Someday is Another Word for Never
Everyone needs to almost die.
By the way, this is my report on my Solo Sabbatical in Yosemite. Everyone has been asking me about my time in Yosemite alone at the end of January/beginning of February – so here it is. I blogged a thank you to my pastor in Illinois on why I was doing a solo sabbatical in Yosemite as well as my first report with a follow up there. I do not intend to post all the reports here. This site is about Yosemite Summit, so this will be the ONLY post about my Solo Sabbatical, if you want to follow the “deeper” reports on my trip and more photos, you’ll need to follow my personal blog, but I did want to post an official report here as well as the highlight video I made to show the best of the photos I took. And now back to the report in progress! As I was saying…
Everyone needs to almost die…
And no, I’m not referring to almost being struck by lightening in Yosemite last year! And I’m not directly talking about my near heart attack last year either – though for all practical purposes I might as well be. If almost dying twice in 2009 taught me anything (and it taught me a lot!) it made me realize that long life is not something you should assume. So let me say it again, and I really hope you will hear me this third time: (this is now directly from my journal on my solo sabbatical)
Everyone ought to almost die. If not, they really should try to pretend or reflect on what it means to live as though they are not sure of long life.
Let me set the record straight. I’m not afraid of dying. Never was. But after almost dying (twice!) I’m no longer afraid of living! I refuse to put off the life I want. If that sounds selfish, let me rephrase it – I refuse to put off what I believe God is calling me to do. (sound better?) I no longer assume far off “somedays” exist! Two to three years is as long as I assume I have. That DOESN’T mean I think I’m a dead man in five years! Without going into detail – I have a clean bill of health, I avoided a heart attack, and have a stent in a healthy heart. It just means that if I want to do something, I START PLANNING IT! I know better now – start planning it, or it’ll never happen!
Someday is just another word for NEVER!
What are you saying you will do someday? Write a book? Go on some dream vacation? Produce a resource? Start a business? (Go on Yosemite Summit or Unbridled?) I can’t even guess what it is for YOU, but YOU know what I’m talking about… I’m scratching that itch RIGHT NOW. I know I am.
The point is, start planning it NOW. At least get out a pad of paper and start scratching out the first few steps.
One of my life long dreams was to go to Yosemite in Winter. It seemed impossible. The only way it happened was to start planning it. And then God came along and took care of the “impossible” part for me! He surprised me by taking care of the one detail I couldn’t manage. Do you think God won’t do that for you? Do you think He loves me more than you? Bah!
Watch this video of my little dream come true. This took over four years to come true. Even longer if you count the years I was too scared and too busy to dream the dream! Enjoy! Two days snow shoeing through Yosemite in winter and then ask yourself,
What “someday” am I not trusting God for? And start planning it.
Download: YosemiteWinter-byKarlBastian.mov (38mb MOV) 640×480