Out of reach? Things are...looking up!

Casting A Gaze: A few days ago I welcomed you into my personal 'space', how I start each day, when preparing to leave home base, by casting a glance to the sky, in part to appreciate how each day the panorama is at least slightly different from the day before (if I look long and close enough), as well as to wonder, if only for a few seconds, "what's up there?" A wonderment I/we share with the most earliest of earthlings. Even those who are gifted to live in places that sunrises and sunsets remain unshrouded almost 365 days a year are able to discern subtle differences in the array of clouds and other atmospheric dimensions. While some may poke fun, that such reflections are a sure sign of aging, it is something we used to do while sitting on the swing set at a younger age as well (while contemplating other perplexing questions, such as "who was here before God created...."? and which usually finished with "so who won the ballgame last night?"). It remains compelling to me as a psychologist type that the youngest and oldest share such an appreciation--it certainly can't be just a function of slowing down among the aged, as the youngsters who appreciate such things are in the midst of abundant energy. In any case, as you have grown accustomed, I am writing to remind you/me that no matter what the weather or pandemic circumstances, we have the opportunity to marvel our surroundings, to get outside of our house, ourselves...

Snoring, Soaring, Soriasing (?): As in "Carlos Soria: The 81-year-old conquering the world's highest peaks": as this ageless mountaineer trains both inside and out, aspiring to multiple ascents (some as a repeat) to pay tribute "to the people of my age around the world who have died from this virus...I'm going to take a little bunch of flowers and leave it on the summit as a tribute..." Around these parts, we have seen an increase in both casual and serious climbers, with a corresponding increase in facilities designed to indulge them (mostly indoors, given the paucity of serious peaks around here). And, even as these facilities have temporarily shuttered, innovative individuals have built makeshift climbing walls (I have been witness to, 'zoomed in' on some in such restricted spaces as apartments and basements). If your own imagination is challenged in creating such a contraption, simply emulate a toddler ("Johnny, Melissa, get down from there, you'll break your neck!"). Otherwise, consider how, even in this time of restrictions extant, you can design personal challenges, whether mental or physical in nature (can you hear "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" from "Sound of Music" yet?) . 

Barely Naked, Outfitted: Otherwise known as 'free climbing', 'naked on the rock', 'free soloing' or 'extreme climbing' to the rest of us, climbing without the assistance of ropes (aka 'lines'), harnesses, or other protective equipment, the "...purest form of climbing, where we try to emulate our primordial..." is obviously for only the most experienced and daring, and remains a point of controversy among climbing devotees, partly because it has inspired other, less experienced climbers who have endured serious injury or even death. Among the purest of the pure of these, there is a sort of unwritten code, not to broadcast your accomplishments, that it is a highly personal, even spiritual experience. For the rest of us, there are the ever increasing availability of outdoor ziplines, etc., where we are securely locked in and surrounded by a host of experienced folks, almost to the point of taking any fun out of it (blame it on the lawyers and insurance companies, in part). The lesson for today we might absorb from all aspiring climbers, is that there is little we are unable to accomplish, few peaks we can't reach, as long as we are willing to: a) identify the purpose, the reason we are taking it on; b) sustain effort for long run, willing to take it on incrementally (no free soloist started at "al Capitan", at least none lived to tell of it); and 3) we are properly 'outfitted' (see December 20th - "Time to Gear Up")--both physically and mentally.

Mooning, Musking, Amarzing: A few years ago I was gifted with a model of the Apollo lunar module, "Eagle" (ergo, "the eagle has landed") 'resting' on the moon, in anticipation of taking it's inhabitants back to the mother ship, the command module, "Columbia", after they enjoyed a brief walk and gaze around this cratered landscape. It has a button, when pushed, plays a recording from President Kennedy, "We choose to go the moon" from about seven years prior, among a few other notable quotes that inspire. While we continue to be preoccupied with the prevailing circumstances of the pandemic, there are simultaneous, ongoing collaborative missions to the International Space Station, return to the moon, and... Mars! An ongoing collaborative effort between Elon Musk's Space X staff and the brilliant scientists, engineers, and astronauts NASA still employs. And now that Jeff Bezos (apparently bored with surpassing Walmart as the biggest retailer in the world) has joined the club, future generations who might colonize other planets can be assured of next day deliveries...maybe even to "Planet Nine" (while evidence from a few days ago has weakened the theory of the existence of another planet in our solar system beyond Neptune, it is just a matter of time). 

Us, Lowly Earthlings: For the rest of us, who remain grounded on this planet of ours, we can still cast a glance upwards, seek new heights even in the presence of a pandemic, broaden our horizons even with tangible restrictions. "Casey" Kasem, a celebrated radio DJ who helped to pioneer "America's Top 40" countdown, whose shows can still be found on some satellite radio stations on weekends, became known in part for his signoff "Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars"...kind of like we did on the swing set. 

Soft Landings: What all astronauts, pilots, and passengers hope for. As a business concept, "...is a building delivery process which runs through a project...meeting the clients' expectations...". Or, as a company devoted to keeping our children happy even through these challenging times, "...makes high quality joy-filled furnishings...turning everyday living into everyday play" (underlining mine, just as a reminder for us all, whether we are IN or OUT...). And, as we seek to return to a closer presence with many we care for and miss, we have the reassurance in the form of a drone, an autonomous 'space dock' -- commissioned by Space X in 2015 aptly named "Of Course I Still Love You". Which provides a place for soft landings and recovery for missions where the booster lacks the capacity to carry enough fuel to return-to-launch-site after delivering payloads into orbit. We can relate, part of our recovery when running on fumes empty these days, in striving to return...always reassuring to hear these words.

Ascending: "Carlos is not an old man who got bored when he retired and then decided to start climbing mountains" cites Sito Carcavilla, a geologist who has accompanied Mr. Soria on climbs. Carlos continues to train hard, partly through an improvised gym in the back of his house (complete with a climbing wall that allows for practice using ice picks--bet you don't have one yet), takes a brief break to share his strong conviction: "Elderly people have this idea that it's game over for them...there are lots of people who say, 'Well, I'm already 70', but so what? That's a wonderful age!" 

"I Lift My Eyes Up Unto the Mountains." -Song of ascents, from Psalm 121