16
MOUNTAINLIFE
SUMMER2016
This longer versionof ancient poet Horace’s
now-classic aphorism translates into,“Seize the
day, put very little trust in tomorrow (the future).”
Generally chopped after the thirdword,“carpe
diem”has become a time-honoured, rallying
cry aboutmaking themost of our time on this
planet,while never taking for granted the fact that
tomorrowmay never come.
In theCoastMountains, that spirit can inspire us
topursue our dreams to their summits and seek
out adventure in themists of forgottenplaces.
It canguide us to craft a lifeworth living, but
like everything, fromdating to trying to sell a
cookbook, these days the Internet is screwing it up.
Onedoesn’t need to read toomuchphilosophy
to figureout howunlikely it is that ol’ Horace
scratched thosewords downon scrolls in thehopes
itwould eventually help you to justify skipping
work to start day-drinking vodka, andmakingpoor
decisions ona rope swing in searchofYouTube
fame. Even2039 years later, thereneeds tobe a
differencebetween
carpediem
and#YOLO.
Or does there? If everything evolves, and change
is the only constant innature, perhaps it is time
for humanity to seize fewer days for awhile, and
instead, let some slipby.
There is nothingwrongwithdoingnothing.
As informationbombards us exponentially faster
than it ever has before in the history of life itself,
there becomes increasinglymore value in letting
yourmind, your awareness, and your entire day
just drift away intonothingness.
And the best place todo it is outside, innature,
in the summertime.Mothers have known this all
along (“You’re bored?Goplay outside!”), but
science is beginning toquantify the benefits of
idle time.That rhythmic bliss of listening towaves
crashing endlessly, orwatching thewinddance
through a forest canopy is quite likely helping
your brain recharge, boosting creativity, and aiding
in consolidating the bombardment of target
marketing andbranded content you just scrolled
past on the toilet, seeingwhat your 875“friends”
got up to in the last 45minutes.
So let’s aim formoremeaningless, directionless,
utterly randomdowntime this summer. Let’s findabit
morenothingness–even twohoursaweek.There’s
plentyof adventure in thesehills,andevery reason to
goafter it,but don’t beafraid toditch thebike,boots
or paddleboards for theoccasional hammock,beach
towel or lengthy Russiannovel. Because just as the
best adventures areusually foundbyaccident, soare
someof thebest partsof yourmind.When you set
nogoals, thebrainopensup to thenatural ebband
flowof things;and thatmight bewhere themagic is,
or at the very least, a littlemental salvation.
This summer, don’t seize the day at all. Free it…
solvodiem!
– Feet Banks
FEETFIRST
“Carpe diem, quamminimum credula postero.”
Good lookingnothing. MARCMACKAY
EDITOR’S
MESSAGE
