I had a birthday on March 28th. I turned 35. As a commencement to this new era (it feels like a new era), and in an effort to put a check mark on the bucket-list, my husband and I drove to the Grand Canyon. Neither of us had ever been. We left Boulder and drove west through Utah, then headed south towards Arizona. The first night we camped just north of the Utah-Arizona border (and the Navajo Nation). So when the sun rose the following day, my birthday, we were looking south over Monument Valley. There was no noise except for the wind. No cars, no planes, no people.

cimg1577Monument Valley sunrise

cimg1583Hiking in Monument Valley, Navajo Nation

cimg15891Tea Drinkers Unite 

We then continued on to the Grand Canyon. I had tears in my eyes when they came to rest on the vast carved-out earth before me for the first time. There are no words to describe the immensity of the earth there, the wind, and what it does to your insides.

cimg1630Grand Canyon, sunset

Initially when we started talking about going, I didn’t really think I’d be hiking down into the Grand Canyon. Two years ago this time I couldn’t walk, and although I’m doing really well, my feet and knees haven’t totally recovered from the illness. I thought I’d just do a couple of easy day hikes and call it a victory. But as we approached the Grand Canyon, I knew I had to go down, and Dan had brought all of our gear. Apparently he knows me better than I know myself. 

cimg1647Not bad for a girl who couldn’t walk 2 years ago

cimg1693Plateau Point

cimg1655Camping in the Grand Canyon

cimg1726Hiking out 2 days later

And I’m still standing. Though the calves were hurting pretty badly for a couple of days. What my meditation practice has done for my mind greatly served me on the 9 mile hike to our campground. I hadn’t done this level of activity for some time, and it is really nice to experience the fruits of the practice.

I come away vowing to sleep more under a sky that has so many stars in it you cannot find the constellations you know. As we hiked out I was aware that I felt so much more compassion and love for people in my life. The divine is in nature, is nature. Getting back to it does wonders for the soul.