Land of Gods

BACKGROUND: My husband, Edward, has wanted to take me hiking through the Zion Narrows of Zion National Park for the last three years. My two sons and my husband have hiked the Narrows two different times. Having heard tales from my two sons about, “the hike that changes lives,” and with Edward’s heart surgery in June - a stint placed in an artery which has helped him feel better than ever now, - I knew it was time to go.

THE TREK: Edward announced that he would be taking his vacation the first week in August and I was to clear my week because he had something planned. I was excited wondering where we would go. I asked my youngest son, Logan, now eighteen and starting college in the fall, who responded, “I think you are going to hike the narrows with dad and I’m not invited.” He smiled while saying this last part. Hey, mom and dad are starting the empty nest dating time. I acted surprised when Edward said that he had made reservations at a hotel close to the park for Wednesday evening. We would hike the Zion Narrows, one of the ten most popular hikes in the world, the following morning.

I got on youtube and found this video http://bit.ly/bk0oRm plus, I looked at a map of Zion National Park to see where I would be going. I noted that my hubby and I would be hiking during potential flash flood time, http://bit.ly/9xJ2TP . This is scary because each year people are killed in flash floods. Many times blue sky is seen through the narrow parts in the canyon, but a thunderstorm can take place up to 25 miles away, and with the sand and lime stone formations, the water runs right off into the mother of the canyon, the Virgin River that is an exquisite, but wildly, crazy woman at times.

We arrived at the visitor’s center at the west end of the park and walked toward a shuttle, I looked up toward our destination. Nestled in under the Utah, blue sky, the beauty took my breath away.

We took a shuttle into the park, we were dropped off at the river walkway, walked the mile trail, stopped to take in the grandeur of everything and prepared ourselves for the journey. I was told, to wear a body suit, (it gets cold in the canyon as the sun doesn’t shine much in there) a "Camelback" water pack, a waterproof container for my camera, snacks in waterproof containers, hiking shoes that could get very wet, padded stockings that went above the ankle, and a walking stick.

After descending the seven steps of the observation deck into the Virgin River bed, I quickly realized why one carries a walking stick. The river bottom was overwhelmingly filled with round slippery boulder-sized rocks. Navigating the three miles upstream was going to be a task. I felt like a child learning to walk for the first time at the start, but soon, the stick and I became one and the trek became manageable.

A beautiful place - this virgin has created…

It has taken her millions of years to patiently carve this magnificent and God inspiring land. She has nourished her bed with luscious flora so that her fauna can thrive.

It doesn’t take long for the upstream battles to make the journey tedious and arduous. Just when I thought my vigor might not last, around the bend would be another magnificent view that would shoot a beam of energizing light right into my heart.

The sun, wanting to take every opportunity not to be outdone by the virgin, would radiate his light just so on the face of this lovely, older Goddess. When commenting about the wrinkles of an elder Goddess of his tribe, a Navajo medicine man once said, “Our elders seem to begin to take on the look of Mother Earth as they age, with the cracks and crevices of character and living making maps across their faces.” http://nativeamericannetroots.net/diary/569/flora-sombrero-lind-1923-2010

Many times, wading next to the sheer rock boundary is best. The wall is a sturdy, sure guide like Melchizedek was in Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist. His essence was so strong that the boy was able to strongly keep a hold of his dream and see it realized.

The upstream battle with the rocks, the current, and the depth at times of the cold water was relieved when, like an oasis in the desert, an outcropping of sand and rocks jutted out enough for us to climb and find a place to rest, warm our bodies, have a snack, and take in the majesty of this wonderland.

It was time now to make the final conquest of ever pressing current to our destination, a place called, Wall Street with its 300 meter in height walls reaching straight up to the sky on each side of the river like unto the famous, New York City, street. Many of the hikers who started with us turned back before this final assault. Luckily my spiritual stock account was still filled with enthusiasm so that the journey, although trying, was still manageable.

We made it!!! Only two other hikers were in this majestic area with us.

It was too dark to take a picture of its grandness, so Edward shot one going straight up. A picture cannot begin to show the ominous presence one feels while surrounded by this power.

We were beaming for only a few minutes, when God took a flash picture … then a roar of thunder echoed through the canyon. I smiled as I knew that He was testing us to see if the dream was worth our efforts. “I think we’d better high tail it out of here!” Edward urged.

I can tell you that the thought of the flash flood youtube video went through my head as, thank heavens, going down the river was a bit easier than battling the upstream force going up. However, there were still rocks and deep pools to maneuver. When it came time to make the choice of traversing around the deep pools or swimming, I swam. Each time an opening with rocks to climb to safety came along, I would look at Edward, who would check the color of the water and urge us not to climb but continue our descent. If you are aware, when the river changes color you have, not a lot, but some time to climb. We took chances, yes; but, I could feel the Goddess hugging me and whispering that we would be okay and to proceed with joy.

With about a mile left to hike, we came upon a lady with two older teenage sons. She was panicking. I tried to calm her by hugging her and telling her to just keep a steady motion … that we could make it safely… only she didn’t speak English and I didn’t understand her language. She looked at me strangely and broke from me yelling at her boys as fear etched her face. They tried to run back down the river. This only made them stumble and fall all the more. Edward and I steadily paced ourselves and passed them. Eventually they caught on and followed our gait to the seven steps of the observation deck. As I wearily stepped up each one, I thought about life and what my sons had said about “the hike that changes lives.” Yes, it is a true statement. The Zion Narrows is a tremendously inspiring quest.

I took a moment to thank God for giving me a second chance to come back and experience this world he so lovingly created for us; I thanked him for my wonderful children; I thanked him for allowing my sweet husband and I to have more time together; I thanked him for truly testing Paulo so that Paulo would see his destiny and write the book that has and is changing and uniting our world; and lastly, I blessed God and his Goddess with the patience to endure while witnessing the sorrows and joys of their children on this world.