"Don't be getting any ideas"

Thursday night and I’m just settling back in my seat at the cinema as the lights dim, L leans in whispers not too quietly “don’t you be getting any ideas”. Those seating near heard and knew exactly what she was referring too, and murmured ascent.
 
Thursday night we attended a viewing of Banff Mountain Film Festival, 6 short films showcasing the talent, courage, and often plain bonkerness of the people portrayed as well as some stunning locations and great camera work.
 
The first short showcased two young rock climbers – aged 14 and 15, watching them climb reminded me that the best at this sport raise their sport to art, these two were Nureyev and Fontaine. That’s a young person’s game at that level, I wasn’t tempted.
 
Another film followed a group of 4 mums from nearby York, and was introduced on stage by one of the four. About their attempt to row across the Atlantic, I’m not tempted by that either. However there was another theme for me in this film which engaged me. These were not athletes or explorers in the edgy out there sense of the words, they were mums, late 40’s, early 50’s, they became a bit fitter, but were no elite performers. The narrator early in the coverage of their 3000 mile challenge said something like “so at 10miles, this is already the furthest they have rowed”. They discovered their remarkableness during the challenge and probably only became aware of it afterwards. I think I see that often in work caring for people through their illnesses. As I think about myself and wondering about some of the next challenges in my life as direction changes a bit later this year, this has given me something to think about and that thinking I suspect in time will be giving me some ideas.