By LIZ MARCHI
Hail, wind, rain, whitewater, rattlesnakes; a week on the Middle Fork of the Salmon in the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. What a wonderful opportunity. My first time off the grid, camping and rafting for 7 days.
I expected interesting people and beautiful scenery, the adrenaline rush from Class 4 rapids. What I didn’t expect was the reset of a mind that has way too much going on most of the time.
The week on the river gave me a rest. Every moment was focused on water, animals, setting up camp, eating, drinking wine and a million stars. Two and half millions acres of wilderness, the sky is breathtaking.
Rafting with my husband, Jon, on the Middle Fork of the Salmon River.
As I reconnected, I had a stronger sense of clarity about what’s important: family, friends, young people (especially women entrepreneurs) and dirt. I really love the dirt.
Depsite grand delusions of being wonder woman, I need to make room. Today, we are cleaning out the barn which now houses the Executive Offices of Liz Marchi Consulting and Frontier Angel Fund 1 and 2. I plan to carve out a play space for my grandchildren.
I am learning to hit delete to meetings, events and information that don’t really matter. Think I am done trying to change and move institutions, people and organizations that evolve slowly. I don’t have the time for that.
I have a garden to grow, a fund to raise and entrepreneurs to engage. Innovation trips my trigger every day. The Mountain Hardware tent we slept in last week was NOTHIING like the canvas tent I camped in at Camp Concharatee on Pine Mountain, Georgia as a Girl Scout. (Yes, I earned every badge.) Every day I am living and learning, less IS more.
I have a garden to grow! Isn’t she a beauty?!
Liz Marchi
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Liz Marchi lives on a ranch in Polson, Montana with her husband Jon. She is the Fund Coordinator for the Frontier Angel Fund and spends a lot of time thinking and learning about entrepreneurs, the economy and Montana’s unique place in the world. She has three daughters and a stepson and daughter and a grandchild. She graduated from Hollins College and is entering the final quarter of life…unless we go into overtime.