I saw this on a friends Facebook wall yesterday and was stopped dead in my scrolling tracks when I read it. So many of us think “I can do that when the kids get older, when I retire, when I…..” What if “when” never comes?
In 1993, Mark crossed one of his dreams off his list: to be the first Duluth-born finisher of the Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon. After reaching that goal, he moved on to the next; running in Alaska’s 1,000-mile Iditarod. In 1995 we made the decision to go for it and started seeking sponsors, training the dogs and refinanced our house to be able to afford it. (The cost back then: $17,000). His mom said to us in the midst of preparation “why not wait until you can afford it”. The reason below is why. Was it the smartest financial decision we made, no. But it was our decision to pursue his dream. Any regrets about making that decision, NO WAY! Mark has seen a side of Denali (Mount McKinley) that very few people ever will. He and his 16 dogs ran up and over the Alaska Range. How freaking cool is that?
I’m not saying you should make totally unsound financial decisions like we did, because it did catch up with us later. We sacrificed taking winter vacations on the beach and chose to spend that time outside, in the middle of winter, sleeping on straw bales, with little sleep and no showers for a few days to a week at a time, racing a team of dogs that we raised and trained. Our choice, our time, no regrets.
Life is meant to be lived, GO LIVE IT! Time cannot be borrowed or bought and before you know it you will be running out of it.
Motivate. Inspire. Empower.
Aging Youthful
