“The lover of nature is he whose inward and outward senses are still truly adjusted to each other; who has retained the spirit of infancy even into the era of manhood. His intercourse with heaven and earth, becomes part of his daily food. In the presence of nature, a wild delight runs through the man, in spite of real sorrows.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

We are born to trust our five senses, but as we turn our attention towards the critics, educators, and nay-sayers, our senses dim, and we forget to enjoy new things.

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Nature reminds us to feel again.

“The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself,” wrote Henry Miller.

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Remember the feeling you had when you witnessed your first snowfall? Or your first memory of walking barefoot in a creek? Or your first glimpse of Olympic Valley?

Wild delight.

A moment in Olympic Valley is a gift to the spirit. One look at the meadow, mountains and iconic wood fence mutes the critics, educators and nay-sayers and lights your soul on fire. You can’t help but feel “wild delight,” because in this moment you sense the presence of a higher power. You feel pure energy coursing through your veins. Your pulse begins to race as all your senses are fully alert.

What can we do with this “mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent” feeling we experience in Olympic Valley? We can reclaim our five senses and share that feeling with others … through acts of kindness, generosity, friendship, gratitude.

We can do what Olympic Valley does so well, we can radiate it.

Michael Kennedy is a resident of Olympic Valley