Robert Frost said he could sum up everything he learned about life in three words,“it goes on.” I remember a time when I wish it didn’t, or at least that it would go slower until I was ready to move at the same pace everyone else seemed to be. It has also been a motivator for me, knowing that no matter how tough an hour, a day or a week can seem, the sun continues to rise and life goes on whether you feel like you can keep up or not.
Some friends of mine recently visited the Grand Canyon. It was their first visit. I have been there twice and asked them how surprised they were to see how well that giant hole in the earth was camouflaged into the landscape until you walk right up to it. The forestry surrounding it does not look unlike many other states, making it even more surprising. We visualized what it must have been like to be an explorer or early settler traveling without a map and stumbling upon this magnificent gorge. Getting across at one of the wider points is not only impossible, it’s impassable as there are ginormous, jagged rock formations in all directions. Trying to find a place to cross would have offered no other choice but to keep going.
During my first trip to this grand wonder, the weather was beautiful. It was springtime and not yet too hot, which made for the perfect climate to hike 2 miles down from one of the trailheads on the south rim. It was glorious.
I was able to visit all of the lookout points from the walking and driving trails and captured some impressive photos and unforgettable memories. The Grand Canyon is about 6,000 feet deep, 18 miles across at its widest, and 277 miles long. As you might imagine, the cloud cover and shadow effects from the sun are constantly changing.
The morning I left it was snowing, not flurries, but a full blown blizzard with several inches of accumulation and more on the way. The overlook closest to the lodge I stayed at was completely covered in clouds. All of the trails were closed due to the imminent danger of not being able to see the trails and potentially walking off the edge. None of the pictures I had taken the days before would have been possible with this sudden change in the weather. I was so thankful for what I had already seen and did not have to wonder what I was missing even though I was standing in the same place as the day before.
I had a similar experience in California with the Lone Cypress Tree, one of the most photographed trees in North America and thought to be approximately 250 years old. It’s a tourist hotspot included in the infamous 17 mile drive in Pebble Beach. The first day I made the drive, the fog was so heavy I couldn’t see more than fifty feet of the Pacific shoreline that hugged the road. I was disappointed, but decided to park anyway and walk down to the multi-level deck that lead to the viewing area for the tree. Due to its fragile condition, it’s roped off to keep people at a safe distance. A light mist was in the air as I arrived to the lowest deck. There in clear view was this sacred beauty for my eyes only. I was instantly mesmerized and felt fortunate to be in such a place with no one else around. I stood in awe for several minutes and snapped a couple photos. On my way back up a man passed me and I asked him to take my picture - just me and the tree. This was before smartphones, so the photo was taken with a 35mm camera - no selfie! The next day I went back - this time my dad came with me. The fog had cleared and we enjoyed all 17 points along the 17 mile drive. When we arrived to the parking lot of the Lone Cypress, there were three large tourist buses parked. The decks leading to the tree were filled with people. The ambiance was completely different as the air was now filled with the loud chatter of the countless tourists sharing our view. That fortunate feeling from the day before washed over me. Although I was looking at the same exact thing, it was a different experience altogether.
Life is a forever changing landscape. What we see from one moment, hour or day to the next can vary greatly depending on how we see it. What unforeseen obstacles are clouding our vision? The forest is always there, but you can’t always see the trees. There is always going to be a road ahead. It might be a nice straight road or it may be one that winds and curves. We often don’t know what lies ahead, but we do know there is always going to be a road.
The adversities we face can be viewed as snowstorms, heavy fog, light mists or jagged mountains. You choose. A couple years ago, a friend asked me for advice to help him get through a difficult situation. I told him he could view the issue as an impassable mountain or he could pull a tool from his life toolbox and start chipping away at that mountain and make a new road. If you can’t get around it, you have to find a way to keep going. The mountain isn’t going to move, you have to. I believe we are assigned certain mountains in our lifetime to show others they can be moved. See the forest through the trees. The road may lead to a breathtaking canyon or a sacred and wondrous tree. Life goes on. Keep going.
