The Relaunch  

On February 6, 2018, Elon Musk and his crew blasted the Falcon Heavy Rocket into outer space.  By the time the smoke settled and 2 side boosters re-docked and a bright red Tesla was sent speeding off towards Mars, a feeling of complete ecstasy filled the air. That moment the FHR became world's most powerful rocket in use, and the legend of SpaceX and its pioneering CEO only grew to more epic proportions. 

Even Musk himself was caught up in the euphoria of the moment. His usual cool demeanor betrayed a wide-eyed excitement and a grin from ear to ear.  "It seems surreal to me," he said. "Crazy things can come true... I see a thousand things that could not work, and it's amazing when they do."

Then he set the bar a little higher: "I think it's going to open up a sense of possibility... We want a new space race. Space races are exciting." Indeed, there is something incredibly exciting about reaching farther, always grasping for that which is beyond the horizon. Sometimes it takes one person or a small group to take a courageous step that inspires millions, and suddenly... crazy things come true.

So if you're someone who likes a little inspiration to get you through the day, or if you find yourself pondering life's deep questions into the dead of night, then maybe you've come to right place. 

I started this website a few years back to give my mind some room to wander. Oftentimes, I find that busy days pile up into hectic weeks that snowball into months and years… and, suddenly, I’m just drifting through the routine of life without giving much thought to that which is meaningful, mysterious and transcendent.

I was thus pleased to discover that the word “space” can form the end of a website’s URL, because that’s exactly what I needed. Just like a garden or laboratory or distillery, many worthwhile fruits of labor require a dedicated space for something substantive to come alive. In other words, it would not be enough for my mind to have just any “room to wander” — I needed a room… the Room.

As I’ve said before, the plan is that this room will one day exist  in my own home as a fire-lit sanctuary for all things rustic and refined. But for now it remains a figurative chamber of the mind that anyone can access at any time, and thanks to the tools of technology this is indeed possible. So I hope you feel welcome to come visit this space as often as you'd like; and, with any luck, one day we’ll find ourselves in front of that real fireplace and caught up in discussion lasting well into the early hours of dawn.       

But the analogy of “space” does not stop there — which perhaps is obvious by now.

While on the one hand The Map Room is meant to be a personal space of reflection, it also invokes the idea of outer space and the cosmic universe. These two concepts are juxtaposed in a quote that forms the tag line, “to the far side of the space and the inside of men’s minds.” It comes from a speech known as “The New Frontier” given by John F. Kennedy in July 1960 when he accepted the Democratic nomination for President. One provoking excerpt states that:

“The New Frontier is here, whether we seek it or not. Beyond that frontier are the uncharted areas of science and space, unsolved problems of peace and war, unconquered pockets of ignorance and prejudice, unanswered questions of poverty and surplus… [but the real question is whether] we can carry through in an age where we will witness not only new breakthroughs in weapons of destruction — but also a race for mastery of the sky and the rain, the ocean and the tides, the far side of space and the inside of men's minds.”

Kennedy’s statement suggests that the unexplored depths of the human mind are as vast and boundless as the farthest reaches of the universe. If we are willing to step into this void and begin a quest into the depths of who we are, perhaps together we can unlock mysteries that currently lie many light years beyond our grasp.

This New Frontier cannot be traveled alone, and for that matter it was never meant to be a solo flight. We need to put ourselves in one another's shoes and walk a few miles together. We need to consider the spectrum of backgrounds and colors that paint our lives and shape our society. We need to look a little below the surface, a little beyond the status quo, a little further than those who came before us. 

That's why I’m excited to re-launch this website with contributions from a community of writers, artists, musicians, and creative minds from across the world. From personal stories and interviews, to insights on current events and geopolitics, to poetry and storytelling (and much more), I am thrilled at what the journey has in store for us.

So once again, WELCOME TO THE MAP ROOM, and stay tuned for new content!

Nick Shepherd
February 2018