Pilgrimage
The low-angle light of late afternoon on a winter's day splashes brightly on the red-rock fins comprising the Devil's Garden, Arches National Park, Utah. In the distance, freshly fallen snow coats the La Sal Mountains.
I have walked this trail many times, and I hope to walk it many more. Visiting this particular place and taking in this view has become a pilgrimage of sorts. I find it most arresting in winter, as the combination of snow, red rock, and rich light makes the spirit buoyant and the mind rooted to the present. It is also difficult to comprehend that our family walked this route when our boys were tiny, and now the oldest is about to finish his senior year and venture out to college in 2023. At times, thoughts like these overwhelm me with maudlin sentimentality, though I am grateful for all of it. With this light, I raise a metaphorical glass and a toast to the new year: may its twists and turns be rich with unexpected adventure, and may our sorrows and griefs keen only because we are filled with love.
Happy new year!
Pilgrimage
The low-angle light of late afternoon on a winter's day splashes brightly on the red-rock fins comprising the Devil's Garden, Arches National Park, Utah. In the distance, freshly fallen snow coats the La Sal Mountains.
I have walked this trail many times, and I hope to walk it many more. Visiting this particular place and taking in this view has become a pilgrimage of sorts. I find it most arresting in winter, as the combination of snow, red rock, and rich light makes the spirit buoyant and the mind rooted to the present. It is also difficult to comprehend that our family walked this route when our boys were tiny, and now the oldest is about to finish his senior year and venture out to college in 2023. At times, thoughts like these overwhelm me with maudlin sentimentality, though I am grateful for all of it. With this light, I raise a metaphorical glass and a toast to the new year: may its twists and turns be rich with unexpected adventure, and may our sorrows and griefs keen only because we are filled with love.
Happy new year!