Wednesday, February 22, 2017

MODERATOR’S LETTER by Luigi Spezia (From the upcoming AMC Handbook 2017)

I have got this story from a friend who went to USA for his PhD in psychology. He was based in Santa Cruz, California, where there is a big surfing community.  He was a climber and did not know anything about surfing, but he was fascinated by this group of people and wanted to get in touch with them.  Thus, he started going to the places where they were used to meet up; then he approached them and began listening to their chats. He also wanted to be part of the conversation and so, once, asked an easy question just to break the ice: “Who do you think is the strongest surfer of the world?”.  The oldest guy of the group, an old, tanned, long white haired, wrinkled surfer answered his question without turning his head, and with a low voice, slowly said: “The strongest surfer is he who enjoys surfing most”.


I like this answer.  If this is the meaning of strength, I want to be the strongest climber in the world: enjoy what I do, and always get pleasure and satisfaction from my climbing.  Just climbing without any frustration or anxiety for the result: for the fun of it, without the stress of the grades.  On the other hand, this does not stop me wishing to improve and push myself, always enjoying it (unfortunately this did not always happen to me!): improving not to be best, but to be better and better, but “just” the strongest, following the words of the old wise surfer. When climbing, I would like to be able to do all things seriously, but without taking myself seriously: it is just climbing, for myself, for my pleasure, without any need of acknowledgements from the others.




To have fun being outdoors with your friends is important, and in the AMC I found a bunch of people with whom I can have fun, not only when I spend my time outdoors with them, but also when we train together or go out socially.



I wish you all a chance to be the strongest walker, climber, mountaineer, hill runner, skier of the year.


Luigi

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