Avalanche Of Life

It’s that time of year again.

My yard is full of glistening snow. A handful of my fellow Colorado drivers act like they’ve never driven on icy roads before. Flames in the fireplace are a nightly occurrence. And my backcountry skis are practically vibrating at me from my gear room.

It’s time to hit the big hills, climb up them and then ski down them. And I’m not talking about shushing down slopes at Vail and Aspen dressed in your pastel unitard.

I’m talking about earning your turns.

Ski sweat equity.

Tele till you’re smelly.

Skiing in the backcountry with friends is absolutely one of the most pleasurable activities that I pursue. Even when the conditions are less than ideal… i.e. bullet proof, wind blown or just cold as balls… it’s still so much stinkin fun to go out with good peeps, skin up the flanks of some big hill and scoot down steep glades amongst the rocks and trees without the mayhem of an overcrowded ski area.

And other than the occasional gear malfunction or annoyingly painful foot blister there is only one potentially ass whoopin issue that is ever-present.

Avalanche

It’s a fact… sliding down large faces of snow is very much fun.

Another fact… these same large faces of snow react to the laws of physics in a powerfully beautiful yet devastating way as they collapse and tumble on themselves.

I’ve been in two. That’s two too many. I am making it my mission to never be in another.

This morning as I was reflecting on the potential for this season to be fat…and I’m talking phat as in phluffy… I started to consider the massive amounts of precipitation we have received here in Boulder County over the past several months (the same flood that walloped my downstairs). The hope is that this trend will continue into the winter providing us with blankets of fresh pow all season long.

I also dove in to my annual avalanche data review…just to brush up on the nature of why and when a group of innocent snowflakes up and decide they are just tired of sitting where they are and take a fast ride down because all of their millions of snowflake buddies are doing the same thing.

It was then that I began to realize the interesting parallels between the nature of avalanches and the nuances of life.

A few of the snowflakey pearls…

Understanding recent weather patterns…

            Months of history play in to what is happening right in front of you.  It’s always easy to just look at things (people) for what they are on the surface when in reality there are many issues that lead up to how things are manifesting right at this moment. There have been storms. There have been sunny blue-bird days with excessive heat. There have been days with high and swirling wind. Each day is it’s own component that create the picture that we all bring to the table. Acknowledging the past provides us more compassion in dealing with the present.

Weak layers lead to fracturing…

            It’s easy to forget that we all have layers upon layers of personality that all surface from time to time.  Although each layer sits in close proximity to the others, they are all exquisitely unique from the others. In the case of a big ripper avey… it’s always the hidden layer that is the catalyst for failure. As much as we try to hide our unstable layers…those are the ones that require the most attention. They are the ones that break.

Wind deposition can load a slope…

Wind can deposit snow 10 times faster than actual snowfall from storms. Wind will drive snow into sheltered parts of the mountain in many different directions during a storm and deposit significantly more snow in otherwise unreachable terrain. Wind is sneaky. It picks up those sweet little innocent flakes and lays them down in a spot they didn’t intend to lay down in. It’s the mystery variable that is unpredictable. Erratic behavior that leads to dangerous conditions. It's just part of it.

Being smart when traveling through sketchy terrain…

            Just because you’re not on a slope doesn’t mean all is safe. Many accidents occur to parties that are down in a drainage or run off zone. It’s the slope that’s way up high and off your radar that can sabotage you.  Being aware of surroundings and out-of-site terrain is critical.  It’s easy to become complacent in a “safe zone” and fail to recognize that the peripheral issues can slap you down if you neglect to stay vigilant.

Knowing when to stand down…

Sometimes the pieces of the puzzle just say STOP. Go home. Many climbers and backcountry skiers have an internal voice that occasionally will beckon that it’s just too sketchy today. Live for tomorrow. Ego and pride can take you up a steep slope and place you precisely in the sites of a Howitzer machine gun of a slope that doesn’t give a shit how bad ass you think you are or what mountains you’ve climbed in the past. Humility and recognition will place you back at your truck so you can plan for the next day out.

Being solid with rescue skills and traveling with capable teammates…

            I owe my life to the couple of guys I was roped up with in Alaska when I got tumbled down a hill towards a massive, bottomless crevasse. They knew how to self-arrest. They acted quickly in digging me out. They were reliable. Surrounding yourself with trustworthy and knowledgeable teammates is the only chance you have in the case that you are hit by a wall of snow. Also of importance here is for you to be reliable and strong for the other folks in your party. Careful with who you put on your rope team. A time will come when you will need them…and they will need you.

Risky but worth it. The ROI is high…

            The funny thing about avalanche prediction is… the more you know, the more you realize that avalanches are very hard to predict. You can only arm yourself with some fundamental knowledge and skills and be sure that the folks around you are also capable. Avalanches are like the funny adventure of life… they are unpredictable at best… but simply a part of the overall journey. Nothin worth doing is without consequence.

But in the end…it’s worth the risk. Some of my very best days of every year are spent skiing down mountain slopes with my buds… even though we all know the risk. The joy is deep and fulfilling. The risk is apparent. It’s just a matter of acknowledging the contributing factors and embracing them.

Find Your Bliss

Jeff

The Water That Binds

Just before I boarded my flight back home from another successful climb up Kilimanjaro, I got a texted photo from my wife Merry Beth of our son Jace stomping around in what looked like a few inches of standing water in our driveway.

“Been raining for 3 days now. Our grass is loving it and so is Jace. Safe travels honey.” Merry Beth had no idea the impact this deluge of water from the sky would have on our home and our state of Colorado. No one did.

My 14^th Kilimanjaro expedition was just a pleasure as I guided up a wonderful group of women, most of which were from New Jersey.  They all performed well and in spite of my mild reservations on spending 2 weeks with a group of “Yankee gals”, they blew me away with their kindness, humor and fortitude. I was honored to stand on top of Africa with all 12 of them after a long hard summit night. I would return home with a smile on my face and sense of satisfaction assisting these good people in achieving a life long goal.

Then the real climb began….

I awoke Thursday morning in Miami where I was scheduled to deliver a keynote speech to a group of financial advisors the next day. My first night in a comfy bed in 2 weeks provided me the kind of early morning where I continuously kept rolling over and finding deep sleep…over and over again. Until my phone rang and I saw that my wife was calling. Wait, it’s 6am there…an unusually early hour for my morning allergic wife.

“Honey, we’ve got 2 feet of water in our downstairs and it’s rising fast.”

“Not sure I heard you right…. Did you say 2ft of standing water inside our house?”

“Yes. And it’s raining hard. And I’m scared.”

Helplessness. That was my initial emotion. Then fear and concern. Then… it was time to problem solve and assure MB that we would figure this out.

Before I could even send out the help signal flare, my phone began blowing up with texts and calls from my friends that were headed over to help MB with the house.  Friends who knew I was thousands of miles away and unable to take care of my family. The cavalry was on its way.

I heard multiple times from dozens of people…

“We’ve got this.”

“What can I do to help?”

“Tell me what you need.”

“I’m on the way over to your house.”

As the morning unfolded I began receiving photos of a dozen of our friends hauling furniture to higher ground, crawling around in the muck to access soggy boxes filled with random keepsakes and artifacts as well as making calls to our extended network to get the mitigation of water underway quickly.

Throughout the day I continued to hear stories of neighbors installing sump pumps in my house to relieve the volume of water even though their own homes were still filling. Tales of friends taking 90 minutes to drive across town to our house in the middle of the night to deliver pumps and hoses… trying to find roads that weren’t washed away.  I received photo after photo of random shit from my hippy days being saved by the salvage team. I found it so poetically beautiful that many of my old “hippy friends” were finding my old hippy flotsam and jetsam saturated in the crawl space. They put their energy and love into ensuring that hundreds of old Grateful Dead ticket stubs and photos from days gone past were given a chance to dry out and perhaps be saved. The true find of the day was perhaps the most beautifully absurd… my friend Avery comes upon a ziplock bag containing a 2 ft ponytail that, perhaps in an effort to never let go of the long haired hippy that I was in my 20s, I still kept in a box, deep in the crawl space. And now…I get to keep it for another 20 years, thanks to Avery.

I returned home the next night to a house in shambles and a wife that had been strong until she saw me and finally let out all of the tension… sobbing on my shoulder.  She had been so strong the past 48 hours…not sleeping, vigilantly monitoring the house and showing our 8-year-old son how to be strong in the face of adversity.  I held her as the tension and stress of 2 days poured onto my neck from her eyes.

The smell of mold and mildew hit me first. Worse than any locker room you’ve ever stepped foot in.

My furniture and belongings piled all over the garage…pools of water surrounding stacks of soggy boxes. My Dad’s antique dresser dripping water from its drawers. All the furniture stacked high with the wood wilting with water. My son’s childrens books, lying soaked on the cement with all the pages stuck together. All of my medical school textbooks soaked from cover to cover.

Then it was time to step inside…

The living room was filled with mattresses, tables, photos, clothes, guitars and gear. Not any available floor space left. The downstairs was a maze of fans, hoses, dehumidifiers, extension cords and soggy carpet. The water heater was ruined as well as the washer/dryer and HVAC unit. The toilet was off its flange in an attempt to allow the water to flow down the sewage hole. The tub was filled with a layer of brown muck.

Ugly.

As most of the country knows now, Boulder County was crushed with biblical rain last week…. “The 500 Year Flood” hit us. Over 200 folks are still missing. Countless homes were lost. Thousands of basements were flooded and property damaged. Colorado got beat up…bad. Clearly it will take years to rebuild our roads and the communities and lives they lead up to.

But I have seen something beautiful through the clouds. Something stronger than the power of a swollen river or a flooded home.

I have seen love and compassion. I have seen consideration and kindness. Well beyond my house and its efforts, the stories of heroism abound throughout the Front Range. Daring helicopter rescues and life threatening rescue missions. Tales of taking folks in who have lost it all.

In the end we will replace the dry wall, carpet, appliances, furniture and gear. These are just “things” that have only material value. We are viewing all of the lost items as a mandated “Spring cleaning” from the universe. Time to get rid of all the shit you don’t need. A solid exercise for us all.

What I can never replace is the community that I witnessed rally in an effort to help out a friend. I am grateful and proud of our local folks. They are rock-star-heroes and I will seek out opportunities to repay the favor every chance I get.

Now we dry out and move on.

Endless gratitude to my wonderful community of friends… Keith Berger, Mike Z, Terry Stonich, Avery Stonich, Jamie Young , Finn Ingalls, Marci Zakreski, Kelly Garrison, Matt McQueen, Mary McQueen, Paul Lugar, Jerry Kress, Raeanne Vincelette, David Fowler, John Hatch, Kelly Salence, next door Dan and the countless others that offered assistance to MB and I over that 48 hour period and beyond.

Servant Leadership...With a Cappuccino

Heading home after a wonderful couple of days in the Great Northwest feeling stimulated and content from an engaging visit with the Starbucks team. Whenever I return from Washington or Oregon there seems to be this warm and compelling emotion that cool shit is going down up there…like a secret that the rest of us are just not let in on. It’s rugged, hip and proud up there. My kinda place.

When one thinks of a truly global brand that is recognizable both in it’s logo, product and atmosphere… a brand that has succeeded in demanding a universal standardization for all of its employees to follow in order to achieve a destination for community and fellowship within it’s walls... Starbucks has to be in the forefront of any list. In my travels all over the world there is one thing for certain… when I encounter the ubiquitous Starbucks store (essentially guaranteed at some point in any journey), the soy chai ice coffee I order will taste just as delicious in Chengdu, China as it will in Boulder, CO.  You know what you’re getting both with the coffee as well as the warm coffee bean smell and soft music that fills the building.

It goes without saying that in order to pull this off there must be a solid quarterback making the calls for the team. I was aware of Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz and his creation and guidance of the global icon over the years. I was only slightly familiar with the fact that he gave up his role as CEO at the turn of the millennium and coincidentally or not, Starbucks lost it’s unique character as well as a large portion of it’s share value. I had heard that he had returned to his role as master executive in mid decade and the ship had been recently righted. I really knew nothing more than this on the Starbucks saga and was quite oblivious to the mystique that surrounded its founder and leader.

Once I arrived in Seattle to provide a keynote to the Supply Chain team, I was alerted that Howard had requested a meeting with me in his office with a couple of his trusted leaders. I was honored and thrilled to meet such a legend of brand development but didn’t really think much about it as I prepared my keynote and breakout sessions for the team. So I thought it somewhat comical when, the night before the meeting, my Starbucks host asked me “Have you thought about what you are going to talk to Howard about tomorrow?” I chuckled a bit and said no, which prompted a very visible nervous twitch in my hosts manner as she was the one that set up the meeting and knew her “time with Howard” reputation would be deeply influenced by the success or failure of this unknown dirtbag, redneck climber dude and his ability to be engaging with one of the worlds leading executives. A bit of a roll of the dice for sure.

The next morning as I strolled down the hall towards the CEO’s office I see this tall, gangly fellow in khakis and a casual button down shirt walking towards us with a gracious and inviting smile. This guy looked happy and affable but not exactly how I would draw up the master chef of a global entity that had $22 billion in sales last year.

“Hi there Jeff, I’m Howard.”

And with that simply greeting, I immediately got it. This guy surely had more important tasks to tend to that morning but he found time to carve out 30 minutes for me in his office and he had done the research to know my name and my bio. He wanted to get to know who this guy was that was coming to potentially influence his most important commodity…his team.

He was inquisitive, required a lot of eye contact and focused on listening to me speak… even when I constantly tried to circle it back and inquire about him and his story. He wanted to know about my background, what drove me to climbing and adventuring around the globe. He was interested in my family, how old my son was. He wanted to know what components of leadership that I felt were the most critical. He asked how my life experiences had crafted my message. He asked and he listened.

You could tell that Starbucks, it’s employees and what the entire brand represents is critical to him. He lives it.

I have been blessed over the years to meet and spend time with some truly transformational individuals who, upon meeting them, you get the sense that they are paradigm shifting, world churning folks… Tom Brokaw, Dave Matthews, George W Bush (disliked yes, transformational and charismatic, also yes), Colin Powell, Sir Edmund Hillary, Tom Robbins (my favorite author), George Bodenheimer (ESPN CEO) and Phakchock Rinpoche (2^nd in line to the Dalai Lama) amongst others. Each of these individuals ooze charisma and clearly have that not-easily-quantifiable skill of leading and influencing the masses.

I have also met and spent time with countless executives that, although they carry the prestige and power of a big title and paycheck that comes with it, don’t incite enthusiasm and a “willingness to go to battle” from their team members. They wear their fine Italian suit and slicked back hair so as to look the part but seem to wield very little real influence except for that of fear.

After 30 minutes with Howard, I understood why the Starbucks team regards him as somewhat of a messiah. He lives for them. He asks them to join his family and represent his love child. He feels strongly that Starbucks represents diversity and community.  He has a history of telling his shareholders that there are more important issues than the bottom line…as he succinctly told a conservative, anti-gay-marriage stakeholder at a meeting last year. “Take your investment elsewhere if you don’t value diversity and inclusion” is essentially what he encouraged the narrow minded suit and tie douche. A testimony to the company’s ethos driven home.

The 30 minutes I spent with Howard that day wasn’t really about content and discussing how either one of us facilitates or conducts ourselves when leading teams. I walked away from that encounter understanding the value that a revered leader places on human interaction and dialogue. So much of our interface these days takes place in the buffered and sterile digital world. We are losing the face-to-face encounters that define our relationships and build trust. I for one am making an effort to do more face to facing instead of type to typing.

As I was leaving the Starbucks headquarters I recognized one of Howards assistants strolling my way trying to catch my attention. He handed me over Howards most recent booked titled Onward: How Starbucks Fought For It’s Life Without Losing It’s Soul.  Inside the front cover was a sincere personal note from Howard that he clearly compiled based on our conversation. He was listening.

As I have poured over the book…which is the perfect balance with the other book I’m currently reading, Greg Allman’s, My Cross To Bear (these two guys have lead very different lives by the way)… I have already dog-eared and underlined multiple pages and paragraphs that are very synergistic with my style, message and life approach.

A few of the jewels:

“There are moments in our lives when we summon the courage to make choices that go against reason, against common sense and the wise counsel of people we trust. But we lean forward nonetheless because, despite all risks and rational argument, we believe that the path we are choosing is the right and best thing to do. We refuse to be bystanders, even if we do not know exactly where our actions will lead.

This is the kind of passionate conviction that sparks romances, wins battles, and drives people to pursue dreams others wouldn’t dare. Belief in ourselves and in what is right catapults us over hurdles, and our lives unfold.

“Life is a sum of all your choices,” wrote Albert Camus. Large or small, our actions forge our futures and hopefully inspire others along the way.”

“Dream more than others think practical. Expect more than others think possible. Care more than others think wise.”

“People want guidance, not rhetoric. They need to know what the plan of action is, and how it will be implemented. They want to be given responsibility to help solve the problem and authority to act on it.”

“In times of adversity and change, we really discover who we are and what we're made of.”

That meeting inspired to go on to deliver a very impassioned keynote to the Supply Chain team. Once the smoke settled from that event I was given the opportunity to facilitate a breakout session for the SCO leadership team based on…you guessed it, servant leadership. Providing key characteristics of servant leadership to the team in order for them to enhance the way they interact with their various teams.

The day was a home run.

Leading teams is a unique and subjective process that can be achieved through countless styles and approaches. Some are effective. Some are not. Some influence partners and teammates through inspiration and buy-in. Others coerce subordinates through fear and manipulation.

I can tell you that my approach and style have been profoundly impacted by a brief, simple 30-minute meeting I had a few days ago with a guy who listens and deeply cares about the people around him.

That... and a really well brewed cappuccino.

Climb High

Jeff

A Children's Story... Being of Service

I'm honored to be featured as the main character in a wonderful children's story written by my friend Cheryl Cutting.

Cheryl's story illustrates the joy and value of being a person of service to those around you. A wonderful message for all of us for sure...but Cheryl did a masterful job at writing the story in a way that a child can grasp and understand. My own 7 year old son loves it and in fact has read it twice now. 

I would recommend that all take a read through this and find an opportunity to share it with your kids as I'm confident that they will appreciate the powerful message.

Not all stars belong to the sky! - Unknown

JEFF’S GIFT: Throwing Stars

By Cheryl A. Cutting

“Being of service doesn’t have to mean doing something big,” said Jeff.

“But with so much need in the world – how can we possibly make a difference if we

don’t do something big?” Alia wanted to know.

“That’s a great question and it reminds me of a story,” he replied.

As they sat on the beach scrunching their toes in the warm sand, Jeff shared this story:

Early one morning a man was walking along the beach. The sun was shining and it

was a beautiful day. Off in the distance he could see a girl going back and forth

between the beach and the surf’s edge. Back and forth she went again and again.

As the man approached he could see there were hundreds of starfish stranded on

the sand as a result of a storm the night before, and the girl was tossing them one by

one back into the surf.

“Young lady,” he asked, “why are you throwing starfish into the sea?”

“The sun is up, the tide is going out, and if I don’t throw them back they will die,”

she said.

“But don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and stranded starfish all

along it? You cannot possibly make a difference.” He replied.

The girl listened politely, paused and then bent down, picked up another starfish

and gently threw it back into the ocean. She then turned back to the man and said

with a smile, “I sure made a difference for that one!”

“Did the girl in the story make a difference for each starfish she threw back into the sea?”

Jeff asked.

“Absolutely!” replied Alia.

“Do you think any of those starfish are ever going to come back and thank her for saving

their lives? Or maybe they’ll send her a nice note in the mail expressing their

appreciation?” Jeff teased with a gleam in his eye.

Alia laughed at the silly thought of getting a card in the mail from a starfish. “No, I’m

pretty sure they won’t,” she said with a smile.

“So, if we don’t serve others for the gratitude and we don’t do it for the glory, then why

do it?” He asked her.

Letting sand sift through her fingers, Alia thought about the question. “Because we can

and because it’s a good thing to help people,” she replied.

“That’s certainly part of the answer, but there’s a difference between helping and

serving,” said Jeff. “If I help you then in some way I see you as less able than I am. But if

I serve you then we’re equals who simply have different abilities and resources.”

Alia was confused and it showed in the look on her face.

Jeff thought for a moment then picked up a piece of driftwood and drew two candles in

the sand.

“There’s an old saying which says:

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle

“If we’re both in the dark and both have candles but my candle has a flame and yours

doesn’t, then I can serve you by lighting your candle, right?” asked Jeff.

“Right,” Alia replied hesitantly.

 “However it doesn’t mean you’re any less than me just because you don’t have a

candle with a flame. And if I light your candle then what is my reward?”

Alia jumped up smiling and said, “I know! More light!”

“Exactly! Good job!” Jeff cheered.

“So by serving others we can light up the world and also leave our mark in some way,

right?” Alia asked. She liked the idea of making a difference even though she was still

just a kid.

Jeff got up, wiped sand from his shorts and walked a little ways leaving footprints on the

beach behind him. When he turned around he said,

 “Yes, Alia, being of service is like leaving footprints in the sand. Our footprints are the

result of our actions but quickly fade away, however as we make our imprints we also

carry some of the sand away with us, right?”

“Right,” she replied.

“So if we spend time lighting candles and throwing starfish back into the sea then even

such small gestures can make our ‘footprints’ meaningful and we get to carry some of

the good away with us too,” he continued.

“I sort of understand what you mean,” she told him.

“The footprints the girl made while tossing starfish into the sea faded as the waves

washed up on shore, erasing any sign she had ever been there. But the difference she

made in the lives of those starfish is what remains. Isn’t that cool?” Jeff asked as he lay

back down on the sand and closed his eyes.

“Yes, it’s very cool, but what do I have to give?” Alia asked. “I’m just a kid.”

While she waited for Jeff’s reply Alia twirled back and forth making swishy footprints in

the damp sand. When she stopped to inspect her impressions the sun went behind a dark

cloud; this made her shiver just a bit as the chilly sea water lapped at her feet and began

to erase her footprints.

With his eyes still closed Jeff finally answered: “The girl in the story was just a kid too

yet she made a difference by the tiny act of tossing starfish back into the sea. Maybe she

gave us the secret: if we walk through life throwing stars - if we just do little good deeds

here and there along the way  - this can add up to making a big difference one small step

at a time.

“I like her idea! I want to be a star-thrower too!” Alia announced as she plopped herself

back down on the sand. “

“Ok, with your star-thrower goal in mind the next question is who do you want to travel

with?” Jeff asked as he sat back up to look at her. “Good travel companions make all the

difference, and our truest friends are lighthouse beacons on our journey.”

“What’s a lighthouse beacon,” asked Alia.

Pointing down the beach in the direction of the old lighthouse, Jeff explained:

“A lighthouse beacon is the light that shines out over the waters at night to warn ships of

treacherous reefs and rocks; the beacon keeps ships out of harm's way and guides them

home to a safe harbor.”

They sat together quietly for a while watching the waves, then Jeff continued:

“Choosing to live a life of service means there will be plenty of joys, but there will also

be challenges and even some treacherous reefs and rocks. It’s during those times you

must allow others to serve you, be a beacon for you; which is why it is vital to have true

and trusted travel companions.”

Alia dug her toes deeper into the sand and stared quietly out at the horizon for a

long time. Jeff was patient, giving her time to think about all he had said.

As the sun finally broke through the clouds and covered the beach in rays of golden light,

the answer she had been searching for seemed to burst into Alia’s mind at the same time.

“So if I’m going to be a true star-thrower then there will be times I am the thrower and

other times when I am the star…is that right?” she asked excitedly.

“Yes, that’s exactly right, Alia. To truly be of service we must learn to be good at giving

and receiving,” said Jeff.

As the sun sank slowly into the sea they began their walk back up the beach.

“Alia, you’re on the threshold of a grand adventure, but you can only make the journey

one step at a time,” he said. “Be curious, take risks, listen to your heart and give

everything you do your best shot. Try to do this in every facet of your life then watch to

see what amazing things happen. And if you get lost along the way always turn back to

the stars.

“Thanks Jeff. I learned a lot today and I’m excited to become a star-thrower just like

you,” she said and then happily skipped the rest of the way home.

That night as she lay in her bed, Alia had a vision of millions of stars dancing in her

head…and just as she was drifting off to sleep she tossed the first one back into the sea.

The End

© Cheryl Cutting 2012

**

Dear Reader,

This is a fictional story about an actual gift I received from Jeff Evans. I hope you

enjoyed reading about this gift as much as I have enjoyed sharing it with you. Remember

what Jeff said to Alia: Listen to your heart, give everything you do your best shot and

look for ways to be a star thrower along the way! If you do this then amazing things are

sure to happen!

Your friend,

Cheryl

Jeff Evans

By all accounts, Jeff Evans is just a regular guy; he is a down-to-earth country boy who could live next door to you and is about as nice and unassuming a person as you’d ever hope to meet.

That being said, Jeff is also an acclaimed adventurer, speaker, author and world-class mountaineer and climbing guide who has chosen to live a life of service. It is difficult to put into words the magnitude of Jeff’s willingness to sacrifice in order to be of service to others.

Jeff can be captivating and inspiring, but in the most down-home sort of way, and his slight southern accent puts you at ease as he dances you towards the answers to questions you may have. Like cool lemonade on a hot summer day – Jeff both refreshes us and slows us down so we can see more clearly what living a life of service truly means. He is a role model for me and this story was my attempt to give him a gift in return for the gifts he has given me.

You can learn more about Jeff and his adventures at: http://www.mountain-vision.com/

*The Star Thrower story told by Jeff is credited to Loren C. Eiseley (1907–1977), although it is a variation on the original.

Blog: http://exhaleyourself.blogspot.com/