I
free-fall 40 feet, fracturing the crisp Sierra Nevada air. Bouncing
and rolling down another 400 feet over rock and ice, I mar the
tranquil alpine tundra with bones and blood. Somehow, I live. “What
will you do with your one wild precious life?” whispers the
landscape.
I
quit my job and travel across the US and Asia, discovering myself
through the world around me. I experience deep pain, wonder,
confusion, and clarity. I guide wilderness trips, gaining grace and
confidence. “I’m doing this for you,” I smile, “and me.”
I
return to Mount Giraud three times, finally summiting its austere
12,608 foot beauty. I sit atop what transformed my life, gazing down,
grateful. Again, “What will you do with your one wild precious
life?”
I
return to my roots and practice Chinese medicine, providing quality
holistic healthcare with the same curiosity and respect as I’d
approached Giraud. Wilderness experiences invigorate my embodied
understanding of life, and the body. Nature bolsters classical
Chinese medical theory, strengthens my clinical logic and intuition,
and enlivens profound metaphors for explaining complex concepts and
crafting well-rounded treatment plans.
I
ground my busy professional life by digging in my garden, and
exploring wild places inaccessible by car. On longer adventures, I
challenge both constructed and actual physical and mental
limitations, gracefully honoring what’s unchangeable, and gently
transforming more malleable boundaries. Through
experience,
I ask my patients, students, and community, “What will you do with
your one wild precious life?”
