[su_heading]Living Life to the Fullest[/su_heading]

As many of you know, these past nine months have been devoted to being true to myself and my dreams of sharing the local’s perspective on living in Aspen. In order to do this, I have tried my best to stay committed and live each moment as honestly and completely as possible.

Over the weekend I attended a memorial service for Ryan Jennings in Carbondale, Colorado. I did not know Ryan well and am sad that I did not have the chance to spend more time with him – but in the glimpsing moments where I met him with his wife Robin, somebody of whom I adore, I felt his warmth radiate from within.

According to an article in Alpinist, written by one of Ryan’s climbing friends, Chris Van Leuven, Ryan was climbing a pillar that [rarely] forms in the Redstone Slabs. Ryan was alone on the WI5 ice pillar when it collapsed, located more than 1,000 feet above the road.

At the service each person near and dear to Ryan’s heart stood up on a rock walled stage and spoke of Ryan’s good heart, his consistent positivity and his spirituality. He was, and always will be remembered as a “Gentle Warrior,” living each moment with every part of his being. This was portrayed by his father, his sister and his climbing buddies with whose life they entrusted to Ryan on each and every climb.

It was incredibly difficult to say goodbye to this beautiful soul but it is clear that his spirit lives on in his two children, his wife and all who knew him well.

Ryan was a beautiful writer and as I read words that he has written in the past, his passion for life resonates deeply within me:

[su_quote cite=”Ryan Jennings”]Why do I do it? I climb because, for me many of my dreams revolve around climbing beautiful lines on beautiful mountains and all that entails. The rewards are immeasurable and the challenges are often immense. I believe the process of setting goals and overcoming obstacles and fears required to attain such dreams is the cornerstone of accomplishing anything in life and should always be fostered. I reach for sometimes unattainable goals because believing in the impossible should also never be abandoned and I hope to inspire others to do the same. And always because I meet so many wonderful friends along the way and really get to see the good in people when we all come together to help one another achieve our individual and communal goals and dreams.[/su_quote]

We have lost many friends in our mountains. Friends who lived with a deep respect for nature and an everlasting desire to be one with it at any given moment.

As I continue to progress with an intention of living life to its fullest through love, mindfulness and positivity, I am reminded of how fragile life is, which makes me more than ever determined to stay on course and live it well and hard.

And that is why I have been letting the flow of life guide me, committed to saying HELL YEAH to every invitation that comes my way – as long as it does not take me away from my family for too long.

And now, with the winter X-Games starting on Thursday, it is time to huck into double black diamond terrain, gathering content along the way and I will be taking all of you there with me.

While no amount of money will ever ease the pain and loss that Robin, Beck, and Brooke are going through, every contribution is a show of love and support that will remind them they are not alone: http://beckjenningsfamilyfund.org/