Woman in the Wild
For all the incredible feats Christine Amour‑levar has achieved, there are as many challenges. Here is an excerpt of her inspiring story in Wild Wisdom: Life Lessons from Leading Teams to Some of the Most Inhospitable Places in the World
I believe, without a doubt, that the good work a person does throughout their life can establish a legacy of generosity, kindness and social responsibility. From helping others who are less fortunate or in vulnerable positions, to heroic acts that inspire others, those who do good work throughout their lives establish a positive legacy that helps make life better for themselves and for others.
One of the poignant stories that came out of 9/11 involved a former high school football hero named Tom Burnett. On that day, he was a passenger on board United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked as part of the September 11 attacks. As Burnett called his wife from the hijacked plane, he had already realised that two other hijacked planes had crashed into the World Trade Center. “I know we’re going to die,” he said, “but some of us are going to do something about it.”
He, along with other passengers, formed the plan to retake the plane from the hijackers, and led the effort that resulted in the crash of the plane into a field in Stonycreek Township near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, thwarting the hijackers’ plan to crash the plane into a building in Washington DC, most likely either the US Capitol Building or the White House, and saving many other lives as a result.
If you think about it, “I know we’re going to die” is a wholly unexceptional statement. Every single one of us is going to die at some point. But it’s Burnett’s next sentence that is captivating: ‘some of us are going to do something about it.’ Those words, to me, express one of the most fundamental questions of our human existence. It’s true we are all mortals with a finite amount of life years allotted to us. What differentiates us is what we actually do with the time allotted to us.
As I reflect on my life thus far and the choices I’ve made up to today, the places I’ve been fortunate to travel to, the initiatives I’ve begun and the relationships I’ve forged, I can’t help feeling that it’s been a wonderful adventure and one made even more special because of the people I’ve brought along with me on the journey.
I am convinced that we are all meant to be explorers, pioneers and treasure hunters of the soul. We are not supposed to be sleepwalking through life, caught in a routine, ambivalent to the possibilities that lie waiting all around us. The world is a dramatic arena and each of us is meant to experience it in the best possible way.
I believe we are here on this earth to live a grand and exciting adventure made up of a series of smaller adventures. We are here to discover, to grow, to be creative and to have a positive impact on the people and the world around us. Anything less feels like such a missed opportunity.
Whether your adventure is rugged or glamorous, understated or intense, whether it plays out on a global stage, or within the confines of your own neighbourhood, whether your journey involves changing the world, or simply changing yourself, an adventurous approach to life is a prerequisite to becoming the person you are meant to be, making your mark on the world and on the lives of others.
An adventure has to be experienced with eyes wide open, in doubt, fear, wonder or pleasure. It is an existential endeavour, a leap of faith that calls into action every aspect of your existence. In fact, adventure is all about transformation and progress. It’s about growth. And, when all is said and done, growth is the core of life.