Memorial Day weekend. An opportunity seized by almost all climbers to take advantage of an extended break from our day to day lives to go climbing. Unfortunately for me, my recent thumb surgery has me sidelined and thinking.
As with this entire process, I spend a lot of time missing all those days spent at the crags with friends new and old. Time spent worrying about things like saving skin & energy for that next burn. I often think that I would give just about anything to be able to do so again. (Or frankly at this point I would give just about anything to have just one day where it didn’t feel like my hands were on fire, let alone anything having to do with climbing but I digress)
However, this being the first Memorial Day weekend I haven’t been away climbing in recent memory has given me a great chance to catch up on many of the things we sometimes give short shrift to in our climbing endeavors like non-climbing friends and family. It has been surprisingly great to catch up and see them instead of worrying about climbing.
Also, when compared with the sacrifices that thousands of soldiers and their families have made for our country, I guess it isn’t all bad for the ole Narc then is it? So, as you return from what was hopefully a great weekend of climbing with friends, or from catching up with family and friends, take a moment to think of those who have given everything for our country.
I spent the weekend explaining to Charlie why all of those stones have flags by them. Thanks For the Post.
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I am a son and grandson of miltary men who fought in WWII, Korea & Vietnam. Iraq’s dead represent a sad unnecessary waste of human life, our most precious resource. History will be harsh judge of our current President.
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word. last year at this time i watched the band of brothers series…. though hollywood, of course, it really put some perspective on the good, bad, and truly horrific experiences of our grandfathers. caught in the cold machinery of war. i only fear it will get worse before it ever gets better and if the pendulum does not in fact swing towards overarching peace, humanity’s future shall be dark and ugly as the smoke from burning oil fields and fallen cities.
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Very nice post, thanks for sharing your introspection.
I thought your non-climbing perspective on the long weekend was really interesting. Our little group of climbing buddies has spent many a night around a camp fire discussing things that we have let slip in our lives because of climbing. We’ve all lost friends to the obsession, we’ve all changed jobs and career paths because of it. I’m almost 30 and still putting off starting a family because of my silly little climbing goals. Is it worth it? Good question.
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Yeah Kate, it is definitely interesting how climbing can give one tunnel vision when it comes to what is important in life.
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I suggest spending a memorial day not climbing thinking about whether it is more “brave and humble” to downgrade a route or just to take the higher grade. If you do, Jens will be proud.
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Peter – Yes, however you would have to look up whatever memorial day is in Sweden first and do it on that day for even more points.
Craig – I also see that you spent your weekend climbing routes with not really inappropriate names. I imagine that was more fun but perhaps a bit less meaningful than the time spent with burfur jr.
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i like my tunnel vision. it makes putting off my dissertation seem like part of a “plan”, and it offers a nice way to elide the forthcoming enviro-petro-economo-apocalypse. in terms of what “really” matters, i’m seriously not sure that my/our climbing endeavors are any less important than anything else we might be involved in. it certainly seems less vacuous than the 5 years i spent in the military-industrial complex; fighting wars to protect the interests of domestic capital is neither honorable nor satisfying.
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