About

Thank you for visiting The Happy Road Ahead!

This site is the website for a weekly podcast by the same name. Our mission is to explore the world in search of that which is motivating, inspiring and educational. Even a single individual who is sufficiently inspired and motivated, can change the world. Now, while we cannot promise that to be the result of listening to our podcast, we can certainly try!

The Happy Road ahead is a non-religious, non-political, non-partisan project. While the head of The Happy Road Ahead certainly holds his own, personal views on such matters, the goal is to seek inspiration and motivation from all sources. This is the origin of the tagline, “An Empty Teacup.” An empty teacup is a symbol of knowledge. It alludes specifically to a famous, Zen Buddhist Koan in which open-mindedness toward knowledge is compared to the tea in a teacup.

Nan-in, a Japanese master during the Meiji era (1868-1912), received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen.

Nan-in served tea. He poured his visitor’s cup full, and then kept on pouring.

The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!”

“Like this cup,” Nan-in said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

The world’s great religions all seek inspiration from noteworthy sources, and praise those ideals that are honourable and noble. The Bible has long been a source of inspiration for millions, and this quote from the Book of Philippians is quite apt:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

Not to mention the fact that it is also the school motto of my alma mater, the University of Alberta. Regardless of the source, we seek motivation and inspiration with an open mind and an eager spirit, knowing that the journey we embark upon will be exciting and full of wonder! I hope you will join me in making these discoveries, and that this podcast might help you see the Happy Road Ahead!

Atley Jonas

January 24, 2013