1. Olympic story that caught my attention this week…
I didn’t realize the Olympics were on until mid-week. Not sure how I missed that. While watching the snow skiing big air event, I caught the story of skier Colby Stevenson. He was in a horrific car crash five years ago, fracturing his skull in 30 places. They thought he would not make it, and if he did, would likely have brain damage. Well… he lived… no brain damage… oh… AND returned to competition five months later. WOW! And he just won the silver medal in the Olympics in the big air competition. When asked what changed after the accident, he said he wasn’t competing to win, but skiing just to ski… for the love of it. And when asked what is the biggest change he feels since the accident, he responds with one word… GRATITUDE. He says he feels like he’s living “bonus years.” He wakes up feeling like every day is “a gift.” What… a… story! His father said the accident “rocked our world.” So… why does it take a crisis for us to wake up, be grateful, treat every day like it’s a bonus day, and each day as a gift? Why does it take a catastrophe to rock our world? Watch the 2.5-minute interview with Stevenson below. We need to hear stories like this to remind us to be grateful, to live fully, and look at each day for what it is… a gift. I hope his story moves you the way it moved me.
2. Adventure we embarked on last night…
Lana and I decided to challenge ourselves by camping out last night. Yes, it was in the 20’s and freezing cold, but it was AWESOME! We pulled our gear over the snow and ice on sleds, set up camp, started a fire, ate dinner, had a drink, then hankered in for what turned out to be a cozy night’s sleep. The right gear is essential for making whatever adventure you embark on doable, comfortable, and safe. My water-proof, wind-proof, and puncture-proof North Face tent was perfect (I bought it almost 30 years ago!), the fire wood was a necessity (thanks, Jim Z.), and our super thick Marmot sleeping bags, that are rated down to -30 degrees, made the super cold temperatures a non-issue (thanks, Dr. Jon, for the amazing early wedding gifts). And to all of you wondering… no, I did not drag Lana on this mini-expedition. She was excited to go. I believe pushing ourselves, testing our limits, and exposing ourselves to challenges heightens our life experience, makes us feel more alive, and reinforces how resilient we can really be. Here are a couple pics…
3. Quote I love…
“If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine… it’s lethal.” -Paulo Coelho
