To the Top

Essentials:

-Snowshoes

-Axe

-Large Mountain

Check. Check. Check.

Tomorrow waits another excursion. The goal? To see the world from a higher vantage. W and I decided that with no school tomorrow morning we wanted to take to the wilderness and hike Y-mountain. We were looking on the BYU Outdoors Unlimited website and found that it costs a mere $5 to rent an axe. I decided that, with one of my life goals so close to fulfillment, I would rent the axe and chop down a sizable tree tomorrow morning. Don't worry--every fallen tree is the beginning of new life (or so says Planet Earth). Chopping down a tree is not about dominion over life--not at all. It is a participation in the way of things living and dying. It is connecting with nature and the pattern of the wilderness. I do not chop to destroy. I chop to understand.

"Being is the great explainer." -Henry David Thoreau

Hopefully there will be pictures tomorrow from our expedition. We are renting snowshoes around 8am and heading straight to the mountain. We will not return until we have inhaled enough mountain air to sufficiently clear our lungs of the dust and staleness of libraries and classrooms. Though life is good right now, a brief departure from the valley will be revitalizing. To go up to the beginning of streams and maiden snow drifts! With the confusion of the past few weeks with K recently giving way to more certainty, it will be nice to contemplate how good life is while on a hike in the nature of the mountains. Because life is very good right now. Life is best at two times: when in thoughtful solitude and when surrounded by good people. And a moment or two of thoughtful solitude usually leads to appreciation for the goodness of those around us.

Tomorrow should be fun. Wish W and I luck that we won't die!

NOTE: Someone recently recommended not using names in my blog, so all names will be indicated with capitalized letters. Sorry for any ensuing confusion and vagueness. If the first letter of your name is used and is tied to a derogatory statement in my blog please assume I'm not talking about you.