A view of the Rockies from the upper deck of Coors Field
A few months ago, Sensei Tony and I had a conversation in which he gave me some memorable advice: “Follow your bliss.” I was telling him how much I loved my trip to Denver. I had never been to the city, and the thought had never crossed my mind to visit. I was there for a conference. But even just visiting a small area in LoDo (lower downtown), I fell in love with Denver. And I’ve convinced my family to take a vacation to Colorado this summer. I want to see more.
Sensei told me that he had a student some years ago who had a similar experience in Colorado and eventually moved there. This is not to suggest that we’re moving anytime soon. But it was this anecdote that led him to say, “Follow your bliss.”
The view of Denver from the banks of the South Platte River
I’ve been thinking about this recently because I’ve getting much more enthusiastic about hiking the trails, particularly the Appalachian Trail, around the mid-Atlantic region. I’ve enjoyed hiking since I was a teenager but have long made little effort to get out there and trek. For the last four or five months, before the cold set in, I urged several family members to do some hiking with me. I’ve also set up a closed Facebook page for some friends to recruit fellow hikers and to share experiences. And, after reading the book To a Mountain in Tibet, I’ve even started researching a hiking trip to Nepal.
To those closest to me, it can sound like I’ve taken on a new fad. But I feel moved to follow my bliss. I don’t want to be 60 and realize there were things I didn’t do that I wish I had done.
Follow your bliss.
