"For You Will Smile..."

"Do not fear the force of the wind, nor the slash of the rain.
Go face them.
Be savage again.
Go hungry and cold like the wolf.
Go wade like the crane.
The palms of your hand will thicken.
The skin of your cheek will tan.
You will grow ragged, weary, and swarthy.
But you will smile and walk like a man...".  H. Garland

``A Farther Smile Shared With Us All...``

A wonderous farther smile shared by Laurie Normandeau with us all.....

``A Quiet Smile To Share In...``

``I knew when I met you an adventure was going to happen...``.  Pooh by AA Milne

"A Little Smile...

Just a little smile shared with all of you my Friends this adventure day...   DSD  

"Where Our Quest Truly Begins.."

"During a momentary pause in his climb, the wilderness sends him a reassuring message. As he becomes aware of the splendid series of waterfalls beside him, his tiredness falls away. The water slips effortlessly through smooth chasms and tumbles over immense granite outcroppings. This, he realises, is where his quest truly begins...". M. Mardon   

"The Questing Journey..."

"The longest journey is the journey inwards. Of him who has chosen his destiny, who has started upon his quest for the source of his being...".   D. Hammarskjold

"Our Quest..."

We all have our own mountains to climb and our own 'summits' to achieve. Our quest for these 'summits' is as important as attaining them... The arduousness of our quest is part of how we come to understand our motivation. Creating and recreating our own enthusiasm and motivation is the very essence of adventure experiences. There are many kinds of 'summits' and many 'adventure ways'. When we push our own limits at a level, and in an activity, that is right for each of us, with a focus on safety and especially fun; we journey along paths of freedom, happiness, beauty, and truth. The 'path' could be up a mountain, along a coastline, down a river or canyon, along a trail or ridge line, under the earth, across a lake or ocean, through any wilderness. The 'means' could be by going solo or in a group, with boots, runners, rope, crampons, bike, ski, snowshoe, kayak, canoe, raft, or... Achievement is determined by our own efforts and not just results. How will you arrange the elements in your life? What will your next 'adventure summit' be?   DSD

"A Small Word...

"Say it my friends.
Say the word 'quest' out loud.
It is an extraordinary word, isn't it?
So Small. yet so full of wonder, so full of hope...".  K. Camillo

"Seeking Truths..."

"It's only called a stone because it would be a reliable truth... Look for the eternal truth amid the flowing change of all things. Like a stone in the river...". J. Auld

"As Resilient..."

"Man never made any material as resilient as the human spirit...".   B. Williams

"Seeking Our Why's..."

"The Greeks pondered the causes of things. If you had asked them, 'Why are there mountains' they'd give you four causes. The Material cause is the ground has the potential to become a mountain. The Efficient cause is that mountains are just elevated earth standing up. The Formal cause is the earth raised them up. But the Final cause is where it gets interesting. They'd say the Final cause of mountains is they exist because humans need to look up and dream..."
"I've always been fascinated by the why . You know, the oldest questions in the world...". J. Auld 

"Seeking Aspirations..."

"If we are seekers, then we shall find." Deng Ming-Dao

Adventuring, wandering, seekings...
Setting out towards serendipity.
Looking out there among our most inner terrain.
In the act, within the efforts, are the answers.
Seeking... 
The wonderful, the personal, the natural, the subtle, the surreal, the elemental.
The spirit of seeking is the key to what is being sought...
Seekers, seer's, sorcerers, searchers...
What we pursue, we become.
We seek ourselves, yet find so much more.....  DSD  

"Aspirings..."

"To understand the heart and mind of a person, look not at what he has already achieved, but what he aspires to...". K. Gibran

"What we earnestly aspire to be, that in some sense we are...". A. Jamson

"What are your mountains? What ideals do you aspire to? Leaning back, looking inward she says, 'Truth and Beauty'. Of that, Truth is definitely higher. But be careful, for as you near any summit, the way becomes steep and narrow, as mountains are apt to do, and increasingly difficult...".  J. Auld

"May The Stopping Never Start..."

"Here's to freedom, cheers to art.

Here's to having an excellent adventure and may the stopping never start...".  J. Mraz

"More Within..."

It occurred in those very early, long ago seasons, as we followed along with every measured step that was taking us forwards, as we were being lead by our Outward Bound Instructors. 
Then in later years too, with every determined step of theirs, as our Mountain Guides took us upwards - the ground seemed to also be shaking beneath us... 
What had happened was truly an earthquake of sorts, of our emotions, tremors around our assumptions, and a shaking apart of beliefs and misconceptions. The ground of what had seemed to have been solid perceptions clearly shook beneath us so. 
What they were doing through their actions, showing us by their example, saying in their quiet yet potent ways, and in modelling who they were choosing to be as mentors' and as adventurers' out there - had shaken up our vistas of the world, and more importantly the sometimes limited views we each had of our very selves. 
Then what we began sensing, seeing, then realizing deeply, and finally believing in, was that the terrain we had previously created of our perceptions from before was not as solid as we had once felt.
'This was possible', 'we can do this', were now all our new compelling mantras. The concept that there was indeed more within us than we ever first knew became our new inviting geography. 
Our preconceived limitations were now shaken, our previously limiting beliefs were now shattered, our understanding of possibilities had shifted, and the epicenter of what we now truly knew had moved distinctly farther and higher. 
The ground had shaken greatly beneath us, and we were so very happy that this had happened..... DSD  

"If We All See..."

On Outward Bound the exercises were always gentle challenges, far journeys within moments of experiences, with many levels of metaphors and meanings to be found.
One exercise experience we were invited to long ponder, and then write about in our journals as well, began as it often did, as a seemingly simple question...
We had finally descended after a challenging day up high, over such bare rock, among strong winds, darkening clouds, and the many unknowns novices perceive from out there.
Maybe it was our later discussion about those very unknowns that sparked this exercise. For all our Outward Bound Instructor then said, when later we were all resting, sorting gear, and recovering was, "I wonder, if you all see in one another, and if you each see in yourselves, what the mountain saw in every single one of you today...".
I have always very much loved, and been so drawn to, such engaging metaphors and mystery. To think that the mountain itself was paying as close attention to us, as we were to it, intrigued us greatly. To ponder that this very high wild place, that peak of stone, could be a sentient kind of thing, which was watching us very closely that adventure day was a wonderously inviting concept.
Yet, maybe, just maybe, that Outward Bound Leader knew more than what was only being said. Because I have come to believe and accept, that there is a subtle truth, more reality than we just see, to this engaging musing. The mountains do indeed often sense, they also seem to know, that we truly do have so very much more within us than we may ever have first expected.
So, my Dear Friends, in those moments, what might you think your next elusive summit will observe, and then surely draw forth from you as well, that you may initially not known by yourself..... DSD

"Of Gratitude, Of Thanks, Of Appreciations..."

Let's all take a few moments, to simply reflect upon our appreciations, and the gratitude we each have, for having one another in our lives.
A thanksgiving homage for all of you my Friends.

"Deeper Within Our Moments..."

Back in those initial moments,
During all of that intensive preparation.
We each dreamed of eventually being on our way,
Towards a longed for journey of adventure - and then we began...
Up there in those unfolding moments,
Upon that long winding ridgeline,
Over rock we were not sure of,
We felt there would be so much energy and excitement - and there clearly was...
Amidst those very challenging moments,
Throughout the route, and then the crux of this chosen mountain.
We thought there would be those engaging sensations of such focus and concentration - and there certainly were...
Then deep within those forever moments,
Finally upon our so elusive summit.
Within that calmness of winds, clouds, and perceptions,
We hoped for those gentle emotions of contentment and connection - and now there always will be..... DSD
Dedicated this quiet thanksgiving, as we reflect upon that which we appreciate , that which we are grateful for, and as we muse over the many meanings of our wonderful journeys.
For the WWF , WSPA , IFAW , and Vital Ground .
For all of you too who are still underway 'Adventuring For Another Reason'.
It is a privilege to share in your journeys .
It is an honour to know you all my Friends.......

"Thank You Again Stephen..."

"The glories of a mountain campfire are far greater than may be guessed. One can make a day of any size and regulate the rising and setting of his own sun and the brightness of its shining. You gaze around at the illuminated trees as if you'd never seen them before... Sparks stream off like comets or in round, star-like whirls from a sun. They fly into space like Milky Ways of lavishness and fall like white flakes, feathery and pure as snow..." J. Muir

Thank you again Stephen, for your endless inspiration... DSD

"Gratitude Blossoming..."

"Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul...'. 
H.W. Beecher

"Adventure Destinations..."

"All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is often unaware...".  M. Buber

"An Essential Factor..."

"Perhaps the spirit of adventure, be it mental or physical adventure, is a factor so essential in human progress that no emphasis of it is undue...". 
A. Hill

"Of Seekings..."

"It is like a voyage of discovery into unknown lands, seeking not only new territory, but for new knowledge.
It should appeal to those with a good sense of adventure...".  F. Sanger

"Of Poems, Mantras, & Quests..."

Words within a poem from the trail,
A mantra for certain fulfilling motivation,
All about such enduring momentum,
Yet also reflecting our deep emotion...
'Further' became the invocation,
A chanting over very long distance,
Looking past perceived limitations,
And further it was we went...
'Forward' was the clear saying,
Regardless of the many external challenges,
Or of our internal hurdles too,
For forward it now was...
'Upward' was the powerful inspiration,
Shared in such potent moments,
To go beyond assumed limitations,
Then upward was our direction...
'Inward' is now our shared song,
In midst of these special times to sing,
About our unique adventure paths,
And the real journey we discover out there...
Our quests within wonderful adventures,
Poetic words found upon a trail,
Further, forward, onward, upwards, and inwards,
Now it forever is..... DSD

For Outward Bound who guides so many of us on our first trails, to those who continue on their chosen trails while Adventuring For Another Reason , and to my Partners In Passing Forward smiles all along the way.

"Our Shared Poetic Adventurings..."

The substance of our adventures,
And the echoes of a poem,
How very much alike,
They feel so much to be...

The elements of adventures,
And the essence of many poems,
Far away they always take us,
How much then we will see...

A life among adventures,
The feelings within a poem,
Experiences we reach with hope towards,
Understandings that then embrace us too...

Truly they are one and the same,
So wonderfully similar they always are,
The adventuring of shared perceptions,
The poetry of our forever wanderings..... DSD

Dedicated this adventure day to all those 'Artists of Being Alive' who continue to Adventure For Another Reason.  

"Of Our Shared Ropes..."

"The rope connecting two men on a mountain is more than nylon protection. It is an organic thing that transmits subtle messages of intent and and disposition from man to man; it is an extension of the tactile senses, a psychological bond, a wire along which currents of communication flow...".  Trevanian 

"Adventurers Are Truly Artists...

"A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind...".  E. Ionesco

"Of Compasses..."

"Most times, the worst of situations can become a compass to the best of situations...".  I. Izuakor