New Discoveries

Gina Halverson

They come around pretty fast when you are fresh out of the gate: First sound, first breath, first scent, first - well you get the idea. During childhood they are in every moment - new discoveries, sights, sounds, feelings, and words to help catalogue them all.

In our teens we seem to acclimate to firsts, the everyday ones become less striking as we wade into deeper layers of similar experiences. Our drives and passions set us into motion towards goals . . . first date, kiss, job, driver's license, paycheck (this one seems to pull us in to cycles), prom, pet, road trip with friends, alcoholic drink (or other mind altering substance), etc.

As adults these may flicker into first house or first childbirth or vacation to (insert new place), first day of new job or exposure to game/software/place/event/music. But they seem to pile into the layers of similar experiences as soon as our mind lets us. Perhaps it is in our dna to turn new things into "similar to" for our own survival.

Then one day BAM! you realize your life is 3/4 over (if you are lucky) and your physical body has limited use. About that time your memory starts to fade too. You think, "hey, maybe I need a bucket list" for all the things planned but somehow fell to the wayside. We only have the one life and those first time events are still important, maybe more so. The children are grown and living their own life, time to live ours without reservation while we still can.

And while doing those things perhaps we can bring joy to those around us and maybe even future generations. Our effect on the land we steward and the people we meet cascades beyond our fleeting existence. When the day comes when we can do very little - we will have many memories to cherish. There will be regrets too, but let us hope the cherished moments will be that which we clutch as we pass into the ether.

• Smile, they are free and contagious

• Encourage others

• Discover! Until there is only one "undiscovered country"