Risk

For most of us, as we age, the trajectory of our lives seems to head more and more towards security and comfort. It seems only logical to make life easier as opposed to more difficult, right? After all, our paychecks tend to get bigger as we grow older, thus allowing a higher standard of living by way of greater purchasing power. Why on earth would we walk 10 miles when we can drive a car that distance in a fraction of the time??? Don't get me wrong; I realize that we are incredibly fortunate to live in a time when we are afforded both comfort and convenience at a relatively low cost. It just doesn't cost much money to upgrade that hotel room from a twin to a king size bed. Or to take the guided tour as opposed to fumbling about aimlessly in a place we know little about. But is there a cost to having TOO MUCH comfort??? Are there any strings attached to living a posh lifestyle where every possible risk is mitigated???

When I look back on the most fulfilling experiences of my life, the common theme between them is overcoming some challenge. Going on a long, arduous trek. Weeks of preparation for an important exam. The seemingly endless trial and error and failure that eventually coalesced into my ability to confidently operate my camera. Traveling spontaneously in a foreign land. Learning how to ride a bike safely down a gnarly, gnarly mountain. I don't find spending a week on the beach to be particularly fulfilling. I find it to be relaxing...for a while. It seems as though when I'm handed something for free in life, it just doesn't have the same value as when I have to earn it. What did I learn going from the hotel to the beach to the pool, time and time again? How did I grow?

Could it actually be that SEEKING out hardship in our lives could NECESSARILY make an experience more fulfilling? I've answered this question. And it now defines how I live my life. Have you?

Mortality

Here I am at 40 years. Man, life goes fast. What does the remainder of my life have in store for me? Who knows. But since I still haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up, I've had a little time to think about things. I used to think that I didn't want to live forever. I still think that. But I also think that since my time here is so limited, I might as well make the most of it.

The human brain has been called the most complex "thing" in the known universe. As a species, it's what differentiates us from other animals. But it's not what keeps us alive. We can have no brain function whatsoever and continue living. Rather, it's the job of the heart to keep us alive.

Acute heart failure is the leading cause of death in this country. Beyond sudden failure, it's ultimately the heart that pumps the blood to the rest of our organs, oxygenating them and keeping them happy. Without this workhorse of a muscle, what we call consciousness would not be possible.

There are all sorts of things we can do to take care for our bodies. We can eat well. We can omit the things that we know to be damaging to our health. We can give our bodies an adequate amount of sleep. We can exercise. But what REALLY is so good about exercise? Present medical science has found it to reduce stress, help in weight loss and even give us a "high" by way of releasing endorphins. We've also found it to boost our mood, combat a plethora of potential diseases and promote better sleep. There really is a laundry list of benefits to maintaining a regular exercise schedule.

The way I see it, on a more fundamental level, exercise is my way of strengthening my heart, building a foundation for me to be most physically capable into my later years. My heart is my last line of defense. My brain has thus concluded that it is happy to prioritize the care of my heart.

Every so often in life, we pass some sort of milestone (or find another gray hair) that reminds us that we ultimately die. The brutal reality is that everything that is born MUST die. With a little luck (and a little cardio), I'm only halfway there.

Tolerance For Ambiguity

Content for third tab.

Manifest

Beauty: A combination of qualities, such as shape, color or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.

Aesthetics: A set of principles concerned with the nature and appreciation of beauty, especially in art.

This seems like circular reasoning to me. If we cannot objectively qualify aesthetics, are aesthetics solely subjective? If so, then what draws so many of us to the same beautiful locations?
Beauty is defined slightly differently in Japan, where the smaller the window of opportunity, the greater the potential for beauty. A blossoming orchid that immediately begins to wither away is perhaps the pinnacle of Japanese beauty. So why do these mountains, these canyons, these deserts, that have been carved over millions of years, universally grab people’s attention? Is it that vast amounts of geological time and the waning sun work in unison with one another? Perhaps unfathomably old natural features create in us a sense of humility, while the temporary nature of a rising sun creates a unique, one-of-a-kind moment. Could it be that scarcity is a primary driving force in what we perceive to be aesthetically “beautiful?” After all, there is but one Grand Canyon.
Photography has taken me many places. I tell people that I'm lucky because my photography motivates me to travel more, and my traveling motivates me to photograph more. I am so fortunate because my two passions seamlessly piggy-back off one another. But, I understand that travel is a luxury; a luxury that is not realistic for 98 percent of the world's population. More than a decade ago, I traveled to Peru and the iconic Machu Picchu. I asked a local how he felt about living in such an iconic location; a man who lived less than five miles from one of the most recognizable man-made creations on earth. “I've never been there,” was his response. How common this is. So often we take our figurative backyard for granted.
What is my motivation? I seek beauty. Beauty is everywhere. My goal is to bring the beauty of the natural world to those who don't have the ability to see it themselves. My secondary goal is to motivate people to see it themselves. So often, this beauty is found no more than a “stone's throw” from where we call home. Appreciating our backyard, once we get there, is free of charge. And, unlike owning a Ferrari, or a big house in the suburbs, or a diamond ring, the opportunity cost of such beauty is minimal. How much family time must we forego to financially achieve that expensive car, or home or piece of jewelry? Is there inherent value in prestige? I may not be able to solve the world's hunger issues, or have a solution to our never ending desire to wage war with one another, or be able to objectively answer the question of what our purpose is on earth; but, hopefully, I can merely inspire people by showing them natural beauty…no matter how modest my method.
There are 196 countries on Earth. Very few, if any, can match the natural beauty and topographical diversity of the United States, and, in particular, the Rocky Mountains west to the Pacific Ocean. “The Iconic American West”…mirror reflections of craggy mountain spires, profoundly deep canyons, gigantic sea stacks protruding from mist shrouded beaches, inhospitable, sweeping sand dunes, gardens of natural sandstone arches, backdropped by towering snowcapped peaks. The natural beauty found west of where I call home has often overwhelmed me.
Are we the only animals that have the capacity to “see” beauty? Are we the only animals that are destroying this beautiful place? If so, is it not our responsibility to take care of this wonderful world around us? Does the fact that we universally rely on aesthetics necessarily mean that we are obligated to save the earth, inevitably from...ourselves? The world has never seen an animal of our liking: although we have lived, like all animals, for so long looking out for our species, and our species alone, humans alone have caused, in many instances, irreparable damage to this place we call home. Arrogance and ignorance are no longer acceptable excuses. Do we have a responsibility, given our mental capacities, to be stewards of our environment? Do we have a responsibility to preserve plant and animal life on earth in order to provide for future generations?

One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon instead of enjoying the roses that are blooming outside our windows today.

Dale Carnegie