Higher
Mountains II: “Adventure
with Purpose”
It’s been about a year since I ran my first half marathon
that I didn’t really think that I could finish until I did. In that year I’ve also moved to Boulder, had
two different jobs, run, biked, hiked, kayaked, trail run, and walked about
1,000 miles. I’ve finished two semesters
successfully at the University of Colorado at Boulder, plus five short online
classes. I’ve been a part of Earth Lab’s
Project Risk, Engineers without Borders Nepal Design Team, and will be a Field Research
Assistant with “Fire Works Lab” this summer in northern Nevada. I’ve also been an active member and volunteer
with the Wesley Chapel. I’ve overcome my
fear of bike riding, I broke my leg when I when in the second grade, and
explored the majority of Boulder’s multiuse bike paths. I’ve jumped at every new opportunity to
explore events on campus from music, to science conferences, to environmental
clubs, to geography colloquiums, to the conference on world affairs, and much
more. The things I will remember the
most though are the people I’ve met through the Wesley Chapel, through the
Engineers without Borders Nepal Team, the two short term jobs I’ve had, and of
course my classmates, TA’s, and professors in the Geography department.
In my spare time, I’ve fixed up that $50 bike into my
primary mode of transportation, helped fix up my current apartment into a more livable
space, visited many of the famous Nepalese restaurants around Boulder, played a
little guitar and trumpet here and there, cooked some good food, and drank some
world class beer at some of Boulder’s best microbreweries. I’ve also heard my two favorite solo musicians
play, “The Tallest Man on Earth” at the Ogden in Denver, and “Jake Shimabukuro”
here at Boulder Theatre. I’ve managed to
make it up to Estes Park a few times to hike and visit friends, and when I
haven’t I’ve let friends crash on my roommates couch for a week or more at a
time. I’ve helped out a graduate student
without an apartment for three weeks, been friends with a great guy majoring in
theater here at CU that needs a little encouragement every once in a
while. I’ve watched a lot of comedy, and
had a lot of good laughs over beer and pizza at Ferment at Backcountry Tap
house.
Next year, I’ve got big plans to finish my second
bachelor’s degree with emphasis in GIS, have a successful summer researching
the effects of climate change on desert ecology in Nevada, move into a nice
townhouse with a graduate student across from the CU Research park, do an
independent study over Christmas break in Nepal, investigate ways to provide
better living conditions for the homeless of Boulder, run a trail race of at
least eight miles, continue as a lab research assistant on campus, or find an
off campus government internship. I’ve
even considered doing my own thesis and graduating with honors in college of
arts and science, however I think it more beneficial to have the time to
continue with EWB Nepal, and the Wesley Chapel both of which I have come to
love.
In the future I hope to work with the National Park
Service, or for Local, State or National Government, or in the Denver area with
a National Government Agency. In the
future, I would consider graduate school in Applied Geography, or a combination
of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning. I would like to pursue internships in local
government planning offices, parks and recreation, and longer term field research
assistantships in the Denver/Boulder area, and possibly take my GIS skills
abroad to another continent. I want to
combine Geography and Environmental planning to help humanity adapt to climate
change and natural disasters.
So yes, I have become a rather ambitious person. But really I just want to do something meaningful with life and make a difference through my career and life while still being myself. To create my purpose in life. I want to take part in helping humanity prepare and adapt for an uncertain future. And yes I want to be "an adventurer with purpose" and climb those mountains, and brave those deserts, for a purpose greater than myself.
And last but not least, I want to find an equally or more adventurous, ambitious, intelligent, attractive, young woman, to journey through life with who will help me learn more about love and partnership, and who will push me to be the absolute best man that I can be. To lie next to at night, and dream about while I am away. To share stories with, and love and laugh together. To take risks together to better both ourselves and the world.
Charles N. Whittemore (18th April, 2016)
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"The day will come when, after harnessing space, the winds, the tides and gravitation, we shall harness for God the energies of love. And on that day, for the second time in the history of the world, we shall have discovered fire." - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, (French Paleontologist and Philosopher)
"People travel to wonder at the height of the mountains, at the huge waves of the seas, at the long course of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars, and yes they pass by themselves without wondering." - St. Augustine, (354-430) (Early Christian Priest, Author)
"Love the earth and sun and animals,
Despise riches, give alms to everyone that asks,
Stand up for the stupid and crazy,
Devote your income and labor to others...
And your very flesh shall be a great poem." -- Walt Whitman (American Poet)
"I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of my in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The proper function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them. I shall use my time." -- Jack London (American Author)
