We do know we die. We know we can’t take our most valued possessions with us. We do not know what afterwards becomes of our consciousness. This lack of knowledge is what terrifies those on the edge of death. If we knew, we’d be less afraid of what comes after. Some are less afraid; they say because they have faith that there is some kind of hereafter. They are taking a gamble. It’s called Pascal’s Wager. He said you may as well have faith because if there is a life hereafter, you will be rewarded for remaining steadfast to your belief.

Today, a fellow came in the door of the former banquet room of the historic Eagle Hotel. When he said that he was dying, I knew I’d erred in thinking that he was someone else.

I mean, what are you to say to someone who says this to you? I just kept babbling about the book project and helped him bring his books into the hotel and put them on the nonfiction table. But before he left, I asked him how much time he had left. He said, “I have lymphoma. I have about a year.”

He was hard to talk to because he was so jumpy. Definitely not grounded. He did say he has many more books and would like for us to have them.

This was a sobering visit. It got me to thinking – if someone is ambulatory, and they know when they are going to die, what do they think about it all? I hope I never find out.

But then, if I live to be 100, most of my friends will be long gone.

The best anyone can do, and I include myself in this number, is to live each day to its fullest. This is a cliché of sorts, but with a truism embedded in its center.

The good weather continues. It’s just so much easier to get around. And as I said yesterday, there is also more time to do outside stuff.

Today I first rode Tyra. Pete rode Raudi. I went a shorter distance, faster, with Tyra because I’m alternating such days with distance days. So tomorrow will be a distance ride.

And this evening I rode Hrimmi, then took her for a walk around the hood. She moved out and trotted and tolted. She seldom canters – in this instance her saddle, which is also Pete’s saddle, is far too large for me, so I am not able to sit down firmly in the seat.

I worked some at the hotel. Carol who is the youth director at the Yak Afterschool program, showed up with the intention of checking out the basement. Amazingly, this was a day when the elevator worked.

I went down into the basement a year ago. There is a lot of room down there, as well as a lot of hotel-type stuff. The conclusion we both came to was, the basement has possibilities. And if we get this space, we’ll be one step closer to getting the entire building.

Next: 175. 6/28/24: Lessons Learned while Riding on the Trail