Shock to the System

The title of this post is a double-entendre, indicating both my visiting friends' perspective of Aspen and my heart procedure planned for tomorrow. The parallels are quite obvious. You start out with a heart that's "off" somehow. Not quite balanced with life. Too much work and not enough play perhaps. Or too much "city life" and not enough time out in nature. And then something happens.

A shock to your system. An awakening. A new rhythm. 

You look at life in a different way. Feel things you haven't felt before. 

In many ways, tomorrow's procedure could produce a new lease on life. (Or as Rowlf the dog from the Muppets would say, "a new leash on life."  )  I think my friends are starting to feel the same way. And, thanks to their visit and fresh perspective, I am graced with the gift of seeing this incredible place through their eyes, from the brilliant architectural techniques used to the ecologically-focused nuances I might have missed.  

Now – we dance. Make sure you feel the rhythm: 

And another "double entendre" – referring to the altitude, of course! And listen for the "rhythm!" 

And one of my favorite Muppets moments…