In Legend of the Masks, Meg, a young lady that has just passed through some tough life experiences, is trying to find herself. Like everyone, she wants to feel of value and to be accepted yet having been discarded by a husband caught in the web of selfishness she struggles with her identity. A chance encounter with Mr. Grisham plants a seed of hope. Lyrics from some of her favorite music strike a chord deep within helping Meg deal with her situation. Meg determines to make more of her life. Meg will endear herself to you. In book 3, Legend of the Orcas we’ll see how Meg is holding up.

In the following account from Legend of Crystal Cove, Larry illustrates the relationship between authority and experience: The Island Gang leaves Raft Island intent on following clues to the location of Crystal Cove gleaned from their time in the burial ground at Dead Man’s Island. Though they have prepared in many ways, it is only the second time that they have taken the boat out on their own, it is dark, and they travel to a location they had never before visited. The outing is a disaster. On a later occasion, and under nearly identical circumstances (same boat, similar preparation, same information, same course), they once again take their heading into Henderson Bay, but this time they have Mr. Grisham on board. As Mr. Grisham provides a lesson in sailing the kids quickly take note of his experience and fall in line as he takes charge. Having given Mr. Grisham the respect he deserves, they reach their destination successfully. When they run into problems in the cove they learn that Mr. Grisham has with him resources that provide an effective method of addressing the problem.

While the relationship between authority and experience is not an absolute, experience in a given discipline, when properly analyzed and applied, has the probability of making one somewhat of an authority in that discipline. That authority, when used with due consideration, enhances experience. To be effective, authority must be used with, and granted, respect.

In keeping with his objective of reinforcing sound principles that have application in everyday life, Larry explains how Little Imp came to be renamed Lost Change.

In this scene from Legend of Crystal Cove, The Island Gang has just fought their way to shore near the lighthouse at the mouth of Gig Harbor. The previous twelve hours had been eventful; they snuck out near dark, pushed off from Raft Island Beach, rowed across Henderson Bay, pitched the boat tent offshore from the secluded cove, went adrift while sleeping, woke to learn of their predicament, made their way to a pier to get their bearings, discovered an abandoned mine, entered the mine, witnessed a drug operation, had a narrow escape, missed Hale Passage, tried their best to row into Gig Harbor, were denied by the exit tide, and finally made it to the beach at the lighthouse.

It is then that Gary come comes up with the idea for renaming their boat. His comment is this, “… we just spent a good part of the day lost, which means we’re going to have to change the way we go about this adventure thing.”

Their intentions had been good when they left Raft Island—discover Crystal Cove. However, in their excitement they took several shortcuts—sneaking out on the boat without permission was not the least of these.

Later, in Legend of the Masks, a teaching moment is taking place and Grisham teaches, “… anything worth doing is worthy of investigation.” Having already had the experience above, that brief instruction has greater meaning.

So it is in life, sometimes we get in a hurry and take shortcuts that lead us to undesirable conclusions—putting us in a situation where we have perhaps lost our way. Ultimately we must come to grips with the inappropriate actions and make changes. Without change the likelihood of our situation changing isn’t good. The definition of insanity comes to mind—doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.