Runversation: Life’s an adventure or nothing

Mala Honnatti nearly lost her life during last year’s Everest quake. But she’s refusing to let fear beat her.

Sixty-two-year-old Mala Honnatti’s adventures could tax the stamina of a professional athlete. A former banker-turned-mountaineer and adventurer, she has participated in several runs across the world — including the Everest Marathon and Antarctica’s Ice Marathon. She has also conquered several peaks and has even been on an expedition to Siachen. In every sense of the word, Honnatti’s list of adventures is endless.

“Life is either one daring adventure or it’s nothing at all, Hellen Keller once said. We only get one chance to make the most of it so go ahead and hike that trail, run those marathons, dive into those oceans and climb those mountains,” she says.

“The secret to life is developing that confidence in yourself and your capabilities. I love the fact that I can just pack up and go. Each day we need to say ‘yes’ to actively living this life, enjoying each moment and embarking on new adventures. We must let the fear of not truly living, outweigh the fear of pursuing our adventures. There is an adventure to be had every day — we just need to seek it out and dare to live life to its fullest. This has nothing to do with age.”

Honnatti survived the deadly Everest quake on April 25, last year. She was climbing the mountain from its dangerous northern face when the 7.8 monster hit. A resulting avalanche killed 22 people on the mountain — making it the worst ever disaster, at one of the world’s highest locations.

As the earth shook, the glaciers started cracking beneath her feet and people were instantly buried under snow. Her expedition ended up being called off.

“Mountains are always there to climb, there is always a next time and I’m just lucky to come back home safe. Dreams will come true and one day, I will stand on top of the world,” she adds.

It seems like great stories are reserved for the world-travelers, the thrill-seekers and the fearless. But that’s just not true. In life, there are various rites of passage after which you become that little bit older, bolder and wiser. For Mala, that search for the next big thrill will never stop. “I refuse to be defined by a number that ticks up as each birthday goes by. Really, achieving your dreams is possible at any stage of life.

Our past disasters and our most recent experiences can teach us and help us grow into the kinds of people we were born to be. There are many of us who are still stretching ourselves in sorts of ways and, as we grow older, there might be a temptation to think that our best life’s work and fun are behind us.

“There is a time of life that is generally viewed as our twilight years — the final stage, when everything is supposed to slow down for us. But I view it as a time of adventure, opportunity, and change. Regular treks and marathons, have kept me fit and I continue to take risks and live on the edge. Isn’t that how you have the perfect adventure ”.