Craig Kelly: The Archetype of Grace
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Perhaps the most graceful individual I have ever met was Craig Kelly. I was the guide at Island Lake Lodge (Cat skiing) on one of the days he and his nephew spent riding there back in the late 1990’s. He sought no recognition for himself even though his experience was deep. He followed directions and paid 100% attention to the little man he was riding with. At one point, near the end of the day, he gently asked if he could take a slightly different line that he had eyed on our noisy ride up in the cat. It was a beautiful line on the edge of the trees that was begging to have a set of tracks laid down, so we hatched a plan. Watching him ride that line will always be etched on the celluloid strip of my mind. The other members of the group and I were treated to seeing a human being dynamically fit the landscape like no other we had ever witnessed. The tracks Craig made looked as if creator themself had put them there.
My next experience of Craig was at the Durrand Glacier, where I witnessed him helping another split board aficionado with his skins at the back of the group, coaching, supporting and being kind. It is no wonder that people loved being in his presence. Craig found ease in service to others.
His inspiration is behind a part of a course I teach on human hazard management. These teachings explore the human journey through Hubris to Grace. A journey Craig had seemed to have mastered. When I teach this module, I can sense Craig’s essence guiding me. He is my co-pilot. The following outlines some of the content I teach.
Grace is Humility
One of the most powerful human tools to employ while working in high hazard environments is humility. Taking the time, energy and effort to fill in our knowledge gaps is a wise course of action in complex situations. Sometimes a key piece of information comes from the most humble of sources and it is our job to be able to listen, so that we can gather the right information to take effective action. Humility is not weakness it is strength.
Grace is Stewardship
Stewardship is akin to nurturing. It is the ability to care, assist and mentor a process of building into ourselves and others for growth. Human development elevates the quality of our choices which bolsters our ability to manage hazards. Stewardship takes care and time to bring a new level into being.
Grace is Self Control
A critical aspect of the challenge of overseeing danger is knowing when to engage in a situation and when to back-off. Timing can be everything and self control is the key to limiting our exposure. Pressure can undermine self control, so mastering ourselves connects us to our authentic power, the antidote to the pressure. This is Grace.
Grace Empowers Others
Allowing others to be heard, contribute or lead means that we are accessing diverse elements of power to apply to a challenge. Empowerment means that we are using our resources wisely which brings ease to even the most challenging endeavours. Through ease, we are more likely to take the best path because our energies are no longer consumed by the task so they can be applied to observing, which is a great way to catch the unexpected.
Grace is Gratitude.
Being in powerful environments is always rich, no matter what we are doing. Being grateful for simply being in wild places, frees us up to select the best option for the day based on the reality of the conditions. Letting go of outcome allows the space to exercise good judgement.
Grace is Movement
Being able to move smoothly manages our well-being. Smooth movement means there is presence. By being attendant, we are more likely to take effective action. Craig was the personification of graceful movement, if there ever was.
On April first, Craig would have been 56. He embodied all of these forms of Grace. How Craig showed up in the world is honoured at Archetypal. He was the archetype of Grace.