walking a mile in someone else's shoes

I had the opportunity to see my work world from a different perspective. Although I spend some time collecting data in the field, most of my work time is spent in the office and in front of my computer or bent over a light table. When I was invited to spend a day on the Marias River in northern Montana, I jumped at the chance. I learned what it is like to spend time walking across a medium-sized river channel, experiencing the power of the current and the texture of the river bottom. I listened to fisheries biologists pondering what fish live where. Sitting on the floor of a boat, anchored on the river, we expressed awe at how hard it must have been for the expeditions of Lewis & Clark. Being under the Montana ‘big sky’ evokes these kinds of ‘big picture’ thoughts, while at the same time, being out on the river requires down to earth knowledge of how to keep a 2-stroke engine running, especially after repeatedly hitting the rocks and gravel bars that hide just beneath the surface of the river. I now know what it is like to have my heart skip a beat upon the **BOOM** of hitting such a rock at 20 mph without warning.

focus and then re-focus
just trying to live life with passion!