President's Message

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Jay niederhauSer, Cpa

Iam an avid backpacker. The arrival of my monthly issue of Backpacker Magazine is the highlight of my month. Some 20 years ago, I met Mark (Mad Mark, to those that know him well). Since then, he has drug me to the tops of mountains, to the depths of slot canyons, and many places in between. I particularly enjoy 50-mile trips because, inevitably, there will be opportunities to prove that you can do hard things when you really don’t have a choice.

We did a 50-miler in the Wind River Mountains of Wyoming last week and, true to form, we had the opportunity to struggle a little. OK, it was only 38 miles, but the rule is that you get a bonus mile for every year of age over fifty, so for me, anything over 35 miles is a 50-miler! We were not aware that the week before, a storm with winds up to 100 miles per hour had blown over thousands of trees, blocking the trail for about seven miles beginning at the trailhead. It was pretty slow going as we started out, and we found ourselves lost several times as we attempted to go around the massive piles of downed trees. Fortunately, we were not alone — other groups had preceded us and had attempted to mark the best way around and through the debris. We made it through and went on to enjoy a great trip. On the way out, we were pleasantly surprised to find that Forest Service crews had successfully cleared the last two miles of trail.

On another trip several years ago, we found ourselves 25 miles in with a fellow hiker who developed pneumonia. We spent two days carrying his pack and literally dragging him out. It is amazing what can be done when you work together.

These are troubled times. Not only are we dealing with the effects of the pandemic, but on top of that, people have lost their homes and loved ones to wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and windstorms. At the same time, we are dealing with riots and political unrest. The magnitude of stress and anxiety is unprecedented in our lifetime. The message that I want to share is that we don’t have to deal with it alone. There is no shame in asking for help and assistance. As we deal with our own challenges, let’s look around and see what we can do to lighten someone else’s backpack and, by so doing, we can find solace from our own struggles. In a recent Deseret News editorial, Boyd Matheson quoted an interview with Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks who, in speaking of the changes we need to make in our society, said that we need to move "from a social contract, which invites us to think about what we can gain, to a social covenant, which invites us to think about the impact we can have on others.” It is not necessarily the great heroic things that make a difference. Sometimes, it is the small acts of silent, selfless service to someone in need that makes all the difference. Just to say, “I am aware of your challenges, and I care about you” is often all that is needed. Together, we can do hard things. n

Thriving in Dark Times