It's a New Year, I had some down time from work so I finally got to watch a movie I had been waiting to see in the theatres here but it never made it as it wasn't considered "good enough" for mainstream viewing being a rather selective audience, of Adventure Racing however I strongly recommend it as a interesting story of adventure,love and passsion based roughly on a true story of a wonderful Dog named Arthur.
Quito Equador 2014 [the highest capital city at 2800m in the world] the Adventure Racing World Championships a 710km race of hiking, mountain biking and paddling ...and a dog steals the show around the world....wonderful stuff..so wonderful they eventually made a movie about it with Mark Wahlberg.
I remember the race vividly as we had competed in Godzone 2014 in March New Zealand that year where I was unable to finish the race pulling out on day four after my ankle ligament tear six weeks prior to the race made the descent off Mount Tapuae-O-Uenuku [2885m] unbearable and I withdrew in pain and my marriage had ended around the same time so I was in a world of hurt and depression struggling to get out of a dark hole and simply going through the daily motions The words of a song I absolutely love resonated deeply : "Ever worried that it might be ruined,And does it make you wanna cry? When you're out there doing what you're doing, Are you just getting by ..tell me Are you just getting by?.
Where there is desire there is gonna be a flame, where there is a flame someones bound to get burned , But just because it burns doesn't mean you are gonna die, You've gotta get up and TRY , TRY " * Lyrics by Pink ..TRY
Of course when one is feeling "blue" another rescue puppy dog will always heal a broken heart and so young Molly entered the fray to join my other 2 beautiful pups to create a pack of three border collies.
November came and the race began and we watched in wonder as the teams tackled the high Andes Mountains [ with a treck over a pass at almost 4500m ] and then across the equator and down to the amazon basin, justy incredibly difficult landscape and conditions. I remember hearing the news that the Swedish team had encoutered a local dog who had begun following them through the tough hike legs in mud and rain for kilometers [these hikes are 40km plus] and in the final paddle leg had begun swimming out to the kayaks in order to follow the team, whereby the team turned around to rescue the dog and paddled the very long kayak leg with the dog in the kayak..amazing stuff and had me and the rest of the world in tears. I wont ruin the movie for you.
What is it about the unconditional love of a dog? Is it that we are amazed by the wonder and awe and play they seem to possess in spades at the start of everyday like its their first ..not their last. The ability to sleep anywhere , and only stress the big stuff [like electrical storms & thunder]. The love of any food given..no questions asked..and sometimes they may even help themselves when you are not looking.
I was very lucky enough to get the opportunity to race on the island of Rodriguez half-way between Australia and Africa in the Indian Ocean off Mauritius and we had a similar encounter with a dog who trekked with us for a full day and night,living of the bars and scraps we had and limping along next to us. Rodriguez like most poor African countries has alot of stray dogs and cats ..and I mean alot its's very confronting and sadly this poor pup couldnt come with us as we didnt have the means but will always remain in my heart. I remember hiking and crying surrounded by beautiful scenery, tropical island, coral reefs, but my heart was broken for this dog and all the other pups in the villages we passed.
Its New Year and I'm not one for resolutions but I do love the concept of change and taking...making action. By this I don't mean we need to become someone different or change into somebody else, I believe we are enough..we need to slow-down and listen, make small meaningful change that create habits that build us up and help us lead better, authentic lives that will allow us to find our purpose and contribute to a better world for humankind and and all animals and species on our wonderful Earth.
SMall changes over long periods of time equals big change..ask any navigator.
Last year I lost Macey....... my heart still ache's even while writing this eight weeks later. With every past loss I would push the grief down, over compensate by working longer or exercising harder, drink way too much red wine till I dulled the pain or numbed myself, however in October when she passed , I vowed to look my grief in the eye and feel every raw emotion with lots of outbursts of tears and sudden grief, it was a new experience to me, to not run-away from the grief but embrace it, work with it. It got me thinking as to why I am so binary in my thinking, you are sick or you are well, you are happy or you are sad, but rather the "messy middle" of life where we dwell, the constant change of things and our reluctance to accept it and our desire for simple,easy,secure...it made me appreciate all the lessons I had learnt from my pups about living life, rather than just trying to get by.
When I would get back from each Adventure Race I had learnt more about my ability to suffer, my pain threshold, my tolerance, my joy in the simple pleasures of a bed,fresh food, a hot shower..and I loved the simplicity and focus it gave me. The camraderie of my team mates and friends as we shared danger together knowing we had each other's backs, the new friendships forged and the mazing scenery and nature we had immersed ourselves in for seven days would take weeks to ebb out of my memory. That is why I raced and still want too, this is what I want to share with people.
But I always loved that moment I snuck in the house and the pups would see me and I never knew if it felt like a long time for them but for me it had felt like forever and the simple pleasure of their affection at seeing me coming home was one of the best feelings in this life..I'm sure you know what I mean.
Immediately the dogs would run and get their toys and a game a ball,frisbee and chase would ensue even if it was night time. Joy and play...it just comes naturally to them, this is something we must hold dear to our lives and make sure we fit a little play in each day in 2025. Just TRY.
This is Dave from Farmacy Outdoors....take action Be The Change you want to see, do it with compassion and go gently..see you Outdoors
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