4 posts tagged “hike”

SIM SKY WILLIAM GREEN

Today gave us a family memory for the ages. Yours truly took the boys and cousin William for a hike up the cliffs over the Fall of Lana (a good thing). Only I managed to get a little misplaced i.e. slightly lost (a bad thing). But this led us into a delightful and big patch of wild blueberries at the top of the ridge (a good thing). But then one of us stepped on a yellow jacket hive (a bad thing). Fortunately, I was able to bat most of the yellow jackets off the William and Sky so Simeon and William only got one sting each (a good thing). But doing so meant that yours truly got about 15-20 stings (a bad thing) and Skyler got 9-10 (a really bad thing) and so we all ran down the mountain with the orneriest coven of demonic yellow jackets you’ve ever seen after us (still not a good thing) with Skyler swearing like a demon possessed trucker (a bad thing) but in Latin and elvish so that William’s innocent ears were not despoiled (a good thing) all the way to the river we immediately plunged into for relief (a good thing) because it was so cold, it made your whole body feel like it was being stung by yellow jackets (a bad thing) resulting in our discovery of a great new swimming hole we would have never known about (a good thing) had it not been for our little mishap (a memorable thing). Unfortunately, the stings still hurt 12 hrs later (a bad thing) but its kept me up till three and I have managed to get a letter written (a good thing).

They say that comedy = tragedy + distance and I am happy to say that we were laughing pretty hard about things before the stingers were out. But I won’t lie. I have never seen Skyler that miserable since he was two, with a double ear infection, no sleep and wet diapers. Talk about the face of misery and anguish! What is funny is that he has forgiven me for stepping on that yellow jacket hive but I don’t he will forgive me for posting the picture I am about to post. Grin.

PICTURE DELETED

I will post a few pictures from the adventure. Sorry, I didn't stick around to get a shot of whose footprint was on that hive.  

Winter forest

I went out for a walk in the quiet woods today. Saw some deer. Heard a rushing stream off to prepare the way for Spring. Hugged a tree.

"Most people are on the world, not in it. - have no conscious sympathy or relationship to anything about them - undiffused, separate, and rigidly alone like marbles of polished stone, touching but separate. . . . Our crude civilization engenders a multitude of wants, and law-givers are ever at their wit's end devising. The hall and the theater and the church have been invented, and compulsory education. Why not add compulsory recreation? Our forefathers forged chains of duty and habit, which bind us notwithstanding our boasted freedom, and we ourselves in desperation add link to link, groaning and making medicinal laws for relief. Yet few think of pure rest or of the healing power of Nature.” John Muir, Founder of sierra Club

Ventoux

View from Mt. Ventoux

One day in April, 1336, the 32 yr. old Francesco Petrarch, an Italian humanist and writer decided to go for a hike up Mount Ventoux. He left a record of his motivations and experience in a letter he wrote to his father. I confess that I find the discussion of his deliberations before leaving amusing. He strikes me as ... Oh, I don't know, ... a kindred spirit.

"To-day I made the ascent of the highest mountain in this region, which is not improperly called Ventosum. My only motive was the wish to see what so great an elevation had to offer. I have had the expedition in mind for many years; for, as you know, I have lived in this region from infancy, having been cast here by that fate which determines the affairs of men. Consequently the mountain, which is visible from a great distance, was ever before my eyes, and I conceived the plan of some time doing what I have at last accomplished to-day. . . .

When I came to look about for a companion I found, strangely enough, that hardly one among my friends seemed suitable, so rarely do we meet with just the right combination of personal tastes and characteristics, even among those who are dearest to us. This one was too apathetic, that one over-anxious; this one too slow, that one too hasty; one was too sad, another over-cheerful; one more simple, another more sagacious, than I desired. I feared this one's taciturnity and that one's loquacity. The heavy deliberation of some repelled me as much as the lean incapacity of others. I rejected those who were likely to irritate me by a cold want of interest, as well as those who might weary me by their excessive enthusiasm. Such defects, however grave, could be borne with at home, for charity suffereth all things, and friendship accepts any burden; but it is quite otherwise on a journey, where every weakness becomes much more serious. So, as I was bent upon pleasure and anxious that my enjoyment should be unalloyed, I looked about me with unusual care, balanced against one another the various characteristics of my friends, and without committing any breach of friendship I silently condemned every trait which might prove disagreeable on the way."

You ever feel like this? Like you want someone in your life, a counterpart, who is "unalloyed" as Petrarch put it. The person you WANT with you on a hike? Petrarch finally settled on his brother, who was only too delighted to have been asked.

But should we have to "settle?

Here's my question to you. Should one "settle" for someone as a life partner, or hold out for the ultimate ubercounterpart. A passage from Shakespeare's play, The Tempest, comes to mind.    Somewhere in Act III Scene I, Ferdinand say to Miranda

Admired Miranda!
Indeed the top of admiration! worth
What's dearest to the world! Full many a lady
I have eyed with best regard and many a time
The harmony of their tongues hath into bondage
Brought my too diligent ear: for several virtues
Have I liked several women; never any
With so fun soul, but some defect in her
Did quarrel with the noblest grace she owed
And put it to the foil: but you, O you,
So perfect and so peerless, are created
Of every creature's best!"

No doubt, time would cure Ferdinand of some of his romanticism as no one (with the exception of Jesus maybe) should market themselves as a creature created "of every creature's best." One cannot be expected to play tennis like Venessa Williams, act like Gwyneth Paltrow, sing like Shania Twain, and break into the Navy Seals like Demi Moore, alias, G.I Jane, - grin.  I would hate to feel that I had to measure up to the standard of "every creature's best". But still, if you have ever met someone who suffered from the delusion that you WERE created "of every creature's best" you know how good it feels. And maybe, just maybe, THAT is what we're all  looking for. If we have ever had it and lost it, I know thats what we are looking for.