Pondering Life

From my gift book (you givers know who you are and about which book I speak). My quote of the day:

"This day I completed my thirty first year, and conceived that I had in all human probability now existed about half the period which I am to remain in this Sublunary world. I reflected that I had as yet done but little, very little indeed, to further the hapiness of the human race, or to advance the information of the succeeding generation. I viewed with regret the many hours I have spent in indolence, and now soarly feel the want of that information which those hours would have given me had they been jusiciously expended. but since they are past and cannot be recalled, I dash from me the gloomy thought and resolved in future, to redouble my exertions and a least indeavour to promote those two primary objects of human existence, by giving them the aid of that portion of talents which nature and fortune have bestoed on me: or in future, to live for mankind, as I heretofore lived for myself."

Here's a guy who has been traveling uncharted and unexplored (by the old world) territory. This guy is a very gifted (leadership, wisdom, flying by the seat of the exploration groups's pants) 31-year-old. He's sitting at an encampment called Camp Fortunate very near the divide between the Columbia River drainage and the Missouri River drainage, and he's been hanging out with the Shoshone relatives of Sacagawea. Sacagawea had been kidnapped by Hidasta's when she was 13 and this is the first return to her homeland since her capture. She acts as chief interpreter to the Shoshones. It turns out that the first Shoshone chief they encounter in their intent to barter for horses is Sacagawea's brother. And this 31-year-old is sitting there reflecting that he has done nothing for succeeding generations. Who's the author of my quote? Capt. Meriwether Lewis, of Lewis & Clark expedition fame. So, be yourself, do what you perceive is yours to do in life, and you just never know.