Living and Learning in the Moment

Hiking in the Galiuros AZ with NOLS/WMI

In my prior post, I echoed advice by others that one should develop a vision for one’s life roles and goals with the “End” in mind.  My experience in the past week at the NOLS/Wilderness Medicine expedition course underscored the need to also "be" in the present.  While the course gave me what I sought – some grounding in medical assessment, initial treatment, and triaging when in low resource situations – it unexpectedly provided significantly more of value.  I believe this was because I had inadvertently put myself into a situation where I was completely out of my usual comfort and competency zone.

During the week, I spent 24/7 with five other people I had never previously met, doing something (backpacking in the wilderness) I have only done once before, and that over 35 years ago.  I was challenged to learn wilderness medicine, but also backpacking and camping expertise, route planning, and (most importantly) teamwork and relationship skills.  I was constantly doing risk assessment: “Can I safely climb this boulder or step on this rock or do this traverse with a 40 lb backpack?” (Usually, yes) “Could that be a rattlesnake I am heading towards?” (YES!! on 4 separate occasions) “Do I know where we are?” (Not always)  My mind could not wander far, nor did I have time to ponder the future except at night on the hard ground, and then I was too tired to care.  I was instead intensely in the present, trying to wring what I could from this experience and the expertise of others.

 

Fortunately, the “others” were an exceptional collection of individuals.  My fellow students were mature beyond their years, and accomplished both in their professional lives (ER resident, nurse practitioner, nurse) and their avocations (collegiate soccer, Ironmans, marathons, wilderness pursuits, and international travel including climbing Mt Kilimanjaro).  Our two course leaders were a champion ultramarathoner (100 mile races) who began this sport after becoming a mom and a nurse, and a person who had kayaked the coast of Chile and bicycled to Belize while also inventing a whole assortment of items and leading countless NOLS courses. Oh, and all of this while also being a nurse, EMT and husband.  These few sentences do not nearly capture the depth of their personalities or the quality of our discussions around the camp stove and on the trail.

In retrospect, somehow I was insightful or lucky enough to have arranged just such a trip this early into my reinvention.  I was forced to look at myself both formally and informally outside of my usual roles and common settings in the company of gifted strangers with whom I journeyed, cooked, slept, and learned.  The experience has provided me with both confidence in the direction I am taking and a sense of humility.