Take the Leap!
We're sitting around the campfire on the last night of our trip, sharing our favorite trip experiences, enjoying the company of our new friends, and hoping quietly that it doesn't have to end when Vlad, our trip leader, indicates that he wants to say a few words. With the last rays of the sun glowing on the canyon wall, Vlad gently offers this piece of advice to the circle of camp chairs—"Don't live a boring life."
It's so simple that it silences us, but then folks begin to nod and smile—it's satisfying to realize that for the past few days the word boring has not been a part of our vocabulary. Vlad's mostly preaching to the choir—the fact that we're on a multi day wilderness raft trip indicates a lust for adventure and new experience—but he's also giving us a piece of wisdom to carry with us as we leave the river behind.
One of my favorite parts of being a river guide is watching people successfully challenge themselves and try new things. It's not easy to stand on the edge of a jump rock before taking the leap, and it's not easy to get into a duckie for the first time, but the result of trying something new is often bliss.
People often thank me for being their guide, but what they don't know is that I'm addicted to seeing them have a good time. I'll never forget seeing smiles stretched across faces after that first jump or after paddling that first rapid. It's our guests' enthusiasm and spirit of adventure that makes every trip feel like the first one for me.
