Marlow's Musings 3/9/25
Insights, adventures and fun stuff from this week.
Audio narration by David Marlow
“Wait! Where’s my passport? I lost my passport!”
My youngest son and I were in London on a school trip. While I was a chaperone responsible for six kids including my son, Gavin, we caught a lucky break in the schedule that let the two of us slip away for some father-son time to explore on our own.
It was early evening as we wandered the streets and happened upon Harrods Department Store. I was looking for a unique classic teddy bear for my youngest sister’s first child and thought this would be a perfect place. No such luck as all of them were marked with the company logo.
Undaunted we left the store and spotted a double-decker bus. We had ridden several already as we toured but they were all new. Not the vintage ones most people think of when they think about London’s famous buses.
We ran across the street just as the vintage bus was pulling out and jumped on. The plan was to ride it for a few stops and then get off to head back so we could rejoin the main group.
That’s when Gavin realized his wallet and passport were missing. “Wait! Where’s my passport? I lost my passport!
I remained calm and told him we’d get off at the next stop and run back to look for it. Little did I know, we had hopped on an express bus that wasn’t going to stop. Traveling what seemed like halfway across London we waited until the old red vehicle slowed to a stop.
As we tried to exit near the back stairwell a large group of aggressive young adults jumped on blocking our path. Each one bumped us and blocked our way as they ran up the circular stairway to the upper deck.
They hadn’t yet cleared when the bus started to move. A quick glance at each other confirmed we both knew it was now or never to jump off.
My back foot was still on the step as the plume of black fumes signaled the bus’s departure.
We took off running in the general direction of Harrods, laughing at the craziness of the situation and events. Racing through the cool night I had no idea what if anything we’d find. Despite the situation, I felt a sense of calmness.
We got to the bus stop across from Harrods and there lying in the gutter were his wallet and passport, untouched.
It was an otherworldly time to be in London. Only weeks after the commencement of hostilities in the Iraq War security was tight and tensions were high. Signs of protest against the war were everywhere.
When we rejoined the group with no agenda we wandered the streets and completely by accident arrived in front of 10 Downing Street.1 We struck up a conversation with the two heavily armed guards at the gate who were more than happy to entertain some inquisitive American kids.
It wasn’t too long though before we were surrounded by more than a dozen Bobbies. "Command spotted a large group on the cameras approaching Number 10," one of them said to me. "Gave them a proper fright. Thought it best for us to come round and see what you lot were up to." He went on to explain there were protestors there every day since the start of the war.
All but two of them left shortly after they realized we were American tourists and not causing any trouble. Two Bobbies stayed behind and for the next while gave us a master class in the history of that part of London.
It turned out there was plenty of reason to be concerned. Only a short time after we left suicide bombers blew up several buses and trains in the Underground, one of which we rode every day.
Despite the tension, it was a glorious trip. Well known for rainy days the March we visited was nothing but sunshine. One of our tour guides told me he couldn’t remember a March stretch that long without rain.
We visited Canterbury where almost everything in town is named Marlowe with an 'e' after the great playwright Christopher Marlowe, who was born there in 1564.
Later in Oxford, we stood in the garden that served as inspiration for Lewis Carroll to write Alice in Wonderland. The famous Green Door that appears in the story is still there today, situated outside the chapel in Christ's Church. Also while in Oxford I found the perfect teddy bear.
Many more such splendid experiences like sipping the best tea I’d ever enjoyed are too numerous to mention. The one that sticks out most is the double-decker bus adventure.
In part because it was so much fun even though it was potentially a disaster. We didn't get uptight or freak out. Even as we ran all those miles back to the store we talked (gasped) about the adventure we were on in London of all places…together.
As a parent, it is easy to get uptight and stressed or react negatively when things go wrong. Especially considering the heightened responsibilities of supervising a group of students in a foreign city amid ongoing terrorist threats. Yet during that passport crisis and our frantic journey back to Harrods, I didn't fall into that trap.
I was everything a father should be. Reassuring, comforting, refusing to blame or criticize, and positively leading toward a solution.
To my deepest regret, I wasn't always this composed in other parenting moments. But in that crucial situation—when the wrong reaction could have ruined the entire trip—I embraced an unexpected adventure with my son exactly as I should have.
Gavin has often mentioned he wants us to compete together on The Amazing Race, referring to that night running through those dark London streets to retrieve a lost wallet as an example of us working together to race around the world.
I smile when he says it and think to myself, maybe he'll do it with his son because I've already done it with mine.
Word of the Week
Pour (v.)
/pôr/
1: To cause to flow in a stream
2: To send flowing forth, to give or direct wholly and freely
From Old French dialect purer "to sift (grain), pour out (water)," and ultimately from Latin purare "to purify," this word captures the deliberate act of transferring something valuable from one vessel to another. It represents those moments when we choose to transfer our essence, knowledge, love, or energy, fully into someone or something else.
It manifests in the time spent teaching a skill to someone who needs it, as well as a patient response to a friend or family member during a crisis.
In pursuing our Ikigai, pouring ourselves into others doesn't deplete us and instead often replenishes our sense of purpose. The generational impact when we pour into others extends far beyond our immediate relationship. Our investments continue flowing through them into future connections we may never personally witness.
In case you missed it…
This week’s Ikigai Thoughts for Today…
The first was Mind the Gain
Too often we focus on how far we need to go, the gap, instead of celebrating how far we’ve already come, the gain.
The second was Change
Though we hope for change in some things and wish it otherwise for other things, in the end, everything changes, even stone.
We must guide it, embrace it, or accept it.
Ikiquest+
This week’s Coffee Contemplation…Strengthen and Restore
Considering the number of notes and comments I receive, many of you share my love of discovering new words.
Here’s a new one that sparked a reflection for me.
Roborant: rob·o·rant (rō-bər-ənt)-adj. meaning…having a strengthening or restorative effect.
I share some easy ways to incorporate roborant rituals to restore and strengthen our energy, resolve, and motivation.
And a bonus this week for Ikiquest+ subscribers. I promise + subscribers will always be the first to get the exciting news and happenings. This week I received my author copies of my book. I share a real-time video of opening up the books and my reflection on the fulfillment of a life-long dream.
Ikiquest+ subscribers can listen to them in audio or video narration or read the transcription.
If you aren’t yet an Ikiquest+ Subscriber, give it a try for free by clicking the box here.
Interesting Thing I Saw This Week
I'm a bit of a map geek so when I saw TheTrueSize.com map tool I had to check it out.
"Every map projection introduces distortion, and each has its own set of problems. One of the most common criticisms of the Mercator map is that it exaggerates the size of countries nearer the poles (US, Russia, Europe) while downplaying the size of those near the equator (the African Continent)"
As you move closer to the equator in typical maps the size shrinks. The tool helps you see the real relative size.
Here's an example. Alaska is still much larger than Texas though not the 10 times bigger it appears. In fact, while Alaska is the largest US state at about 663,300 square miles, Texas is about 268,600 square miles - making Alaska about 2.5 times larger than Texas, not 10 times as the Mercator projection suggests.
Greenland in the news so much lately is large though not bigger than all of Africa as it seems on the distorted map. More like the size of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania. On the Mercator projection, Greenland appears about 14 times larger than it actually is compared to landmasses near the equator.
My home state of Wisconsin is much smaller, closer to the size of Columbia. You can check it out for yourself.
Comment of the Week:
This one from Teri, a brand new paid subscriber, was in response to last week’s Musing…
This is the first time I’ve read/listened to a Marlow Musing.
You have a great voice and read your stuff wonderfully.
I typically do an audio version of each post and if you haven’t given a listen, I encourage you to do so in part because they often have some extras the written version doesn’t always have.
You’ll hear asides, observations, and what might be best described as ‘outtakes’ because I rarely edit the recording for perfection.
Many people have told me they like to listen out on walks or while they are driving in their car. Again, I hope you’ll give it a try, and like Teri, I hope you’ll let me know when you enjoy listening.
Quote I’m Pondering
This thought is from poet, philosopher, and author Noah benShea2…
Do not kiss you children so they will kiss you back but so they will kiss their children, and their children’s children.
Final Thoughts
For whatever reason my weeks take on themes. A reflection on the topic of change, prompted by writing a story on the London Underground, took me on a reminiscence of my trip to London with my son, which then reminded me how much I've changed over the years.
My grandson's birthday this week pulled all of those things together for me. We change, we learn, we grow, and we become more ourselves.
In all of those things, we are our best when we are pouring love into others.
Ancient wisdom tells us that in the end...“these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”3
Quest Well.
10 Downing Street is the official residence and office of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Paul Collins, ed., "The Treasury of Vital Wisdom" (Rakuten Kobo, n.d.)
1 Corinthians 13 NIV
What a sweet memory of you and Gavin, one that demonstrates the love and tenderness of good dads.
It’s not important if we lose our cool once in awhile, as long as we have some times like these to hold onto.
I think you must have caught an old Routemaster London bus. They averaged around half a million miles in service. Still see the occasional one trundling down the A2 road near our house, on its way to Canterbury.
You were lucky it didn't rain and wash the wallet down a drain.
As you kept your cool, were you hearing harp music, and did the halo weigh heavy or light? Its not something I've experienced, yet. Doubt I've deserved.