"The Last Time......."

"Be present at this moment in time, as it may be you last time..." Grandfather Mountain Elder

There is a very interesting, simple, and yet extremely powerful metaphorical exercise that I and many fellow adventurers I know have applied in our outdoor experiences...

It is all about being more aware... and then musing a bit deeper... into the smallest moments within a specific adventure...

Over the last thirty years I have had many wild lands experiences where I didn't recognize nor realize the significance of it being the 'last time' I would participate in that activity or enjoy a certain special place...

There is indeed a 'last time' for everything we do in our lives.......

We may be faintly aware of this; yet it is also natural for us to live our lives of adventure as if this wasn't so. But even so, during your next adventure day, allow your self to experience it as 'your last' climb, hike, canoe, kayak, or other cherished adventure activity...

Make a conscious decision to appreciate the whole of the experience as if you would not return...

Be decidedly mindful of the nature of being there, however your plans turn out, whatever the weather and circumstances might be...

Focus closely upon the sights, sounds, sensations, the feelings, the movement...

When I muse back over these memories and years out in our wild places, I can now more clearly see those days and experiences that turned out to be the last of their kind...

Part of me likely didn't want to see this, but another part of me would like to have recognized this to then make those moments even more memorable...

This might just be a perspective of age I guess, or maybe just a very valuable perception gained from certain lessons. Having tried this exercise as an adventure in itself with intensely satisfying results, believe me, your time will and efforts will be well worth it...

Time as a construct will fall away, you will know a whole new kind of exhilaration, become an integral part of the whole adventure experience, and ultimately value it in an unforgettable way...

When I've chosen to enhance an adventure by perceiving it as what might be a 'last time', there is an intensity of emotion that develops, a truer sense of what is taking place, more meaningful musings about what has been done in the past, and upon what we then may hope to do in the future...

There have been such beautiful moments where I then 'know' we are a part of those who have gone before out there and now share in their strength... and a real desire then to become a part of those who pass forward these same opportunities so others can enjoy their 'first time' out...

DSD