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Show THE ZEPHYR/JUNE-JULY 2008 only all of humankind could walk with me and think the same thoughts I have. There lies the big spiny burr under Lyons’ saddle, and mine, and many others. it’ s time to speak up about it. Statements like that are made out of an outrageous and impossible assumption, or pretense, a disregard of what most of us take to be the real world of conflict and cruelty and madness, of beauty, little victories, pleasures. Thinking the thoughts of the guru you choose isn’t going to change that world one bit. Hey, it’s time to come down to earth. Besides, who would want to walk into “the wild” with that guy, any way, with all his I's and me’s dangling? And have the same thoughts? Yet, so many defenders of “the wild,” and wilderness talk that way. It’s a habit one gets into. So terribly easy to speak your personal vision and expect those words to, overnight, create the magic carpet that will take us all into another world, no conflict, no cruelty, no madness. Statements like that are made out of an outrageous and impossible assumption, or pretense, a disregard of what most of us take to be the real world of conflict and cruelty and madness, of beauty, little victories, pleasures. Thinking the thoughts of the guru you choose isn’t going to change that world one bit. Hey, it’s time to come down to earth. A Celebration Reading im of & Writing Moab, Utah Join us for a 3-day writing workSnoOp or come for the weekenc. Robert Michael Pyle writes in the opposite fashion, opening out to the wide, wide world. www.moabconfluence.org “Whether it’s a dramatic guru like Bigfoot, or a subtle, simple, humble creature such as a little butterfly, wild things know how to live. . . . if we can try clearly to see through their eyes, to experience something of what they experience, without making the assumption that we ever can truly share their eptitude, it gives us firmer purchase on what is out there. And can'that be anything but good ?” (4) The narrow-visioned among us are themselves threatened by the truly mad seciety we all endure these days. When messiahs see that diversity in the clans and tribes and families blinding them to “the truth,” the visionarie can turn bitter, “Nobody listens. Nobody takes my vision to heart. I am speaking to sub-human people. There’s no hope there.” a Celebrate and study the works of 7@ Edward authors Abbey with guest & public readings. Is there hope there? Yes. I’ll shout it: YES ! “You don’t roll some unitary boulder of language or justice uphill: you try, with others, to assist in cutting many stones, laying a foundation.” (5) What is out there on this planet are polar bears, ice and tundra melting, whales and condors, butterflies and jaguars on the brinks of extinction and we, humankind, also on the brink. We will have to take seven-league steps to catch up. There is precious little time to stop wars, establish democracy in our nation and quit trying to rule the world. Let’s get into first gear, “.. ., with others, cutting many stones, laying a foundation.” Ihope that, along the way, we remember Ed Abbey’s motto: “Sentiment Without Action PLEASE NOTE OUR NEWEMAIL :ADDRESS::2:702 cczephyr@gmail.com is the Ruin of the Soul.” 1., John Muir, My First Summer in the Sierra. The year was 1869. The citations are from the Penguin edition, 1987. 2., Martin Murie, Seriously Insistent, Pages 52-54.. Packrat Books, 2003. 3., Stephen Lyons, Whole Earth, Fall, 1999. 4., Robert Michael Pyle, Walking the High Ridge. Life as a Field Trip. Minneapolis. Milkweed Editions, 2000. 5., Adrienne Rich, Credo of a Compassionate Skeptic, Los Angeles Times Book Review. Sunday, March 11, 2001. 6., Quoted by Terry Tempest Williams in An Unspoken Hunger. Stories From the Field. Random House, 1994. Wilderne of Utah was established in 1993 to teach medical principles for a backcountry environment where there is no medical help available. Certain injuries and illnesses are common to backcountry sports and activities. Many of these popular activities include ee skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking, and whitewater river runnin Wilderness Medicine of Utah offers programs to. train and prepare you in prevention, management, and evacuation techniques for medical-p in ‘the backcountry. These courses are certification programs to foster. contin J ing. — Sur instructors are all certified with the Advanced Wilderness Life upport (AWLS) certificate or with a WFR certificate. They come from the University of Utah School of Medicine or have years of experience with Wilderness Medicine 5 of Utah. All profits from our courses are donated to the University of Utah School of Medicine to be used for research, education, and student activities which contrib- ADOPTION DAYS, 10 to noon, every other saturday. CALL 259-HUMANE for date & location. For information or to make a donation contact: HUMANE SOCIETY OF MOAB VALLEY att: Shelfer Fund, _ Dept Z PO Box 188 Moab, UT 84532 hsmv@citlink.net...259.HUMANE See available cats and dogs at www-moabpets.org - ute to the growth.and development of wilderness medicine. 2008 COURSE SCHEDULE June 9-14SLC November 10-15 Springdale www.wmutah.org ~ . |
