Voltaire __________________________________________________________________

Dont let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien. (The better is the enemy of the good.)
Plato ____________________________________________________________________
Be kind, for eeryone you meet is fighting ! h!rd b!ttle.
Unknown _________________________________________________________________
"nd the d!y c!me #hen the risk to rem!in tight in ! bud #!s more p!inful th!n the risk it
took to blossom.
Education
Kurt Hahn, 1941, founded OB ________________________________________________
The purpose of $ut#!rd Bound is to protect youth !g!inst ! dise!sed ciili%!tion. Three
dec!ys surround the modern young&
The dec!y of c!re !nd skill,
the dec!y of enterprise !nd !denture,
!nd the dec!y of comp!ssion.
'ithout the instinct for !denture in young men, !ny ciili%!tion ho#eer enlightened( !ny
st!te, ho#eer #ell ordered, must #ilt !nd #ither.
) reg!rd it !s the foremost t!sk of educ!tion to ensure the suri!l of these *u!lities& !n
enterprising curiosity, !n undefe!t!ble spirit, ten!city in pursuit, re!diness for sensible self+
deni!l, !nd !boe !ll, comp!ssion.
,ie children the ch!nce to discoer themseles.
-ee to it th!t children experience both success !nd defe!t.
-ee to it th!t there !re periods of silence.
Tr!in the im!gin!tion, the !bility to !nticip!te !nd to pl!n.
T!ke sports !nd g!mes seriously, but only !s ! p!rt of the #hole.
.ree the children of rich !nd influenti!l p!rents from the p!r!ly%ing influence of #e!lth !nd
priilege.
/ote& 0!hns prescription for ,erm!n educ!tion
Adam ArnoldBrown, !ir"t #arden, E"kdale OB $chool __________________________
'e !re !ll cripples to ! gre!ter or lesser extent, bound by h!bit, coniction, circumst!nce to
lo#er !ims !nd !chieements th!n lie #ithin our potenti!lities. 'e h!e s#!thing b!nds
!pplied to us, l!yer by l!yer, from inf!ncy to old !ge, by p!rents, te!cher, !nd others in
!uthority( indeed, self+!pplied more often th!n not. )n our homes #e rightly gu!rd children
!g!inst d!nger but #e !re lo!th to encour!ge them to #iden their r!nge of experiences !s
they gro# older( fe!r of the night, fe!r of exposure to #ind !nd r!in, fe!r of exertion, both
ment!l !nd physic!l, inhibits the child, the !dolescent !nd so too the !dult. )n our schools #e
so m!gnify the import!nce of being first in #ork !nd in g!mes th!t #e un#ittingly !ccentu!te
the feeling of f!ilure in those #ho try h!rd but do not re!ch the top( #e so stress the
!c*uisition of f!cts th!t #e forget the import!nce of #isdom !nd the !lue of sensitiity. )n
our notions, #e so disreg!rd the uniers!l, so encour!ge the p!rochi!l in customs, !ttitudes,
dogm!s, th!t #e infl!te the trii!l #hile ignoring the it!l.
/otes& "rnold+Bro#n #!s the first '!rden of the 1skd!le $B -chool
%a&id Poli"_______________________________________________________________
2ust #e !l#!ys te!ch our children #ith books3 Let them look !t the mount!ins !nd st!rs up
!boe. Let them look !t the be!uty of #!ter !nd the trees !nd flo#ers on e!rth. They #ill
then begin to think, !nd to think is the beginning of re!l educ!tion.
Oli&er #endell Holme"_____________________________________________________
" mind th!t is stretched by ! ne# experience c!n neer go b!ck to its old dimensions.
Hermann He""e, Steppenwolf ________________________________________________
$nly #ithin yourself exists th!t other re!lity for #hich you long. ) c!n gie you nothing th!t
h!s not !lre!dy its being #ithin yourself. ) c!n thro# open to you no picture g!llery but your
o#n soul. "ll ) c!n gie you is the opportunity, the impulse, the key. ) c!n help you to m!ke
your o#n #orld isible. Th!t is !ll.
!riedrich 'iet("che________________________________________________________
The surest #!y to corrupt ! young 4person5 is to te!ch him to esteem more highly those #ho
think !like th!n those #ho think differently.
)achel *ar"on, Sense of Wonder ____________________________________________
)f ) h!d influence #ith the good f!iry #ho is supposed to preside oer the christening of !ll
children, ) should !sk th!t her gift to e!ch child in the #orld be ! sense of #onder so
indestructible th!t it #ould l!st throughout life, !s !n unf!iling !ntidote !g!inst the boredom
!nd disench!ntments of l!ter ye!rs, the sterile preoccup!tion #ith things th!t !re !rtifici!l,
the !lien!tion from the sources of our strength.
Anne +orrow ,ind-er.h ____________________________________________________
) do not beliee th!t sheer suffering te!ches. )f suffering !lone t!ught, !ll the #orld #ould be
#ise, since eeryone suffers. To suffering must be !dded mourning, underst!nding,
p!tience, loe, openness !nd the #illingness to rem!in ulner!ble. "ll these !nd other
f!ctors combined, if the circumst!nces !re right, c!n te!ch !nd c!n le!d to rebirth.
/otes& .rom 0our of ,old, 0our of Le!d& Di!ries !nd Letters of "nne 2orro# Lindbergh. 6787+6798.
*arl /un.________________________________________________________________
$ne looks b!ck #ith !ppreci!tion to the brilli!nt te!chers, but #ith gr!titude to those #ho
touch our hum!n feelings. The curriculum is so much necess!ry r!# m!teri!l, but #!rmth is
the it!l element for the gro#ing pl!nt !nd for the soul of ! child.
O&ercomin. *hallen.e01olerance for Ad&er"it2 and Uncertaint20Humor
#endell Berr2 _____________________________________________________________
:the #orld c!nnot be discoered by ! ;ourney of miles, no m!tter ho# long, but only by !
spiritu!l ;ourney, ! ;ourney of one inch, ery !rduous !nd humbling !nd ;oyful, by #hich #e
!rrie !t the ground !t our feet, !nd le!rn to be !t home.
Unknown _________________________________________________________________
<e!ce. )t doesnt me!n to be in ! pl!ce #here there is no noise, trouble, or h!rd #ork. )t
me!ns to be in the midst of those things !nd still be c!lm in your he!rt.
!rom I Ching ______________________________________________________________
Difficulties !nd obstructions thro# ! m!n b!ck upon himself. 'hile the inferior m!n seeks to
put the bl!me on other persons, be#!iling his f!te, the superior m!n seeks the error #ithin
himself, !nd through this introspection the extern!l obst!cle becomes to him !n occ!sion for
inner enrichment !nd educ!tion.
E3ictetu" _________________________________________________________________
$n the occ!sion of eery !ccident th!t bef!lls you, remember to turn to yourself !nd in*uire
#h!t po#er you h!e for turning it to use.
Erne"t $hackleton _________________________________________________________
2en #!nted for h!%!rdous ;ourney, sm!ll #!ges, bitter cold, long months of complete
d!rkness, const!nt d!nger, s!fe return doubtful, honour !nd recognition in c!se of success.
6
)ichard /4 'eedham 5191619978 _____________________________________________
-trong people m!ke !s m!ny !nd !s gh!stly mist!kes !s #e!k people. The difference is
th!t strong people !dmit them, l!ugh !t them, !nd le!rn from them. Th!t is ho# they
bec!me strong.
/ote& .rom The Wit and Wisdom of Richard Needham. =!n!di!n ;ourn!list>columnist. ?e*uested th!t the
follo#ing be printed in his column on the d!y he died& @?ich!rd A. /eedh!m's tiresome !nd boring column
#ill not !ppe!r tod!y, bec!use he is de!d.B
9"ak %ine"en ______________________________________________________________
Do you kno# ! cure for me3 'hy yes, he s!id, ) kno# ! cure for eerything. -!lt #!ter. -!lt
#!ter3 ) !sked him. Ces, he s!id, in one form or !nother, s#e!t, te!rs, or the s!lt se!.
/ote& <seudonym of B!roness D!ren on Blixen+.inecke (6EEFG67H8), D!nish !uthor. Though D!nish,
Blixen #rote her books in 1nglish !nd then tr!nsl!ted her #ork into her n!tie tongue.
H4#4 1ilman 51:9:19;;8 ____________________________________________________
The lesson th!t the se! te!ches is th!t you must s!il the #ind th!t you h!e, not the one you
#ish you h!d, the one you thought you #ould h!e, or the one you think you ought to h!e.
The se! te!ches us to !ccept re!lity. Ise it to your full !d!nt!ge. There is nothing
m!licious in the se!, or the bo!t, the #ind, or the rock. Cou m!y not be in comm!nd of the
situ!tion, but you c!n m!ke !n effectie response. )f you !re un!ble to m!ke the miles spin
off your stern, m!ke the bo!t s!il the best in the conditions you h!e. )f it blo#s to rough,
m!ke the ob!t comfort!ble !nd yourseles the s!me. )t is !s true tod!y !s it eer #!s, th!t !
good bo!t c!n t!ke more th!n her cre.
/ote& .!mous mount!ineer, s!ilor, !nd explorer. <!rticip!ted in t#o e!rly climbs of 1erest.
Heinrich Harrer 519166<<78 _________________________________________________
) beliee th!t no m!n c!n be completely !ble to summon !ll his strength, !ll his #ill, !ll his
energy, for the l!st desper!te moe, till he is coninced the l!st bridge is do#n behind him
!nd there is no#here to go but on.
/ote& "ustri!n mount!ineer, geogr!pher, !uthor. 'rote Seven Years in Tibet.
+ar2 E +e-ane ____________________________________________________________
To #rench !nything out of its !ccustomed course t!kes energy, effort, !nd p!in. )t does
gre!t iolence to the existing p!ttern. 2!ny people #!nt ch!nge, both in the extern!l #orld
!nd in their o#n intern!l #orld, but they !re un#illing to undergo the p!in th!t must proceed
it.
*harle" $windoll __________________________________________________________
The longer ) lie, the more ) re!li%e the imp!ct of !ttitude on life. "ttitude to me is more
import!nt th!n the p!st, th!n educ!tion, th!n money, th!n circumst!nces, th!n f!ilures, th!n
success, th!n #h!t other people think or s!y or do. )t is more import!nt th!n !ppe!r!nce,
giftedness or skill. )t #ill m!ke or bre!k !n org!ni%!tion, ! school, ! home.
The rem!rk!ble thing is th!t #e h!e ! choice eery d!y reg!rding the !ttitude #e #ill
embr!ce for th!t d!y. 'e c!nnot ch!nge our p!st. 'e c!nnot ch!nge the f!ct th!t people
#ill !ct in ! cert!in #!y. 'e c!nnot ch!nge the ineit!ble. The only thing #e c!n do is pl!y
on the one string #e h!e. "nd th!t is our !ttitude: ) !m coninced th!t life is 6JK #h!t
h!ppens to me, !nd 7JK ho# ) re!ct to it. "nd so it is #ith you...
)einhold 'ie-uhr __________________________________________________________
,od, gr!nt me the serenity
To !ccept the things ) c!nnot ch!nge(
The cour!ge to ch!nge the things th!t ) c!n(
"nd the #isdom to kno# the difference.
/ote& Theologi!n. 'ritten !bout 679J.
+artin ,uther Kin. _________________________________________________________
)f you think you !re be!ten, you !re.
)f you think you d!re not, you dont.
)f you like to #in, but think you c!nt it is !lmost cert!in you #ont.
)f you think youll lose, youre lost.
.or out of the #orld #e find th!t success begins #ith the fello#s #ill.
)ts !ll in the st!te of mind.
)f you think youre out cl!ssed, you !re.
Coue got to think high to rise,
Coue got to be sure of yourself before you c!n eer #in ! pri%e.
The ultim!te me!sure of ! person is not #here they st!nd in ! moment of c!t!strophe !nd
conenience, but #here they st!nd during ch!llenge !nd controersy.
)o.er +iller ______________________________________________________________
-ome people #!lk in the r!in( other ;ust get #et.
/4)4)4 1olkien _____________________________________________________________
/ot !ll #ho #!nder !re lost.
Brian H *oulter ___________________________________________________________
The !bility to l!ugh !t oneself c!n be the beginning of ! lifetime of comedy.
/ote& .rom 2en for the 2ount!ins
A4A4 +ilne ________________________________________________________________
@) think,B s!id =hristopher ?obin, @th!t #e ought to e!t !ll our proisions no#, so #e #ont
h!e so much to c!rry.B
+ark 1wain _______________________________________________________________
) !m gl!d ) did it, p!rtly bec!use it #!s #ell #orth it, !nd chiefly bec!use ) sh!ll neer h!e
to do it !g!in.
Unknown _________________________________________________________________
The e!rly bird c!tches the #orm. But the second mouse usu!lly gets the cheese.
,il2 1omlin _______________________________________________________________
The trouble #ith being in the r!t r!ce is th!t een if you #in, youre still ! r!t.
/ote& =omedi!n. '!s on -/L in the 7Js.
+itch Hed-er. 5197:6<<=84 *omedian4 ________________________________________
"n esc!ltor c!n neer bre!k, it c!n only become st!irs. Cou #ould neer see !n @1sc!l!tor
Tempor!rily $ut of $rderB sign, ;ust @1sc!l!tor Tempor!rily -t!irs. -orry for the
=onenience.B
E>3erience0Ad&enture
?a"ton )e-uffat 5196119:=8 ________________________________________________
)n this modern !ge, ery little rem!ins th!t is re!l. /ight h!s been b!nished, so h!e the
cold, the #ind, !nd the st!rs. They h!e !ll been neutr!li%ed( the rhythm of life itself is
obscured. 1erything goes so f!st !nd m!kes so much noise, !nd #e hurry by #ithout
heeding the gr!ss by the ro!dside, its color, its smell, !nd the #!y it shimmers #hen the
#ind c!resses it. 'h!t ! str!nge encounter then is th!t bet#een us !nd the high pl!ce of
our pl!netL Ip there, #e !re surrounded by the silence of forgetfulness.
The one #ho climbs only in good #e!ther, st!rting from huts !nd neer biou!cking,
!ppreci!tes the splendor of the mount!ins but not their mystery, the d!rk of their night, the
depth of their sky !boe: 0o# much h!s been missedL 'e should brush nothing !side, set
no restrictions. 'e should experience hunger !nd thirst, be !ble to go f!st, but !lso kno#
ho# to go slo#ly !nd contempl!te.
8
/ote& .rom Starlight and Storm. .rench climber.
?ise e!rly. .ix ! timet!ble to #hich you must try to keep. $ne seldom regrets h!ing m!de
!n e!rly st!rt, but one !l#!ys regrets h!ing set off too l!te( first for the re!sons of s!fetyG
but !lso bec!use of the str!nge be!uty of the moment& the d!y comes to repl!ce the night,
the pe!ks gr!du!lly lighten, it is the hour of mystery, but !lso hope. -etting off by l!ntern
light, #itnessing the birth of ! ne# d!y !s one climbs to meet the sun, this is ! #onderful
experience.
/ame" Ka&anau.h _________________________________________________________
-ome people do not h!e to se!rch, they find their niche e!rly in life !nd rest there,
seemingly contented !nd resigned. They do not seem to !sk much of life, sometimes they
do not seem to t!ke it seriously. "t times ) eny them, but usu!lly ) do not underst!nd them.
-eldom do they underst!nd me.
) !m one of the se!rches. There !re, ) beliee, millions of us. 'e !re not unh!ppy, but
neither !re #e re!lly content. 'e continue to explore ourseles, hoping to underst!nd. 'e
like to #!lk !long the be!ch( #e !re dr!#n by the oce!n, t!ken by its po#er, its unce!sing
motion, its mystery !nd unspe!k!ble be!uty. 'e like forests !nd mount!ins, deserts !nd
hidden riers !nd lonely cities !s #ell. $ur s!dness is !s much ! p!rt of our lies !s is our
l!ughter. To sh!re our s!dness #ith one #e loe is perh!ps !s gre!t ! ;oy !s #e c!n kno#++
unless it is to sh!re l!ughter.
'e se!rchers !re !mbitious only for life itself, for eerything be!utiful it c!n proide.
2ost of !ll #e #!nt to loe !nd be loed. 'e #!nt to lie in ! rel!tionship th!t #ill not
impede our #!ndering, nor preent our se!rch, nor lock us in prison #!lls( th!t #ill t!ke us
for #h!t little #e h!e to gie. 'e do not #!nt to proe ourseles to !nother or to compete
for loe.
This is ! book for #!nderers, dre!mers !nd loers, for lonely men !nd #omen #ho
d!re to !sk of life eerything good !nd be!utiful. )t is for these #ho !re too gentle to lie
!mong #oles.
/ote& .rom There are Men Too Gentle to Live Among Wolves, -!n Diego, 67MJ.
Edward A--e2 5196;@19:98 __________________________________________________
'!lking. 'heneer possible ) !oid the pr!ctice myself. )f ,od h!d me!nt us to #!lk, he
#ould h!e kept us do#n on !ll fours, #ith #ell+p!dded p!#s. 0e #ould h!e constructed
our pl!net on the model of the simple cube, so th!t the notion of circul!rity !nd conse*uently
the #heel might neer h!e !risen. 0e surely #ould not h!e m!de mount!ins. There is
something unn!tur!l !bout #!lking. 1speci!lly #!lking uphill, #hich !l#!ys seems to me not
only unn!tur!l but so unnecess!ry. Th!t iron tug of gr!it!tion should be !ll the reminder #e
need th!t in #!lking uphill #e !re iol!ting ! b!sic l!# of n!ture. Cet #e persist in doing it.
/o one c!n expl!in #hy. ,eorge L. 2!llorys !sinine r!tion!le for climbing ! mount!in G
@bec!use its thereB G could e!sily be refuted #ith ! fe# #ell+pl!ced hydrogen bombs. But
our common sense continues to l!g f!r behind the !!il!ble technology. There !re some
good things to s!y !bout #!lking. /ot m!ny, but some. '!lking t!kes longer, for ex!mple,
th!n !ny other form of locomotion except cr!#ling. Thus it stretches time !nd prolongs life.
Life is !lre!dy too short to #!ste on speed. ) h!e ! friend #hos !l#!ys in ! hurry( he neer
gets !ny#here. '!lking m!kes the #orld much bigger !nd therefore more interesting. Cou
h!e time to obsere the det!ils. The utopi!n technologists foresee ! future for us in #hich
dist!nce is !nnihil!ted !nd !nyone c!n tr!nsport himself !ny#here, inst!ntly. Big de!l,
Buckminster. To be eery#here !t once is to be no#here foreer, if you !sk me. Th!ts
,ods ;ob, not ours. The longest ;ourney begins #ith ! single step, not #ith ! turn of the
ignition key. Th!ts the best thing !bout #!lking, the ;ourney itself. )t doesnt m!tter #hether
you get #here youre going or not. Coull get there !ny#!y. 1ery good hike brings you
eentu!lly b!ck home. ?ight #here you st!rted. 'hich reminds me of circles. 'hich
reminds me of #heels. 'hich reminds me my old truck needs !nother front+end ;ob. "ny
good mech!nics out there #!ndering through the smog3
" enturesome minority #ill !l#!ys be e!ger to set off on their o#n, !nd no obst!cles should
be pl!ced in their p!th( let them t!ke risks, for gods!ke, let them get lost, sunburnt,
str!nded, dro#ned, e!ten by be!rs, buried !lie under !!l!nches + th!t is the right !nd
priilege of !ny free "meric!n.
/ote& .rom Desert Solitaire, 67EF. "bbey #!s noted for his !doc!cy of enironment!l issues !nd
criticism of public l!nd policies. 0is best+kno#n #orks include Desert Solitaire !nd the noel The Monkey
Wrench Gang, #hich h!s been cited !s !n inspir!tion by r!dic!l enironment!l groups.
/ohn +uir ________________________________________________________________
Deep close to /!tures he!rt, yourself( !nd bre!k cle!r !#!y, once in ! #hile, !nd climb !
mount!in or spend ! #eek in the #oods. '!sh your spirit cle!n.
/im *hi"holm _____________________________________________________________
<ursue the life you desire #ith c!lcul!ted risk !nd igor. Let nothing superfici!l detour you
from your !mbitions. Like the #olf th!t st!res !t its prey before the ch!se, kno# #h!t you
hunger before you hunt.
!riedrich 'iet("che ________________________________________________________
$ne d!y of mount!in climbing #ill turn ! r!sc!l !nd ! s!int into t#o pretty simil!r cre!tures.
1err2 and )enn2 )u""ell ____________________________________________________
'e lie in ! house th!t ,od built but th!t the former ten!nts remodeledNble# up, it looks
likeNbefore #e !rried. <oking through the rubble in our odd hours, #ee found the corners
th!t #ere sp!red !nd h!e hidden in them !s much !s #e could. /ot to esc!pe from but to
esc!pe to& not to forget but to remember. 'ee been le!rning to t!ke c!re of ourseles in
pl!ces th!t re!lly m!tter. The next step is to t!ke c!re of the pl!ces th!t re!lly m!tter. =r!%y
kids on the loose but on the loose in the #ilderness. Th!t m!kes !ll the difference.
/ote& .rom n the Loose!
"denture is not in the guidebook !nd be!uty is not on the m!p. -eek !nd ye sh!ll find.
/ohn +uir ________________________________________________________________
T!ke ! course in good #!ter !nd !ir( !nd in the etern!l youth of /!ture you m!y rene# your
o#n. ,o *uietly, !lone( no h!rm #ill bef!ll you.
$t4 Au.u"tine _____________________________________________________________
2en go !bro!d to #onder !t the height of mount!ins, !t the huge #!es of the se!, !t the
long courses of the riers, !t the !st comp!ss of the oce!n, !t the circul!r motion of the
st!rts, !nd they p!ss by themseles #ithout #ondering.
/ohn $tein-eck ___________________________________________________________
" ;ourney is ! person in itself( no t#o !re !like. "nd !ll pl!ns, s!fegu!rds, policing, !nd
coercion !re fruitless. 'e find !fter ye!rs of struggle th!t #e do not t!ke ! trip( ! trip t!kes
us.
1om #atercra. ____________________________________________________________
'!lk into the #oods. Deep #!lking. '!lk off tr!cks. Do not pl!n #here you !re going. T!ke
#h!teer directions !ppe!l in the moment. Deep #!lking. 'hen (#ithout re!li%ing) you !re
lost, look into the eyes of the dr!gon, then your !denture begins.
/ote& .rom O=hucking $ut "gend!s !nd Thriing "g!in,O 8JJ6.
Henr2 %a&id 1horeau 51:1;1:768 ____________________________________________
) #ent to the #oods bec!use ) #ished to lie deliber!tely, to front only the essenti!l f!cts of
life, !nd see if ) could not le!rn #h!t it h!d to te!ch, !nd not, #hen ) c!me to die, discoer
th!t ) h!d not lied. ) did not #ish to lie #h!t #!s not life, liing is so de!r( nor did ) #ish to
pr!ctice resign!tion, unless it #!s *uite necess!ry, ) #!nted to lie deep !nd suck out !ll the
m!rro# of life, to lie so sturdily !nd -p!rt!n+like !s to put to rout !ll th!t #!s not life, to cut
9
! bro!d s#!th !nd sh!e close, to drie life into ! corner, !nd reduce it to its lo#est terms,
!nd, if it proed to be me!n, #hy then to get the #hole !nd genuine me!nness of it, !nd
publish its me!nness to the #orld( or if it #ere sublime, to kno# it by experience, !nd be
!ble to gie ! true !ccount of it in my next excursion. .or most men, it !ppe!rs to me, !re in
! str!nge uncert!inty !bout it, #hether it is of the deil or of ,od:
/ote& .rom Walden, 6EFP. @Thore!u #!s one of the "meric!n Tr!nscendent!lists, #ho loed n!ture, but
!lso loed intelligent society. They #ere frustr!ted ide!lists, #ho held out gre!t hopes for the soul of
hum!nkind, but disgusted !t the pettiness !nd m!teri!lism they found in hum!n society.B @"mong
tr!nscendent!lists' core beliefs #!s !n ide!l spiritu!l st!te th!t 'tr!nscends' the physic!l !nd empiric!l
!nd is only re!li%ed through the indiidu!l's intuition, r!ther th!n through the doctrines of est!blished
religions.B
E&erett )ue"" _____________________________________________________________
) seem !l#!ys to en;oy things more intensely bec!use of the cert!inty th!t they #ill not l!st.
/ote& "rtist !nd #riter #ho explored the #estern I- (676P G 679P3+rem!ins h!e not been found).
/ohn Ha2, In Defense of Nature, 1979 _________________________________________
There is ! fitness in n!tur!l experience, !n intim!cy th!t m!y not be superseded. 0o#
m!ny, in this #orld of deices, no# lie through the lifetime of tides, nights of cle!n #ind !nd
cle!r st!rs !boe the rooflines, kno# the genuine exposure to cold r!in, cold #!ter, !nd stiff
fingers, !nd kno# ho# to be ste!dy there3
Aldo ,eo3old, A Sand County Almanac, 1949 ___________________________________
/o ser!nt brought them me!ls: /o tr!ffic cop #histled them off the hidden rock in the next
r!pids. /o friendly roof kept them dry #hen they misguessed #hether or not to pitch the tent.
/o guide sho#ed them #hich c!mping spots offered ! night+long bree%e !nd #hich ! night+
long misery of mos*uitoes( #hich fire#ood m!de cle!r co!ls !nd #hich #ould only smoke.
The element!l simplicities of #ilderness tr!el #ere thrills:bec!use they represented
complete freedom to m!ke mist!kes. The #ilderness g!e them ! t!ste of those re#!rds
!nd pen!lties for #ise !nd foolish !cts: !g!inst #hich ciili%!tion h!d built ! thous!nd
buffers.
#endell Berr2 _____________________________________________________________
"l#!ys in the big #oods #hen you le!e f!mili!r ground !nd step off !lone into ! ne# pl!ce
there #ill be, !long #ith the feelings of curiosity !nd excitement, ! little n!gging of dre!d. )t is
the !ncient fe!r of the Inkno#n, !nd it is your first bond #ith the #ilderness you !re going
into. 'h!t you !re doing is exploring. Cou !re undert!king the first experience, not of pl!ce,
but of yourself in th!t pl!ce. )t is !n experience of our essenti!l loneliness( for nobody c!n
discoer the #orld for !nybody else. )t is only !fter #e h!e discoered it for ourseles th!t it
becomes ! common ground !nd ! common bond, !nd #e ce!se to be !lone.
E>3edition Beha&ior 5EB80*ommunit2
)o-ert ! Kenned2, 19774 ____________________________________________________
1!ch time ! m!n st!nds up for !n ide!, or !cts to improe the lot of others, or strikes out
!g!inst in;ustice, he sends forth ! tiny ripple of hope, !nd crossing e!ch other from ! million
different centers of energy !nd d!ring, those ripples build ! current th!t c!n s#eep do#n the
mightiest #!lls of oppression !nd resist!nce: .e# !re #illing to br!e the dis!ppro!l of
their fello#s, the censure of their colle!gues, the #r!th of their society. 2or!l cour!ge is !
r!rer commodity th!n br!ery in b!ttle or gre!t intelligence. Cet it is the one essenti!l it!l
*u!lity for those #ho seek to ch!nge ! #orld th!t yields most p!infully to ch!nge.
*onfuciu" ________________________________________________________________
" m!n #ho h!s committed ! mist!ke !nd doesnt correct it is committing !nother mist!ke.
Kahlil ?i-ran 51::A19A18 ___________________________________________________
'hen your friend spe!ks his mind you fe!r not the @n!yB in your o#n mind, nor do you
#ithhold the @!y.B "nd #hen he is silent your he!rt ce!ses not to listen to his he!rt( .or
#ithout #ords, in friendship, !ll thoughts, !ll desires, !ll expect!tions !re born !nd sh!red,
#ith ;oy th!t is un!ccl!imed. 'hen you p!rt from your friend you griee not( .or th!t #hich
you loe most in him m!y be cle!rer in his !bsence, !s the mount!in to the climber is cle!rer
from the pl!in.
"nd let there be no purpose in friendship. -!e the deepening of the spirit. .or loe
th!t seeks n!ught but the disclosure of its o#n mystery is not loe, but ! net c!st forth& !nd
only the unprofit!ble is c!ught.
"nd let your best be for your friend. )f he must kno# the ebb of your tide, let him kno#
its flood !lso. .or #h!t is your friend th!t you should seek him #ith hours to lie. .or it is his
to fill your need, but not your emptiness. "nd in the s#eetness of friendship let there be
l!ughter, !nd sh!ring of ple!sures. .or in the de# of little things the he!rt finds its morning
!nd is refreshed.
/ote& Leb!nese "meric!n #riter, poet, !rtist.
Unknown _________________________________________________________________
<eople !re me!nt to be loed. Things !re me!nt to be used. 2!ny of our problems stem
from ! disturb!nce of this re!lity. <eople !re used !nd things !re loed.
Alan +oorehead 5191<19:A8 ________________________________________________
They #ere no# committed together, !ll of them #ere encomp!ssed by the s!me risks, the
s!me h!rdships !nd the s!me hope. "ny #e!kness in one m!n #e!kened them !ll, !nd
e!ch little triumph #!s ! sh!red !ccomplishment. $ne m!n #!s best #ith the rifle, !nother
!t cooking, ! third #ith his physic!l strength, !nd !ll these m!tters #ere est!blished #ithout
pride or ;e!lousy !nd #ere fitted into ! p!ttern. 1erything depended, of course, upon their
liking !nd respecting one !nother, !nd this they eidently did.
/ote& Describing the Burke+'ills 1xpedition !cross -outh "meric!. '!s ! #!r correspondent, tr!elled
!ll oer the 2id+1!st !nd "fric!.
*hine"e 3ro&er- __________________________________________________________
T!lk does not cook rice.
Victor E4 !rankl 519<=199;84 Au"trian neurolo.i"t and 3"2cholo.i"t4 _______________
'e #ho lied in the concentr!tion c!mps c!n remember the men #ho #!lked through the
huts comforting others, giing !#!y their l!st piece of bre!d. They m!y h!e been fe# in
number, but they offer sufficient proof th!t eerything c!n be t!ken from ! m!n but one
thing& the l!st of his hum!n freedoms G to choose ones o#n !ttitude in !ny gien set of
circumst!nces G to choose ones o#n #!y.
Henr2 !ord _______________________________________________________________
=oming together is ! beginning( keeping together is progress( #orking together is success.
Bit" and Piece"4 ,oi" *hene24 BP"2chic *oun"elor01eacher0HealerC ________________
Bits !nd <ieces. <eople import!nt to you. <eople unimport!nt to you. They cross your life,
touch it #ith loe !nd c!relessness !nd moe on. There !re people #ho le!e you !nd you
bre!the ! sigh of relief !nd #onder #hy you eer c!me into cont!ct #ith them. There !re
people #ho le!e you !nd you bre!the ! sigh of remorse !nd #onder #hy they h!d to go
!#!y !nd le!e such ! g!ping hole.
=hildren le!e p!rents(
.riends le!e friends(
"c*u!int!nces moe on.
<eople ch!nge homes(
<eople gro# !p!rt(
1nemies h!te !nd moe on.
.riends loe !nd moe on.
Cou think of the m!ny #ho h!e moed into your h!%y memory(
Cou look on those present !nd #onder.
P
) beliee in ! m!ster pl!n in lies( people moe in !nd out of e!ch other's lies !nd e!ch
le!es his m!rk on the other. Cou find you !re m!de up of bits !nd pieces of !ll #ho eer
touched your life !nd you !re more bec!use of it !nd you #ould be less if they h!d not
touched you. Trust !nd !ccept the bits !nd pieces in humility !nd #onder, !nd neer
*uestion( !nd neer regret. Bits !nd <ieces
A,, 9 )EA,,D 'EE% 1O K'O# 9 ,EA)'E% 9' K9'%E)?A)1E' 5A ?uide for ?lo-al
,eader"hi38 ______________________________________________________________
"ll ) re!lly need to kno# !bout ho# to lie !nd #h!t to do !nd ho# to be ) le!rned in
kinderg!rten. 'isdom #!s not !t the top of the gr!du!te school mount!in, but there in the
s!nd pile !t school.
These !re the things ) le!rned&
-h!re eerything.
<l!y f!ir.
Don't hit people.
<ut things b!ck #here you found them.
=le!n up your o#n mess.
Don't t!ke things th!t !ren't yours.
-!y you're sorry #hen you hurt somebody.
'!sh your h!nds before you e!t.
.lush.
'!rm cookies !nd cold milk !re good for you.
Lie ! b!l!nced life + le!rn some !nd think some !nd dr!# !nd p!int !nd sing !nd
d!nce !nd pl!y !nd #ork eery d!y some.
T!ke ! n!p eery !fternoon.
'hen you go out in the #orld, #!tch out for tr!ffic, hold h!nds !nd stick together.
Be !#!re of #onder. ?emember the little seed in the -tyrofo!m cup& the roots go do#n
!nd the pl!nt goes up !nd nobody re!lly kno#s ho# or #hy, but #e !re !ll like th!t.
,oldfish !nd h!msters !nd #hite mice !nd een the little seed in the -tyrofo!m cup +
they !ll die. -o do #e.
?emember the Dick+!nd+A!ne books !nd the first #ord you le!rned + the biggest #ord
of !ll + L$$D.
1erything you need to kno# is in there some#here. The ,olden ?ule !nd loe !nd b!sic
s!nit!tion. 1cology !nd politics !nd e*u!lity !nd s!ne liing.
T!ke !ny one of those items !nd extr!pol!te it into sophistic!ted !dult terms !nd !pply
it to your f!mily life or your #ork or goernment or your #orld !nd it holds true !nd cle!r !nd
firm. Think #h!t ! better #orld it #ould be if #e !ll + the #hole #orld + h!d cookies !nd milk
!t !bout 9 o'clock in the !fternoon !nd then l!y do#n #ith our bl!nkies for ! n!p. $r if !ll
goernments h!d !s ! b!sic policy to !l#!ys put things b!ck #here they found them !nd to
cle!n up their o#n mess.
"nd it is still true, no m!tter ho# old you !re, #hen you go out in the #orld, it is best to
hold h!nds !nd stick together.
B1he 9n&itation,C Oriah +ountain %reamer, 1999 ________________________________
)t doesnt interest me #h!t you do for ! liing. ) #!nt to kno# #h!t you !che for !nd if you
d!re to dre!m of meeting your he!rts longing.
)t doesnt interest me ho# old you !re. ) #!nt to kno# if you #ill risk looking like ! fool,
for loe, for your dre!m, !nd for the !denture of being !lie.
)t doesnt interest me #h!t pl!nets !re s*u!ring your moon... ) #!nt to kno# if you h!e
touched the centre of your o#n sorro#, if you h!e been opened by lifes betr!y!ls or h!e
become shrieled !nd closed from fe!r of further p!in.
) #!nt to kno# if you c!n sit #ith p!in, mine or your o#n, #ithout moing to hide it, or
f!de it, or fix it.
) #!nt to kno# if you c!n be #ith ;oy, mine or your o#n, if you c!n d!nce #ith #ildness
!nd let the ecst!sy fill you to the tips of your fingers !nd toes #ithout c!utioning us to be
c!reful, to be re!listic, to remember the limit!tions of being hum!n.
)t doesnt interest me if the story you !re telling me is true. ) #!nt to kno# if you c!n
dis!ppoint !nother to be true to yourself. )f you c!n be!r the !ccus!tion of betr!y!l !nd not
betr!y your o#n soul. )f you c!n be f!ithless !nd therefore trust#orthy.
) #!nt to kno# if you c!n see Be!uty een #hen it is not pretty eery d!y. "nd if you
c!n source your o#n life from its presence.
) #!nt to kno# if you c!n lie #ith f!ilure, yours !nd mine, !nd still st!nd !t the edge of
the l!ke !nd shout to the siler of the full moon, @Ces.B
)t doesnt interest me to kno# #here you lie or ho# much money you h!e. ) #!nt to
kno# if you c!n get up !fter the night of grief !nd desp!ir, #e!ry !nd bruised to the bone,
!nd do #h!t needs to be done to feed the children.
)t doesnt interest me #ho you kno# or ho# you c!me to be here. ) #!nt to kno# if you
#ill st!nd in the centre of the fire #ith me !nd not shrink b!ck.
)t doesnt interest me #here or #h!t or #ith #hom you h!e studied. ) #!nt to kno#
#h!t sust!ins you from the inside #hen !ll else f!lls !#!y.
) #!nt to kno# if you c!n be !lone #ith yourself !nd if you truly like the comp!ny you
keep in the empty moments.
/ote& @) #rote the prose poem, The )nit!tion, one night !fter returning home from ! p!rty. ) dont usu!lly
!ttend p!rties but on this occ!sion, ber!ting myself for being !nti+soci!l, ) m!de !n effort to go !nd be
friendly. ) returned home feeling frustr!ted, diss!tisfied #ith the superfici!l leel of the soci!l inter!ction !t
the p!rty. ) longed for something else.B
!rom an inter&iew -2 !ritEof *a3ra
Let me tell you ! story& -ome time !go, the 1lm#ood )nstitute h!d ! #eekend symposium, !
sm!ll group of us #ith six /!tie "meric!ns. "t the beginning of the meeting, the /!tie
"meric!ns #ere ery suspicious of our group bec!use they h!e been exploited !nd !bused
so much. -o, !t the beginning, !s #e !l#!ys do !t these meetings, #e #ent round the circle
of !bout t#enty people to introduce ourseles.
$ne $k!n!g!n #om!n from British =olumbi! st!rted out. "nd she introduced herself
by s!ying the tribe she comes from, by describing the l!ndsc!pe in #hich this tribe lies, !nd
then going into fine det!ils of describing #here their f!ther comes from, her f!thers f!ther
!nd mother, !nd then her mother !nd her gr!ndp!rents on the m!tern!l sideG!nd linking
e!ch of these people to the l!nd #here they lie by describing in fine det!il the riers !nd
mount!ins !nd pl!nts !nd !nim!ls.
Then she s!id, @"nd this is #ho ) !m. This is #ho ) !m, !nd this l!nd, the det!iled
fe!tures of this l!nd, determine my conduct, my responsibility, my ethics !nd so on.B Then
she turned !round to us !nd s!id, @"nd no# ) #!nt to kno# #hom )m t!lking to, !nd )m
going to s!y !nything of subst!nce before ) kno# #ho you !re. "nd dont tell me #hich
books you h!e #ritten, !nd dont tell me #h!t org!ni%!tions you belong to. But tell me #ho
you re!lly !re.B
-o #e felt ch!llenged. 'e h!d to dig b!ck into our childhoods bec!use tod!y most of
us dont h!e this connection #ith l!nd. 'e tried to t!ke this model, then, !nd introduce
ourseles in this #!y. 'ell, this l!sted four hoursL T#enty people h!d ! four+hour+long
introduction. "nd these four hours #ere colored by ! tremendous sense of s!dness !nd
loss. There #!s ! lot of crying, bec!use people #ent b!ck to their childhood !nd s!# #h!t
they h!d lostGthis connection #ith the 1!rth th!t #e dont h!e tod!y.
Unknown _________________________________________________________________
This is ! story !bout four people n!med 1erybody, -omebody, "nybody, !nd /obody.
There #!s !n import!nt ;ob to be done, !nd 1erybody #!s sure th!t -omebody #ould do it.
"nybody could h!e done it, but /obody did it. -omebody got !ngry bec!use it #!s
1erybodys ;ob. 1erybody thought "nybody could do it, but /obody re!li%ed th!t
1erybody #ouldnt do it. )t ended up th!t 1erybody bl!med -omebody #hen /obody did
#h!t "nybody could h!e.
F
Anne +orrow ,ind-er.h ____________________________________________________
" good rel!tionship h!s ! p!ttern like ! d!nce !nd is built on some of the s!me rules. The
p!rtners do not need to hold on tightly, bec!use they moe confidently in the s!me p!ttern,
intric!te but g!y !nd s#ift !nd free, like ! country d!nce of 2o%!rt's. To touch he!ily #ould
be to !rrest the p!ttern !nd free%e the moement, to check the endlessly ch!nging be!uty of
its unfolding. There is no pl!ce here for the possessie clutch, the clinging !rm, the he!y
h!nd( only the b!rest touch in p!ssing. /o# !rm in !rm, no# f!ce to f!ce, no# b!ck to b!ck+
it does not m!tter #hich. Bec!use they kno# they !re p!rtners moing to the s!me rhythm,
cre!ting ! p!ttern together, !nd being inisibly nourished by it.
E>3edition Beha&iorF 1he !iner Point", Howard 1om-___________________________
" good expedition te!m is like ! po#erful, #ell+oiled, finely tuned m!rri!ge. 2embers cook
me!ls together, c!rry burdens together, f!ce ch!llenges together !nd fin!lly go to bed
together. " b!d expedition, on the other h!nd, is !n !#k#!rd, ugly, emb!rr!ssing thing
ch!r!cteri%ed by bickering, filth, frustr!tion !nd crispy m!c!roni.
/e!rly !ll b!d expeditions h!e one thing in common& poor expedition beh!ior (1B).
This is true een if te!m members follo# the st!ted rules, such !s Don't -tep $n the ?ope,
-ep!r!te Derosene !nd .ood, /o -o!p )n the ?ier, /o ?!ccoons )n the Tent, Deep Cour
)ce "xe $ut of 2y 1ye, etc.
Infortun!tely, too m!ny rules of expedition beh!ior rem!in unspoken. -ome le!ders
seem to !ssume th!t their te!m members !lre!dy h!e strong !nd generous ch!r!cters like
their o#n. But ;udging from ! fe# of the c!mpers #e'e encountered, more rules ought to be
spelled out. 0ere !re ten of them&
?IL1 Q6 ,et the hell out of bed. -uppose your tentm!tes get up e!rly to fetch #!ter
!nd fire up the stoe #hile you lie com!tose in your sleeping b!g. "s they run !n extensie
e*uipment check, pull ropes !nd fix your bre!kf!st, they he!r you st!rt to snore. L!st night
you #ere their buddy( no# they're dr!#ing up ! list of things !bout you th!t m!ke them #!nt
to spit. They #ill deise cruel punishments for you. Cou h!e e!rned them. The te!m
concept is no# defunct. 0!d you gotten out of bed, nobody #ould h!e h!d to suffer.
?IL1 Q8 Do not be cheerful before bre!kf!st. -ome people #!ke up perky !nd h!ppy
!s little bunny r!bbits. They put stress on those #ho #!ke up me!n !s r!bid #olerines.
1xhort!tions such !s O?ise !nd shine, sug!rLO !nd O,reet the d!#n, pumpkinLO h!e been
kno#n to prooke pungent expleties from #olerine types. These curses, in turn, m!y
offend fluffy bunny types. )ndeed, they !re issued #ith the sincere intent to offend. Thus, the
d!y begins #ith flying fur !nd hurt feelings. The best e!rly morning 1B is simple& Be *uiet.
?IL1 Q9 Do not compl!in. "bout !nything. 1er. )t's ten belo# %ero, isibility is four
inches !nd #ind+drien h!ilstones !re embedding themseles in your f!ce like shotgun
pellets. 2ust you mention it3 Do you think your friends h!en't noticed the #e!ther3 2!ke !
suggestion. Tell ! ;oke. ?e!d ! pr!yer. Do not lodge ! compl!int. Cour p!ck #eighs EM
pounds !nd your che!p b!ckp!ck str!ps !re !ctu!lly cutting into your flesh. 'ere you
promised ! person!l sherp!3 Did somebody che!t you out of ! mule te!m3 )f you c!n't c!rry
your #eight, get ! motorhome.
?IL1 QP Le!rn to cook !t le!st one thing right. $ne expedition trick is so old th!t it is
no longer !musing& on the first cooking !ssignment, the cleer cook prep!res ! dish th!t
resembles, s!y, Burnt -ock )n Toxic '!ste -!uce. The cook hopes to be relieed
perm!nently from cooking duties. This is ! childish !ppro!ch to ! problem th!t's been #ith
us since people first st!rted thro#ing li%!rds on the fire. Tricks !re not ! p!rt of ! te!m spirit.
)f you don't like to cook, s!y so. $ffer to #!sh dishes !nd to prep!re the one thing you do
kno# ho# to cook. 1en if it's only te!. ?emember th!t t!lented c!mp cooks sometimes get
inited to ;oin m!;or expeditions in /ep!l, !ll expenses p!id.
?IL1 QF 1ither ")-h!mpoo, or B) Do not remoe your h!t for !ny re!son. "fter !
#eek or so on the tr!il #ithout sh!mpooing, h!ir forms !ngry little clumps !nd #!ds. These
le!e the person bene!th looking like !n esc!pee from ! ment!l #!rd. -uch !n !ppe!r!nce
could sh!ke ! te!m's confidence in your ;udgment. )f you c!n't sh!mpoo, pull ! #ool h!t
do#n oer your e!rs !nd le!e it there, night !nd d!y, for the entire expedition.
?IL1 QH Do not !sk if !nybody's seen your stuff. 1xperienced !denturers h!e
systems for org!ni%ing their ge!r. They ery r!rely le!e it stre#n !round c!mp or lying b!ck
on the tr!il. $ne of the most d!mning things you c!n do is !sk your te!mm!tes if they'e
seen the tent poles you thought you p!cked miles !go. 1en in the unlikely eent you get
home !lie, you #ill not be inited on the next trip. -hould you eer le!e the tent poles 8J
miles !#!y, do not !sk if !nybody's seen them. -imply !nnounceN#ith ! good n!tured
chuckleNth!t you !re !bout to set off in the d!rk on ! PJ+mile hike to retriee them, !nd th!t
you !re sorry. )t's unprofession!l to lose your spoon or your toothbrush. )f something like this
h!ppens, don't mention it to !nyone.
?IL1 QM /eer !sk #here you !re. )f you #!nt to kno# #here you !re look !t the m!p.
Try to figure it out yourself. )f you're still confused, feel free to discuss the identities of
l!ndm!rks !round you !nd ho# they correspond to the c!rtogr!phy. )f you ") suspect th!t !
mist!ke h!s been m!de, !nd B) h!e experience interpreting topogr!phic!l m!ps, !nd =)
!re cert!in th!t your group le!der is ! noice or on drugs, spe!k up. $ther#ise, follo# the
group like sheep.
?IL1 Q E "l#!ys c!rry more th!n your f!ir sh!re. 'hen the trip is oer, #ould you
r!ther be remembered !s ! rock or ! sissy3 Deep in mind th!t ! pound or t#o of extr!
#eight in your p!ck #ont m!ke your b!ck hurt !ny more th!n it !lre!dy does. )n !ny gien
group of fl!tl!nders, somebody is bound to bicker !bout #eight. 'hen !n !rgument begins,
t!ke the extr! #eight yourself. Then sh!ke your he!d !nd g!%e #ith pity upon the slothful
one. This is the m!ture response to childish beh!ior. $n the tr!il th!t d!y, during ! bre!k,
lo!d the tenderfoots p!ck #ith 8J pounds of gr!el.
?IL1 Q7 Do not get sunburned. -unburn is not only p!inful !nd un!ttr!ctie, its !lso
!n obious sign of inexperience. 2ost greenhorns #!it too long before !pplying sunscreen.
$nce youe burned on !n expedition, you m!y not h!e ! ch!nce to get out of the sun.
Then the burn gets burned, skin peels !#!y, blisters sprout on the !lre!dy s#ollen lips.
"ny#!y, you get the ide!. 'e!r %inc oxide. Cou c!n see ex!ctly #here !nd ho# thickly its
!pplied !nd it gies you ;ust !bout 6JJK protection. )t does get on your sungl!sses, !ll oer
your clothes, !nd in your mouth. But th!ts $D. Inlike sunshine, %inc oxide is non+toxic.
?IL1 Q 6J Do not get killed. -uppose you m!ke the summit of D8 solo, ch!in+smoking
,it!nes !nd c!rrying the complete #orks of 0eming#!y in h!rdcoer. <retty m!cho, huh3
-uppose no# th!t you t!ke ! ertic!l detour do#n ! cre!sse !nd neer m!ke it b!ck to
c!mp. 'ould you still *u!lify !s ! hero3 "nd #ould it m!tter3 /obodys going to run !ny
fingers through your ne# chest h!ir. The #orst thing to h!e on your outdoor resume is the
list of the possible loc!tions of your body.
"ll expedition beh!ior re!lly flo#s from this one principle& Think of your te!m, the
be!utiful m!chine, first. Cou !re merely ! cog in th!t m!chine. )f you h!e something to
proe, forget !bout ;oining !n expedition. Cour te!m #ill neer h!e more th!n one member.
,eader"hi3
,ao 1(u __________________________________________________________________
Le!ders !re best #hen people b!rely kno# th!t they exist, not so good #hen people obey
!nd !ccl!im them, #orse #hen they despise them. .!il to honor people, they f!il to honor
you. But of ! good le!der #ho t!lks little, #hen their #ork is done, their !im fulfilled, the
people #ill !ll s!y, O'e did this ourseles.O
Peter $en.e ______________________________________________________________
Le!dership h!s to do #ith ho# people !re. Cou don't te!ch people ! different #!y of being,
you cre!te conditions so they c!n discoer #here their n!tur!l le!dership comes from.
Harr2 $ 1ruman ___________________________________________________________
)t is !m!%ing #h!t you c!n !ccomplish if you do not c!re #ho gets the credit.
%a. Hammer"kEold, Markings ________________________________________________
Cour position neer gies you the right to comm!nd. )t only imposes on you the duty of liing
your life th!t others c!n receie your orders #ithout being humili!ted.
H
Henr2 !ord _______________________________________________________________
)f there is !ny gre!t secret of success in life, it lies in the !bility to put yourself in the other
persons pl!ce to see things from his point of ie# !s #ell !s your o#n.
)o-in $harma, author of The Saint, The Surfer and The C! ______________________
'h!t #ould your life look like if you h!d !bsolutely no fe!r3 'h!t kinds of things #ould you
do if you lied from ! fr!me of reference th!t your thoughts liter!lly could form your #orld3
0o# brightly #ould your light shine if you stepped out of the limit!tions th!t !re keeping you
sm!ll !nd stretched yourself #ell p!st your comfort %one into the pl!ce th!t you kno#, deep
#ithin, you !re me!nt to be3 "uthentic le!dership is !ll !bout being the person you kno# in
your he!rt you h!e !l#!ys been destined to be. "uthentic le!dership does not come from
your title or from the si%e of your p!ycheck. )nste!d, this form of le!dership comes from your
being !nd the person th!t you !re.
0ere !re 6J things th!t !uthentic le!ders do on ! regul!r b!sis&
6. They spe!k their truth. )n business tod!y, #e fre*uently 's#!llo# our truth'. 'e s!y
things to ple!se others !nd to look good in front of The =ro#d. "uthentic le!ders !re
different. They consistently t!lk truth. They #ould neer betr!y themseles by using #ords
th!t !re not !ligned #ith #ho they !re. This does not gie !nyone ! license to s!y things th!t
!re hurtful to people. -pe!king truth is simply !bout being cle!r, being honest !nd being
!uthentic.
8. They le!d from the he!rt. Business is !bout people. Le!dership is !bout people. The
best le!ders #e!r their he!rts on their sleees !nd !re not !fr!id to sho# their ulner!bility.
They genuinely c!re !bout other people !nd spend their d!ys deeloping the people !round
them. They !re like the sun& the sun gies !#!y !ll it h!s to the pl!nts !nd the trees. But in
return, the pl!nts !nd the trees !l#!ys gro# to#!rd the sun.
9. They h!e rich mor!l fiber. 'ho you !re spe!ks f!r more loudly th!n !nything you
could eer s!y. -trength of ch!r!cter is true po#er + !nd people c!n feel it ! mile !#!y.
"uthentic le!ders #ork on their ch!r!cter. They #!lk their t!lk !nd !re !ligned #ith their core
!lues. They !re noble !nd good. "nd in doing so, people trust, respect !nd listen to them.
P. They !re cour!geous. )t t!kes ! lot of cour!ge to go !g!inst the cro#d. )t t!kes ! lot of
cour!ge to be ! ision!ry. )t t!kes ! lot of inner strength to do #h!t you think is right een
though it m!y not be e!sy. 'e lie in ! #orld #here so m!ny people #!lk the p!th of le!st
resist!nce. "uthentic le!dership is !ll !bout t!king the ro!d less tr!eled !nd doing, not
#h!t is e!sy, but #h!t is right.
F. They build te!ms !nd cre!te communities. $ne of the prim!ry things th!t people !re
looking for in their #ork experience is ! sense of community. )n the old d!ys, #e got our
community from #here #e lied. 'e #ould h!e block p!rties !nd street picnics. )n the ne#
!ge of #ork, employees seek their sense of community !nd connection from the #orkpl!ce.
"uthentic le!ders cre!te #orkpl!ces th!t foster hum!n link!ges !nd l!sting friendships.
They deepen themseles. The ;ob of the le!der is to go deep. "uthentic le!ders kno#
themseles intim!tely. They nurture ! strong self+rel!tionship. They kno# their #e!knesses
!nd pl!y to their strengths. "nd they !l#!ys spend ! lot of time tr!nscending their fe!rs.
H. They !re dre!mers. 1instein s!id th!t, O)m!gin!tion is more import!nt th!n kno#ledge.O
)t is from our im!gin!tions th!t gre!t things !re born. "uthentic le!ders d!re to dre!m
impossible dre!ms. They see #h!t eeryone else sees !nd then dre!m up ne# possibilities.
They spend ! lot of time #ith their eyes closed cre!ting blueprints !nd f!nt!sies th!t le!d to
better products, better serices, better #orkpl!ces !nd deeper !lue. 0o# often do you
close your eyes !nd dre!m3
M. They c!re for themseles. T!king c!re of your physic!l dimension is ! sign of self+
respect. Cou c!n't do gre!t things !t #ork if you don't feel good. "uthentic le!ders e!t #ell,
exercise !nd c!re for the temples th!t !re their bodies. They spend time in n!ture, drink
plenty of #!ter !nd get regul!r m!ss!ges so th!t, physic!lly, they !re oper!ting !t pl!net+
cl!ss leels of perform!nce.
E. They commit to excellence r!ther th!n perfection. /o hum!n being is perfect. 1ery
single one of us is ! #ork in progress. "uthentic le!ders commit themseles to excellence in
eerything th!t they do. They !re const!ntly pushing the enelope !nd r!ising their
st!nd!rds. They do not seek perfection !nd h!e the #isdom to kno# the difference. 'h!t
#ould your life look like if you r!ised your st!nd!rds #ell beyond #h!t !nyone could eer
im!gine of you3
7. They le!e ! leg!cy. To lie in the he!rts of the people !round you is to neer die.
-uccess is #onderful but signific!nce is een better. Cou #ere m!de to contribute !nd to
le!e ! m!rk on the people !round you. )n f!iling to lie from this fr!me of reference, you
betr!y yourself. "uthentic le!ders !re const!ntly building their leg!cies by !dding deep
!lue to eeryone th!t they de!l #ith !nd le!ing the #orld ! better pl!ce in the process.
*om3etence0E>cellence
/ohn ?ookin ______________________________________________________________
There !re little things you need to do on expeditions to prep!re for occ!sion!l glitches, like
m!king sure your group h!s ! first !id kit, se#ing ! torn sleee, !nd m!int!ining your stoe.
/ot doing !ny one of them is not usu!lly ! short+term problem( the m!in problem is your
gener!l l!ck of respect for potenti!l problems, #hich #ill eentu!lly cost you de!rly.
Ari"totle _________________________________________________________________
'e !re #h!t #e consistently do. 1xcellence is defined by our h!bits.
Gen "a2in. _______________________________________________________________
0o# you do !nything is ho# you do eerything.
+"4 /unko 1a-ei, 19;= ______________________________________________________
Techni*ue !nd !bility !lone do not get you to the top. it is the #illpo#er th!t is most
import!nt. This #illpo#er you c!nnot buy #ith money or be gien by othersGit rises from your
he!rt.
/ote& .irst #om!n on 1erest.
,awrence %4 Bell __________________________________________________________
-ho# me ! person #ho c!nnot bother to do the little things, !nd )ll sho# you ! person #ho
c!nnot be trusted to do big things.
/ud.ment and %eci"ion +akin.
Kurt Hahn ________________________________________________________________
The br!est person is the one #ho #eighs up !ll the risks !nd #hen they h!e become
gre!ter th!n the ob;ect is #orth, h!s the cour!ge to turn b!ck !nd to f!ce the other risk of
being c!lled ! co#!rd.
Paul Pet(oldt _____________________________________________________________
There !re old climbers !nd there !re bold climbers, but there !re no old, bold climbers.
?ules !re for fools.
-it do#n !nd h!e ! cig!rette !fter you do first !id, then pl!n your e!cu!tion.
This is the re!l core of eerything ) h!e to te!ch, be it in the #ilderness or in ! book.
Audgment. ) define ;udgment !s the !bility to rel!te ! tot!l experience to ! specific !ctiity.
Le!rning ;udgment, !ssessing priorities, is !s import!nt !s perfecting techni*ues( in f!ct the
te!ching of techni*ues (#ithout commensur!te ;udgment) c!n be d!ngerous.
/ote& .ounded /$L- in 67HP.
/o"e3h #ood Krutch _______________________________________________________
/!ture t!kes no !ccount of een the most re!son!ble of hum!n excuses.
M
)o-ert 9n.er"oll___________________________________________________________
)n n!ture there !re neither re#!rds nor punishments( there !re conse*uences.
'ike _____________________________________________________________________
There is something to be g!ined from commitment.
There !re re#!rds for st!ying #hen you #ould r!ther le!e.
"nd there is something to be s!id for running up th!t hill #hen you #ould r!ther slide do#n
it.
Aust Do )t.
Unknown _________________________________________________________________
But risks must be t!ken, bec!use the gre!test h!%!rd in life is to risk nothing. The person
#ho risks nothing does nothing, h!s nothing !nd is nothing. 0e m!y !oid suffering !nd
sorro#, but he simply c!nnot le!rn, feel, ch!nge, gro#, loe + lie. =h!ined by his certitudes,
he is ! sl!e( he h!s forfeited freedom. $nly ! person #ho risks is free.
'e do not t!ke risks to esc!pe from life( #e t!ke risks so th!t life does not esc!pe from us.
++ unkno#n
+ike ,ink, B)i"k and )e"3on"i-ilit2C __________________________________________
'e used to t!lk !round the c!mpfire, ! f!ther !nd son. ) remember #ell those coners!tions
of gri%%ly be!rs, of sheer cliffs, of storms in the #ilderness. 2y son, 2!tthe#, !nd ) t!lked of
dist!nt riers, the be!uty of the l!ndsc!pe, the exhil!r!tion of the outdoors. )t #!s ! common
loe, something #e could sh!re. 'e !lso t!lked !bout risk.
O)f ! be!r kills me, don't let !nyone try to hunt it do#n.O O)f ) get lost in the #oods, don't
send helicopters !nd se!rch pl!nes( let me find my #!y out.O O)f ) die on ! rier, don't let
them d!m it !nd ste!l its life on my !ccount.O Those !re the things #e #ould t!lk !bout
!round the c!mpfire.
Then, on ! *uiet -!turd!y !fternoon in December the phone r!ng. O2r. Link, this is the
"meric!n =onsul in /e# Re!l!nd. Cour son h!s been killed in ! k!y!king !ccident.O
?isk is ! p!rt of the #ilderness experience, ! p!rt of the be!uty of our rel!tionship #ith
the outdoors. ?isk is inherent in our freedom& the freedom to test our o#n person!l limits
!nd to test our skills !g!inst the outdoors. ?isk is ! necess!ry p!rt of gro#ing up, of ;ust
gro#ing. Th!t's #h!t 2!tthe# !nd ) t!lked !bout !round the c!mpfire. 'e t!lked of
!ccept!nce, the f!ct th!t it is the risk of de!th th!t m!kes life spicy !nd more #orth liing.
But then the phone r!ng.
O2r. Link, your son is de!d.O )n ! single sentence the oice on the phone m!de !ll the
#ords re!l. 0ere #!s the summ!tion of !ll #e h!d t!lked !bout, risk t!ken to the fin!l
degree. The first thing ) thought of #!s the c!mpfire.
2!tthe# died #hen his k!y!k bec!me pinned in the T!um!runui ?ier of /e# Re!l!nd.
0e !nd some friends h!d ;ust completed the kind of trip they h!d !l#!ys dre!med of. They
#ere 6J feet from t!ke+out #hen 2!tt bec!me tr!pped under#!ter in his k!y!k, beyond the
re!ch of help.
.or ! number of ye!rs no#, ) h!e c!rried 2!tt's memories inside of me #hen ) hike or
p!ddle, or sit !lone !round the c!mpfire. ) relie the !dentures #e h!d, the sens!tions #e
sh!red !s he gre# up #ith ! f!ther #ho led outdoor trips for ! liing. 2!tt h!d gro#n up #ith
the feel of ! p!ddle in his h!nd, the heft of ! b!ckp!ck on his shoulders. The outdoors #!ds
! p!rt of his n!tur!l herit!ge. )t #!s his life, !nd his de!th. Like eeryone #ho h!s f!ced
loss, ) se!rched for me!ning #hen there is none. The tr!ils ) still #!lk !re no longer the
s!me. The riers ) p!ddle h!e ! s!dder song. But they !re no less be!utiful, no less
import!nt.
) #ould gie !nything to h!e my son b!ck, but ) #ould neer #illingly !llo# risk to be
remoed from our #ilderness experience. 0!ndr!ils !nd steps, protectie b!rriers !nd
concrete #!lls !ll sere to diminish the resource more th!n they protect the indiidu!l. 1!ch
b!rrier th!t keeps us from person!l cont!ct #ith the enironment reduces the imp!ct of the
experience !nd lessens its !lue. ) #!nt to feel the cob#ebs !s ) hike do#n ! tr!il. ) #!nt to
be !llo#ed to enter pl!ces #ild enough to get lost in. ) #!nt the riers to flo# freely. 2!tt
#!nted th!t too.
'h!t s!tisf!ction is there in !ny pursuit if the outcome is preord!ined3 'ould #e
!ttend ! footb!ll g!me or ! #orld series if #e !lre!dy kne# the fin!l score3 'ould !ny
success be !s s#eet #ithout the possibility of f!ilure3 )n n!ture #e le!rn th!t life !nd de!th
!re p!rt of the s!me endless cycle. The !lues th!t !re ! p!rt of the n!tur!l enironment
include !n !ccept!nce of de!th. Both pred!tor !nd prey !re to be honored.
These !re not reel!tions to the b!ckp!cker, the p!ddler or !nyone #ho lies close to
n!ture. "nyone #ho h!s truly looked !t n!ture kno#s th!t ours is ! #orld of liing !nd dying(
de!th surrounds life !nd is incorpor!ted into the #e!e !nd #eft of eery existence. ) c!n
neer reconcile my son's de!th !nd s!y it #!s good. )t #!s, ho#eer, ineit!ble. 2oreoer,
there !re different kinds of de!th !nd more terrible #!ys of dying th!n by doing something
you loe.
Those #ho bemo!n #ilderness bec!use of the risk, those #ho see no thre!t in toxic
r!in, o%one depletion !nd r!in forest deforest!tion h!e suffered !nother form of de!th.
They h!e remoed themseles from the e!rth th!t #e !ll depend on. <hysic!l de!th is
ineit!ble. -piritu!l de!th is different.
2!tthe# kne# !ll of this. ) kno# th!t from our c!mpfire t!lks. 0e kne# the risk inherent
in #ilderness tr!el. 0e h!d honed his skills until he felt comfort!ble in =l!ss S r!pids. 0e
neer bl!t!ntly defied the odds. )n e!ch situ!tion he !ssessed the risk !nd !ccepted it, or
turned !#!y. 0e chose to p!ddle the rier th!t d!y.
/o# he is gone, but the #ilderness rem!ins. "nd it should rem!in, !s ! pl!ce of
be!uty, #ildness, !nd risk, ! pl!ce #here life G !nd de!th G still hold true to their me!nings.
2!tthe# #ould h!e it no other #!y.
1homa" #olfe ____________________________________________________________
.or he h!d le!rned some of the things th!t eery m!n must find out for himself, !nd he
found out !bout them !s one h!s to find out, through errors !nd through tri!l, through
f!nt!sy !nd delusion, through f!lsehood !nd his o#n d!mn foolishness, through being
mist!ken !nd #rong !nd !n idiot !nd egotistic!l !nd !spiring !nd hopeful !nd belieing !nd
confused. "s he l!y there he h!d gone b!ck oer his life, !nd bit by bit, he h!d extr!cted
from it some of the h!rd lessons of experience. 1!ch thing he le!rned #!s so simple !nd so
obious once he gr!sped it, th!t he #ondered #hy he h!d not !l#!ys kno#n it. "ltogether,
they #oe into ! kind of le!ding thre!d, tr!iling b!ck#!rd through his p!st !nd out into the
future. "nd he thought no#, perh!ps he #ould begin to sh!pe his life to m!stery, for he felt !
sense of ne# direction deep #ithin him, but #hither it #ould t!ke him, he could not s!y.
#oodrow #il"on $a2re _____________________________________________________
The truth is th!t p!rt of the essence of mount!in climbing is to push oneself to ones limits.
)neit!bly this inoles risk, other#ise they #ould not be ones limits. This is not to s!y th!t
you deliber!tely try something you kno# you c!nt do. But you do deliber!tely try something
#hich you !re not sure you c!n do.
*ommunication
Anne +orrow ,ind-er.h ____________________________________________________
,ood communic!tion is !s stimul!ting !s bl!ck coffee, !nd ;ust !s h!rd to sleep !fter.
/ote& <ioneering !i!tor, !uthor, !nd the spouse of !i!tor =h!rles Lindbergh. 0elped surey
tr!ns!tl!ntic flight p!ths.
Alice %uer +iller 51:;419468 ________________________________________________
)f its ery p!inful for you to critici%e your friends, youre s!fe in doing it. But if you t!ke the
slightest ple!sure in it, th!ts the time to hold your tongue.
E
/ote& " brilli!nt m!them!tici!n #ho studied m!them!tics !nd !stronomy. "doc!ted for #omens
suffr!ge. 'rote poetry !nd stories.
"ermann "esse, Siddhartha _________________________________________________
'ords do not express thoughts ery #ell( eerything immedi!tely becomes ! little different,
! little distorted, ! little foolish. "nd yet it !lso ple!ses me !nd seems right th!t #h!t is of
!lue !nd #isdom to one m!n seems nonsense to !nother.
9ndira ?andhi _____________________________________________________________
Cou c!nnot sh!ke h!nds #ith ! clenched fist.
,i&in.0Bein.
/oan Bae(________________________________________________________________
Cou don't get to choose ho# you're going to die. $r #hen. Cou c!n only decide ho# you're
going to lie. /o#.
/ack Kerouac_____________________________________________________________
The only people for me !re the m!d ones, the ones #ho !re m!d to lie, m!d to t!lk, m!d to
be s!ed desirous of eerything !t the s!me time, the ones #ho neer y!#n or s!y !
commonpl!ce thing, but burn, burn, burn, like f!bulous yello# rom!n c!ndles exploding like
spiders !cross the st!rs !nd in the middle you see the blue center light pop !nd eerybody
goes O"###LO
Buddha__________________________________________________________________
"boe !ll, do not lose your desire to #!lk. 1eryd!y ) #!lk myself into ! st!te of #ell+being
!nd #!lk !#!y from eery illness. ) h!e #!lked myself into my best thoughts !nd kno# of
no thoughts so burdensome th!t one c!nnot #!lk !#!y from it.
/e"u" of 'a(areth _________________________________________________________
0e th!t is gre!test !mong you sh!ll be your ser!nt.
/ote to self& <eople #ho !re ser!nts in the #orld or your life (be it th!t they !re selfless or !ctu!lly do the
#ork of others) !re the gre!test !mong us.
Eldre"" Harriet Bullard _____________________________________________________
Do good. This should be the !im of eery hum!n being, to m!ke the #orld better for h!ing
lied.
+other 1ere"a ____________________________________________________________
/one of us, including me, eer do gre!t things. But #e c!n !ll do sm!ll things, #ith gre!t
loe, !nd together #e c!n do something #onderful.
$torm /ame"on ___________________________________________________________
0!ppiness3 )t is !n illusion to think th!t more comfort me!ns more h!ppiness. 0!ppiness
comes of the c!p!city to feel deeply, to en;oy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be
needed.
*heif /u"tice Earl #arren ___________________________________________________
1erything ) did in my life th!t #!s #orth#hile ) c!ught hell for.
,a"t word" of *rowfoot, a .reat hunter of the Blackfoot, 1:9< _____________________
'h!t is life3 )t is the fl!sh of ! firefly in the night. )t is the bre!th of ! buff!lo in the #inter
time( it is the sh!do# #hich runs !cross the gr!ss !nd loses itself in the sunset.
%r4 Howard 1hurman, American 3hilo"o3her ___________________________________
Don't !sk yourself #h!t the #orld needs. "sk yourself #h!t m!kes you come !lie, !nd then,
go out !nd do th!t, bec!use #h!t the #orld needs is people #ho h!e come !lie.
Hu.e Prather _____________________________________________________________
)ts this simple. )f ) neer try !nything, ) neer le!rn !nything. )f ) neer t!ke ! risk, ) st!y right
#here ) !m. )f ) go !he!d !nd do it, th!t !ffects ho# much ) continue #!nting to do it. )f ) hold
myself b!ck, ) tr!de !ppe!r!nces for the opportunity to find out #h!t )m re!lly like.
+ar.aret +ead ____________________________________________________________
/eer doubt th!t ! sm!ll group of thoughtful, committed citi%ens c!n ch!nge the #orld.
)ndeed, it's the only thing th!t eer h!s.
#endell Berr2 _____________________________________________________________
'hen #e no longer kno# #h!t to do, #e h!e come to our re!l #ork. "nd #hen #e no
longer kno# #hich #!y to go, #e h!e begun our re!l ;ourney.
Unknown _________________________________________________________________
To l!ugh is to risk !ppe!ring the fool. To #eep is to risk !ppe!ring sentiment!l. To re!ch out
for !nother is to risk inolement. To expose feelings is to risk exposing your true self. To
pl!ce your ide!s, your dre!ms before the cro#d is to risk their loss. To loe is to risk not
being loed in return. To lie is to risk dying. To hope is to risk desp!ir. To try is to risk
f!ilure. But risks must be t!ken, bec!use the gre!test h!%!rd in life is to risk nothing. The
person #ho risks nothing does nothing, h!s nothing, !nd is nothing. 0e m!y !oid suffering
!nd sorro#, but he simply c!nnot le!rn, feel, ch!nge, gro#, loeNlie. =h!ined by his
certitudes, he is ! sl!e, he h!s forfeited freedom. $nly ! person #ho risks is free.
1he $U!9, 16<< B* 5from the $an"crit8 ________________________________________
Look to this d!y,
.or it is life, the ery life of life.
)n its brief course lie !ll the
erities !nd re!lities of your existence(
the bliss of gro#th, the glory of !ction, the splendor of be!uty.
.or yesterd!y is but ! dre!m
!nd tomorro# is only ! ision,
but tod!y #ell lied m!kes
eery tomorro# ! ision of hope.
Look #ell, therefore, to this d!y
-uch is the s!lut!tion of the d!#n.
1he )ule" for Bein. Human _________________________________________________
6. Cou #ill receie ! body. Cou m!y like it or h!te it, but it #ill be yours for the entire period
this time !round.
8. Cou #ill le!rn lessons. Cou !re enrolled in ! full+time, inform!l school c!lled life. 1!ch
d!y you #ill h!e the opportunity to le!rn lessons. Cou m!y like the lessons or think them
irrele!nt !nd stupid.
9. There !re no mist!kes, only lessons. ,ro#th is ! process of tri!l !nd error
experiment!tion. The @f!iledB experiments !re !s much ! p!rt of the process of the
experiment th!t ultim!tely @#orks.B
P. " lesson is repe!ted until it is le!rned. The lesson #ill be repe!ted to you in !rious
forms until you h!e le!rned it. Then you c!n go on to the next lesson.
F. Le!rning lessons does not end. )f you !re !lie there !re lessons to be le!rned.
H. @ThereB is no better th!n @0ereB. 'hen your @thereB h!s become ! @hereB youll simply
obt!in !nother @thereB th!t looks better th!n @hereB.
M. $thers !re merely mirrors of you. Cou c!nt loe or h!te something !bout !nother person
unless it reflects something you loe or h!te !bout yourself.
7
E. 'h!t you m!ke of your life is up to you. Cou h!e !ll the tools !nd resources you need(
#h!t you do #ith them is up to you. The choice is yours.
The supreme pr!yer of my he!rt is not to be rich, f!mous, po#erful, or Otoo good,O but to be
r!di!nt. ) desire to r!di!te he!lth, c!lm cour!ge, cheerfulness, !nd good #ill. ) #ish to lie
#ithout h!te, #him, ;e!lousy, eny, or fe!r. ) #ish to be simple, honest, fr!nk, n!tur!l, cle!n
in mind !nd cle!n in body, re!dy to s!y, O) do not kno#,O if so it be, to meet !ll men on !n
!bsolute e*u!lity, to f!ce eery obst!cle !nd meet eery obst!cle un!b!shed !nd un!fr!id.
) #ish others to lie their lies, too, up to their fullest !nd best. To th!t end ) pr!y th!t ) m!y
neer meddle, interfere, dict!te, gie !dice th!t is not #!nted, or !ssist #hen my serices
!re not needed. )f ) c!n help people, ) #ill do it, by giing them ! ch!nce to help themseles(
!nd if ) c!n uplift or inspire, let it be by ex!mple, inference, suggestion, r!ther th!n by
in;unction !nd dict!tion. Th!t is to s!y, ) desire to be r!di!nt, to r!di!te life.
++ <r!yer found ne!r Tour, .r!nce, in 676E by ".1... Doughboy of 'orld '!r )
%e"erata_________________________________________________________________
,o pl!cidly !mid the noise !nd h!ste, !nd remember #h!t pe!ce there m!y be in silence.
"s f!r !s possible, be on good terms #ith !ll persons. -pe!k your truth *uietly !nd cle!rly,
!nd listen to others, een the dull !nd ignor!nt( they too h!e their story. "oid loud !nd
!ggressie persons, they !re ex!tious to the spirit. )f you comp!re yourself #ith others you
m!y become !in !nd bitter, for !l#!ys there #ill be gre!ter !nd lesser persons th!n
yourself. 1n;oy your !chieements !s #ell !s your pl!ns. Deep interested in your o#n
c!reer, ho#eer humble( it is ! re!l possession in the ch!nging fortunes of time. 1xercise
c!ution in your business !ff!irs( for the #orld is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to
#h!t irtue there is( m!ny people strie for high ide!ls, !nd eery#here life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. 1speci!lly do not feign !ffection. /either be cynic!l !bout loe( for in the f!ce of
!ll !ridity !nd disench!ntment, it is !s perenni!l !s the gr!ss. T!ke kindly the counsel of the
ye!rs, gr!cefully surrendering the things of youth. /urture strength of -pirit to shield you
from sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself #ith d!rk im!ginings. 2!ny fe!rs !re
born of f!tigue !nd loneliness. Beyond ! #holesome discipline, be gentle #ith yourself. Cou
!re ! child of the unierse, no less th!n the trees !nd the st!rs( you h!e ! right to be here.
"nd #hether or not it is cle!r to you, there is no doubt th!t the unierse is unfolding !s it
should. Therefore be !t pe!ce #ith ,od, #h!teer your l!bors !nd !spir!tions, in the noisy
confusion of life keep pe!ce #ith your soul. 'ith !ll its sh!m, drudgery !nd broken dre!ms,
it is still ! be!utiful #orld. Be c!reful. T!ke c!re. -trie to be h!ppy.
Unknown_________________________________________________________________
There !re t#o d!ys in eery #eek !bout #hich #e should not #orry, t#o d!ys #hich should
be kept free from fe!r !nd !pprehension. $ne of these d!ys is Cesterd!y #ith !ll its
mist!kes !nd c!res, its f!ults !nd blunders, its !ches !nd p!ins. Cesterd!y h!s p!ssed
foreer beyond our control. "ll the money in the #orld c!nnot bring b!ck Cesterd!y. 'e
c!nnot undo ! single !ct #e performed( #e c!nnot er!se ! single #ord #e s!id. Cesterd!y
is gone foreer.
The other d!y #e should not #orry !bout is Tomorro# #ith !ll its possible !dersities,
its burdens, its l!rge promise !nd its poor perform!nce( Tomorro# is !lso beyond our
immedi!te control. Tomorro#'s sun #ill rise, either in splendor or behind ! m!sk of clouds,
but it #ill rise. Intil it does, #e h!e no st!ke in Tomorro#, for it is yet to be born.
This le!es only one d!y, Tod!y. "ny person c!n fight the b!ttle of ;ust one d!y. )t is
#hen you !nd ) !dd the burdens of those t#o !#ful eternities, Cesterd!y !nd Tomorro#, th!t
#e bre!k do#n. )t is not the experience of Tod!y th!t dries ! person m!d, it is the remorse
or bitterness of something #hich h!ppened Cesterd!y !nd the dre!d of #h!t Tomorro# m!y
bring. Let us, therefore, lie but one d!y !t ! time.
++ unkno#n
)al3h #aldo Emer"on ______________________________________________________
To l!ugh often !nd much, to #in the respect of intelligent people !nd the !ffection of
children, to e!rn the !ppreci!tion of honest critics !nd endure the betr!y!l of f!lse friends, to
!ppreci!te be!uty, to find the best in others, to le!e the #orld ! bit better, #hether by !
he!lthy child, ! g!rden p!tch, or ! redeemed soci!l condition( to kno# een one life h!s
bre!thed e!sier bec!use you h!e lied. This is to h!e succeededL
Unknown _________________________________________________________________
There !re other people, people #ho choose to be cr!%y in order to cope #ith #h!t they
reg!rd !s ! cr!%y #orld. They h!e !dopted cr!%iness !s ! lifestyle. )e found th!t there is
nothing ) c!n do for these people bec!use the only #!y you c!n get them to gie up their
cr!%iness is to conince them th!t the #orld is !ctu!lly s!ne. ) must confess th!t ) h!e
found such ! coniction !lmost impossible to support.
?eolo.20PlaceBa"ed #ritin."
%ou.la" / Penick, 1he #arrior $on. of Kin. ?e"ar______________________________
$ur e!rth is #ounded. 0er stre!ms !nd l!kes !re sick( her riers !re like running sores( the
!ir is filled #ith subtle poisons. "nd the oily smoke of countless hellish fires bl!ckens the
sun. 2en !nd #omen, sc!ttered from homel!nd, f!mily, !nd friends, #!nder desol!te !nd
uncert!in, scorched by ! toxic sun.
)n this desert of frightened, blind uncert!inty, some t!ke refuge in the pursuit of po#er.
-ome become m!nipul!tors of illusion !nd deceit.
)f #isdom !nd h!rmony still d#ell in this #orld, !s other th!n ! dre!m lost in !n
unopened book, they !re hidden in our he!rtbe!t.
"nd it is from our he!rts th!t #e cry out. 'e cry out !nd our oices !re the single oice
of this #ounded e!rth. $ur cries !re ! gre!t #ind !cross the l!nd.
/ote& The Warrior Song of "ing Gesar is !n epic t!le of ! Tibet!n #!rrior king, ,es!r of Ling, !s he
tr!eled !round centr!l "si! se!rching for enlightenment.
/ohn +cPhee, ncounters with the Archdruid##################################
-ooner or l!ter in eery t!lk, Bro#er describes the cre!tion of the #orld. 0e inites his
listeners to consider the six d!ys of ,enesis !s ! figure of speech for #h!t h!s in f!ct been
P billion ye!rs. $n this sc!le, one d!y e*u!ls something like six hundred !nd sixty+six million
ye!rs, !nd thus, @!ll d!y 2ond!y !nd until Tuesd!y noon, cre!tion #!s busy getting the
#orld going. Life beg!n Tuesd!y noon, !nd the be!utiful org!nic #holeness of it deeloped
oer the next four d!ys. "t P p.m. -!turd!y, the big reptiles c!me on. "t three minutes
before midnight on the l!st d!y, m!n !ppe!red. "t one+fourth of ! second before midnight,
=hrist !rried. "t one+fortieth of ! second before midnight, the )ndustri!l reolution beg!n.
'e !re surrounded #ith people #ho think th!t #h!t #e h!e been doing for th!t one+fortieth
of ! second c!n go on indefinitely. They !re considered norm!l, but they !re st!rk, r!ing
m!d.
/ote& "lso #rote #oming $nto the #o%ntry, ! book !bout the b!sin !nd r!nge, like #adillac Desert, but
less politic!l. D!id Bro#er #!s director of the -ierr! =lub in the HJs. 0elped exp!nd #ilderness
design!tions !nd inoled in the cre!tion of the 'ilderness "ct.
$all2 *arri.har, from HHome to the #ilderne""H________________________________
) held ! blue flo#er in my h!nd, prob!bly ! #ild !ster, #ondering #h!t its n!me #!s, !nd
then thought th!t hum!n n!mes for n!tur!l things !re superfluous. /!ture herself does not
n!me them. The import!nt thing is to kno# this flo#er, look !t its color until the blueness
becomes !s re!l !s ! keynote of music. Look !t the ex*uisite yello# flo#erettes in the
center, become ery sm!ll #ith them. Be the flo#er, be the trees, the blo#ing gr!sses. .ly
#ith the birds, ;ump #ith the s*uirrelL
6J
Unknown_________________________________________________________________
To see the gre!tness of ! mount!in, one must keep his dist!nce( to underst!nd its form, one
must moe !round it( to experience its moods, one must see it !t sunrise !nd sunset, !t
noon !nd !t midnight, in sun !nd in r!in, in sno# !nd in storm, in summer !nd in #inter !nd
in !ll the other se!sons. 0e #ho sees the mount!in like this comes ne!r to the life of the
mount!in, ! life th!t is !s intense !nd !ried !s th!t of ! hum!n being. 2ount!ins gro#,
dec!y, bre!the, !nd puls!te #ith life. They collect !nd !ttr!ct energies from their
surroundings( the forces of !ir, of the #!ter, of electricity !nd m!gnetism. They cre!te #inds,
clouds, thunderstorms, r!ins, #!terf!lls, !nd riers. They fill their surroundings #ith !ctie
life, !nd gie shelter !nd food to innumer!ble beings( such is the gre!tness of mighty
mount!ins.
Edward A--e2____________________________________________________________
The c!nyon country does not !l#!ys inspire loe. To m!ny it !ppe!rs b!rren, hostile,
repellent G ! fe!rsome mostly #!terless l!nd of rock !nd he!t, s!nd dunes !nd *uicks!nd,
c!ctus, thornbush, scorpion, r!ttlesn!ke, !nd !gor!phobic dist!nces. To those #ho see our
l!nd in th!t m!nner, the best reply is, yes, you !re right, it is ! d!ngerous !nd terrible pl!ce.
1nter !t your o#n risk. =!rry #!ter. "oid the noond!y sun. Try to ignore the ultures. <r!y
fre*uently.
Aldo ,eo3old, A Sand County Almanac, and Sketches "ere and There, 194:_________
4....5 'e #ere e!ting lunch on ! high rimrock, !t the foot of #hich ! turbulent rier elbo#ed
its #!y. 'e s!# #h!t #e thought #!s ! doe fording the torrent, her bre!st !#!sh in #hite
#!ter. 'hen she climbed the b!nk to#!rd us !nd shook out her t!il, #e re!li%ed our error& it
#!s ! #olf. " h!lf+do%en others, eidently gro#n pups, spr!ng from the #illo#s !nd !ll
;oined in ! #elcoming melee of #!gging t!ils !nd pl!yful m!ulings. 'h!t #!s liter!lly ! pile
of #oles #rithed !nd tumbled in the center of !n open fl!t !t the foot of our rimrock.
)n those d!ys #e h!d neer he!rd of p!ssing up ! ch!nce to kill ! #olf. )n ! second #e #ere
pumping le!d into the p!ck, but #ith more excitement th!n !ccur!cy( ho# to !im ! steep
do#nhill shot is !l#!ys confusing. 'hen our rifles #ere empty, the old #olf #!s do#n, !nd !
pup #!s dr!gging ! leg into imp!ss!ble side+rocks.
'e re!ched the old #olf in time to #!tch ! fierce green fire dying in her eyes. ) re!li%ed
then, !nd h!e kno#n eer since, th!t there #!s something ne# to me in those eyesN
something kno#n only to her !nd to the mount!in. ) #!s young then, !nd full of trigger+itch( )
thought th!t bec!use fe#er #oles me!nt more deer, th!t no #oles #ould me!n hunters'
p!r!dise. But !fter seeing the green fire die, ) sensed th!t neither the #olf nor the mount!in
!greed #ith such ! ie#.
-ince then ) h!e lied to see st!te !fter st!te extirp!te its #oles. ) h!e #!tched the
f!ce of m!ny ! ne#ly #olfless mount!in, !nd seen the south+f!cing slopes #rinkle #ith !
m!%e of ne# deer tr!ils. ) h!e seen eery edible bush !nd seedling bro#sed, first to !nemic
desuetude, !nd then to de!th. ) h!e seen eery edible tree defoli!ted to the height of !
s!ddlehorn. -uch ! mount!in looks !s if someone h!d gien ,od ! ne# pruning she!rs, !nd
forbidden 0im !ll other exercise. )n the end the st!red bones of the hoped+for deer herd,
de!d of its o#n too+much, ble!ch #ith the bones of the de!d s!ge, or molder under the high+
lined ;unipers.
)achel *ar"on, The dge of the Sea__________________________________________
The edge of the se! is ! str!nge !nd be!utiful pl!ce. "ll through the long history of 1!rth it
h!s been !n !re! of unrest #here #!es h!e broken he!ily !g!inst the l!nd, #here the
tides h!e pressed for#!rd oer the continents, receded, !nd then returned. .or no t#o
successie d!ys is the shore line precisely the s!me. /ot only do the tides !d!nce !nd
retre!t in their etern!l rhythms, but the leel of the se! itself is neer !t rest. )t rises or f!lls
!s the gl!ciers melt or gro#, !s the floor of the deep oce!ns b!sins shits its incre!sing lo!d
of sediments, or !s the 1!rths crust !long the continent!l m!rgins #r!ps up or do#n in
!d;ustment to str!in !nd tension. Tod!y ! little more l!nd m!y belong to the se!, tomorro# !
little less. "l#!ys the edge of the se! rem!ins !n elusie !nd indefin!ble bound!ry.
Barr2 ,o3e(4 Desert Notes__________________________________________________
) kno# you !re tired. ) !m tired too. 'ill you #!lk !long the edge of the desert #ith me3 )
#ould like to sho# you #h!t lies before us.
"ll my life ) h!e #!nted to trick blood from ! rock. ) h!e dre!med !bout r!ising the
deil !nd cutting him in h!lf. ) h!e thought too !bout neer being !fr!id of !nything !t !ll.
This is #here you come to do those things.
) kno# #h!t they tell you !bout the desert but you must beliee them. This is no
de!thbed. Dig do#n, the e!rth is moist. Boulders h!e turned to dust here, the dust feels like
gr!phite. Cou c!n he!r ! m!n bre!the !t ! dist!nce of t#enty y!rds. Cou c!n see out there
to the edge #here the desert stops !nd the mount!ins begin. Cou think it is perh!ps ten
miles. )t is more th!n ! hundred. Aust before the sun sets !ll the colors #ill ch!nge. ,reen
#ill turn to blue, red to gold.
)e been told th!t there is ery little time left, th!t #e must get !ll these things !bout
time !nd pl!ce str!ight. )f #e dont, #e #ill only h!e p!ssed on !nd h!e ch!nged nothing.
This is #hy #e !re here ) think, to ch!nge things. )t is #hy ) come to the desert.
0ere things !re sh!rp, element!l. Theres no one to look oer your shoulder to find out
#h!t youe been doing #ith your h!nds, or to !sk if you h!e considered the number of
people dying d!ily of m!lnutrition. )f youe been listening you must suspect th!t ! knife #ill
be ery useful out here+not to use, ;ust to look !t.
There is something else here, too, een more import!nt& expl!n!tions #ill occur to you,
seeming to cl!rify( but they c!n be ! kind of trick. Cou #ill think you h!e hold of the ide!
#hen you only h!e hold of its clothing.
.eel ho# still it is. Cou c!n become imp!tient here, #illing to !ccept !ny expl!n!tion in
order to moe on. This !ppe!rs to be nothing !t !ll, but it is ! #!ll bet#een you !nd #h!t
you !re !fter. Be sure you !re not tricked into thinking there is nothing to fe!r. 2oing on is
not import!nt. Cou must #!it. Cou must t!ke things do#n to the core. Cou must be c!reful
#ith eerything, een #ith #h!t ) tell you.
This is ho# to do it. '!it for eerything to get undressed !nd go to sleep. .orget to
expl!in to yourself #hy you !re here. Listen !ttentiely. Aust before d!#n you #ill fin!lly he!r
f!int music. This is the sound of the loudest dre!ming, the dre!ms of boulders. =ontinue to
listen until the music isnt there. 'h!t you thought !bout boulders #ill e!por!te !nd #h!t
you kno# #ill become cle!r. 1!ch night it #ill be h!rder. Listen until you c!n he!r the
dre!ms of the dust th!t settles on your he!d.
) must tell you something else. ) h!e #!ited out here for r!ttlesn!kes. They neer
come. The moment eludes me !nd ) h!te it. But it keeps me out here. ) #ould like to trick the
r!ttlesn!ke into killing itself. ) #ould like this kind of fin!lity. ) #ould like to begin !g!in #ith
the sn!ke. )f such ! thing #ere possible, the desert #ould be s!fe. Cou could st!y here
foreer.
) #ill gie you ! fe# things& bits of rock, ! fe# t#igs, this shell of ! beetle blo#n out here
by the #ind. Cou should try to put the bits of rock b!ck together to form ! stone, !lthough )
c!nnot s!y th!t !ll these pieces !re from the s!me stone. )f they dont fit together look for
others th!t do. Cou should try to co!x some le!es from these t#igs. Cou #ill first h!e to
determine #hether they !re !lie or de!d. "nd you #ill h!e to find out #h!t h!ppened to
the rest of the beetle, the inn!rds. 'hen you h!e done these things you #ill kno# ! little
more th!n you did before. But be c!reful. )t #ill occur to you th!t these t!sks !re silly or
e!sily done. This is ! sign, the first one, th!t you !re being fooled.
) hope you #ont be here long. "fter you h!e finished #ith the stone, the t#igs, !nd the
beetle, other things #ill suggest themseles, !nd you must t!ke c!re of them. ) see you !re
!lre!dy tired. But you must st!y. This is the p!in of it !ll. Cou c!nt keep le!ing.
Do you he!r ho# silent it is3 This #ill be ! comfort !s you #ork. Do you l!ugh. 'hen )
first c!me here ) l!ughed ery loud !nd the sun struck me !cross the f!ce !nd it took me !
#eek to recoer. Cou #ill only lose time by l!ughing.
) #ill le!e you !lone to look out !t the desert. 'h!t m!kes you #!nt to le!e no# is
#h!t is trying to kill you. 0!e the p!tience to #!it until the r!ttlesn!ke kills itself. $thers
66
m!y tell you th!t this h!s !lre!dy h!ppened !nd th!t m!y be true. But #!it until you see for
yourself, until you !re sure.
/ohn +uir, My $irst Summer in the Sierra, 1911_________________________________
Aune 7. 0o# deep our sleep l!st night in the mount!in's he!rt, bene!th the trees !nd st!rs,
hushed by solemn+sounding #!terf!lls !nd m!ny sm!ll soothing oices in s#eet !ccord
#hispering pe!ceL "nd our first pure mount!in d!y, #!rm, c!lm, cloudless, ++ho#
imme!sur!ble it seems, ho# serenely #ildL ) c!n sc!rcely remember its beginning. "long the
rier, oer the hills, in the ground, in the sky, spring #ork is going on #ith ;oyful enthusi!sm,
ne# life, ne# be!uty, unfolding, unrolling in glorious exuber!nt extr!!g!nce, ++ne# birds in
their nests, ne# #inged cre!tures in the !ir, !nd ne# le!es, ne# flo#ers, spre!ding,
shining, re;oicing eery#here.
Unknown_________________________________________________________________
)n the #oods of Listening <oint, the drops so!k into the ground !s they should, stopped by
!n intric!te b!ffle system of le!es !nd pine needles, sm!ll sticks !nd bits of b!rk, the p!rtly
dec!yed eget!tion ;ust underne!th, !nd fin!lly the humus itself, rich, bl!ck, !nd obsorbent,
the !ccumul!tion of then thous!nd ye!rs. 0ere in the north it t!kes oer ! thous!nd ye!rs to
form ! single inch of it, !nd if the gl!cier recended from seern to ten thous!nd ye!rs !go,
the humus on the point h!s t!ken ;ust th!t long to form.
Belo# the humus is the miner!l rock soil, the result not only of the grinding of gl!ci!l ice
but the gr!du!l bre!kdo#n of the gr!nite !nd schist !nd greenstone by the frost !nd r!in,
the !ction of the !cids of countell roots, the burro#ing of hordes of insects !nd #orms !nd
beetles. This l!yer rests upon the n!tie ledge, but by the time the r!in re!ches it, it h!s
slo#ed !nd so!ks into it #ihtout loss. There !re no riulets except #here the rock is b!re, no
erosion or run+off to the l!ke. " th!t f!lls st!ys there !nd moed into the #!ter t!ble of the
!re! ot be held in resere.
)t #!s good to lie in the tent kno#ing the r!in #!s replenishing the #!ter supply, th!t
none of it #!s being lost except #here it r!n off the sm!ll rocks, th!t een bet#een them, in
eery cleft !nd creice #here there #!s !ny !ccumul!tion of humus !t !ll, it #ould be held
for months to come.
*on"er&ation0En&ironmental Ethic
/ohn 'ichol", If Mountains Die, A New Me%ico Memoir___________________________
)f these mount!ins die, #here #ill our im!gin!tion #!nder3 )f the f!r mes!s !re leeled, #h!t
#ill sust!in us in our *uest to be l!rger th!n life3 )f the high !lley is m!de mund!ne by self+
seekers !nd c!reless users, #here #ill #e find !nother l!ndsc!pe so e!ger to nourish our
lies3 "nd if the long+time people of this #onderful country !re c!relessly s*u!ndered by
<rogress, #ho #ill guide us to ! better #orld3
Aldo ,eo3old, A Sand County Almanac, 1949___________________________________
'e !buse l!nd bec!use #e reg!rd it !s ! commodity belonging to us. 'hen #e see l!nd !s
! community to #hich #e belong, #e m!y begin to use it #ith loe !nd respect.
Edward A--e2, Desert Solitaire______________________________________________
" m!n could be ! loer !nd defender of the #ilderness #ithout eer in his lifetime le!ing
the bound!ries of !sph!lt, po#er lines !nd right !ngle surf!ces. 'e need #ilderness
#hether or not #e eer set foot in it. 'e need ! refuge een though #e m!y neer need to
go there. ) m!y neer in my life get to "l!sk!, for ex!mple, but ) !m gr!teful th!t its there.
'e need the possibility of esc!pe !s surely !s #e need hope( #ithout it life of the cities
#ould drie !ll men into crime or drugs or psycho!n!lysis.
Unknown_________________________________________________________________
"n experience in the #ilderness re!#!kens those neurons of #ildness in our br!ins th!t
h!e not been cut by the br!in surgeon sc!lpel of society or tied in knots by the cloistered
keepers of culture. 'ildness is flo#ing !round us !l#!ys, no m!tter #here #e !re. )t is
coursing through our eins no m!tter #h!t #e !re doing. 'e need only recogni%e it, die in
!nd let the current t!ke us #here it m!y.
%aniel $tar(______________________________________________________________
Despite perceied feelings of superiority oer n!ture, hum!nity rem!ins fully !nd tot!lly
dependent on the n!tur!l #orld. 'e need the bounty of n!ture to surie on this pl!net. 'e
need the fresh !ir to bre!th, the cle!n #!ter to drink, the fertile soil to proide our
susten!nce.
)achel *ar"on____________________________________________________________
The e!rths eget!tion is p!rt of ! #eb of life in #hich there !re intim!te !nd essenti!l
rel!tions bet#een pl!nts !nd the e!rth, bet#een pl!nts !nd other pl!nts, bet#een pl!nts !nd
!nim!ls. -ometimes #e h!e no choice but to disturb these rel!tionships, but #e should do
so thoughtfully, #ith full !#!reness th!t #h!t #e do m!y h!e conse*uences remote in time
!nd pl!ce.
/ote& 2!rine biologist !nd n!ture #riter, credited #ith !d!ncing the eniron. moement. 'rote Silent
S&ring (67H8), #hich spurred ! reers!l in n!tion!l pesticide policyNle!ding to ! n!tion#ide b!n on DDT
!nd other pesticidesN!nd the gr!ssroots enironment!l moement the book inspired led to the cre!tion
of the 1nironment!l <rotection "gency.
_________________________________________________________________________
" #ilderness, in contr!st #ith those !re!s #here m!n !nd his o#n #orks domin!te the
l!ndsc!pe, is hereby recogni%ed !s !n !re! #here the e!rth !nd its community of life !re
untr!mmeled by m!n, #here m!n himself is ! isitor #ho does not rem!in.
/ote& " *uote from the Inited -t!tes =ongress #hen they p!ssed The 'ilderness "ct of 67HP.
Aldo ,eo3old, A Sand County Almanac, and Sketches "ere and There, 194:_________
"ll ethics so f!r eoled rest upon ! single premise& th!t the indiidu!l is ! member of !
community of interdependent p!rts. 0is instincts prompt him to compete for his pl!ce in the
community, but his ethics prompt him !lso to cooper!te: The l!nd ethic simply enl!rges the
bound!ries of the community to include soils, #!ters, pl!nts, !nd !nim!ls, or collectiely& the
l!nd: )n short, ! l!nd ethic ch!nges the role of 0omo s!piens from con*ueror of the l!nd
community to pl!in member !nd citi%en of it. )t implies respect for his fello# members, !nd
!lso respect for the community !s such.
This sounds simple& do #e not !lre!dy sing our loe for !nd oblig!tion to the l!nd of the
free !nd the home of the br!e3 Ces, but ;ust #h!t !nd #hom do #e loe3 =ert!inly not the
soil, #hich #e !re sending helter+skelter do#nrier. =ert!inly not the #!ters, #hich #e
!ssume h!e no function except to turn turbines, flo!t b!rges, !nd c!rry off se#!ge.
=ert!inly not the pl!nts, of #hich #e extermin!te #hole communities #ithout b!tting !n eye.
=ert!inly not the !nim!ls, of #hich #e h!e !lre!dy extirp!ted m!ny of the l!rgest !nd most
be!utiful species. " l!nd ethic of course c!nnot preent the !lter!tion, m!n!gement, !nd
use of these 'resources,' but it does !ffirm their right to continued existence, !nd, !t le!st in
spots, their continued existence in ! n!tur!l st!te.
#allace $te.ner 519<9@199A8________________________________________________
-omething #ill h!e gone out of us !s ! people if #e eer let the rem!ining #ilderness be
destroyed( if #e permit the l!st irgin forests to be turned into comic books !nd pl!stic
cig!rette c!ses( if #e drie the fe# rem!ining member of the #ild species into %oos or to
extinction( if #e pollute the l!st cle!n !ir !nd dirty the l!st cle!n stre!m !nd push our p!ed
ro!ds through the l!st of the silence, so th!t neer !g!in #ill "meric!ns be free from the
noise, the exh!ust, the sticks of hum!n !nd !utomotie #!ste. "nd so th!t neer !g!in c!n
#e h!e the ch!nce to see ourseles single, sep!r!te, ertic!l !nd indiidu!l in the #orld,
68
p!rt of the enironment of trees !nd rocks !nd soil, brother to the other !nim!ls, p!rt of the
n!tur!l #orld !nd competent to belong in it.
'e simply need th!t #ild country !!il!ble to us, een if #e neer do more th!n drie
to its edge !nd look in. .or it c!n be ! me!ns of re!ssuring ourseles of our s!nity !s
cre!tures, ! p!rt of the geogr!phy of hope.
/ote& "meric!n histori!n, noelist, !nd enironment!list. 'on the <ulit%er <ri%e for .iction in 67M8 for
Angle of Re&ose. T!ught 1d "bby, 'endell Berry, !nd others !t -t!nford.
*hief $eattle______________________________________________________________
'h!teer bef!lls the e!rth, bef!lls the sons !nd d!ughters of the e!rth: 'e did not #e!e
the #eb of life, #e !re merely ! str!nd in it. 'h!teer #e do to the #eb, #e do to ourseles.
/ote& Le!der of the -u*u!mish !nd Du#!mish /!tie "meric!n tribes in #h!t is no# '".
+att *o>, On #ildne""_____________________________________________________
'ildness is ! st!te of being !nd ! st!te of mind. 'ilderness is here to remind us of those
f!cts. To remind us comfort isnt !l#!ys ! gu!r!ntee. To remind us to s#im n!ked in the
#ellspring of #h!t is, to drink deeply of the thick mists !nd p!rchment dry bree%es, !nd to let
the sight of ! hundred miles of country #!sh oer us like ! tid!l #!e, stripping to cle!r
bedrock the clutter of our psyche. )t is here to remind us of #ho #e re!lly !re, #here only in
the !bsence of mirrors c!n #e see our true seles. .or there it is, in the gurgle of ! stre!m
oer fluorescent moss, in the #!iling of the #ind through ! st!nd of de!d pines, in the
gr!ceful d!nce of !n elk through the underbrush& the #ildness th!t ties eerything together.
The #ildness th!t is us. 'e !re not !nd c!nnot be sep!r!ted from the n!tur!l #orld. Th!t
sep!r!tion is ! construct in the collectie mind, ! delusion of culture.
/o"e3h # +eeker, B#here i" #ilderne""C_____________________________________
There !re profession!ls #hose #ork it is to define !nd me!sure the ch!r!cteristics of
#ilderness. They notice such things !s the numbers of pl!nt !nd !nim!l species perhect!re,
the histories of ro!ds, tr!ils, !nd hum!n !ctiities in ! gien !re!, !nd the pressures for
deelopment brought by lobbyists #ho beliee th!t l!nds @highest !nd best useB should be
profit!ble. 'ithout these pl!nners #ho *u!nitfy the *u!lities of #ilderness, p!rks !nd
#ilderness !re!s culd not endure in this society.
Those #ho loe #ild l!nds underst!nd th!t g!mes like this must be pl!yed in order to
presere #ilderness sites, but they kno# better in their he!rts. "mong themseles, they
forget th l!ngu!ge of me!surement !nd spe!k of the feelings th!t !ccomp!ny ! l!rge flock
of geese !scending from ! remote l!ke, or the surprise of discoering ! foxs tr!ck
superimposed on their o#n footpring m!de !nd hour !go. The !#!reness of #ilderness is
f!r more profound th!n its me!surement, but only those #ho cherish th!t !#!reness c!n
sh!re it kno#lingly.
)t seems ! pity th!t #e h!e !ssoci!ted #ilderness only #ith l!ndsc!pes or p!rticul!r
pl!ces. 'e #ork h!rd to presere loc!ls #hich eoke in us po#erful feelings of
onnectedness i#th the 1!rth !nd its processes, sometimes forgetting th!t the feelings !re
#h!t #e most #!nt to presere. True, it is difficult no# to h!e ! #ilderness experience
#ithout ! #ilderness setting, yet it is #orth remember th!t they !re not ex!ctly the s!me
thing.
'e respond to the #ilderness bec!use it h!s its counterp!rt #ithin us. $ur species
emerged from the #ild n!tur!l hisotry of the 1!rth. During !ll but the most recent moments
of time, #ilderness #!s our const!nt context. 'e le!rned to st!nd !nd #!lk #ithin it,
borro#ed it sounds to m!ke music !nd l!ngu!ge, !nd nourished the deelopment of our
minds in order to explore !nd underst!nd it. -ome#here !long the line, #e mist!kenly
;udged th!t #ilderness #!s @out there,B #hile our kind of cre!ture lied in other pl!ces !nd
by different rules. Th!t #!s #hen #e lost sight of the #ild 1!rth, !nd of import!nt p!rts of
ourseles.
)t is #orth#hile to remind ourseles from time to time th!t #ilderness is not only !
pl!ce, but is !lso ! st!te of being. )t is ! st!te ch!r!cteri%ed by freedom, self+org!ni%!tion,
extr!!g!nt !riety, complex order, gr!ndness of sc!le, continu!l ch!nge, orient!tion in
time, !nd be!uty. Those !re !mong the po#ers th!t #ilerness h!s oer us, but they !re !lso
!mong our po#ers. 'e c!n find !nd cre!te them in m!ny #!ys, #h!teer pl!ce #e h!ppen
to be in. $ur best t!sk, then, is not only to presere #ilderness settings, but !lso to try to
resemble them more #ithin ourseles, !nd in #h!t #e do.
/ote& .rom Minding the 'arth(Thinly Disg%ised 'ssays on )%man 'cology. "c!demic #riter #ho #rote !
book on using comedic di!log !s ! tool for r!ising enironment!l !#!reness !nd encour!ging
conser!tion.
#alt #hitman_____________________________________________________________
'ithout enough #ilderness, "meric! #ill ch!nge. Democr!cy, #ith its myri!d person!lities
!nd incre!sing sophistic!tion, must be fibered !nd it!li%ed by the regul!r cont!ct #ith
outdoor gro#ths G !nim!ls, trees, sun #!rmth, !nd free skies G or it #ill d#indle !nd p!le.
/ote& "meric!n poet, ess!yist, ;ourn!list, !nd hum!nist. "mong the most influenti!l poets in the "meric!n
c!non. 0is #ork #!s ery controersi!l in its time, p!rticul!rly his poetry.
1ran"ference
Edward A--e2
Benedicto& 2!y your tr!ils be crooked, #inding, lonesome, d!ngerous, le!ding to the most
!m!%ing ie#. 2!y your mount!ins rise into !nd !boe the clouds. 2!y your riers flo#
#ithout end, me!ndering through p!stor!l !lleys tinkling #ith bells, p!st temples !nd
c!stles !nd poets to#ers into ! d!rk prime!l forest #here tigers belch !nd monkeys ho#l,
through mi!sm!l !nd mysterious s#!mps !nd do#n into ! desert of red rock, blue mes!s,
domes !nd pinn!cles !nd grottos of endless stone, !nd do#n !g!in into ! deep !st !ncient
unkno#n ch!sm #here b!rs of sunlight bl!%e on profiled cliffs, #here deer #!lk !cross the
#hite s!nd be!ches, #here storms come !nd go !s lightning cl!ngs upon the high cr!gs,
#here something str!nge !nd more be!utiful !nd more full of #onder th!n your deepest
dre!ms #!its for you+beyond the next turning of the c!nyon #!lls.
/ote& .rom the dr!ft pref!ce to the reissue of Desert Solitaire.
TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
$ne fin!l p!r!gr!ph of !dice& do not burn yourseles out. Be !s ) !m N ! reluct!nt
enthusi!st... ! p!rt+time crus!der, ! h!lf+he!rted f!n!tic. -!e the other h!lf of yourseles
!nd your lies for ple!sure !nd !denture. )t is not enough to fight for the l!nd( it is een
more import!nt to en;oy it. 'hile you c!n. 'hile its still here. -o get out there !nd hunt !nd
fish !nd mess !round #ith your friends, r!mble out yonder !nd explore the forests, climb the
mount!ins, b!g the pe!ks, run the riers, bre!the deep of th!t yet s#eet !nd lucid !ir, sit
*uietly for ! #hile !nd contempl!te the precious stillness, the loely, mysterious, !nd
!#esome sp!ce. 1n;oy yourseles, keep your br!in in your he!d !nd your he!d firmly
!tt!ched to the body, the body !ctie !nd !lie, !nd ) promise you this much( ) promise you
this one s#eet ictory oer our enemies, oer those desk+bound men !nd #omen #ith their
he!rts in ! s!fe deposit box, !nd their eyes hypnoti%ed by desk c!lcul!tors. ) promise you
this& you #ill outlie the b!st!rds.
/ulia Butterfl2 Hill _________________________________________________________
The *uestion is not, @=!n you m!ke ! difference3B Cou !lre!dy do m!ke ! difference. )ts
;ust ! m!tter of #h!t kind of ! difference you #!nt to m!ke during your life on this pl!net.
/ote& 0ill is best kno#n for liing in ! 6EJ+ft t!ll, HJJ+ye!r+old =!liforni! ?ed#ood tree (n!med Lun!) for
M9E d!ys (Dec.6J.7M+Dec.6E.77) to preent loggers of the <!cific Lumber =omp!ny from cutting it do#n.
-he #!s !#!rded the =our!ge of =onscience !#!rd $ct 8JJ8. "fter she c!me do#n, the tree #!s cut
#ith ! ch!ins!#. The cut #!s 98 in deep !nd 67 ft !round, some#h!t less th!n h!lf the circumference of
the tree. The g!sh #!s tre!ted #ith !n herb!l remedy !nd the tree #!s st!bili%ed #ith steel c!bles. "s of
spring 8JJM, the tree #!s doing #ell #ith ne# gro#th e!ch ye!r. (T!ken from *lack and *%ddhist+
Thinking #ritically and Teaching Differently in the ,rimary Grades by 2!ry =o#hey).
69
Aldo ,eo3old _____________________________________________________________
$ne of the pen!lties of !n ecologic!l educ!tion is th!t one lies !lone in ! #orld of #ounds.
2uch of the d!m!ge inflicted on l!nd is *uite inisible to l!ymen. "n ecologist must either
h!rden his shell !nd m!ke beliee th!t the conse*uences of science !re none of his
business, or he must be the doctor #ho sees the m!rks of de!th in ! community th!t
beliees itself #ell !nd does not #!nt to be told other#ise.
The goernment tells us #e need flood control !nd comes to str!ighten the creek in our
p!sture. The engineer on the ;ob tells us the creek is no# !ble to c!rry off more flood #!ter,
but in the process #e lost our old #illo#s #here the co#s s#itched flies in the noon sh!de,
!nd #here the o#l hooted on ! #inter night. 'e lost the little m!rshy spot #here our fringed
genti!ns bloomed.
-ome engineers !re beginning to h!e ! feeling in their bones th!t the me!nderings of
! creek not only improe the l!ndsc!pe but !re ! necess!ry p!rt of the hydrologic
functioning. The ecologist sees cle!rly th!t for simil!r re!sons #e c!n get !long #ith less
ch!nnel improement on ?ound ?ier.
/otes& .rom 'ssays on #onservation from Ro%nd River (published posthumously).
+ark 1wain
T#enty ye!rs from no# you #ill be more dis!ppointed by the things th!t you didn't do th!n
by the ones you did do. -o thro# off the bo#lines. -!il !#!y from the s!fe h!rbor. =!tch the
tr!de #inds in your s!ils. 1xplore. Dre!m. Discoer.
++ 2!rk T#!in
#illi Un"oeld_____________________________________________________________
"nd so #h!t is the fin!l test of the effic!cy of this #ilderness experience #ee ;ust been
through together3 Bec!use h!ing been there, in the mount!ins, !lone, in the midst of
solitude, !nd this feeling, this mystic!l feeling if you #ill, of the ultim!cy of ;oy !nd #h!teer
there is. The *uestion is, @'hy not st!y out there in the #ilderness the rest of your d!ys !nd
;ust lie in the l!p of s!tori or #h!teer you #!nt to c!ll it3B "nd the !ns#er, my !ns#er to
th!t is, @Bec!use th!ts not #here men !re.B "nd the fin!l test for me of the legitim!cy of the
experience is, @0o# #ell does your experience of the s!cred in n!ture en!ble you to cope
more effectiely #ith the problems of m!nkind #hen you come b!ck to the city3B
"nd no# you see ho# this ph!ses #ith the role of the #ilderness. )ts ! rene#!l
exercise, !nd !s ) isu!li%e it, it le!ds to ! process of !lter!tion. Cou go to n!ture for your
met!physic!l fix+your re!ssur!nce th!t theres something behind it !ll !nd its good. Cou
come b!ck to #here men !re, to #here men !re messing things up, bec!use men tend to,
!nd you come b!ck #ith ! ne# !bility to rel!te to your fello# m!n !nd to help your fello#
m!n rel!te to one !nother.
%a&e !oreman, from B*onfe""ion" of an Eco#arriorC___________________________
<!ssion U Sision !re essenti!l, but #ithout !ction they !re empty. )t is e!sy to be
immobili%ed by the sheer m!gnitude of the problems f!cing e!rth, by t!sks c!lling for
0ercules, #hen #e kno# #e !re puny mort!ls. 'e feel d!unted !bout dem!nding ch!nges
#hen #e kno# th!t our lies !re not pure, th!t #e sh!re the lifestyle th!t is r!!ging the
pl!net. 'e feel po#erless in confronting the !st immobile grey bure!ucr!cy of goernment
U industry.
@)ts too muchB #e #himper U surrender. @Better not to fight th!n to be defe!ted.
Besides, #here does one person st!rt3 )m not !n expert or ! le!der. 'hy dont they do
something3B 'e !re fro%en bec!use the problems !re too big. )ts e!sier to turn on the TS,
to plunge into the modern g!me (#ho+eer dies #ith the most toys #insL) to dull our
expect!tions #ith drink or #hite lines of po#der. The e!rth is crying, do #e he!r3 2!rtin
Luther Ding Ar, once s!id th!t if one h!s nothing #orth dying for, one h!s nothing #orth liing
for. )t is ! time for cour!ge. There !re m!ny forms of cour!ge. )t t!kes cour!ge to not !llo#
your children to become !ddicted to teleision. )t t!kes cour!ge to tell the conser!tion
group to #hich you belong, No more com&romise- )t t!kes cour!ge to s!y #ild is more
import!nt th!n ;obs. )t t!kes cour!ge to #rite letters to your loc!l ne#sp!per. )t t!kes
cour!ge to st!nd up !t ! public he!ring U spe!k. )t t!kes cour!ge to lie ! lo#er imp!ct life.
"nd, it t!kes cour!ge to put your body bet#een the m!chine U the #ilderness, to st!nd
before the ch!ins!# or the bulldo%er.
)n 6EPE 0enry D!id Thore!u #ent to ;!il for refusing !s ! protest !g!inst the 2exic!n
#!r, to p!y his poll t!x. 'hen ?!lf '!ldo 1merson c!me to b!il him out, 1merson s!id,
@0enry, #h!t !re you doing in there3B Thore!u *uietly replied, @?!lph, #h!t !re you doing
o%t there3B
1rick" for Ea"in. )eentr2 Back Home_______________________________________
6. ,ie yourself time. Dont rush right b!ck into your old routines. Coue undoubtedly
been ch!nged by your experience in some #!y. Th!t ch!nge m!y be little more th!n the f!ct
th!t youe gien up teleision or h!ent e!ten me!t for t#o months. ,ie yourself ! little
time to e!se b!ck into life !t home. 2!ybe you like the ch!nges you m!de, in #hich c!se, by
!ll me!ns, dont gie them up ;ust bec!use youe come home. 1xpeditions !re !ll !bout
person!l gro#th. Theres no need to lose th!t gro#th once you !re b!ck.
8. 0onor your experience. )t c!n be h!rd to sh!re !n intense experience #ith people
#ho h!e no context or underst!nding of #h!t youe seen or done. 'ee !ll seen our
friends eyes gl!%e oer !s #e try to tell them !bout our !dentures. -till it is #orth sh!ring.
2!ke ! slide sho# or ! photo !lbum. )nite ! group of friends oer to see the pictures !nd
sh!re ! me!l inspired by the pl!ce you tr!eled. Cou dont h!e to bore them #ith long,
inoled stories !bout the number t#o =!melot th!t m!de !ll the difference on pitch 99 of
your epic #!ll climb. " fe# photos of the scenery, the exposure, the f!ce of someone
#orking h!rd #ill be enough to help them get ! glimpse into #h!t you h!e experienced.
9. =elebr!te your return #ith ! speci!l occ!sion. <l!n some sort of speci!l eent to
honor your return, something you c!n look for#!rd to on the flight home. )t m!y be ! nice
dinner out !t your f!orite rest!ur!nt, or ! gl!ss of #ine !nd ! c!ndlelit bubble b!thN
something to p!mper yourself, something you could not do during your expedition.
P. 0onor the things you missed. )ts e!sy to t!ke things for gr!nted, but !fter t#o
months #ithout ! b!th in the s!me smelly clothes, its #orth reminding yourself ho# much
you missed the feeling of #!rm #!ter running oer your body !nd soft, fresh clothing !g!inst
your skin. <!use !nd reflect on the be!uty, comfort, !nd e!se of some of lifes luxuries you
h!d to forego on your expedition. Ise this recognition to counterb!l!nce the culture shock
you !re ineit!bly going to experience !s you return to the #orld of c!rs, box stores, m!ss
medi!, !nd pop st!rs pl!stered !ll oer the t!bloids. Br!d !nd "ngelin! !re still together.
Britt!ny is m!king ! comeb!ck. Ces !ll th!t stuff is tot!lly in!ne, but #h!t !bout the be!uty
of the f!ct th!t you c!n en;oy ! nice cold drink #ith ice cubes flo!ting in your gl!ss3 'h!t
!bout the luxury of cool, cle!n sheets on ! nice soft bed3 0onor those things.
F. <ut time into your rel!tionships. Le!ing for extended periods of time c!n put ! str!in
on rel!tionships, both friendships !nd rom!ntic p!rtnerships. <eople #ill h!e continued
moing for#!rd #ith their lies in your !bsence. Cou #ill h!e ch!nged. Cou need to be
p!tient #ith e!ch other until you find your #!y b!ck together. 2!ke sure th!t you !re !s
receptie to their experiences !s you expect them to be of yours. Dont be condescending.
Aust bec!use they h!e not entured out on !n extended expedition, does not me!n their life
h!s not been full of its o#n ch!llenges, excitement, !nd be!uty. The people #ho !re the
most successful !t m!int!ining rel!tionships in spite of long !bsences !re those #ho !re !s
excited by their friends stories of t!king their kid to school for the first time !s they !re by
t!les of epic mount!in !scents.
H. ,et out !nd do fun stuff. 'h!t m!kes tr!el so exciting is th!t you !re busy #ith ne#
things !ll the time. Those ne# things m!y not !l#!ys be fun, but they !re different !nd keep
you bu%%ing #ith ! sense of life. 2!ny people come home !nd find themseles
oer#helmed by inerti!. They c!nnot be bothered to get up !nd do stuff bec!use they h!e
done it !ll before. But presum!bly youe m!de your home some#here for ! re!son, so get
out !nd t!ke !d!nt!ges of those things th!t m!ke life in your hometo#n fun& go climb !t
your loc!l cr!g, go for ! run in ! ne!rby p!rk, return to the gym, h!ng out in ! coffee shop
#ith friends. Dont spend too much time l!menting the end of your trip. 1ery d!y is ! ne#
d!y, ;ust bec!use you !re b!ck home doesnt me!n you h!e to stop liing.
6P
M. T!ke time to rest !nd recuper!te. 'hile its ! good thing to go out !nd h!e fun
#hen you return home, remember not to oer pl!n. Cou m!y be surprised !t ho# tired you
feel !fter ! long trip, so gie yourself ! ch!nce to chill out !nd recoer. Deep your t!sk list to
! minimum !nd gently e!se yourself b!ck into #ork. )f you c!n, return home #ith ! #eekend
or !t le!st ! d!y off before you h!e to go b!ck to the office. -ome *uiet time helps you
reflect on your experience !nd !t the s!me time, !s #ell !s to rech!rge your b!tteries.
+or.an Hite, After the Ad&enture_____________________________________________
) c!nnot rest from tr!el& ) #ill drink
Life to the lees& !ll times ) h!e en;oyed
,re!tly, h!e suffered gre!tly, both #ith those
Th!t loed me !nd !lone( on shore !nd #hen
Through scudding drifts the r!iny 0y!des
Sexed the dim se!& ) !m become ! n!me(
NTennyson, Ilysses
"fter the !denture ) !m expected to go home.
) !rrie there, c!refully c!rrying the thick, t!ttered #eb of bonds ) h!d #ith my fello#s,
torn !p!rt !nd diided up too hurriedly !t the p!rting. "ll their ghosts !re still #ith me, !s
they #ill be for d!ys, !nd the lot of us b!rely fit through the door together. 2y f!mily !nd
friends look someho# #rong, !s if they !re being pl!yed by !ctors. ) go to sit do#n, but old
ch!irs do not feel the s!me #ith !ll my ne# p!rts, ne# muscles. ) greet my old loer !nd
silently #onder, !lone, if this is the correct unierse.
"s ) e!t, ) c!nnot help but comp!re the foods #ith #h!t ) !te there. "s ) cook, ) c!nnot
help but remember the e*uipment th!t ) used there. Inconsciously ) contr!st the smell of
night !ir here #ith th!t night !ir, the bed here #ith the pl!ces ) slept there, !nd the person
lying next to me #ith the person #ho l!y next to me there. /ight !fter night ) #!ke up
coninced th!t there !re t#o or three people in bed #ith me. '!king in the dim hours of the
morning ) moe freely b!ck !nd forth bet#een t#o #orlds, unsure of #here ) re!lly !m.
) find myself thinking const!ntly of those ) #!s #ith, but !fr!id of using the phone to cont!ct
them lest in this #orld they too should turn out to be pl!yed by !ctors. ) kno# th!t they !re
thinking the s!me thing !bout me. ) rere!d Tennyson's .lysses. Th!t old fucker kne# #h!t
he #!s t!lking !bout.
) remember& be kind to those #ho #elcome you. They h!e been expecting my old self
!nd !re ! little !fr!id th!t this is not the person #ho h!s !rried. Their #orld did not moe in
the short time th!t ) h!e been gone foreer. There #!s no rift in re!lity here( nothing
occurred th!t did not !lre!dy h!e ! n!me. Their eyes do not see into the pl!ce from #hich )
come. They #ill listen e!gerly to my story, but then excuse themseles.
2y time spent in the other pl!ce h!s resulted in ! finely tuned competence th!t is still
present, but goes unree!led. 2y muscles !re re!dy for the long d!ys. 2y mind seeks the
next step on the route. 2y oice st!nds by to spe!k truths !nd concerns. ) efficiently note
#e!ther ch!nges through the #indo# !nd ment!lly inentory my ge!r, but my te!m is not
there. Times of sunrise !nd sunset, temper!ture p!tterns, !nd !mounts of food !nd fuel
c!refully remembered h!e become mere trii!. The n!me #hich, !s Ilysses s!ys, O) !m
become,O is not spoken in this pl!ce.
) #e!ther the test of the cynics. They come out of the #ood#ork, some disguised !s
the people ) once trusted most, like moths dr!#n to something inisible ) no# r!di!te. They
e!gerly sh!re #ith me the !dentures they once h!d( but they !re not so interested in
he!ring my t!le !s in extinguishing my light, #hich dries them m!d. ) obsere them
c!refully. They h!e r!tion!li%!tions. They suggest ) pl!ce my experiences in context. They
s!y ;olly but subtly seductie things such !s, O'elcome b!ck to the re!l #orldLO They do not
!ccept dissent on my p!rt. They use concepts such !s Ofin!nci!l st!bilityO !nd Osettled do#nO
!s keys to try to open my doors. They !ct like they h!e ! right to this !ccess. But ) h!e
ch!nged the locks !he!d of time. ) remember& neer gie up #h!t h!s h!ppened to you.
"s hollo# !nd lonely !s my soul is, ultim!tely ) h!e ! choice to m!ke. ) h!e t#o
options to e!se the p!in. The first is to !ctiely forget. )t #!s ;ust !n !denture. )t #!sn't
rele!nt. ) m!y retire h!ppily, !s ! cynic. There #!s no point in th!t ne# n!me.
The second is th!t bundle ) c!rried in the door, the thick, t!ttered #eb of bonds #ith my
fello#s. )t is not to be disc!rded it in ! corner( it is to be used. 'heneer the !loneness
comes no#, ) #rite. 'heneer ) feel the ins!nity, ) pick up ! pen !nd put it do#n on p!per for
one of the others. ) do not #rite to some person ) !m supposed to #rite. ) ;ust #rite the
person ) long to #rite. ) #rite !ll d!y !nd !ll night, #heneer the p!in comes.
)n doing this ) begin to retriee the story. ) begin, in the d!ys !fter the !denture, to
cement the t#o #orlds together. ) enrich this pl!ce #ith the distilled essence of th!t pl!ce,
drop by drop. The p!ss!ge of time c!n #ork for me or !g!inst me& ) must not drop the b!ll,
!nd ) must keep my n!me, so p!inst!kingly discoered.
ListenL ) kno# th!t something simil!r #ill h!ppen to you somed!y, for in our #ide #orld
there !re m!ny goings home. 'e must hold on to our dre!mings, !ll of us, no# th!t #e h!e
e!rned the right to dre!m. ++ Tesu*ue, /2, 68>7J V 677J
+or.an Hite, Briefin. for Entr2 into a +ore Har"h En&ironment____________________
<eople !l#!ys t!lk !bout #h!t you c!nt t!ke home #ith you !fter ! /$L- course. Cou c!nt
t!ke home the b!ckp!ck, or !t le!st it h!s no pl!ce in your d!ily life. Cou c!nt t!ke home
the r!tions, !nd if you did, your friends #ouldnt e!t them. Cou c!nt t!ke home the
mount!ins. 'e seem to h!e to get rid of !ll of our connections to this pl!ce !nd our
experiences here. )ts frustr!ting !nd c!n be depressing.
This ess!y is !bout #h!t you c!n t!ke home& #h!t you c!n t!ke home, !nd #h!t, if you
#ork !t it, c!n be more import!nt th!n !ny of those things you h!e to le!e behind. Lets
look !t #h!t #ee re!lly been doing out here. 'ee been org!ni%ed. 'e lied out of
b!ckp!cks the #hole time, !nd mostly #e kne# #here eerything #!s. 'ee been
prep!red& !t this moment, eery one of us kno#s #here his or her r!inge!r is. 'ee t!ken
c!re of ourseles. 'ee been in touch #ith b!sic suri!l t!sks. 'ee t!ken ch!nces #ith
other people, entrusting them #ith our lies !nd seen no re!son not to gro# close to them.
'ee perseered !nd put our minds to things th!t neer seemed to end. 'ee le!rned to
use ne# tools !nd ne# techni*ues. 'ee t!ken c!re of the things #e h!e #ith us. 'ee
lied simply. These !re the things you c!n re!lly t!ke home. Together they compromise the
set ) c!ll @ment!l hygiene,B !s if #e needed to t!ke c!re of our minds the #!y #e t!ke c!re
of our bodies. 0ere they !re !g!in, one by one.
6. $?,"/)R"T)$/. The mount!ins !re h!rsh, so you need to be org!ni%ed. But the
other #orld is much more complex, !nd een h!rsher in #!ys th!t !rent !l#!ys !s t!ngible
!s cold, #ind, !nd r!in. Being org!ni%ed c!n help you #e!ther its storms.
8. T0$?$I,0/1--. 0ere, it is e!sy to see the conse*uences of le!ing things only
h!lf+done. The other #orld h!s so m!ny interruptions, distr!ctions, !nd stimuli, th!t it is e!sy
to le!e things h!lf+done, until you find yourself buried under ! pile of on+going pro;ects #ith
no direction.
9. <?1<"?1D/1--. $ut here, youe only h!d to be prep!red for eery eentu!lity of
#e!ther, but in th!t other #orld, you h!e to be prep!red for eery eentu!lity+period. There
!re no rules, shit h!ppens, !nd only the prep!red !re not c!ught off+b!l!nce.
P. T"D1 ="?1 $. C$I?-1L. !nd do it een more !ggressiely th!n you do it out
here. The enironment!l h!%!rds !re een gre!ter& cro#ding, noise, schedules. T!ke time to
be !lone !nd think. /eer underestim!te the he!ling po#er of being ne!r be!uty, be it !
flo#er, music, ! person, or ;ust dinner #ell+prep!red.
F. -T"C )/ T$I=0 ')T0 B"-)=-. =ontinue to cook your o#n food !nd consciously
select the pl!ce you sleep !t night. T!ke c!re of your o#n minor in;uries !nd those of your
friends. Le!rn !bout ho# the complex ehicles !nd tools you use #ork. The other #orld is
f!r more distr!cting !nd seeks to dr!# you !#!y from the b!sics.
H. D11< T"D)/, ?)-D- ')T0 <1$<L1. Cour o#n !lieness is me!sured by the
!lieness of your rel!tionships #ith others. There !re so m!ny more people to choose from
in th!t other #orld, !nd yet someho# #e get less close. ?emember th!t the d!ngers !re still
present( !t !ny time th!t you get in ! c!r #ith someone, you !re entrusting th!t person #ith
your life. "ny re!sons th!t seem to crop up not to get close, ex!mine ery c!refully.
M. ?1212B1?, C$I ="/ L1T ,$ "/D D$ ')T0$IT -112)/,LC =?)T)="L
T0)/,-. 0ere, it h!s only been hot sho#ers, forks, !nd ! roof oerhe!d. But !nything c!n
6F
be done #ithout( eentu!lly, for !ll of us, it is ! person th!t #e h!e to do #ithout, !nd then
especi!lly it is import!nt to remember th!t h!ing to do #ithout does not rule out ;oy.
E. <1?-1S1?1 "T D)..)=ILT T0)/,-. )t m!y not be !s concrete !s ! mount!in or
!s immedi!tely re#!rding !s cinn!mon rolls, but the #orld is gien to those th!t perseere.
$ften you #ill receie no support for your perseer!nce bec!use eeryone else is too busy
being confused.
7. =$/T)/I1 T$ L1"?/ T$ I-1 /1' T$$L- "/D T1=0/)WI1-. 'hether it is !
computer or !n ice cre!m m!ker, you kno# no# th!t simply bec!use you h!ent seen it
before doesnt me!n you c!nt soon be ! pro. ?emember th!t the only truly old people !re
the ones #hoe stopped le!rning.
6J. T"D1 ="?1 $. T0)/,-. )n th!t other #orld, its e!sy to repl!ce !nything th!t
#e!rs out or bre!ks, !nd the seemingly endless supply suggests th!t indiidu!l ob;ects h!e
little !lue. Be #h!t the philosopher 'endell Berry c!lls @! true m!teri!list.B Build things of
*u!lity, mend #h!t you h!e, !nd thro# !#!y !s little !s possible.
66. L)S1 -)2<LC. There is no substitute for s!nity.
These eleen things !re the skills youe re!lly le!rned out here, !nd they #ill sere
you in good ste!d in !ny enironment in the #orld. They !re h!bits to lie by. )f !nyone !sks
you #h!t your course #!s like, you c!n tell them. @'e #ere org!ni%ed, thorough, !nd
prep!red. 'e took c!re of ourseles in b!sic #!ys. 'e entrusted people #ith our lies,
le!rned to do #ithout, !nd perseered !t difficult things. 'e le!rned to use ne# tools !nd #e
took c!re of #h!t #e h!d #ith us. 'e lied simply.B "nd if they !re perceptie, they #ill s!y,
@Cou dont need the mount!ins to do th!t.B ++ 1urop! =!nyon, Bridger 'ilderness, 'C, E>E7
Poetr2
Old #oodratI" $tink2 Hou"e, ?ar2 $n2der_____________________________________
=oyote !nd 1!rthm!ker #hirling !bout in the #orld #inds found ! me!do#l!rk nest flo!ting
!nd drifting( stretched it to coer the #!ters !nd m!de us !n e!rthG
Is critters h!nging out together
-omething like three billion ye!rs
Three hundred something million ye!rs
the sol!r system s#ings !round
#ith !ll the 2ilky '!yG
)ce !ges come one hundred fifty million ye!rs !p!rt
l!st !bout ten million
then #!rmer d!ys returnG
" ener!ble desert #oodr!t nest of t#igs !nd shreds
pl!stered do#n #ith !mbered urine,
! f!mily house in use eight thous!nd ye!rs,
U four thous!nd ye!rs of using #riting e*u!ls
the life of ! bristlecone pineG
" spoken l!ngu!ge #orks
for !bout fie centuries,
lifesp!n of ! dougl!s fir(
big floods, big fires, eery couple hundred ye!rs,
! hum!n life l!sts eighty,
! gener!tion t#enty.
0ot summers eery eight or ten,
four se!sons eery ye!r
t#enty+eight d!ys for the moon
d!y > night the t#enty+four hours
U ! song might l!st four minutes,
! bre!th is ! bre!th.
/ote& .rom 2ount!ins !nd ?iers 'ithout 1nd, 677H.
Alfred, ,ord 1ennn2"on, &lysses_____________________________________________
Though much is t!ken, much !bides( !nd though
'e !re not no# th!t strength #hich in old d!ys
moed e!rth !nd he!en, th!t #hich #e !re, #e !re+
$ne e*u!l temper of heroic he!rts
2!de #e!k by time !nd f!te, but strong in #ill
To strie, to seek, to find, !nd not to yield.
++
Earth Ver"e, ?ar2 $n2der___________________________________________________
'ide enough to keep you looking
$pen enough to keep you moing
Dry enough to keep you honest
<rickly enough to m!ke you tough
,reen enough to go on liing
$ld enough to gie you dre!ms
/ote& -nyder #!s born in 679J. )n 67FJs #!s ! noted member of the OBe!t ,ener!tion.O -ince then he
h!s explored ! #ide r!nge of soci!l !nd spiritu!l m!tters in both poetry !nd prose.
Plain" $on., /ane *andia *oleman, 3oet from the "outhwe"t_____________________
)e left the trees behind
!nd so must court the sky,
its dist!nt edge ! m!ster
of disguise th!t shimmers,
dis!ppe!rs, returns
! deeper blue or r!di!nt
#ith sun+struck clouds.
=himer!, ) c!ll it,
int!ngible !s sh!de
or the he!t of fire.
)ts buff!lo chips for the he!rth tonight,
the crook of the moon for light.
) close no doors !g!inst the coyotes cry,
!nd, sleeping, h!e no roof but sky.
+oment" of Ho3e, /ulia Butterfl2 Hill_________________________________________
<!tches of sun
bre!ks through the clouds
tr!nsforming mist !nd r!in
into pristine #onderl!nds.
D!ncing r!inbo#s
colors sc!tter to the #inds
but th!t iridescent moment
is c!ught held s!cred deep #ithin.
)ud2ard Ki3lin.___________________________________________________________
-omething hidden. ,o !nd find it.
,o !nd look behind the r!ngesN
6H
-omething lost behind the ?!nges.
Lost !nd #!iting for you. ,o.
1he )oad 'ot 1aken, )o-ert !ro"t____________________________________________
T#o ro!ds dierged in ! yello# #ood.
"nd sorry ) could not tr!el both
!nd be the one tr!eler, long ) stood !nd looked do#n one
!s f!r !s ) could to #here it bent in the undergro#th.
Then took the other, !s ;ust !s f!ir,
!nd h!ing perh!ps the better cl!im,
bec!use it #!s gr!ssy !nd #!nted #e!r(
though !s for the p!ssing there
h!d #orn them re!lly !bout the s!me.
"nd both th!t morning e*u!lly l!y
in le!es no step h!d trodded bl!ck.
$h, ) kept the first for !nother d!y
yet kno#ing ho# #!y le!ds to #!y,
) doubted if ) should eer come b!ck.
) sh!ll be telling this #ith ! sigh.
-ome#here !ges !nd !ges hence(
T#o ro!ds dierged in ! #ood, !nd )++
) took the one less tr!eled by,
!nd th!t h!s m!de !ll the difference.
!i&e A+ in the Pinewood", +ar2 Oli&er________________________________________
)d seen
their hoofprints in the deep
needles !nd kne#
they ended the long night
under the pines, #!lking
like t#o mute
!nd be!utiful #omen to#!rd
the deeper #oods, so )
got up in the d!rk !nd
#ent there. They c!me
slo#ly do#n the hill
!nd looked !t me sitting under
the blue trees, shyly
they stepped
closer !nd st!rted
from under their thick l!shes !nd een
nibbled some d!mp
t!ssels of #eeds. This
is not ! poem !bout ! dre!m,
though it could be.
This is ! poem !bout the #orld
Th!t is ours, or could be.
.in!lly
$ne of themG) s#e!r itLG
'ould h!e come to my !rms,
But the other
st!mped sh!rp hoof in the
pine needles like
The t!p of s!nity
!nd they #hent off together through
the trees. 'hen ) #oke
) #!s !lone.
) #!s thinking&
-o this is ho# you s#im in#!rd
-o this is ho# you fly out#!rd
-o this is ho# you pr!y.
#ild ?ee"e, +ar2 Oli&er____________________________________________________
Cou do not h!e to be good. Cou do not h!e to #!lk on your knees for ! hundred miles
through the desert, repenting. Cou only h!e to let the soft !nim!l of your body loe #h!t it
loes. Tell me !bout desp!ir, yours, !nd ) #ill tell you !bout mine. 2e!n#hile the #orld goes
on. 2e!n#hile the sun !nd the cle!r pebbles of the r!in !re moing !cross the l!ndsc!pes,
oer the pr!iries !nd the deep trees, the mount!ins !nd the riers. 2e!n#hile the #ild
geese, high in the cle!n blue !ir, !re he!ding home !g!in. 'hoeer you !re, no m!tter ho#
lonely, the #orld offers itself to your im!gin!tion, c!lls to you like the #ild geese, h!rsh !nd
exciting++oer !nd oer !nnouncing your pl!ce in the f!mily of things.
1he /ourne2, +ar2 Oli&er___________________________________________________
$ne d!y you fin!lly kne# #h!t you h!d to do, !nd beg!n. Though the oices !round you
kept shouting their b!d !dice++ Though the #hole house beg!n to tremble !nd you felt the
old tug !t your !nkles. O2end my lifeLO e!ch oice cried. But you didn't stop. Cou kne# #h!t
you h!d to do. Though the #ind pried #ith its stiff fingers !t the ery found!tions, though
their mel!ncholy #!s terrible. )t #!s !lre!dy l!te enough, !nd ! #ild night, !nd the ro!d full
of f!llen br!nches !nd stones. But little by little, !s you left their oices behind, the st!rs
beg!n to burn through the sheets of clouds, !nd there #!s ! ne# oice #hich you slo#ly
recogni%ed !s your o#n, th!t kept you comp!ny !s you strode deeper !nd deeper into the
#orld, determined to do the only thing you could do+ determined to s!e the only life you
could s!e.
Unknown, +ar2 Oli&er______________________________________________________
To lie in this #orld, Cou must be !ble to do three things.
To loe #h!t is mort!l. To hold it, "g!inst your bones kno#ing your o#n life depends on it.
"nd #hen the time comes to let it go, To let it go.
+ornin. Poem, +ar2 Oli&er_________________________________________________
1ery morning the #orld is cre!ted. Inder the or!nge sticks of the sun the he!ped !shes of
the night turn into le!es !g!in !nd f!sten themseles to the high br!nches +++ !nd the
ponds !ppe!r like bl!ck cloth on #hich !re p!inted isl!nds of summer lilies.
)f it is your n!ture to be h!ppy you #ill s#im !#!y !long the soft tr!ils for hours, your
im!gin!tion !lighting eery#here. "nd if your spirit c!rries #ithin it the thorn th!t is he!ier
th!n le!d +++ if it's !ll you c!n do to keep on trudging +++ there is still some#here deep #ithin
you ! be!st shouting th!t the e!rth is ex!ctly #h!t it #!nted +++ e!ch pond #ith its bl!%ing
lilies is ! pr!yer he!rd !nd !ns#ered l!ishly, eery morning, #hether or not you h!e eer
d!red to be h!ppy, #hether or not you h!e eer d!red to pr!y.
6M
1he Un-roken, )a"hani_____________________________________________________
There is ! brokenness, out of #hich comes the unbroken, ! sh!ttered+ness, out of #hich
blooms the un+sh!tter!ble. There is ! sorro#, beyond !ll grief #hich le!ds to ;oy, !nd !
fr!gility, out of #hich depth emerges strength.
There is ! hollo# sp!ce, too !st for #ords, through #hich #e p!ss #ith e!ch loss, out of
#hose d!rkness #e !re s!nctified into being. There is ! cry deeper th!n !ll sound, #hose
serr!ted edges cut the he!rt, !s #e bre!k open, to the pl!ce inside #hich is unbre!k!ble,
!nd #hole, #hile le!rning to sing.
)ene %umal______________________________________________________________
Cou c!nnot st!y on the summit foreer,
Cou h!e to come do#n !g!in :
-o #hy bother in the first pl!ce3
Aust this& #h!t is !boe kno#s #h!t is belo#
But #h!t is belo# does not kno# #h!t is !boe.
$ne climbs, one sees. $ne descends, one sees no longer.
But one h!s seen.
There is !n !rt of conducting oneself in the lo#er regions
by the memory of #h!t one s!# higher up.
#hen 9t" O&er, +ar2 Oli&er __________________________________________________
'hen its oer ) #!nt to s!y !ll my life
) #!s ! bride m!rried to !m!%ement
) #!s the bridegroom t!king the #orld into my !rms
'hen its oer, ) dont #!nt to #onder
)f ) h!e m!de of my life something p!rticul!r !nd re!l
) dont #!nt to find myself sighing !nd frightened,
or full of !rgument
) dont #!nt to end up simply h!ing isited this #orld.
) #ould r!ther be !shes th!n dustL
) #ould r!ther th!t my sp!rk should burn out in ! brilli!nt bl!%e
Th!n it should be stifled by dry rot.
) #ould r!ther be ! superb meteor,
1ery !tom of me in m!gnificent glo#,
Th!n ! sleepy !nd perm!nent pl!net.
The proper function of m!n is to lie, not exist.
) sh!ll not #!ste my d!ys in trying to prolong them.
) sh!ll use my time.
++ A!ck London. "uthor of #all of the Wild.
9f 9 Had +2 ,ife to ,i&e O&er
)'d d!re to m!ke more mist!kes next time.
)'d rel!x, ) #ould limber up.
) #ould be sillier th!n ) h!e been this trip.
) #ould t!ke fe#er things seriously.
) #ould t!ke more ch!nces.
) #ould climb more mount!ins !nd s#im more riers.
) #ould e!t more ice cre!m !nd less be!ns.
) #ould perh!ps h!e more !ctu!l troubles,
but )'d h!e fe#er im!gin!ry ones.
Cou see, )'m one of those people #ho lie
sensibly !nd s!nely hour !fter hour,
d!y !fter d!y.
$h, )'e h!d my moments,
"nd if ) h!d it to do oer !g!in,
)'d h!e more of them.
)n f!ct, )'d try to h!e nothing else.
Aust moments, one !fter !nother,
inste!d of liing so m!ny ye!rs !he!d of e!ch d!y.
)'e been one of those people #ho neer goes !ny#here
#ithout ! thermometer, ! hot #!ter bottle, ! r!inco!t
!nd ! p!r!chute.
)f ) h!d to do it !g!in, ) #ould tr!el lighter th!n ) h!e.
)f ) h!d my life to lie oer,
) #ould st!rt b!refoot e!rlier in the spring
!nd st!y th!t #!y l!ter in the f!ll.
) #ould go to more d!nces.
) #ould ride more merry+go+rounds.
) #ould pick more d!isies.
++ /!dine -t!ir, EF ye!rs old
1he Perfect Hi.h, $hel $il&er"tein____________________________________________
There once #!s ! boy n!med ,immesome ?oy. 0e #!s nothing like me or you.
'=!use l!ying b!ck !nd getting high #!s !ll he c!red to do.
"s ! kid, he s!t in the cell!r, sniffing !irpl!ne glue.
"nd then he smoked b!n!n!s ++ Xc!use th!t #!s the thing to do.
0e tried !spirin in =oc!+=ol!, bre!thed helium on the sly,
"nd his life #!s ;ust one endless se!rch to find th!t perfect high.
But gr!ss ;ust m!de him #!nt to l!y b!ck !nd e!t chocol!te+chip pi%%! !ll night,
"nd the gre!t things he #rote #hile he #!s stoned looked like shit in the morning light.
"nd speed ;ust m!de him r!p !ll d!y, reds ;ust l!id him b!ck,
"nd =oc!ine ?ose #!s s#eet to his nose, but the price ne!rly broke his b!ck.
0e tried <=< !nd T0=, but they didn't *uite do the trick,
"nd poppers ne!rly ble# his he!rt !nd mushrooms m!de him sick.
"cid m!de him see the light, but he couldn't remember it long.
"nd h!shish #!s ;ust ! little too #e!k, !nd sm!ck #!s ! lot too strong,
"nd Wu!!ludes m!de him stumble, !nd boo%e ;ust m!de him cry,
Till he he!rd of ! c!t n!med B!b! .!ts #ho kne# of the perfect high.
/o#, B!b! .!ts #!s ! hermit c!t #ho lied up in /ep!l,
0igh on ! cr!ggy mount!intop, up ! sheer !nd icy #!ll.
OBut hell,O s!ys ?oy, O)'m ! he!lthy boy, !nd )'ll cr!#l or climb or fly,
)'ll find th!t guru #ho'll gie me the clue !s to #h!t's the perfect high.O
-o out !nd off goes ,immesome ?oy to the l!nd th!t kno#s no time,
Ip ! tr!il no m!n could con*uer, to ! cliff no m!n could climb.
.or fourteen ye!rs he tries th!t cliff, then b!ck do#n !g!in he slides
Then sits ++ !nd cries ++ !nd climbs !g!in, pursuing the perfect high.
0e's grinding his teeth, he's coughing up blood, he's !ching !nd sh!king !nd #e!k,
"s st!ring !nd sore !nd bleeding !nd tore, he re!ches the mount!in pe!k.
"nd his eyes blink red like ! sno#+blind #olf, !nd he sn!rls the sn!rl of ! r!t,
"s there in perfect repose !nd #e!ring no clothes ++ sits the godlike B!b! .!ts.
6E
O'h!t's h!ppening, .!ts3O s!ys ?oy #ith ;oy, O)'e come to st!te my bi%.
) he!r you're hip to the perfect trip. <le!se tell me #h!t it is.
.or you c!n see,O s!ys ?oy to he, Oth!t )'m !bout to die,
-o for my l!st ride, .!ts, ho# c!n ) !chiee the perfect high3O
O'ell, dog my c!tsLO s!ys B!b! .!ts. Ohere's one more burnt+out soul,
'ho's looking for some !lchemist to turn his trip to gold.
But you #on't find it in no de!ler's st!sh, or on no druggist's shelf.
-on, if you #ould seek the perfect high ++ find it in yourself.O
O'hy, you ;ie motherfuckerLO scre!med ,immesome ?oy, O)'e climbed through r!in !nd
sleet,
)'e lost three fingers off my h!nds !nd four toes off my feetL
)'e br!ed the l!ir of the pol!r be!r !nd t!sted the m!ggot's kiss.
/o#, you tell me the high is in myself. 'h!t kind of shit is this3
2y e!rs 'fore they fro%e off,O s!ys ?oy, Oh!d he!rd !ll kind of cr!p,
But ) didn't climb for fourteen ye!rs to he!r this sophomore r!p.
"nd ) didn't cr!#l up here to he!r th!t the high is on the n!tch,
-o you tell me #here the re!l stuff is or )'ll kill your guru !ssLO
O$k, $k,O s!ys B!b! .!ts, Oyou're forcing it out of me.
There is ! l!nd beyond the sun th!t's kno#n !s R!boli.
" #retched l!nd of stone !nd s!nd #here sn!kes !nd bu%%!rds scre!m,
"nd in this deil's g!rden blooms the mystic T%u+T%u tree.
"nd eery ten ye!rs it blooms one flo#er !s #hite !s the Dey 'est sky,
"nd he #ho e!ts of the T%u+T%u flo#er #ill kno# the perfect high.
.or the rush comes on like ! tid!l #!e !nd it hits like the bl!%ing sun.
"nd the high, it l!sts ! lifetime !nd the do#n don't eer come.
But the R!boli l!nd is ruled by ! gi!nt #ho st!nds t#ele cubits high.
'ith eyes of red in his hundred he!ds, he #!its for the p!ssers+by.
"nd you must sl!y the red+eyed gi!nt, !nd s#im the ?ier of -lime,
'here the mucous be!sts, they #!it to fe!st on those #ho ;ourney by.
"nd if you surie the gi!nt !nd the be!sts !nd s#im th!t slimy se!,
There's ! blood+drinking #itch #ho sh!rpens her teeth !s she gu!rds th!t T%u+T%u tree.O
OTo hell #ith your #itches !nd gi!nts,O l!ughs ?oy. OTo hell #ith the be!sts of the se!.
"s long !s the T%u+T%u flo#er blooms, some hope still blooms for me.O
"nd #ith te!rs of ;oy in his sno#+blind eye, ?oy h!nds the guru ! fie,
Then b!ck do#n the icy mount!in he cr!#ls, pursuing th!t perfect high.
O'ell, th!t is th!t,O s!ys B!b! .!ts, sitting b!ck do#n on his stone,
.!cing !nother thous!nd ye!rs of t!lking to ,od !lone.
O)t seems, LordO, s!ys .!ts, Oit's !l#!ys the s!me, old men or bright+eyed youth,
)t's !l#!ys e!sier to sell them some shit th!n it is to gie them the truth.O
1he *remation of $am +c?ee, )o-ert $er&ice__________________________________
There !re str!nge things done in the midnight sun. By the men #ho moil for gold(
The "rctic tr!ils h!e their secret t!les, Th!t #ould m!ke your blood run cold(
The /orthern Lights h!e seen *ueer sights, But the *ueerest they eer did see
'!s th!t night on the m!rge of L!ke Leb!rge ) crem!ted -!m 2c,ee.
/o# -!m 2c,ee #!s from Tennessee, #here the cotton blooms !nd blo#s.
'hy he left his home in the south to ro!m Xround the <ole, ,od only kno#s.
0e #!s !l#!ys cold, but the l!nd of gold seemed to hold him like ! spell(
Though hed often s!y in his homely #!y th!t @hed sooner lie in hell.B
$n ! =hristm!s D!y, #e #ere mushing our #!y oer the D!#son Tr!il.
T!lk of your coldL through the p!rk!'s fold, it st!bbed like ! drien n!il.
)f our eyes #e'd close, then the l!shes fro%e till sometimes #e couldn't see(
)t #!sn't much fun, but the only one to #himper #!s -!m 2c,ee.
"nd th!t ery night, !s #e l!y p!cked tight in our robes bene!th the sno#,
"nd the dogs #ere fed, !nd the st!rs o'erhe!d #ere d!ncing heel !nd toe,
0e turned to me, !nd O=!p,O s!ys he, O)'ll c!sh in this trip, ) guess(
"nd if ) do, )'m !sking th!t you #on't refuse my l!st re*uest.O
'ell, he seemed so lo# th!t ) couldn't s!y no( then he s!ys #ith ! sort of mo!n&
O)t's the cursed cold, !nd it's got right hold till )'m chilled cle!n through to the bone.
Cet 't!in't being de!d ++ it's my !#ful dre!d of the icy gr!e th!t p!ins(
-o ) #!nt you to s#e!r th!t, foul or f!ir, you'll crem!te my l!st rem!ins.O
" p!l's l!st need is ! thing to heed, so ) s#ore ) #ould not f!il(
"nd #e st!rted on !t the stre!k of d!#n( but ,odL he looked gh!stly p!le.
0e crouched on the sleigh, !nd he r!ed !ll d!y of his home in Tennessee(
"nd before nightf!ll ! corpse #!s !ll th!t #!s left of -!m 2c,ee.
There #!sn't ! bre!th in th!t l!nd of de!th, !nd ) hurried, horror+drien,
'ith ! corpse h!lf hid th!t ) couldn't get rid, bec!use of ! promise gien(
)t #!s l!shed to the sleigh, !nd it seemed to s!y& OCou m!y t!x your br!#n !nd br!ins,
But you promised true, !nd it's up to you to crem!te those l!st rem!ins.O
/o# ! promise m!de is ! debt unp!id, !nd the tr!il h!s its o#n stern code.
)n the d!ys to come, though my lips #ere dumb, in my he!rt ho# ) cursed th!t lo!d.
)n the long, long night, by the lone firelight, #hile the huskies, round in ! ring,
0o#led out their #oes to the homeless sno#s ++ $ ,odL ho# ) lo!thed the thing.
"nd eery d!y th!t *uiet cl!y seemed to he!y !nd he!ier gro#(
"nd on ) #ent, though the dogs #ere spent !nd the grub #!s getting lo#(
The tr!il #!s b!d, !nd ) felt h!lf m!d, but ) s#ore ) #ould not gie in(
"nd )'d often sing to the h!teful thing, !nd it he!rkened #ith ! grin.
Till ) c!me to the m!rge of L!ke Leb!rge, !nd ! derelict there l!y(
)t #!s ;!mmed in the ice, but ) s!# in ! trice it #!s c!lled the O"lice 2!yO.
"nd ) looked !t it, !nd ) thought ! bit, !nd ) looked !t my fro%en chum(
Then O0ere,O s!id ), #ith ! sudden cry, Ois my cre+m!+tor+eum.O
-ome pl!nks ) tore from the c!bin floor, !nd ) lit the boiler fire(
-ome co!l ) found th!t #!s lying !round, !nd ) he!ped the fuel higher(
The fl!mes ;ust so!red, !nd the furn!ce ro!red ++ such ! bl!%e you seldom see(
"nd ) burro#ed ! hole in the glo#ing co!l, !nd ) stuffed in -!m 2c,ee.
Then ) m!de ! hike, for ) didn't like to he!r him si%%le so(
"nd the he!ens sco#led, !nd the huskies ho#led, !nd the #ind beg!n to blo#.
)t #!s icy cold, but the hot s#e!t rolled do#n my cheeks, !nd ) don't kno# #hy(
"nd the gre!sy smoke in !n inky clo!k #ent stre!king do#n the sky.
) do not kno# ho# long in the sno# ) #restled #ith grisly fe!r(
But the st!rs c!me out !nd they d!nced !bout ere !g!in ) entured ne!r(
) #!s sick #ith dre!d, but ) br!ely s!id& O)'ll ;ust t!ke ! peep inside.
) guess he's cooked, !nd it's time ) lookedO( . . . then the door ) opened #ide.
"nd there s!t -!m, looking cool !nd c!lm, in the he!rt of the furn!ce ro!r(
"nd he #ore ! smile you could see ! mile, !nd he s!id& O<le!se close th!t door.
)t's fine in here, but ) gre!tly fe!r you'll let in the cold !nd storm ++
-ince ) left <lum tree, do#n in Tennessee, it's the first time )'e been #!rm.O
There !re str!nge things done in the midnight sun
By the men #ho moil for gold(
The "rctic tr!ils h!e their secret t!les
Th!t #ould m!ke your blood run cold(
The /orthern Lights h!e seen *ueer sights,
67
But the *ueerest they eer did see
'!s th!t night on the m!rge of L!ke Leb!rge
) crem!ted -!m 2c,ee.
1he *all of the #ild, )o-ert $er&ice__________________________________________
0!e you g!%ed on n!ked gr!ndeur #here theres nothing else to g!%e on,
-et pieces !nd drop+curt!in scenes g!lore,
Big mount!ins he!ed to he!en, #hich the blinding sunsets bl!%on,
Bl!ck c!nyons #here the r!pids rip !nd ro!r3
0!e you s#ept the isioned !lley #ith the green stre!m stre!king though it,
-e!rched the S!stness for ! something you h!e lost3
0!e you strung your soul to silence3 Then for ,ods s!ke go !nd do it(
0e!r the ch!llenge, le!rn the lesson, p!y the cost.
0!e you #!ndered in the #ilderness, the s!gebrush desol!tion,
The bunch+gr!ss leels #here the c!ttle gr!%e3
0!e you #histled bits of r!g+time !t the end of !ll cre!tion,
"nd le!rned to kno# the deserts little #!ys3
0!e you c!mped upon the foothills, h!e you g!lloped oer the r!nges,
0!e you ro!med the !rid sun+l!nds through !nd through3
0!e you chummed up #ith the mes!3 Do you kno# its moods !nd ch!nges3
Then listen to the 'ild N its c!lling you.
0!e you kno#n the ,re!t 'hite -ilence, not ! sno#+gemmed t#ig !*uier3
(1tern!l truths th!t sh!me our soothing lies.)
0!e you broken tr!il on sno#shoes3 2ushed your huskies up ! rier,
D!red the unkno#n, led the #!y, !nd clutched the pri%e3
0!e you m!rked the m!ps oid sp!ces, mingled #ith the mongrel r!ces,
.elt the s!!ge strength of brute in eery the#3
"nd though grim !s hell the #orst is, c!n you round it off #ith curses3
Then h!rken to the 'ild N its #!nting you.
0!e you suffered, st!red !nd triumphed, groeled do#n, yet gr!sped !t glory,
,ro#n bigger in the bigness of the #hole3
@Done thingsB ;ust for the doing, letting b!bblers tell the story,
-eeing through the nice eneer the n!ked soul3
0!e you seen ,od in his splendors, he!rd the text th!t n!ture renders3
(youll neer he!r it in ! f!mily pe#.)
The simple things, the true things, the silent men #ho do things N
Then listen to the 'ildN its c!lling you.
They h!e cr!dled you in custom, they h!e primed you #ith their pre!ching,
They h!e so!ked you in conention through !nd through(
They h!e put you in ! sho#c!se( youre ! credit to their te!ching N
But c!nt you he!r the 'ild N its c!lling you.
Let us probe the silent pl!ces, let us seek #h!t luck betide us(
Let us ;ourney to ! lonely l!nd ) kno#.
Theres ! #hisper on the night+#ind, theres ! st!r !gle!m to guide us,
"nd the 'ild is c!lling, c!lling : let us go.
8J