Living on the edge was explored employing the Parse research method. Ten participants living in the frontier of the American West were asked, �What is the experience of living on the edge?� The findings showed the structure of living on the edge as: Living on the edge is persevering with pioneering ventures amid perilous remoteness, as vacillating sentiments arise with diverse affiliations. Understanding the experience of living on the edge as it relates to health and quality of life is important for nursing practice and advances nursing science