Mountain Top Experiences and Gratitude



Kind and Generous Friends

Thanks to the kindness of three of my good friends I spent this past week exploring, hiking and having fun in Arizona. I had never travelled down south before and was amazed by the number of mountains that surround the flat desert places. It was a week full of discoveries and adventures shared with lots of laughter and fun.

Bell Rock in the distance

Our first hike was in Sedona where the colours of the land and rocks were breathtaking. We spent the day hiking the Bell Rock, visiting the chapel and lastly climbing up to the airport vortex. The day was a day of spiritual beauty. At the Bell Rock I enjoyed following the pathway marked by cairns up and over the rocks. There were small shrubs and trees with their barks twisted in growth from the vortex. At the end of the pathway we continued to climb up and over the rocks some of us being aware that we would have to come down what we climbed up. I would have taken off quickly climbing further and further up if not for my wise friend’s comment to remember that I would also have to be able to come back down. The views from the side of the mountain were breathtaking. I could see for miles across to the hills in the distance. The layers of red, orange and white rocks were beautiful with the sun shining down upon them. I could have sat there on the cold rocks forever admiring creation.



The view from Bell Rock

At our second stop we walked up a roadway to a chapel built into the hillside. Inside there was a very large cross in front of a huge window looking out over the valley. Along each side were candles which people were lighting. After a moment of prayer I went up and lit two candles, one for a friend who is struggling and one for all of the people in the world who would never have the opportunity to see such amazing land formations. Outside as we sat in the sun finding different shapes and formations in the rocks on the hillside, I was overcome with emotion. I felt so grateful and undeserving to be witness to such beauty.

The Chapel

The third stop was to me the most meaningful. It was called the airport vortex and was just below the airstrip on the flat mountain top. We stopped at the trailhead, near the top of the hill and climbed up to the vortex. It was located in a small valley between two small hilltops on the mountain. I could feel the strong movement of the air around me and felt a great sense of peace. We climbed to the top of the rock to the left and looked down onto the lower mountainside beside us. There was such a sense of peace. The rocks are so deep in colour and so rich. The sun was shining brightly and the skies so very blue. As we sat looking at the wonder of God’s creation we noticed on the hillside across form us that a man was giving a sound healing to a group of folks. They were stretched out on their backs on the edge of the mountain while he played beautiful music on his flute and then later on his drum holding it close to them allowing the sound to vibrate through their bodies. The sounds from the instruments floated through the air and across to us. It was memorizing and soaked deeply into my body and into my soul. I sat there in silence, in prayer and meditation, in thought and in awe, absorbing everything that my senses heard and felt. Before we headed back down to the car we joined hands and shared in a prayer spoken by my friend. It was beautiful and touched on everything that we had seen heard and felt and all of those people around us. What a gift to be part of.

Across from the Airport Vortex

Our second adventure had us heading south to climb the trails in the Sonoran Desert, in the Saguaros National Park. We headed off on an 8 mile hike to try and reach Wasson Peak. It was hot and dry and the pathway was very sandy. We were surrounded by the enormous Saguaros cacti and other smaller prickly pear cacti. There were also barrel cacti with yellow flowers budding from their tops and a red tinge to their spikes. Then there were the chain cacti which I am sure can fly as on the way back down one of them actually found their way into my shoe and another one into my friends clothing and unfortunately into his skin. They were eventually removed but not as easily as one would think, leaving spots of blood and bruising on the skin from the pulling.



Giant Saguaros Cactus

Along the ridge of the mountain we came across park workers, young men, who were diligently pruning the cacti and bushes along the side of the trail to allowing it to be more passable. They were silent in their work, and as my friend said, they looked like shepherds on the hillside taking care of God’s creation. They were indeed stewards of the land. Although we knew there were poisonous snakes, wild cats and other dangerous critters in the area we were lucky to only see the odd small lizard or squirrel. It was fun to spot them in amongst the boulders and small shrubs. There were only a few others on the trail and no one nearby as we climbed. The silence, disturbed only by the quiet sounds of the birds and other small creatures brought such a peacefulness to the afternoon.

At Wasson Peak, looking back along the trail

It took us approximately 3 hours to hike to the peak but the view and the feeling of accomplishment was all well worth it. We could look down on the city of Tucson and down onto the trail we had hiked up plus others. Although it was certainly not a difficult or too steep of a hike, we had climbed up over 1400 feet, reaching a height of over 4600 feet. I had never hiked to such a height before and felt pretty good about it all. The decent was made quickly and easily, only taking a little over two hours plus the time it took to remove those “flying cacti” from ourselves. It was such a good feeling to gaze back up to Wasson Peak and know that I had been there.

In planning for this trip I had thought about the sharing of adventures, the hiking, and the fun that we might have. I had no idea how spiritual and how emotional this trip was to be. There was so much to be grateful for. This world that God has created for us is so full of amazing beauty. The mountains, the deserts, the creatures and plants that live there, the dangerous ones, the peaceful ones, they are all part of our world and all require our respect. Their beauty and uniqueness had me constantly in awe for all that I saw before me. I found myself close to tears throughout the whole week. I was overcome with gratitude for the kindness and generousity of my friends. The friend, who had financed my trip, gave me a comfortable room to retire to and amazing meals which more than satisfied my hunger, who encouraged us to go out and explore and not worry about her, she was content to stay home and prepare meals for our return. The friends who allowed me to join them each and every day, hiking, exploring and even shopping, never complaining about having a third person along or my sometimes constant chatter, always including me and checking to make sure that I was okay with everything as the days and adventures passed.



Open hearted friends

I will never forget this past week. I cannot come up with the words to explain deeply enough all that I felt and still feel. It brought such joy and happiness to my life. So many life stories shared while creating new stories and memories to share in the future. My life is so good, so full and feels so complete. I have to constantly remind myself to enjoy it and to not slip into my past habit of feeling I don’t deserve all of this goodness. Every person deserves to enjoy life and all that it has to offer. It is so sad and unjust that in our world it is not so. Millions of people suffer daily, have little to eat and no place to live while others of us live easy lives full of amazing adventures like this past week. It will never make sense to me nor really to anyone else, so I try to make each moment in life count, to be thankful for all that I have and all that I am able to do. I believe we need to be thankful to God each day for all of creation, to be thankful for the people that come into our lives, for the love and care we share with family and friends, and to always try to do what we can to make a difference so that someday this world will be a place of peace, a world where everyone will be able to share in the spiritual beauty of creation and friendships as I have this past week.

Advice from a Saguaro

Stand Tall

Reach for the Sky

Be Patient Through the Dry Spells

Conserve Your Resources

Think Long Term

Wait for Your Time to Bloom

Stay Sharp!

                                                   Ilan Shamin

Kindness and Living a Compassionate Life

What is kindness? Well if you look it up it seems to mean the act of being kind, good and charitable behaviour. It is also known as a virtue in many cultures and religions. Maybe that is why being kind is something most of us strive for and what we would like to be known for. It isn’t always so easy.

I have been trying to be a kind person for most of my life and a lot of the time my actions can be kind. They say that kindness is having a pleasant disposition and concern for others. Now mostly I feel I am pleasant and I care so much about people, my family, my friends and others that I meet or hear about. Research has shown that acts of kindness do not only benefit receivers of the kind act, but also the giver. When such acts are committed they cause the release of neurotransmitters which give us feelings of contentment and relaxation. It all sounds so good and I believe it is true. When I help others through my work I feel good about who I am and what I have done. There is a warm feeling in my heart. Unfortunately I don’t seem to take it any further.

Compassion I feel is taking kindness one step further. Living a life of compassion is always doing the right thing, thinking of others, acting on those thoughts and putting others first. Feeling compassion for others isn’t enough, it takes action to live a compassionate life.

This world is full of people with multiple homes, multiple luxuries and more food that they could possibly eat in a day. Professional athletes and movie and music stars get paid millions per year for sharing the gifts God has given them. Our society worships these stars and is willing to pay good money in order to watch them perform. The people in government get paid top dollar for running the “business” side of countries.

In this world over a billion people are without homes, millions of people go hungry every day, and children die from starvation and illnesses that easily could be prevented with the right medical care. We live in a world so full of riches, and yes those riches are held by so few. Where are their hearts? Where is their compassion?  Where is mine? Life is so full of injustice, as my Dad always says to me “nothing is fair in this old world”, and he is so right

If we all lived lives of compassion there wouldn’t be such a thing as poverty. All children would have homes, warm meals and live lives full of happiness. Young adults wouldn’t be sent to fight wars and all people could live a life of peace.  It really is all so very possible, it just takes every single person to live a life of love, kindness and compassion. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if everyone woke up tomorrow and felt called to share all that they had with others, that the wars ceased and we lived a life of peace. We all can make it happen.

This planet we live on is so full of beauty and riches that go beyond anyone’s imagination. It’s such a shame that so few respect it and so few get to enjoy it. There is enough in this world for everyone to share in it's riches. All things are possible and maybe, just maybe one step at a time we will get there. It can begin acts of kindness towards others, it can move into a life of compassion, it can with faith move forward into a world of justice for all. We must have hope.

 

Self Imposed Challenge Accomplished

It’s Boxing Day, a day which could be a day of rest after the hectic day of Christmas. I had planned to spend today visiting with my son and daughter in law but found out yesterday that the visit would be postponed until tomorrow. A nice day at home would be welcomed. Except last night, I felt I had been challenged.

I had a wonderful Christmas day visiting with my parents and some close friends. We shared the dinner meal together and afterwards the women visited while the two men graciously cleaned up the kitchen and did all the dishes. My friends are great outdoors people and spend every free moment out running, hiking and kayaking. Thankfully they do invite me to tag along on many occasions. Last night my friend mentioned to my parents that I was jealous of their adventure of hiking to the cross, a favourite hike of mine. He was right. I am jealous. I hope my friend realizes how blessed he is in life to be married to his soul mate, his best friend and his hiking and kayaking partner. I love to hike but unfortunately I am on my own and don’t have a hiking partner to enjoy the outdoors with. I do hike solo from time to time but in doing so have to endure lectures from family and friends on being a woman alone on the trails. Over the last few months I have tried to hike to the cross on my own but each time have turned around due to my fears, the wind in the trees, the thought of a bear, or the quietness in the woods. However after last night’s innocent comment some part of me felt challenged. Challenged to show that I don’t need him to hike to the cross with, that I am quite capable of getting there on my own...snow and all.

It was a great day to hike. I decided I could try out some of my new hiking attire and also try a mix in my water that I had been given as gifts for Christmas. After last Saturday’s hike this time I was prepared for snow on the trail. Heading up there wasn’t as much snow as I had anticipated but there were many small lakes, rushing creeks and fallen trees to make the going interesting and challenging. I followed the footprints in the snow and mud, carefully trying to advoid as much water as possible. I reached the point where the quiet stillness in the trees usually has me turning for home but I carried on singing out loud to keep myself company. I was determined to reach the cross, after all, I had a point to makeJ. Reaching the Y in the trail I decided to go the usual route, turning right even though the number of foot prints were less in this direction. At least one person though had gone this way sometime earlier in the day. It was so quiet and peaceful, there was only the sound of the water running down the path and through the little streams.



The cross surrounded by winter snow

Finally after 45 minutes I reached my destination, the cross. It was beautiful up there alone. Looking down one could only see low clouds or fog and very little of the landscape below. The quietness gave me a very deep quiet spiritual feeling and as I turned to head down the back trail I looked up at the cross and said a brief prayer to God. This time praying a somewhat selfish prayer, a prayer for myself which I don’t often do, but it was so “magical” up there I was draw to whisper out loud my “wish”.

A foggy mystical view

Heading down there was so much water that I actually had to step right into the creeks and there were places where the trail seemed to disappear from being covered by huge fallen trees. Thankfully there were the footsteps in the snow to follow. Coming down I met three different groups of folks heading up. None of them dressed as warmly as myself, one even in cloth sneakers. I must admit they had me feeling a little over dressed but better safe than sorry is my motto when hiking alone and for that reason I was taking the less steep route on return.

Where did the trail go?

Reaching the car, I felt grateful for the morning and so very thankful for my new hiking shoes. I purchased these a month ago on the advice of my very knowledgeable outdoor friends and my outdoorsy daughter. They are the best. They are comfortable, and dry. I have hiked through puddles, creeks, 4 inches of snow and not once have my feet gotten wet. Definitely the best shoes I have ever owned.

I am now home, and I must admit feeling a little silly for allowing my buttons to be pushed, but glad that I made the journey and didn’t let my fears turn me back. Life is full of fears and challenges, some very small, others huge and some self imposed but when they are met or achieved they can give one a feeling of success.

Happy Boxing Day! New Years Day coming up next and I wonder what challenges 2013 will bring..and will my whispered prayer be heard?

A Very Different Christmas

It is the night before Christmas! It’s a time of excitement and joy as we wait in anticipation for the birth of Christ and the arrival of St. Nick. Christmas has always been a very exciting time in my life, yet usually with lots of stress in the preparation of having the "perfect family holiday." This year however things are so different. I noticed weeks ago that I had no angst this year in trying to gather the children on the "right day". They are all coming at different times and on different days and I have been amazed that I am not upset by the fact that we won’t all be together on Christmas day. The gifts were bought early before my holiday, leaving just a few stocking items to pick up and that was quickly done weeks ago. It just isn't my nature to be so laid back about the holiday. Even in the planning of cooking Christmas dinner with my parents and having friends come over and share the meal with us is not causing me any stress or lack of sleep. A year or two ago it would have sent me over the top I am sure but this year somehow it all just seems so simple and I know all shall just be as it is and it will be good.

Along with the calmness of the holiday is the knowledge that I am surrounded by sadness. So many people I know, friends and acquaintances are struggling over different things in their lives. They all seem to be coping and dealing with whatever life has presented, but I seem to be so sad, grieving over all of their losses. My heart hurts for them all and once again I question why am I so blessed in my life to feel so content and happy, living in a time when my life feels perfect. I wish I could "fix" things so that everyone was feeling the Christmas joy and that we would laugh together. Life is strange and there are no answers to the whys. It is that time of year when we almost expect good things to happen but that doesn’t seem to be the case this year. There are so many losses. Losses of family, losses of friends, losses of purpose, losses of health, fears of what the future will be, it seems to be a time of grief. My tears flow daily with the sadness and the feeling of helplessness. Maybe it just comes with being part of a faith community, there is more closeness, more sharing, along with the love and compassion, there are more tears. With the tears hopefully comes healing and a sense of acceptance to whatever is to come as the new year approaches. A new year in which we can move forward in life and hopefully be able to embrace all that life has to offer us.

Tonight when I attend church as I try to contain my tears, I will think of tomorrow, the family and friends I will share the day with, the good food I will eat, the gifts we will exchange and I will be so very thankful for being blessed with such wonderful people to journey through my life with. It will be Christmas, my very favourite day of the year. Christmas, the birthday of Jesus, who came to us and taught us such valuable lessons, is also a time to grieve together, a time to laugh together and a time to be thankful for all of God’s blessings.

Solitude, Nature and Being in the Moment

It’s three days before Christmas, the gifts are all bought and wrapped, the decorations are up, so all that was left was some grocery shopping and the cleaning. Awakening this morning at 6:15 I was soon up and off to the gym, immediately followed by grocery shopping to beat the crowds. Arriving home by 8 am I began on the housecleaning, planning ahead to a day of relaxing on the couch watching Christmas movies. As I cleaned though the plans seemed to change and at 10:30 am with the house looking passable, I dressed in my hiking clothes, grabbed a snack and by 11 am headed up the Trans Canada Trail. My plan was to walk to the old Chinese Cemetery, out near where I used to live. My daughter thought it would be too far, at least 90 minutes one way but I felt a good three hour hike would be great. What I didn’t count on was the snow. The trail in amongst the trees was covered in icy crunchy snow. With every step forward I would slide a bit backwards, my hike was going to be a challenge. I continued on my way admiring the beautiful forest trees, noticing the odd brownish leave still clinging to it’s tree branch, and listening to the wonderful sound of the rushing water in the nearby creek. It was a time of solitude and a time to reflect on life and just be in the moment.

Looking ahead down the long snow packed trail

After an hour I knew it would indeed be at least another half hour to make it to my destination. I was tempted to turn back but I so wanted to see my old hiking trails and just before heading out I had received some sad news about a friend, a man who has always handled life with positivity and laughter. It made me realize how one really needs to make the most of every moment in life and not waste a precious second of it laying around doing nothing, so onward I went. Once crossing the main road I headed along trails that I haven’t walked in at least 5 years. I used to hike daily with my dog when I lived out in the country but haven’t returned since she died. It was great to see the old neighbourhood where I spent 14 years raising my children. Some things had changed, others remained the same.

 A fast running creek in amongst the moss covered trees

 

There were paw prints in the snow which years ago could have been made by our dog Sasha. I thought a lot about her and how we shared our daily journeys. We had some good times together and I could picture her running along beside me as I ventured further down the trail. Nearing the cemetery I came upon the old narrow dirt path that took me up into the trees to the top of the cemetery. It felt good to be on a trail and off the snowy packed route on which the snow had become 3 o r 4 inches deep. Finally, as my daughter had predicted 90 minutes into my hike, I had arrived at the top. It had changed so much. What used to be trails were now more like roads. My old rock that I had sat upon for 4 or more years conversing with God about my future and my children’s future was no longer there. Obviously many people must now use the trails for their quads and dirt bikes yet today I was alone in the trees. It was so peaceful to look out at the snow covered mountains and just take in the quiet and peacefulness of nature. Although there is so much hurt and sadness in our world there is also so much good, so many things to enjoy and be part of. I live in a wonderful area full of mountains, forests, oceans, lakes and rivers. There are so many adventures to enjoy, even if only for a few hours a day.

Above the cemetery looking over at the mountains.

 

I must confess heading home, I was very tired, my back was sore, along with one foot. So, after 45 minutes on the snow packed trail knowing there were another 45 minutes to go, I headed out to the roadway and quickly headed for home. I knew being on the road I would be home enjoying a warm bowl of soup within 20 minutes. As much as I missed the quiet of the trees, I can’t say that the noise and fumes of passing cars deterred my happy spirit. It could have been the desire for food that had me running down the streets not carrying that I may been seen by friends who I am sure would wonder what I was up to. My pants were damp up to almost my knees, I had a pack around my waste complete with water bottle and safety items, and I probably looked a little worse for wear but inside I was smiling not caring what people saw or thought.

It’s been a great day and I am so thankful that I decided to get outdoors and enjoy some solitude instead of sitting here staring at a black box all day. Life is too short, too precious to waste, we need to enjoy every minute of it and be present. Don’t waste time looking back, don’t worry about tomorrow, just make the most of today, sometimes that’s all we have.

"Sister Weekend"

Ten years after our last “sister weekend” my sister and I were finally able to escape life and have a weekend together on Gabriola to celebrate my 50th. It was a good time which I must say made even better by the fact that I was able to win every game of cards except the very last one. Luck was certainly on my side. My sister gave me beautiful “sister” rings for a gift which I truly love and will treasure. Our birthstones side by side, well I shall wear hers a little above mine but only out of respect as she is the oldest.


Our birthstones

 

We spent the weekend just being together, hiking the trails, checking out the beaches, sometimes in sunshine and sometimes in wind and rain storms. We went to some of my favourite places and others that I had never been to before and we were awed by nature's beauty.

A new view from my favourite park in the sunshine

 Mostly though we hung out at my friends’ cabin and stayed warm with a nice fire in the woodstove. Meals were simple, chatter constant and laughter often. We slept side by side just like in the old days when we would be out camping except this time there was only laughter and no arguing what so ever. Now we just tease each other and thankfully laugh. It is amazing how the years have changed us in many different ways and yet who we are inside remains the same. The things I did that annoyed her years ago, still do and the things I purposely do to annoy her remain the same. It is one of the many joys that come with knowing someone for a lifetime. She knows to let me always lead the way down the trails, it is futile for her to even try and even get in front really. I know to let her have at least 10 minutes at each new "find" to get the right photo although I can’t say I have become any more patient in waiting over the years.

Getting the "perfect" shot in amongst the wind and rain

 

Of course there are always new things to learn about each other, new things that make us laugh and new fears that we face. Our life styles are different in some ways, we are at different places in our lives and yet as we grow older together we have an understanding of each other that goes back to our birth. Well I guess my birth because as I said .... she is older.

My sister and friend, Dar

 

Thank you for being a wonderful sister and for a great weekend Dar, we'll do it again soon ... I love you.

L

 

Birthday Blessings

Today I turned 50! It has been an amazing weekend with family and friends. There has been so much celebration but among it,  time for reflection. Over these past few years I have often been surprised and shocked at the love and care I receive from my many friends and this weekend was no exception.

Growing up I had many friends in my younger years. I have to confess that up to about age 10 I was the “leader of the pack”. As I aged though, my self confidence lessened and along with it the number of my friends. I kept more and more to myself, was afraid to speak to people so that by the time I graduated my only close friend was my boyfriend and I stuck to him like glue. As I entered married life and had children of my own I slowly began to make new friends, some of my children’s friends’ parents and others at the church I joined. I slowly began to lose my shyness and gain some self confidence. I remember how shocked I was ten years ago when I walked into a surprise 40^th birthday party they had for me and I saw all these women from different areas of my life, all together with me to celebrate my special day.

This last decade has been a time of much change in my life and through it all I have gained even more friends and they have supported me in so many ways. Always I end up asking myself, why?  I can’t even begin to tell you all the things people have done for me and all the wonderful gifts and acts of kindness I have received over the years. What have I ever done to deserve such kindness and love. I honestly never can come up with an answer.

As I look at all my lovely birthday cards from folks, the words on them are so beautiful.

“There are so few people in the world like you; you deserve to know how special you are”

“Our friendship was meant to be, I can’t imagine not having you in my life”

I ask myself again what have I done to deserve all this? However, tonight as I sat singing during a Taize service I realized something. It doesn’t matter that I have no answers to the why...I will probably never understand it. What I do realize is that I just need to open my heart and accept it. The understanding isn’t necessary. I just have to let the love and care in and be grateful that I am so very blessed in this life to be surrounded by such wonderful people. Life is full of mysteries and sometimes not having the answers is okay.

So the forties are gone, the fifties have arrived. I can honestly say that I don’t think I have ever felt more at peace with who I am and what I am doing in my life than I do tonight. I have everything I could ever want and more. I am full of energy and plan to make this next decade the best. I hope to make a difference to others in this world, one small step at a time. I have no idea how I will do that, but I am hopeful that I can make a difference to someone else even if it is just one person. I hope that whatever it is that I have done to deserve such a wonderful life complete with caring friends and family, that I will do it again a hundred times more in the years ahead. It’s time to pass it forward.

Thank you all, and thank you God for all of my life’s blessings.

So as another card I received today says,

“From tears and laughter with no room for regrets...and a smile that says    “You ain’t seen nothing yet!””

"A one night stand" along with "sex in a pan"
Yes I do say...the fifties are gonna be grand!