d insignificant in its surroundings. I would have probably had a chance to do some real deep pondering and had some zen like experiences in an environment like this had it not been for my other surroundings! The other "surroundings" being 3 little Hannah Montanas and 2 grown ones. For those counting, that's a weekend of fun with 5 girls and 1 boy. Drama baby drama! Needless to say by day 2 I needed a drama break. Fortunately, I have a great little honey of a wife, and she let me go it alone on one of the more challenging hikes in Zion. It was kind of a spur of the moment decision for me to go hiking on this trail, so I was ill equipped and ill prepared for this hike. The hike was called Angel's Landing, but at 2 p.m. in Zion's park at the end of June, Hell's Playground might be a more appropriate name. At any rate, off I went, gungho and ready to have a mountain top experience. Over an hour later, parched, dehydrated, and ready to give the boyscout next to me $20 for his bottle of water, I made it to the top. This was the first hike I've ever been on where I really felt a sense of accomplishment when I got to the summit. It was an incredibly cool hike, where literally they had to install large chains in the rock to grab hold of so hikers wouldn't plummet to their death! The hike was pretty amazing, but as I basked in the victory of making it to the top I realized something. This experience would be way more fun if I had others to share it with. You see in my zeal to go on a great adventure I had left those I cared about behind. My drama girls! And I wasn't alone. I came across some older kids on the path who had been left behind by their dad too. Turns out these kids weren't that agile, were afraid of heights, and it had really been their dad's idea to do the hike. The dad had left them behind to fend for themselves in his quest to get to the promised land. As I was pushing my way past these girls I couldn't help to think how selfish that was. Then I started thinking how much life is like that. I want adventure, I want stimulation, I want life to be challenging and fulfilling, and while it's much easier to achieve these results on my own, it's not near as much fun. Noboby wants to stop and take the time to help those who struggle through life, but help them we should (said Yoda). If I'm honest I find myself looking at people in my path and commenting either in my head or to a confidant how incompetent, ignorant, and useless they are. More often than not I'm the guy pushing my way over and through people, so I can hurry up and get the gratification that I deserve. When I find myself doing that I get exactly what I deserve alright. I get to jump up and down, look all around, and ultimately celebrate by myself. Here's to the hands that push up, not down, who grab hold instead of pushing through, who clasp the hands next to them and raise them in joyous celebration...
Sunday, June 29, 2008
I have been to the promised land...
Well sort of. Maybe not "the" promised land, but I did go to the land of Zion this past weekend. Zion National Park that is. If you've never been to Zion's it's quite scenic to say the least. The views can take your breath away, and I find myself feeling quite small an
d insignificant in its surroundings. I would have probably had a chance to do some real deep pondering and had some zen like experiences in an environment like this had it not been for my other surroundings! The other "surroundings" being 3 little Hannah Montanas and 2 grown ones. For those counting, that's a weekend of fun with 5 girls and 1 boy. Drama baby drama! Needless to say by day 2 I needed a drama break. Fortunately, I have a great little honey of a wife, and she let me go it alone on one of the more challenging hikes in Zion. It was kind of a spur of the moment decision for me to go hiking on this trail, so I was ill equipped and ill prepared for this hike. The hike was called Angel's Landing, but at 2 p.m. in Zion's park at the end of June, Hell's Playground might be a more appropriate name. At any rate, off I went, gungho and ready to have a mountain top experience. Over an hour later, parched, dehydrated, and ready to give the boyscout next to me $20 for his bottle of water, I made it to the top. This was the first hike I've ever been on where I really felt a sense of accomplishment when I got to the summit. It was an incredibly cool hike, where literally they had to install large chains in the rock to grab hold of so hikers wouldn't plummet to their death! The hike was pretty amazing, but as I basked in the victory of making it to the top I realized something. This experience would be way more fun if I had others to share it with. You see in my zeal to go on a great adventure I had left those I cared about behind. My drama girls! And I wasn't alone. I came across some older kids on the path who had been left behind by their dad too. Turns out these kids weren't that agile, were afraid of heights, and it had really been their dad's idea to do the hike. The dad had left them behind to fend for themselves in his quest to get to the promised land. As I was pushing my way past these girls I couldn't help to think how selfish that was. Then I started thinking how much life is like that. I want adventure, I want stimulation, I want life to be challenging and fulfilling, and while it's much easier to achieve these results on my own, it's not near as much fun. Noboby wants to stop and take the time to help those who struggle through life, but help them we should (said Yoda). If I'm honest I find myself looking at people in my path and commenting either in my head or to a confidant how incompetent, ignorant, and useless they are. More often than not I'm the guy pushing my way over and through people, so I can hurry up and get the gratification that I deserve. When I find myself doing that I get exactly what I deserve alright. I get to jump up and down, look all around, and ultimately celebrate by myself. Here's to the hands that push up, not down, who grab hold instead of pushing through, who clasp the hands next to them and raise them in joyous celebration...
d insignificant in its surroundings. I would have probably had a chance to do some real deep pondering and had some zen like experiences in an environment like this had it not been for my other surroundings! The other "surroundings" being 3 little Hannah Montanas and 2 grown ones. For those counting, that's a weekend of fun with 5 girls and 1 boy. Drama baby drama! Needless to say by day 2 I needed a drama break. Fortunately, I have a great little honey of a wife, and she let me go it alone on one of the more challenging hikes in Zion. It was kind of a spur of the moment decision for me to go hiking on this trail, so I was ill equipped and ill prepared for this hike. The hike was called Angel's Landing, but at 2 p.m. in Zion's park at the end of June, Hell's Playground might be a more appropriate name. At any rate, off I went, gungho and ready to have a mountain top experience. Over an hour later, parched, dehydrated, and ready to give the boyscout next to me $20 for his bottle of water, I made it to the top. This was the first hike I've ever been on where I really felt a sense of accomplishment when I got to the summit. It was an incredibly cool hike, where literally they had to install large chains in the rock to grab hold of so hikers wouldn't plummet to their death! The hike was pretty amazing, but as I basked in the victory of making it to the top I realized something. This experience would be way more fun if I had others to share it with. You see in my zeal to go on a great adventure I had left those I cared about behind. My drama girls! And I wasn't alone. I came across some older kids on the path who had been left behind by their dad too. Turns out these kids weren't that agile, were afraid of heights, and it had really been their dad's idea to do the hike. The dad had left them behind to fend for themselves in his quest to get to the promised land. As I was pushing my way past these girls I couldn't help to think how selfish that was. Then I started thinking how much life is like that. I want adventure, I want stimulation, I want life to be challenging and fulfilling, and while it's much easier to achieve these results on my own, it's not near as much fun. Noboby wants to stop and take the time to help those who struggle through life, but help them we should (said Yoda). If I'm honest I find myself looking at people in my path and commenting either in my head or to a confidant how incompetent, ignorant, and useless they are. More often than not I'm the guy pushing my way over and through people, so I can hurry up and get the gratification that I deserve. When I find myself doing that I get exactly what I deserve alright. I get to jump up and down, look all around, and ultimately celebrate by myself. Here's to the hands that push up, not down, who grab hold instead of pushing through, who clasp the hands next to them and raise them in joyous celebration...
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