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There was a time, long, long ago, when humans and animal were one.There was no tame or wild, no zoos or safari rides, no distinction between humans and animals – there was life – in all forms, co-existing and co-exploring.Today, we marvel at nature, at the bighorn sheep on the side of the road, or the lost bear roaming the city streets. We pay to take pictures of lions and tigers, but do we ever stop to ask ourselves, “Why?" Why are we so intrigued with these other life forms? What does their presence do to our being? Why do we feel a certain attachment to one animal over another? And why can you dog always make you smile? As a skier, you understand the power of nature in all forms. From the magic of a silent, snow blanketed forest, to the feeling of a chickadee’s talons gripping your fingertips as he snacks on seeds. There is mysticism about that life which you don’t understand and a connection that runs deeper than anything we know today.Animals speak to those ready to listen. The language is not understood but felt – it’s an ancient language and it carries timeless lessons. Everything we need exists now and is available for us when we are ready,. So this year, we invite you to take a moment to connect – whether it be with the crickets singing you to sleep or with the elk snacking on your petunias, and then, to look within.For it is here, in the wonder of nature that we return to the simplicity of life and are reawakened to the phenomena that is man-king. Let’s Shred some Gnar!