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"The Sunrise Kid"
Hullo! My name is Chase. I'm an active pursuer of light. I have a wife and some kids that I adore. I'm learning to face my fears and step into my own purpose and identity. The Sunrise Goal is all part of that effort.
Daydreaming: How It Began
The Sunrise Goal began back in 2011. I was in Tallahassee, Florida sitting in a Sunday school class one afternoon. I couldn't focus on the lesson. My mind was wandering, wondering, and most importantly daydreaming. It was being filled with a flood of ideas. At the core was this growing desire to learn more about what I had spiritually experienced within the last year. I had felt so alone and hopeless just 1 year before. Now I was feeling engulfed in Love and Hope. What happened!? How did this transformation take place? Was it just a coincidence?
My mind kept turning to memories of summer. I had just gotten back from a solo cross country bicycle tour from Portland, Oregon to East Tennessee. My goal for the trip was to learn more about God, discover more about myself, and connect to my family and close friends. I camped most nights along the way and would wake up gently each morning with the first light of dawn. Those mornings became sacred to me. Sitting outside my tent alone observing the world waking up. I didn't realize it then, but that would be where my own spirit awakened to a new goal.
Cut back to Sunday school...I had this idea. What if I were to watch the sunrise to learn more about the transformation of darkness to light? The sunrise is the embodiment of change. What if I immersed myself in it to see what I could learn? My heart was getting excited at the vision as it was being unveiled.
"I could watch it every day!"
"I could watch it every day for a full year!!"
"I could watch it every day for a full year with a new companion each day!!!"
Eventually this last thought was fixed into my mind. I couldn't get it out. I thought about it incessantly for the next 24 hours until I finally committed. I would watch the sunrise every day for a full year with a new companion each day.
The First Sunrise
I began on October 31, 2011 (easy to remember halloween, haha) with a solo sunrise. From that day on, I would wake up and head out into a dark world to wait for light. I watched the sunrise with 216 companions. There was not a single morning that didn't yield something wonderful. Part of what I discovered is that the environment that the sunrise creates is conducive for authentic, meaningful connection - connection to God, self, and others.
I learned so much about life from so many perspectives and was given a space to ponder on my experiences. It left me fulfilled in a way I never considered. After the end of the year long goal, I committed to a life long goal following the same principles (just not every single day haha).
The Goal Continues
Now I'm trucking along going about 4 times a week on average. At this rate, I should be able to complete the goal in about 46 years, haha! Kind of crazy to work on a goal that will finish after I retire. If you're curious to see the most recent activity, follow the Sunrise Goal on facebook or instagram (and seriously, thanks for the support!).
Life Now
I am husband to the most perfect wife for me, Chelsea Aniel Jones. She has been a love and support for the past 5 years. Together we have 1 child and another on the way. Our son August Robert Jones is a year old and he is a major source of fulfillment for us.
Our home is mostly a non stop stand up comedy session. We all think that we're funny and can't hold back when we have something come to our minds. We also dance and sing incessantly... Our poor kids.
My Vulnerable Story
If you're interested in hearing the more full account of my own life, give this video a go. I recorded this video during an epic sunrise hike during the summer of 2020. It was a sacred experience and I felt really connected to God and to the beauty found in our personal stories, especially in contrast.
