KARMASOUL Inspiration

In 2002 I moved on from college and began dating a girl from the northeast.  This girl would later become my wife, but what I didn’t know at the time, was that the courting process was not just about winning her over, but it involved winning the hearts and minds of the entire family – and it was a very large family at that.  But no worries – I had delt with pressure before, this would be fine.  Early in the relationship, my then girlfriend invited me to join her on a family ski weekend in Waterville Valley, New Hampshire.  I wasn’t the best snowboarder around, but I could definitely hold my own, so I jumped at the opportunity to show her and her three brothers that I belonged.  I had a RIDE 162 at the time and I had just gotten it sharpened, so I was feeling pretty good about the trip. 

Upon arrival, I decided to take my first run with George, the immediate younger brother of my girlfriend.  George, or Georgie to the family of eight, was just plain cool.  We hit it off immediately.  All that was left to do was to beat him down the mountain, so I could gain his respect … and hopefully impress my girlfriend in the process.  As we ripped down that first run, all I can remember thinking was, “Who is this kid, and why is he a better snowboarder than me?”  I was older, wiser, and in my mind, definitely stronger.  But as it turns out, I was also slower – this guy could absolutely shred. 

And as the days, and eventually years, drew on, I quickly realized snowboarding wasn’t the only talent of Georgie’s. He was athletically gifted on every type of board out there – he could surf, skate, wake and even skim.  But he didn’t only excel at sports, he was also very accomplished in the arts as an artist, an actor and even a playwright.  Georgie had an insatiable hunger for life’s journey and he represented everything I wanted to be – a care free soul who sought adventure, who embraced the constant pursuit of pure bliss, and who wanted nothing more than to make the ever important human connection to share his life experience.  Georgie truly was the ultimate master of the human experiment.  No one lived better and no one lived purer. 

However, in 2010 the world suffered a tragic loss – Georgie was lost to this earth all too soon.  And although his body may no longer be with us, his spirit is felt every day.  And while we continue to mourn his loss, we light up with joy when we remember the goodness that he carried within - his kindness, his compassion, his humility and his heart.

And that’s what KARMASOUL represents ... the willingness to embrace life at your own pace.  Be true to yourself in all that you do.  Make lasting relationships and make them count.  Live your life with no regrets and always listen to that inner-voice that steers you down your path to greatness.  Find Your Balance, Be Free, Love to Live and Journey On!  That’s exactly what Georgie would have wanted you to do and that is why we carry that torch in the hopes that we are making him proud every day. 

We miss you, brother!