Why a Journal?
So why take the time to write about my GC experiences?
It's a good question.
At 48 years old, and with 3 Grand Canyon adventures already experienced, I still have a sense of these trips as somehow incomplete. It seems that every real adventure needs to completed by the hero returning home and sharing the gifts and learnings of the trip. It seems like it would be so much easier if I could just share my journeys by telling stories. Just sitting down and talking and answering questions and describing it all. But, that's not so easy to do. So, writing seems to become one of the next best ways.
I know my Grand Canyon/Colorado River experiences have had a great positive impact on my life. So, I want to share that as best possible with those I love most and who can use the lessons-learned best, In my life that's Dylan and Jake, Kyle and Ryan and Danny and Shawn, Missy and Nicki and Alex.
Speaking of Alex... he's my 22 year old nephew - the son of my sister. And, he's going with me on trip #4. I'm excited to have a chance to share this experience directly with him. I deeply hope it will have a profound, positive influence upon him, as this type of trip has had for so many others before him.
There is a magic within the Grand Canyon. Traveling by river for 226 miles from Lee's Ferry to Diamond Creek provides such a special view of the world we live in. And, a unique perspective of the lives we live.
My initial GC trip was summer of 1994.
Hard to believe that was almost 12 years ago.
That trip opened me up to a new world of possibilities and challenged me to take better advantage of the many opportunities in my life.
Several months after that first trip I came-upon this anonymous quote:
The ART OF ADVENTURE
Create mental pictures of your goals, then work to make those pictures become realities.
Exercise your God-given power to choose you own direction and influence your own destiny and try to decide wisely and well.
Have the daring to open doors to new experiences and to step boldly forth to explore strange horizons.
Be unafraid of new ideas, new theories, and new philosophies.
Have the curiosity to experiment.. to test and try new ways of living and thinking.
Recognize that the only ceiling life has is the one you give it.
You are surrounded by infinite possibilities for growth and achievement.
Keep your heart young and your expectations high and never allow your dreams to die.
Before my first GC experience I would not have trusted this advice. Now, with 3 journeys under-my-belt and a fourth less than 60 days away, I KNOW this is true. Now, I try to live my entire life as an adventure and that seems to make a great deal of positive difference.
Hopefully, as I continue to add my stories to this web-journal, I will accomplish my goal of being the "eyes and ears" for all of you who may never have the chance to experience "The Canyon". I trust my writing will prove worthy of your time and attention.
It's a good question.
At 48 years old, and with 3 Grand Canyon adventures already experienced, I still have a sense of these trips as somehow incomplete. It seems that every real adventure needs to completed by the hero returning home and sharing the gifts and learnings of the trip. It seems like it would be so much easier if I could just share my journeys by telling stories. Just sitting down and talking and answering questions and describing it all. But, that's not so easy to do. So, writing seems to become one of the next best ways.
I know my Grand Canyon/Colorado River experiences have had a great positive impact on my life. So, I want to share that as best possible with those I love most and who can use the lessons-learned best, In my life that's Dylan and Jake, Kyle and Ryan and Danny and Shawn, Missy and Nicki and Alex.
Speaking of Alex... he's my 22 year old nephew - the son of my sister. And, he's going with me on trip #4. I'm excited to have a chance to share this experience directly with him. I deeply hope it will have a profound, positive influence upon him, as this type of trip has had for so many others before him.
There is a magic within the Grand Canyon. Traveling by river for 226 miles from Lee's Ferry to Diamond Creek provides such a special view of the world we live in. And, a unique perspective of the lives we live.
My initial GC trip was summer of 1994.
Hard to believe that was almost 12 years ago.
That trip opened me up to a new world of possibilities and challenged me to take better advantage of the many opportunities in my life.
Several months after that first trip I came-upon this anonymous quote:
The ART OF ADVENTURE
Create mental pictures of your goals, then work to make those pictures become realities.
Exercise your God-given power to choose you own direction and influence your own destiny and try to decide wisely and well.
Have the daring to open doors to new experiences and to step boldly forth to explore strange horizons.
Be unafraid of new ideas, new theories, and new philosophies.
Have the curiosity to experiment.. to test and try new ways of living and thinking.
Recognize that the only ceiling life has is the one you give it.
You are surrounded by infinite possibilities for growth and achievement.
Keep your heart young and your expectations high and never allow your dreams to die.
Before my first GC experience I would not have trusted this advice. Now, with 3 journeys under-my-belt and a fourth less than 60 days away, I KNOW this is true. Now, I try to live my entire life as an adventure and that seems to make a great deal of positive difference.
Hopefully, as I continue to add my stories to this web-journal, I will accomplish my goal of being the "eyes and ears" for all of you who may never have the chance to experience "The Canyon". I trust my writing will prove worthy of your time and attention.
posted by tomwilk | 5:50 PM
|
0 comments
