Lewis And Clark Pay Attention

Home
>
Inspirational
>
Lewis And Clark Pay Attention

Lewis And Clark Pay Attention

As I write this Southern California has just ended its second week of triple digit temperatures. The intense heat changes the way we live and alters the rhythm of our days. We are up earlier to walk the dog while the park is still cool. We spend a lot of time indoors in the air conditioning. We've been eating better. We don't want to heat up the house with the stove ? so it's salads and chicken from the grill. And, as I don't want to head out in my black car two or three times a day, I find myself thinking more about what I need to do and combining trips and make lists.

When I take a break and flop in front of the TV I watch the third Hurricane in as many weeks bear down on Florida. When I try to call the airline to book my Christmas vacations a cheerful voice tells me there is no-one to answer my call right now because of the extreme weather across most of this country.

It occurs to me that we're paying attention to the weather. Or, more accurately, Mother Nature is commanding our attention whether we want to give it or not.

I'm reminded of a trip of the Western states I took years ago when I followed the river course of Lewis and Clark. They took on the amazingly brave project of finding a water route to the Pacific Ocean through uncharted, then-foreign territory. They took their guidance from the Indians and sailed for years on swollen rivers around mountains and plains where no white man had ever been. They rose when the sun rose and took to their beds when dusk fell ? battling mosquitoes as big as small birds throughout the night. Illness and hunger were their frequent companions. Fear walked in step with them.

They paid attention to the weather.

In 1803 when they began their expedition it would have been unthinkable to have made any decision on their journey without considering what nature would bring that day. A wrong move could have exposed them to great danger or even death and could've meant the abandonment of their trip ? ten years in the planning.

Today, we're pretty much cocooned inside our aggressively air-conditioned or heated automobiles, homes and offices. When we venture outside we wear space-industry fabrics which conserve our body heat or wick moisture away from our skin. We don't even need to go outside. From our computer we can make a living, socialize and keep in touch with our extended family all from one room.

It's easy to forget that we survive with the grace of, and at the mercy of, a natural world which has its own laws.

So every so often when we are stopped in our tracks by nature and we become aware of the all-encompassing reality which contains our all-important man-made world our perspective shifts.

We become aware of the dualities of our lives. Controllable or uncontrollable. Important or unimportant. Man-made or natural. And as always reality guides us just as surely as it guided that brave party from the Missouri to the Pacific Ocean.

Mary Rosendale is a writer, speaker and Founder of "The Constructed Life" a unique Holistic Life Coaching Service which assists people in re-directing their lives with purpose and action. Visit her on the web at http://www.TheConstructedLife.com and sign up for her free newsletter or check out her blog at http://TheCosntructedlife.blogs.com

In The News:

Yahoo! News: Top Stories

Gaza fighting rages despite cease-fire proposal (AP)

AP - Israel resumed its Gaza offensive Wednesday, bombing heavily around suspected smuggling tunnels near the border with Egypt after a three-hour lull to allow in humanitarian aid. Hamas responded with a rocket barrage.

Pink slips pile higher amid deepening recession (AP)

AP - Pink slips are piling higher as companies scramble to cut costs even deeper to survive the country's economic and financial storms.

Obama taps spending watchdog, eyes Social Security (AP)

AP - Pointing with concern to "red ink as far as the eye can see," President-elect Barack Obama pledged Wednesday to tackle out-of-control Social Security and Medicare spending and named a special watchdog to clamp down on other federal programs even as he campaigned anew to spend the largest pile of taxpayer money in history to revive the sinking economy.

Senate Democrats yield to Obama, retreat on Burris (AP)

AP - Senate Democrats beat a hasty retreat Wednesday from their rejection of Roland Burris as President-elect Barack Obama's successor, yielding to pressure from Obama himself and from senators irked that the standoff was draining attention and putting them in a bad light. Burris said with a smile he expected to join them "very shortly."

Fatal Calif. train station shooting sparks anger (AP)

AP - Protests over the fatal shooting of an unarmed man by a Bay Area Rapid Transit police officer turned violent Wednesday night, with windows broken, streets shut down and train stations closed.

Obama hails 'extraordinary' moment with presidents (AP)

AP - Confronting a grim economy and a Middle East on fire, Barack Obama turned Wednesday to perhaps the only people on the planet who understand what he's in for: the four living members of the U.S. presidents' club.

Melting snow causes heavy flooding in Wash. state (AP)

AP - Rain and high winds lashed Washington state Wednesday, causing widespread avalanches, mudslides, flooding and road closures as the heavy snowfall that has buried parts of the state began to rapidly melt.

Feds say inauguration attractive terrorist target (AP)

AP - The upcoming inauguration of Barack Obama is an attractive target for international and domestic terrorists, but U.S. intelligence officials have no information about specific threats to the Jan. 20 event.

'Dark Knight' sweeps People's Choice Awards (AP)

AP - Holy People's Choice Awards, Batman!

Lin, Harvard upset No. 17 Boston College 82-70 (AP)

AP - Jeremy Lin scored 27 points to lead Harvard to an 82-70 upset over No. 17 Boston College on Wednesday night, three days after the Eagles upset previously top-ranked North Carolina.

Israel bombards Gaza as U.S. backs ceasefire proposal (Reuters)

Reuters - Israeli warplanes bombed targets across the Gaza Strip on Thursday and tanks advanced on Palestinian guerrillas as U.S. backing for a truce proposal raised expectations of an end to the offensive.

Obama to lay out case for stimulus in speech (Reuters)

Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama will call for quick action on a fiscal stimulus package in a speech on Thursday aimed at reassuring Americans that he is determined to stem the economic crisis.

Rockets from Lebanon hit northern Israel: police (Reuters)

Reuters - Three rockets fired from Lebanon exploded in northern Israel on Thursday, the first since the Jewish state launched an offensive in Gaza two weeks ago, Israeli police said.

Profit warnings, job losses herald lasting slowdown (Reuters)

Reuters - A fresh wave of profit warnings and job cuts soured investor sentiment on Thursday after an employment report suggested U.S. job losses in December could be the worst in almost 60 years.

Senate Democrats move to seat Burris (Reuters)

Reuters - In an abrupt switch, Democratic leaders began talks on Wednesday to swear in Roland Burris, appointed by embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate.

Budget deficit to hit $1.2 trillion in fiscal 2009 (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. budget deficit will swell to a record $1.186 trillion in fiscal 2009, congressional forecasters said on Wednesday, the result of an economic recession that has cut tax receipts and caused massive government bailouts of banks and automakers.

Mumbai-like attack could happen in U.S. : Bush aide (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. cities are vulnerable to an attack like the gun-and-grenade assault that terrorized Mumbai for three days and killed 179 people, the White House homeland security adviser said on Wednesday.

"Enemy combatant" will be early test for Obama (Reuters)

Reuters - The case of Ali al-Marri, accused of being an al Qaeda "sleeper" agent and held for 5-1/2 years at a U.S. military prison in South Carolina, will be an early test for President-elect Barack Obama.

Four rockets hit northern Israel from Lebanon: military (AFP)

AFP - Four rockets hit northern Israel from Lebanon early Thursday, military sources told AFP.

Israel bombs Gaza tunnels as peace moves gather pace (AFP)

AFP - Israeli warplanes bombed suspected arms-smuggling tunnels in southern Gaza early Thursday, as diplomats worked to secure a ceasefire in an offensive that has killed 700 Palestinians.

Lewis And Clark Pay Attention

Inspirational Inspirational