Friday, March 30, 2007

Lessons From Exile Island

I really like survivor because it has some of my favorite things; the wild outdoors, crazy team dynamics, competition, and ethical challenges. Jobina and I love to watch survivor. I know, I know, Survivor isn't the most "deep" drama on TV right now, but for Jobina and I it has been something we both really enjoy so we have a date every week to watch it together. Ah, l'amour!

Anyway, we were watching survivor yesterday (warning: spoiler alert) and the Ravu tribe won the reward challenge. Part of this means they got to send one person from the losing tribe (Moto) to "Exile Island," a small and forlorn island infested with watersnakes. Rave decided to send one of Moto's stronger player's Earl to the island. This was I think Earl's third time there. Now going to Exile Island isn't desired by anyone. Not only are you alone without decent shelter and facing the constant threat of watersnakes but you are away from your tribe (which can be death to you if they turn on you while you are gone). Most of the people who go there complain, feel sorry for themselves, and try to tough it out.

Earl though isn't your average person. Instead of feeling sorry for himself, he instead focused on the positive. He decided to rename the island "Earl's Island" and proceeded to make this really cool sign in the sand officially renaming the island. By choosing to focus on the positives of being there, Earl persevered both in body and in spirit.

Earl's approach to Exile Island inspired me. What if I would take my life's disappointments, let downs, and suffering and choose to look at them positively instead? I suppose we all feel like we've been sent to Exile Island sometimes. What's your reaction to when you get sent there? How do you choose to react? I sensed real character in how Earl responded. Sure enough, I found this video (not the best quality)that shows that he was a survivor long before he joined the show:


May Light increase!

3 comments:

EternaLee said...

Exile island sounds like the name of somewhere you go to get away from whatever was worse than what you left. If the exile island is even worse, man, that's pretty bad.

. said...

this comment is actually more in regards to your camp post than to this one, although i don't have anything against survivor (but i can't say i'm a huge fan. hard to be w/out a tv) anyway...

i too love camp. it truly is (so far) my favorite place in the world... what a place to meet God, others, and to help others meet God! thanks for your 7 years of directorship @ BCBC... i know God changed many lives during that time, b/c of your commitment to serving Him there... mine included!

blessings,
dayna

RLE said...

I enjoy watching Survivor as well, Michael only sometimes watches with me, though he has this round as he wants to know what "one Survivor does that is so shocking you will not believe it" (my paraphrase). I really like Earl and am impressed with him, especially after seeing that newscast. I appreciate his friendships with the "underdogs" in the game and the integrity that he has shown so far. Anyone who would help an old man find the immunity idol is more than OK in my books!