Like I used to

JERRY FABYANIC

kicks in, and we have become keenly aware that people eventually die. e coup de grâce is that we know too there is nothing we can do about either. ere are no exceptions. In the not-too-distant future, we know the bell will toll not for thee but for me.

It’s kind of depressing to think about, but as it is with much in life, it’s a matter of perspective. If one looks at having been born — given life —not as a right but as a privilege, that gloomy perspective can ip.

One of the wisest insights I gained is that life is a journey. Like any journey, it can be a blasé one — a prepackaged, sanitized, structured cruise — in which the traveler follows the herd and dutifully does what is expected of them, or it can be an extraordinary one in which they follow their own path. When they do that, they lick their chops not at nding the anticipated but at chancing upon or discovering the unanticipated. If one chooses the latter path and separates from their this-is-what-is-expected-of-you world, crosses the threshold, and ventures into the unknown, psychic energy transforms them. ey become attuned, even addicted, to that life. In time they realize there’s no quitting, no going back to the safety net of their launch point and birth tribe and that their adventure will end with their last breath. And they’re good with that.

When they reach their elderly years however, they face a conundrum. It slowly dawns on them they are slowing down and can’t do stu like they used to. eir problem is they know no other way. Despite their declining physical abilities, the siren of the journey still calls to their soul. It beckons them forth. Whether it’s the old man and the sea or the old man of the mountain, their place — the sea, the mountain, the desert, or wherever the place might be — has been etched into and become an indelible aspect of their being.

One of my favorite stories is “Jeremiah Johnson,”the Robert Redford lm about being a mountain man. Each time I watch it, I am awestruck not only at the magni cence of the setting and the superb performances rendered by Redford, Will Gear (Bear Claw), and the other actors but also by the story itself, its tale and structure. e story line follows the hero’s path from beginning to end. e last character he encounters is Paints His Shirt Red, the Crow chief he encountered after he initially made his way into the mountains.

Watching it now through the lens of an old man of the mountain, I am struck by the ending: ough it doesn’t end ambiguously, it wraps only sort of conclusively. Yes, he’s been accepted and forgiven for his sacrilegious trespassing, but then what? Can he return to trapping and live out his days doing that? Where does he go? He can never return to civilization, nor does he want to. And he’s alone. All those he met and accompanied him on his journey are gone. So how does he spend his remaining years? It’s intriguing to consider, but the answer is really quite simple: He goes on and continues to do everything like he used to. Maybe more slowly and not as well, but with the same spirit — elan— he approached life when young, strong and full of moxie. As it is with me. So I can’t do it — ski, run, move rocks in my garden, and so on — like I used to, but I can go on like I used to and do many of the many activities I used to. Slower, but with the same excitement, thrill and enthusiasm I had when I started my journey. Just because my body is slowing and falling apart doesn’t mean I have to.

Jerry Fabyanic is the author of “Sisyphus Wins” and “Food for ought: Essays on Mind and Spirit.” He lives in Georgetown.

Has anyone ever really not had fun playing in the mud? It’s not something most of us get to do very often, which makes the opportunity to splash around pretty rare. at could be part of the reason why Northglenn’s annual Mudapalooza volleyball event has become such big hit in the area.

“Nobody else really puts this kind of event on,” said Roman A. Ortega, recreation sports coordinator with Northglenn. “We started out with just eight to 12 teams and now we have so many return teams that love participating. I think the most teams we’ve had in one tournament is 63.” e 15thannual Mudapalooza

Call first: 27972 Meadow Dr., #320

Evergreen, CO 80439, 303-566-4100

Mailing Address: 750 W. Hampden Ave., Suite 225 Englewood, CO 80110

Phone: 303-566-4100

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To subscribe call 303-566-4100 tournament will be held at Northwest Open Space, East 112th Avenue and Ranch Drive, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 22.

Participating coed teams are made up of eight to 12 adults who will play at least three games of mud volleyball each. At the end of the day, the winning team will receive a trophy, some cool prizes and the glory of claiming victory.

“While the tournament is for adults

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JO DAVIS Community Editor jdavis@coloradocommunitymedia.com only, as it winds down you see kids playing around in the pits that have emptied out,” Ortega said. “It’s such a fun event, especially when you see everyone out there playing. at’s what the day is about — having fun with a unique game that’s not played every day.” e all-day event isn’t just a eld day for those in the pits — there will be a food truck, drinks and other vendors on hand to make the watching more delicious. All beer sales will bene tA Precious Child.

In all, the aim is to create an exciting summer’s day out.

“We love giving back and highlighting the sports community,”

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Ortega said. “When we play, it’s an opportunity to have a brief getaway from life. It’s a chance to get away from our daily routines and even do something a bit out of our comfort zone.”

Find all the details at www.northglenn.org/mudapalooza.

MCA Denver explores Indigenous Absurdities ere are few better ways to connect with someone than to make them laugh. Even if that laugh stings a bit.

Anna Tsouhlarakis’ exhibition, Indigenous Absurdities, captures that

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