"Seize the day because each one of us is going to one day stop breathing!"
-Robin Williams (RIP My Hero)
The other day I was watching a video on YouTube because television is dead to me. For reasons that escape me I watched a show about a guy who lives in the Northwest Territories of (oh) Canada 🇨🇦 eh and lives completely off the land. To begin this man is much manlier than any man I've ever seen. He's a trapper and expert builder of shelter and trapping trails. In an emergency I want this dude in my group. I have to say I was shocked at the stuff that he did but I couldn't turn away. In one video he took his trusty Bravo, or skidoo ( a word I had no idea was really a word ) and found a wolverine alive in a trap he'd set. The animals' leg was caught and he , being a trapper, was exceedingly excited about this discovery. He then took care of the animal mended its leg and it scampered of where it now lives in a wilderness-domestic partnership with a weasel. Or at least that's what my brain has convinced me happened to protect me.
As an Inuit and member of the tribe this man is allowed to hunt in the area as long as he maintains a certain number of "dispatched " (killed) animals. I'm not a hunter. I've no interest in it. But I couldn't help but watch as this man went through his unbelievably difficult routine day after day. It made me think about my own life and the things I complain about (like for example this green tea which was supposed to be HOT not COLD, ugh). Imagine if walking to work you had to worry about a pack of wolves chasing you across fifth avenue. Or if a grizzly bear decided to sun itself on the hood of your 3 Series. First of all that would totally scratch the clear coat and your ass would be at the dealership telling Devon that you think it was your neighbors kids who did it. Secondly your ass would get eaten. By a big ass bear. Take that Goldilocks, I bet that didn't feel just right. This dude, who is named Andrew which made me laugh for some reason, deals with that shit every day. And he just keeps calm and presses on. Probably because he has an HMR rifle on his shoulder. But still. He chooses to live this way. He goes out of his way to make life fairly difficult for himself. No. That's not the truth. The truth is he rolls with shit better. He accepts challenges. He controls his reactions and is able to press on. That's something I admire in people. Adversity comes in different forms. Sometimes as I've said in the past life punches you in the balls. We choose whether or not we want to lay down on the ground and roll around holding our crotches. Andrew walks through the NWT (sounds like a safe neighborhood) with a rifle and catches animals to skin and sell and eat. One time I saw him shoot and butcher a bull moose. Think about that for a second. If I saw a moose on the stupid little trail I hike on I would probably 💩 my 👖. Not him. He dispatched the animal and ate it. When life gave him moose he made moose jerky in the smokeshack THAT HE BUILT BY HAND. And then complained to himself was too small. Insane. But in a way beautiful. Again I'm not a hunter. It's a lifestyle I don't think I could ever take on myself. But I do see appeal of rugged living. It's freeing. It makes you feel capable and confident. Self reliance that would make Theodore Roosevelt look like David Spade. I'm not saying I'm going camping or anything. The closest I'd get is staying in a hotel without a restaurant in the lobby. That's roughing it. But I do wish I had the resolve and strength that Andrew has. The ability to look at life and say you ain't punching my nuts I'm kicking yours!!! All too often I'm willing to give up or try only so much instead of grab life by the ears and YANK as hard as I can. Instead I let myself down. Watch as opportunities pass by in my rear view mirror. Strength is a beautiful thing but it takes work. Just like lifting weights in the gym we have to exercise our brains and hearts. Give ourselves the benefit of the doubt from time to time and let our confidence grow. Sometimes when I'm walking to work I'll actually pretend wolves are chasing me. Not for any particular reason just for fun. But I'd like to think that if they were I would survive. Or at least end up with a cool disfigurement. Or a nice evil backstory. Lind of like Uncle Scar. Or Darth Vader. Because being a villain is fun. So be prepared and long live the new improved king of the forest, Andrew the Canadian Inuit tough wilderness man. The next time you're complaining that the air conditioning on the train isn't cool enough or the foam on your latte is not in the shape of a Maple Leaf, think about the things that really screw up your day. Like packs of hungry wolves. Or bears who lounge on luxury automobiles. Until we meet again, be safe out there and enjoy the sunshine.
See you Wednesday, eh.
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