"Nearing Year's End..."

"We shall not cease from exploration and at the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know it for the first time...". T.S. Elliot

That adventure day by the sea, when I could sense the end of the trail approaching, there was that deep emotion of contentment, and yet a gentle tired kind of sadness as well.
I recognize we all experience this occasionally. 
When we each attain a really elusive adventure goal out there, with all of those so special celebratory emotions. Then at times we sense upon completion a touch of those other feelings of, 'Oh, Its over'...
Pretty natural it seems, to truly experience both, when we invest ourselves so intensely and purposefully within our journeys.
So, I did what we wanderers often do and pondered this a bit, while allowing myself to experience all those musings and emotions all at the same time. 
Then much later, as I rested upon a further mountain, after having had that similar summit rush of these sensations, I reminded myself of that very old saying, 'that when one trail seems to end, another path always opens up'.
I reflected too on another old saying that, 'while we may shed a tear about such an experience being over, we can clearly smile as well for having lived those forever moments'.
There are many manifestations of these wise and wild old ponderings.
So, then, if we keep ourselves open to what is always out there on the horizon; if we accept that there is always more within us than ever first realized; if we blend with the truths that there is never an end to the creation of amazing memories, possible connections, and shared wonderful stories - then our trails will forever keep on going so much farther, higher, upward, onward, and inward...
Seeming endings always then become new beginnings and as Muir reminds us as well, "This grand show is eternal... It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never dried at once; a shower is forever falling; vapour is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal sunset, eternal dawn and gloaming, on seas and continents and islands, each in turn, as the round earth rolls". 
Happy endless end of the year trails to all of you my Friends.....DSD   

"Of The Music We hear Out there..."

"The end of a melody is not its goal.

But nonetheless, had the melody not reached its end,

it would not have reached its goal either...".

F. Nietzsche

"Of Endings..."

"There is no real ending.

It's just the place where you stop the story...".

F. Herbert

"My Sincere Gratitude Dear Finders & Happy Holidays To Everyone..."

"It is written even still... that the giver should be thankful; only then is it a sharing... Somebody accepted you through your gift...". Osho
"In becoming a giver... we establish an affinity with all creatures in the world...". Dogen
My sincere gratitude to you all Dear Finders, and Partners In Placing , for your having allowed me to gift you with a small Summit Stone..... DSD     

"Giving Back & Passing Forward..."

I wrote for the last page of the 'Adventure Muse': 
"Passing things like your experience, a 'Summit Stone', or adventure quotes, forward, is a way of giving back and sharing wisdom, strength, and hope. 
If you enjoyed your 'Summit Stone' and the Adventure Muse, then pass something along as a gift to someone else you see on their own journey"...    DSD

"Now I Realize..."

"Gratitude goes beyond the 'mine' and 'thine' and claims the truth that all of life is a pure gift.

In the past I always thought of gratitude as a spontaneous response to the awareness of gifts received.

But now I realize, that gratitude can be lived as a discipline.

The discipline of gratitude is the explicit effort to acknowledge that

 all I am,and have, is given to me as a gift of love.

A gift to be celebrated with joy...".

H.J.M. Nouwen

"A Giving Truth..."

"No one has ever become poor,
by giving...".    A. Frank

"Of Giving & Gathering..."

"The heart that gives, gathers...". Tao Te Ching  

"Your Own Gift..."

"Start where you are.

Do anything you can do.

And do everything you could do.

Until you find something you must do.

That something is probably your spiritual gift...".

J. George

"Something Even More Precious..."

"A wise woman who was travelling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream... The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman. 'I've been thinking', he said, 'I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone'...". Anon

"Thank You Dear Finders..."

"For it is in giving that we receive...".    St. Francis Of Assisi

"A Gift... Even In The Darkest Of Times..."

"Life is a gift.

And it is what you make it.

Yet, it does have many twists and turns.

Many lows as well as high moments.

Keep the fire of hope alive.

Even in the darkest of times...".   E. N. Colley

"Both, And..."

"Life is both a gift and a challenge...".   J. Payleitner

"A Gift Twice Given..."

"Helping others without any expectation and without gain is just as much a gift to yourself as it is to the person you give it to...".   K. Von D

"Today's Gift..."

"Make today a gift to your future self...".   Anon

"Life Is A Gift..."

"Life is a gift, so appreciate it.
Love is abundant, so share it.
Enthusiasm is infectious, so spread it.
Kindness is divine, so embody it.
Peace is the only way, so embrace it.
The Earth is your home, so take care of it.
Life is for happiness, so enjoy it...".   D. Mridha

"Just One Thing..."

What if we each did just one thing? What a gift this would be.

What if we each took just one step towards understanding our individual role in supporting the natural world we adventure in.

Decided upon one small effort to maintain and preserve the natural environment.

For one time our energy is expended for something or someone else. 

Or even one moment given for support and encouragement of another seeker within the wild lands.

These represent a different kind of generosity; one that is more about practicing a simpler kind of charity.

I've mused many times regarding how it's not just about each of us, on our own.

Rather, it is more about all of us, and even more so, about our stewardship for these special wild places.

I've pondered how adventures are not just about a focus upon an objective.that it can also be about a gesture, a very different way to expend energy, a reflection of a certain kind of effort.

And then it is only a matter of letting this simple kind of philanthropy ride the wave of its own momentum.

The impacts can be immeasurable...

This is not really about doing 'yet one more thing'.

Often it is only making such efforts part of the adventure experiences we are there for anyway.

We hike and paddle long distances one hour at a time, and are very amazed when we look back and see the distance we have covered and the height we have attained.

We journey for many days and are in wonder as we reflect on the experience and how much terrain and how many emotions we have traveled through.

If I can give back one small thing, then anyone can, and if anyone can, just imagine what could happen with just one thing.....  DSD    

"Where The Act Is The Reward Itself..."

I find myself here, quietly musing after almost another year of giving back, and of anonymously placing these small 'Summit Stones'.

Always a good moment to remind myself as well that this little endeavor is not about me. 

Rather it is about you, the reader of these musings, and the finder of these gifts. 

Where such a gesture may just be a touchstone to spark adventure musings of your own. 

And if you enjoy these, just maybe you will pass forward a little experience of yours too.

Giving back, with no expectation, where the act is the reward itself, reflects a further essence of what can be discovered within adventure experiences...  DSD  

"A Potent & Powerful Pondering..."

 JP MacKinnon wrote: "A life list is, in the end, nothing more than a tool to look back on our lives and consider how we spent our brief moments on Earth. And what if, in those final breaths you realize - I never gave anything back".

"By What We Give..."

"We make a living by what we get... We make a life by what we give...". W.S. Churchill

Dedicated this adventure day, within our shared season of giving, to those Partners In Placing who pass forward smiles all along the way... DSD

"A Further Law Of Nature..."

"There is a wonderful mythical law of nature that the three things we crave the most in life - happiness, freedom, and peace of mind - are always attained by giving them to someone else."

P. March

"Adventuring Amidst Naive Artistry..."

After gathering, preparing, and designing upon stony dimensions for so long. Then painting, coating, and eventually anonymously placing the Summit Stones for many years now, I find myself pondering again about the innocent nature of 'naive art'.

Not only do I see myself as an ordinary adventurer, I also perceive such artistic muses to be available to us all as many adventurers are artists and poets.

Naive artists are seen to be of simple origins.

That resonates well with me because as the National Museum of Naive Art presents: "The vast majority of so-called 'naive artists' are self-taught, and come from humble backgrounds. They often choose to remain anonymous... Their works are the products of instinct, spontaneity and experience, a reflection of very personal sensitivities. They claim no affiliation with any artistic theory or influence. Each one of these artists invents their own means of expression". 

They say further: "Naive Art possesses a characteristic innocence and sincerity of vision. With its bright colors, flattened perspective and sometimes unskilled brushstrokes. But hidden behind this apparent candor resides elaborate technical and optical conventions, conscious stylisation and visual harmony. The simplification found in the genre is more often a means of pushing to the limits the boundaries of figuration and thus creating a more powerful, very direct visual and emotional impact".

ArtHistoryGuide.Com describes Naive Art or 'Outsider Art' as: "Representing memories, dreams, fantasies and scenes from life with an emphasis on color and shapes. 'Naive' is often associated with Folk Art."

The Gallery of International Naive Art also shares some perspectives on these modest artistic efforts in seeing that: "Whatever our association with the term 'naive art', one is struck with the near universal appeal of this exhilarating art form. Perhaps the appeal stems from the celestial, joy-inspiring palette of colors chosen by naive artists to portray their subjects. Maybe it is the genre's simplicity. Or could it be the timeless nature of the subject matter, reminding us of opportunities missed, of wondrous roads less traveled. The naive artist - often self-taught - treats us to a uniquely literal, yet extremely personal and coherent vision of what the world was, is or should be".

A well known Brazilian naive artist, J. Ardies, sees the naive artist themselves as believing: "That the magic of Art may help man to turn to the simpler things of life".

Painting upon these small rocks is only an attempt to express ideas about the elements of nature, of adventure, and of meaning, inspiration & motivation.

This painted stone endeavor is only a simple effort too that hopefully may invite ripples of reflection on giving back within our adventures, and upon passing forward about wild places...".   DSD  

"The Wild Is Where You Find It..."

"The wild is where you find it.
Not in some distant world relegated to a nostalgic past or an idealized future; its presence is not black or white, bad or good, corrupted or innocent... 
We are of that nature, not apart from it.
We survive because of it; not instead of it...".   R. Askins

"Thank You....."

Thank you once more my Friends for allowing your so wonderful inspiring images to be shared here!
My intention with including such images & pictures of beauty and awe, is in support of all the links on my blog under 'Giving Back & Passing Forward'. 
There will never be anything commercial about these musings. 
I have always acknowledged that the vast majority of the images shared here were not created by me, as I am not talented in that way. Many have been sent to me or have been suggestions provided by fellow adventurers, so I am unable many times to give specific acknowledgements unfortunately. In my enthusiasm about your artistry I can also be forgetful when saving them, to record their origin at that time.
If I can make amends for this it will always occur as best I can right when such images are posted. 
I promise that I will also certainly acknowledge others work if you let me know as well, and then I will immediately attribute creative efforts where they clearly belong. 
It is with deep appreciation that your sharing images in this way is felt in support of those who are Adventuring For Another Reason . My whole adventure blog speaks to these initiatives.
You have such amazing pictures, and resonating metaphors within them, reflecting these links who give back and pass forward with their ongoing enduring efforts. 
Please forgive my grey haired forgetfulness in not always following proper internet protocol when it comes to such things. I am a late bloomer in the blogging and social media worlds.
Please also accept my sincere gratitude for your sharing and understanding in allowing for such support of the links here.
Thank you all so very, very much!      DSD