Green Light
Looking west from Seattle, the skyline of Olympic National Park is defined by the notched peak of The Brothers. “I see it stuck in traffic. I see it from meeting rooms in downtown Seattle. I see it on my evening runs that I use to stay in shape for my days in the mountains. I’ve looked at that skyline and imagined the light, the wind and thought, ‘I could be standing on that peak’ — instead of dealing with ‘this’, whatever ‘this’ is,” writes Fitz Cahall.
It can be easy to wallow in the constraints, responsibilities, and duties of life. It can be so damn easy to play the grass is greener game. When Fitz takes a spring Friday to go and climb The Brothers, he gets a chance to look back in the opposite direction and realizes that it’s not about which side is greener. It can be as simple as going when you get a green light.
Music: Shine by Publish the Quest • Mountain Soul Fire by Woodrowgerber • Silver Linings by Jason Tyler Burton • Beelzebub by Black Pistol Fire • Shadows by Woodrowgerber • Our Time Is Short by Publish the Quest • Monsoon Rains by Publish the Quest
Tracks provided by Mevio’s Music Alley, Free Music Archive and Jacob Bain.
You should probably navigate the backcountry with at least one other person; safety can’t be bought at REI.
Hi Dave, are you sure you can’t buy safety at REI? I thought it was in the section where they keep second chances and extra lives. 🙂
-Fitz
There is a whole lot of life you can never see if you truly keep safety first, one of those is the deepening joy of backpacking alone or skiing alone, really alone. risks must be taken if life is to be had. More often than not those risks are far greater in your mind. I work in a hospital near wilderness areas. I have seen people fall and get injured or even die in the back country, but I will tell you what, a whole lot more people die in cars or nursing homes or gun fights. Be smart out there, but don’t let fear rule your life, when the conditions are right, go charge it.