner and President of MICAN Communications and before that was President of Comlink Systems Limited and Ensat Broadcast Services, Inc., both divisions of Cygnal Technologies Corporation (CYN: TSX).
Martin served on the Board of Directors for TeraGo Inc (TGO: TSX) and on the Board of Directors for Avante Logixx Inc. (XX: TSX.V). He has served as a Member, SCC ISO-IEC JTC 1/SC-41 – Internet of Things and related technologies, ISO – International Organization for Standardization, and as a member of the NIST SP 500-325 Fog Computing Conceptual Model, National Institute of Standards and Technology. He served on the Board of Governors of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) [now Ontario Tech University] and on the Board of Advisers of five different Colleges in Ontario – Centennial College, Humber College, George Brown College, Durham College, Ryerson Polytechnic University [now Toronto Metropolitan University]. For 16 years he served on the Board of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), Toronto Section.
He holds three master’s degrees, in business (MBA), communication (MA), and education (MEd). As well, he has three undergraduate diplomas and seven certifications in business, computer programming, internetworking, project management, media, photography, and communication technology. He has completed over 50 next generation MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) continuous education in a wide variety of topics, including: Economics, Python Programming, Internet of Things, Cloud, Artificial Intelligence and Cognitive systems, Blockchain, Agile, Big Data, Design Thinking, Security, Indigenous Canada awareness, and more.