Helen Kellar – Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all
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Welcome to The Daily Quote – a podcast designed to kickstart your day in a positive way. I'm your host, for May 28th. Now, if you’re feeling a little wild this morning – perhaps slightly mischievous or ready to slide into the day with flair – well, there’s a perfect reason for that.
Today is World Otter Day.
Yes, otters. Those charming, slippery little geniuses of the animal kingdom. World Otter Day is all about raising awareness of the 13 otter species that inhabit our planet – many of which are under threat from habitat loss, illegal wildlife trade, and pollution.
Conservationists use this day to highlight the importance of protecting wetlands and rivers, which are not only vital for otters but for us as well. So if you needed an excuse to care deeply about cute animals and clean water, here it is. To celebrate these whiskered wonders, I’ve found a quote that captures their spirit beautifully from Helen Kellar, who once said:
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all."
Now, you may be wondering, how does that tie in with otters? Stick with me. Otters don’t just exist in their environment – they play in it. They slide down muddy riverbanks, juggle rocks, and chase fish with the kind of unfiltered joy most of us left behind somewhere around the fifth grade. To me, that’s the definition of a daring adventure. Otters remind us that life doesn’t have to be so serious all the time – and that joy and curiosity aren’t luxuries, they’re essential tools for survival.
Helen Keller, who overcame monumental challenges to live a life of purpose, knew what it meant to embrace life fully, with courage and playfulness. And maybe that’s a lesson you and I can take from both her and the otters today.
So whether your daring adventure is giving a presentation, fixing a leaky faucet, or simply trying not to spill coffee on yourself for once – lean into it. Slide through the day with intention, and a touch of joy.
I live by a river (but not in a van) and I take the dog for walks there almost every day. I've seen bears, eagles, owls, falcons, racoons, skunks, frogs, salmon, crayfish, coyotes and yes otters too. It was a very wet day and the creek flowing into the river was flooded and I caught some motion out of the corner of my eye as I walked by. It was two Otters splashing and having fun. They are beautiful animals and anything we can do keep their habitat around is important. So they can keep setting a good example for us - to get out and play because as Helen Keller says - Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.
That's going to do it for now... I'm Andrew McGivern signing off for today. But I'll be back tomorrow - same pod time, same pod station with another Daily Quote.