In it for the Long-Haul

I miss the ocean. The amount of naturally occurring water in general, really. And therefore the amount of vegetation. Although, the lack of bugs here as a probable result of lack of water is a nice plus.

But that's about all. The people here really are friendlier on the whole, and they definitely don't run around all stressed out the way New Englanders do. These Boulderites actually enjoy life. Novel idea.

The summit of Pike's Peak in Colorado Springs. 14,110 ft
The Northeast, while known for being the rather intellectual region of the country, definitely lacks in their ability to decide what "pleasure" means. Those who live in the Northeast tend to find pleasure in results: making the sale, getting to the top, finishing the book. The end is what gives the sense of accomplishment, of meaning something to the world. And if we were all meant to think that way, funerals should be the epitome of joyous celebrations: maybe the Irish have it right, in that case.

No one ever celebrates the fact that a life has ended. You never hear, "I'm so glad 'so-and-so' has passed, the end of his/her life was really the best thing to happen to him/her." (Afterlife aside.) Are you nuts?! No, what people talk about is the journey of someone's life, what had happened along the way. And if we're so busy thinking about the end ourselves, where do we get to find pleasure in all the moments instead of just one?

Manitou Cliff Dwellings of the Anasazis.
I, for one, have had to work really hard to slow myself down enough to ask, "What is the point of the end?" There really isn't one. After accepting that, my life became a whole lot more satisfying. Instead of having to follow a regimented, dull, tedious path to obtain a result, I've now allowed myself to find the reasons that the path of discipline works. Quite a simple change of perspective, but vastly more contenting. Dance, for instance, is no longer something I must do in a way that the teacher/choreographer says simply because they say it. That may make me a rebel, but I'd rather be dancing because I can appreciate my own journey than dancing according to someone else's journey. Certain parameters of course make up a healthy way to train, but the expressive artistry in dance will always be the dancer's own.

These Boulderites have found the satisfying reasons for constant training in their physical activity of choice. They are happy with the meaning they've found in their professional work. They know why they are doing the things they do. They are not blind, nor are they self-indulgent. They have achieved a balanced approach to pleasure. I want in.

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