Happy Sunday,106 steps above Drumheller, Alberta, stands the World’s Largest Dinosaur. 4 weeks ago, I stood at the top of it, peering through the teeth, with my almost-four-year-old nephew. 24 years before, I climbed those same stairs on a grade 4 field trip. Dinosaurs were the theme, and Drumheller had the goods. I remember thinking it was wild that a place like that existed so close to home. I didn’t know what “topography” meant yet. But I felt it. The hoodoos, the fossils, the badlands. Everything seemed impossibly old. I hadn’t been back to Drumheller since. Never climbed the dinosaur again. Never thought I would. But there I was, 150ft up, feeling like a kid again. I felt the same way walking through the museum, sitting in the tiny church, and nervously crossing the suspension bridge. When you go back to places from your childhood, you’re not the same. But the kid in you is still there. And sometimes, being around a kid is all you need to see the world like a kid again. You don’t need to chase the past. But you can visit it. Let childhood curiosity remind you where to look. That’s what stuck with me, standing inside the mouth of a giant dinosaur for the second time. My nephew was over it. “Come on, Uncle Mike,” he said, three steps down. “Ice cream time.” And down we went, making new memories.
June in 3 snapshots 📱 Phone game spiral — Got got by an Instagram ad. Didn’t download that game… but ended up playing a baseball game. Then a golf game. Spent a rainy Saturday checking stats and grinding for upgrades. Phone games are like every other drug. Fun in bursts, dangerous in doses. 🚶♂️ Riverwalking & talking — On a sunny Friday, Mr. Daisy rode in on his motorcycle. We walked to eat, and kept walking. Up through the neighborhood and down along the Elbow. We talked about divine encounters and how to get rich or die trying. 5hrs to wander and wonder before he rode away. 🏒 Oilers in the SCF — Two years in a row, the boys in copper & blue came within two wins of the Stanley Cup. It stings, but it was a fun run straight through the spring. Caught the last win of the season with Bubbs and the boys. Priceless.
3 Lessons Learned I. Fear sits in your mind like fog. It obscures reality, making you squint to see things that aren’t there. When you can act on something, however small, it clears out the fog. Action reminds you what you can control. II. Don’t rush when you don’t have to. So much of life is appointments and schedules, rushing through one thing to rush through the next. When you have space not to rush, slow down. Be present, let yourself breathe. Appreciate the moments when you don’t have to be anywhere or be anyone. III. You can’t move on without taking risks. Every choice is a risk. Not choosing anything is a risk. No matter what you choose, something will go wrong sooner or later. Being human means moving on, striving for the next thing. You might not get what you’re after. But it’s always worth the risk.
3 fun things to check out
I’ll leave you with a quote 🤔 “Anyone can carry his burden, however hard, until nightfall. Anyone can do his work, however hard, for one day. Anyone can live sweetly, patiently, lovingly, purely, till the sun goes down. And this is all life really means.” — Robert Louis Stevenson Until next time, Scotty
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