I went to the Grand Canyon in early June and hiked the rim-to-rim trail with some family members. It was a 23 mile hike spread over two days. As my brother and I flew down to Arizona, a real chatty Cathy got talking to my brother about the upcoming trip. She promised that it would be a "spiritual experience," and that we were doing the Grand Canyon right.
As we trudged through some 120* heat on the first day, blistered and run out of water, my brother and I joked bitterly, "Are you having a spiritual experience yet?" The second day was much harder, and I was flooded with thoughts of how unprepared we were, that it was someone's fault for not packing enough food, that it was Dad's fault for suggesting this trip would be easy, that it would be "a walk in the park." I almost had several princess-diva fits, but managed to swallow the growing sobs and keep walking.
As we walked along the bottom of the canyon, the sun rising over the canyon and lighting up the rocks, I thought, "It does get better." Another day dawns, the light shines again. I thought back to being 14, ready to end my life, and where I stood that day in the canyon. I had been broken and put back together, broken again, and put back together again many times. I was now a homeowner, on the brink of getting married, with good health and much to be thankful for.
I tried to keep this mantra in my head as we began the painful ascent that would take 7 hours for about 4.5 miles. This hardship will soon be over. I will be able to take off these boots and rest and be thankful.
I have hope in having hope again. My grandmother passed away about six weeks ago, and I have kept a framed prayer that was in her old parent's bedroom.
"I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year, 'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown,' And he replied, 'Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.'" *Copyright Louise Harkins
I have been abandoned in this life; I have sometimes been forgotten but I will always have God's love to find myself again.
3 comments:
Was just thinking of you! Welcome back here... yes... God's love is everlasting...
Thanks for your comment today! Wishing you all the best in this week!
ps: see my blog post that you commented on today... as one of my blog friends had added you but could not (not sure why, am not up on computer savy things) write here as it was not a pop out comment box...
all the best!
Okay, I just figured this out (I'm not computer savvy either), found the comment thread, and changed my comments setting. I now have 1 official follower! I will have to start posting more often :)
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