Good Versus Evil

There's always a struggle. It ranges from that within us to worldwide. And it's usually a choice: It's good versus evil.

If there's a top, there's got to be a bottom. If there's a god, there has to be a devil. If there's good, there has to be evil.

This week, again, evil slaughtered innocence. It broke my heart. How could a teenager kill elementary school babies? I am thankful for my kids and grandkids... and want to keep them all.

And again, some are talking about more gun laws. As if criminals and crazies cared about laws. As if we blamed cars for drunk driving. It's not the car and it's not the gun... it's the crazy and evil people. It's a widespread but allowed mental health problem that started when Cain clubbed Able. I have myself experienced these people mess up others through intimidation and abuse... several times.

Is there a solution? Is there nut control? When I was a kid, armed robbery and shooting threats to local merchants were taken care of by the neighborhood. Customers would beat the crap out of robbers, in the act, and toss them outside to the street, bruised and battered. No 911 needed. Ditto for not accepting bullying and intimidation at school... they got theirs, eventually. Is that the solution?

To me, personally, it's about every decisions I make, from being helpful to others, to what I eat and what workout I do. My solution is to avoid crazy and evil, embrace good, and train hard to be tough and thus able to defend myself and others. Tomorrow, I will do what I do every day... what I CAN do... conquer my own self. And pack heat.


- © 2012 by Willy

P.S. God, please, deliver us from evil.

Life is a Decision

Life!

That was an easy decision.

Many runners say that life is just putting one foot after the other. The trick, unlike running, is that a decision has to be made for every step. Life is complex. Plans are changed for us. Many decisions have to be made very quickly... about as quick as when running.

The trick is to be prepared for opportunity... and trained for obstacles.

Personally, I keep to a schedule... doing the same things at the same time in the same way... so that I can deal with the all-too-common perturbances that life throws at me... those I can't control... the "incoming."

This weekend, I was glad I cross-trained well to both hike and lift heavy weights, because I had to physically bring down an ailing hiker with vertigo who fell backwards, twice. I was worried that he was going to split his head open, so I side-hugged him, grasped his shirt, physically held him up straight and marched him down in lockstep. I gave him encouragement, even though I was scared. Afterwards, I was exhausted... it was squats-while-walking for six hours... my legs and right delt are still burning.

I have often mentioned that I made a decision to go solo... to do a simpler life with far less drama... which allows me to do what I want to do.

Life's about training and conditioning... in many ways.

I can't be young again but I decided for life... that I'm going to be a REALLY-tough old man. The old is easy, but the really-tough is... tough!

- © 2012 by Willy

The Tree Winked At Me…

Well, that’s kind of what it looked like. No, Alice wasn’t ten foot tall and I wasn’t high or drunk. I was just enjoying the warming weather of Spring and out for a neighborhood mountain stroll... with a smile on my face. Life is good and my world is right, no matter what is said in the news.

I think and meditate while I hike. At the time I saw that tree, I was thinking that the serendipity of life is a fragile thing. Life can change in a hurry. Much can happen, both positive and negative. You never know what’s going to come up next. You must prepare with school and network, work hard, develop the right attitude and be good… but life is unpredictable. The question of what is good and bad gets answered in hindsight. Stuff happens… which some may call luck… but I like to think of it as grace.

Grace and blessings to you too.

- © 2010 by Willy

P.S., yes, I winked back at the tree... but no one saw me, so it must not have happened.

Plan Checklist

Lessons learned from this year's backpacking trip with Jennifer (written at Pinkham Notch lodge library).

- Don't plan on hiking in the heat! If it's in July, it'd better be up north.

- Don't plan on hiking at too high an altitude! Dad doesn't have time to acclimatize.

- Planning ahead, everything ultralight and minimal.

- Don't even start unless dad has really trained well, is the right weight and uninjured.

- Look at the plan! And again, this time from the eyes of a 60-year-old!

- Don't hike on the day we fly in.

- Keep the mileage low for the first couple of days to warm up to the place.

- Daily mileage less than ten (there won't be anything easy).

- Come up with exit strategy, Plan B or bailout points (won't be anything easy).

- Nothing longer than a week (won't be anything easy).

- Plan on rain (in equipment, slow days and dryout spots).

- Take the GPS and extra batteries, no matter the weight (15 hours/set of 2)!

- Remember that daughter is in MUCH better shape than her dad!

On-the-way procedure that works is for dad to break camp at daylight and let daughter catch up later. Also for daughter to go ahead on climbs and wait for dad at the top. Daytime food to be on the run (bars), with one big sitdown at camp end-of-day. Drink water continuously and generously (bladder and bottles).

- © 2009 by Willy

Luck

I know that luck favors the prepared, but sometimes preparation isn't enough.

Last Saturday I was baking in 104-degree desert heat in the sun, walking at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Visor, sun block and packed Camelback were not doing it, I had left Cottonwood campground and I had a couple of hours to get to Phantom Ranch. I hadn't seen a soul for a half an hour when I saw a Sahara hat atop a rock. That's freakin' luck.

Tuesday morning the group leader woke up in a bad mood because my snoring had kept him awake for several nights in our crowded shared-room sleeping arrangement. However, at our destination motel in a crowded Zion vacation/tourist destination, a vacant room existed. That's pure luck.

Who knows how many bad occurrences were averted. There were no accidents or injuries other than sore feet. That's luck too.

I've been lucky many a time. A dozen years ago we had a recession in town and layoffs but I was able to find jobs for me and my group through help from connections as well as a good work ethic reputation. After my divorce, my kids came to live with me and I had the discipline and privilege to raise them. A good young friend of mine became a priest, so we maintain a unique relationship. I've survived two traffic wrecks, storms at sea in small craft, climbing and caving accidents, a point-blank shooting, divorce, teenagers, many different kind of heartbreak and countless other physical and emotional events. This was due to preparation, work, people's kindness and asking for God's mercy... luck.

I'm a lucky man: I prepare and I pray to get lucky. And I do.

- text © 2008 by Willy

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P.S., Yes, OK... North Kaibab down to lodge in 7, next day from lodge up thru Bright Angel in 6 1/4 hrs. First down, and first out, of a dozen or so.