When I was in graduate school in California, my dad’s friend Butch would take us all over the Sierra Nevada’s to hike. These were formative hikes for me as he lived his life in a way that I aspired to. He traveled, experienced the world and different cultures, and had an infectious personality that everyone gravitated towards. Unfortunately, Butch lost his battle with cancer just prior to this photo. I went hiking in Boulder the day he passed in his honor and I decided to come back up to the same ridge I visited that day. I was having a hard time conceptualizing life, death, meaning, and living a purposeful life until this moment. Butch helped me in many ways in the wilderness and life, not the least of which being that we should live life to the fullest every single day because we don’t know if tomorrow is promised.

Boulder, CO