[at-l] Parenting, Holmes, and measuring life

[sloetoe at yahoo.com (Sloetoe)]

--- Shelly Hale <shellydhale@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Better to savor the flavor than to choke on unchewed portions.
 ;-)

>   ----- Original Message ----- 
>   From: TrailR@aol.com 
> There are so many people out there with children, that risk
> their lives as a part of their jobs (for us). Saying they are
irresponsible is, well, irresponsible. >   hotdog

>   In a message dated 1/20/2004 12:27:39 AM Eastern Standard
> Time, shellydhale@earthlink.net writes:
>     My point was that we should not stop living the way that
> we do just because we have kids.  The park ranger that died
was tragically taken from his family as a victim of hypothermia.
 What a terrible loss. But, he lived his life the way he was.  I
don't think it was irresponsible of him to go hiking because he
had 5 kids.
> 

### "Irresponsible" to say 'irresponsible'? I'd have to agree.
All who've commented negatively have nothing close to this man's
experience. It's as if they didn't even read the article
provided. How dare any measure Holmes' "responsibility" without
knowing him?

As well, none of us were *there*. Cold has an insidious flavor
that could tap *any* of us on the shoulder -- cuz we're ALL dumb
enough to walk places where cars don't go. So not only do we not
know *him*, but we (well, some of us) don't know *ourselves*,
and what we would do when so tested.

This man went out, AS DO ALL OF US, to measure himself -- to
keep the blade sharp -- to look perhaps deeper than before. We
ALL do this, when we breach a 15 mile day, or 30 in two, or
deliberately hike in the rain, or camp alone, or hitchhike, or
hike for the first time at night, or camp for the first time on
sneaux, or...... Don't laugh -- there are some on this list
who've not done these things. When they *do* do them, they
should be lauded -- lifted up and celebrated -- because they
have tested themselves. And ANY such test takes the same guts.

His test was harder.

What does he leave his children? I hope a legacy -- an example:
"Live."
"Don't take it (this meager little life) for granted."
"Push."
"Excel."
"Set a standard."
"Blaze a trail for others to follow."
"Make the most of what you're given."
"GLORIFY your life and your maker."

(From Henry David Thoreau, Walden, 1854): 
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to
front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not
learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die,
discover that I had not lived. ? I did not wish to live what was
not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practise [sic]
resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live
deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily
and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut
a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner? And
if it proves to be mean, why then to publicize it as such."

A loss? Yes.
A waste? That all depends on your values. Mine compel me to
value life, to know life, and to set an example to my children.
Your membership on this list suggests the same thing of you.

Sloetoe



=====
Spatior! Nitor! Nitor! Tempero!
   Pro Pondera Et Meliora.

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