Bart and Apple
In one of my past blogs I talked about remarkable places. In another I talked about remarkable people. Well………….what about remarkable experiences!!!!
I have just returned from a trip to Alaska. One of my highlights was being flown to the top of the glacier in a helicopter and going dog sledding. Add this experience to your bucket list. It is a must!!!!
The day was clear, the skies were bright blue and the sun was warm on my face. Skagway Alaska seemed more like a dream place than reality. The helicopter ride was like watching peter pan fly in a Disney movie. We floated higher and higher into the sky. Everything seemed miniature below. We crusted the top of the mountain and in the distance a small village could be barely seen. Their tents were white and blended in so well with the snow.
What you could see were small dots covering the snow. As we got closer what I realized was the dots were sled dogs……………..250 sled dogs lying across the snow. Each tied to a stake with their own wooden dog house. If you are a dog lover like I am ………..this is heaven. We met the musher and the team of dogs that would glide us across the snow. Each dog had a distinct personality as much as you and I. They couldn’t wait to be petted, rubbed and scratched. Our musher Kim said meet all the dogs, love on each one………….just don’t get near the sled. I Asked WHY? She said she would tell us after the sled tour was finished.
We headed out across the snow…………the dogs became quiet, focused and ran in the direction of the trail. They made it look easy. The Movie “IRON WILL” flashed in my head as I got to drive the team over a stretch of the snow. It was exhilarating. The awe of moment will forever be branded in my head. I wanted it to last forever. We made a huge loop around the dogsled camp and ended where we had started. As soon as we stopped the dogs went crazy barking again. Their barking seemed to stir the whole camp of dogs. Their sounds soared over our voices, the mountain tops and seemed to float the heavens above. I felt like I could have just reached up and touched the skies……………like I could grab a handful of clouds and take it back with me.
Kim walked us over to the last surprise of the tour. Nine puppies had been born on top the mountain this summer. They were nine weeks old ……………they couldn’t wait to be picked up and held. I couldn’t wait either. I got to hold apple! This shiny cream colored sled dog. You would lose her in the snow if you weren’t careful. I left a piece of my heart on that mountain with apple. We walked back to the flag pole to catch the helicopter back. The American flag was flowing in the breeze perfectly. We had only been on the mountain an hour, but it seemed to have been a lifetime. I was frozen in time.
We said our goodbyes to Kim and headed to the helicopter. I stopped half way back. I turned to wave goodbye and take one last look. Kim was still standing and waving …………………..I yelled over the sounds of the copter rotors……………………..
WHY COULD NT WE GET NEAR THE SLED? WHY DID THE DOGS GO COMPLETELY SILENT WHEN THEY STARTED TO RUN?
She yelled back…………….” BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEIR PURPOSE………..THEY LOVE TO RUN.THEY ARE SILENT BECAUSE THEY ARE FOCUSED ON ONE THING AND ONE THING ONLY………..THEIR PURPOSE!
Her answer was simple. Her answer was overwhelming to me. I sat in silence as we flew back to the heliport. My mind could not let go of the simplicity.
Could it be that simple for you and me………………………………..?
What would our lives be like if we knew our purpose?
What would our lives be like if we lived out our purpose?
What would we be like and who would we be if we let our lives speak according to our purpose.
What if we were only focused on one thing and one thing only?
I have realized one thing over and over again………when you live out your purpose, when you share your life gift, when you let your life speak, when you practice remarkability………………you can not help but create remarkable experiences for others. You can not help but to change lives. I know because it just happened to me!
I dare you to live out your purpose with the same focus as the sled dogs of the Alaskan glacier!
I DARE YOU??!!
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Dear Bart,
Very, VERY nice essay! I loved it! And yes, it is true. Sled dogs are extremely focused on what they LOVE to do… which is also their “purpose”– what they were born for. Plus, the breed is genetically predisposed to pull. It’s in their genes. I run dogsled tours in Western Maryland– they don’t care where they run/pull, or what they run/pull! If you got on the sled while they were being pet… excitement over the pulling possibility would become much more important to them then the physical attention. Hey, I used to know a mushing “Kim.” Was she a bit chunky with short blond hair? I wonder where she ended up. Come dogsledding again… many tour operators are all over the lower 48 states! Best, Linda