New Truths in What I See Before Me
When I say these words, a clear image comes to mind I see myself standing at 9800' on the south side of Tahoma. Before me is a team of climbers, many of whom were new to mountaineering, sitting side-by-side at our camp high on the Muir snowfield. I am watching them take in the view of the Tatoosh mountains below. I hear their conversations and am struck with how reliably the outdoors changes people’s perspectives.
Over and over, I’ve noticed as climbers ascend away from civilization, a shift occurs. The business of life, the responsibilities, commitments, and concerns are slowly left behind at the parking lot, with the trees. Eventually all that matters are the singular steps upward and the rhythmic breathing. As one travels further into the alpine, the space for self-reflection grows.
In this moment, as my climbing team watches the setting sun cast shadows on Pinnacle Peak, I ponder how their lives will change from this experience. How does the orange alpenglow on Mt Adams affect how people look back at their lives? How does stepping away from one’s regular perspective and viewing the world from a different vantage point change a person?
Where have you experienced this stripping away of the extraneous? Is it a specific place? Is it a specific moment? When did a different view, or new aspect of life reveal itself?
-- Brenda Hollon, Verascapes Founder
(She/her/hers)