climbing today, I realized that they are 2 distinct pleasures that come of learning something like rock climbing -- the pleasure of mastering something new yourself, and then the pleasure of teaching that new thing to everybody else that shows up and is met with the same pitfall. The former pleasure wears off rather quickly, and is replaced by the pleasure of having mastered something. The letter pleasure also wears off, but more slowly, as overtime it becomes less interesting to teach other people about that anything. Therefore, we must always continue to learn and master new things if we do not wish to lose our exuberance
Thinking back to rock climbing today -- the 3rd day since I've gotten back to it -- seeing the paths along the walls reliving the route that Tevis set that involves switching directions, having mastered it. Mastering Ross's route that I couldn't do before, not swinging back, its glorious! Don't go too long without good things! If it's been too many days when you wouldn't be happy doing with if it were to be the last is your life, you need to look at making a change.
"Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure – these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” ~Steve Jobs", Stanford Commencement Speech 2005