stmarysmead
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2010
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“The moving finger writes; and, having writ, moves on: nor all thy piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line, nor all thy tears wash out a word of it. -- Omar Khayyam.
I think of Mother Nature much like the “moving finger” of history that is described above. She is no one’s friend or foe...she cannot be counted on to be consistent or relied on to be predictable. No piety or wit or “experience” or equipment can help any of us control her.
I am so grateful to those of you who are experienced either with the sport, the mountains or the terrain for all you’ve added to this thread. What I see is a lovely and much loved young woman in yoga pants, dark colors, ascending a mountain when others are coming down for the day...in late Nov. during a pandemic. She has been lucky so often that I fear she is beginning to think she, not Mother Nature...is in control. I think she began to think that every challenge she won over her fear...was irreversible. Once accomplished... could never go sour.
The picture of her previous bivouac posted above...just terrifies me with possible dire scenarios. If it blew off and she was hungry and terribly cold...would she stumble after it in the darkness?
I think Esther’s challenges to herself, too often depended on cooperation from others...and particularly from Mother Nature. But the latter cannot be charmed or controlled and just...moves on...uninterested in the consequences or chaos She leaves behind for trusting young woman like Esther.
I hope whatever happened...was quick.
I think of Mother Nature much like the “moving finger” of history that is described above. She is no one’s friend or foe...she cannot be counted on to be consistent or relied on to be predictable. No piety or wit or “experience” or equipment can help any of us control her.
I am so grateful to those of you who are experienced either with the sport, the mountains or the terrain for all you’ve added to this thread. What I see is a lovely and much loved young woman in yoga pants, dark colors, ascending a mountain when others are coming down for the day...in late Nov. during a pandemic. She has been lucky so often that I fear she is beginning to think she, not Mother Nature...is in control. I think she began to think that every challenge she won over her fear...was irreversible. Once accomplished... could never go sour.
The picture of her previous bivouac posted above...just terrifies me with possible dire scenarios. If it blew off and she was hungry and terribly cold...would she stumble after it in the darkness?
I think Esther’s challenges to herself, too often depended on cooperation from others...and particularly from Mother Nature. But the latter cannot be charmed or controlled and just...moves on...uninterested in the consequences or chaos She leaves behind for trusting young woman like Esther.
I hope whatever happened...was quick.