It is a one-way trip.
Each moment of life is a an irreplaceable jewel. If we could carry death on our left shoulder the way Carlos Castaneda suggests and treat every moment as the treasure it is, we would never waste our lives being angry, or petty. We would treat each encounter with a person or a place as the last one. Life continues to change, and with that change we evolve into something new. It doesn’t make what was before wrong but it is gone forever…
I think living here has for me been an opportunity to see this cyclic nature of seasons and yet every season is different. Certainly, I am different with each season.
At the end of my long life what I have discovered is that there are no ordinary days.
— Jean Aspen, Arctic Daughter: A Lifetime of Wilderness (2018)
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Live & Learn 
An excellent, timely and timeless message, David! I look forward to checking out Arctic Daughter. Thank you here and the absolutely stunning photos on Instagram! ❤️
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Thank you Erica. I enjoyed the Documentary. Great Sunday morning video. Sad. Heard she died late last year.
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I watched clip just now….some deja vu? flashback? my husband and I met in the Yukon (me age 19) and travelled to Alaska many times – yes 50degree below/wind chill/exhilarating/impossible to describe the lure and beauty – I will track down documentary – life affirming/grateful – thank you!
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Wow. That’s Something!
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Reblogged this on It Is What It Is and commented:
Simply awesome!! … “At the end of my long life what I have discovered is that there are no ordinary days.” — Jean Aspen, Arctic Daughter: A Lifetime of Wilderness (2018).
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Thank you for this profoundly penetrating post…will certainly watch their documentary. Love hearing perspectives from you high Northern people, Erica, and David, and Jean Aspen. Is it easier for those in such an environment to be more “in the moment”? No matter, it’s the fullest way to live.
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Thanks Valerie. I think there isn’t much choice but to live in the moment. Esp in the Arctic. Jean Aspen was one tough lady.
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Ohhh, this looks like a must watch! I admire people like Jean who are willing to push the envelope in nature. My parents spent many a season camping in remote areas of the boundary waters of Canada–would be dropped off in the middle of nowhere by a bush pilot with a few weeks supplies and their guide, an incredible guy named Bill Magee. Hunted and fished for food, camped, just generally unplugged. Sadly, this is not me. Just never been one who embraced testing myself against the elements, but all the respect for those who do….
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Wow. What Parents!!! You can’t live without your hair dryer for a week or so?
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Yeah, they were quite the adventurers. Oh, I can do without the hairdryer just fine. It’s the bugs and the lack of a nice, hot shower that gets to me. And yes, I’m a wimp.
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Smiling. The Arctic looks so spectacular and majestic. Yet they never seem to show you the black flies and mosquitoes as big as your fist. I hear you Lori.
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Exactly! I distinctly remember my mom coming home from one trip with both eyes swollen shut, her face the shape of a basketball from all the bites. Decided right then and there that a ‘coffee table book experience’ of the wild worked just fine for me. 😉 That said, I LOVED our African safari — would do that again in a heartbeat. So I am not exactly consistent in my whims….
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Smiling. No worries Pal. I have your back. 🙂
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There are no ordinary days – spot on
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beautiful David ~ enjoyed Arctic daughter ☺️🙏smiles hedy
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Awesome Hedy. Thanks for letting me know.
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I would love to go further north ☺️🤓
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We all would.
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Words of wisdom from one so young but has the intent to learn through all things.
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Yes. But she was later in life when she documented her journey and passed away last year at 70+ I believe. Still young.
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Beautiful message. We live on such vast abundant land and it would be such a gift to live so simply and so free! 🙏🏻
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So true Karen.
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Thank you for sharing this and helping me to remind myself the true way to live every day is to be aware that this moment can be the last moment
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So true. Thank you.
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