Stephenson Family Ties The Barn Burnt Down
And Now I See The Moon
Life is grand, and so are its environments of Past and Future. Would the face of nature be so serene and beautiful if man's destiny were not equally so?
-Thoreau

It turns out that this photo was taken on my last 'official' hike for Desert Cliffs.
Good 'ol Awesome Chasm.
I didnt have a clue  at the time that it was my last.  But if I had, I dont think I could have
appreciated its beauty any more than I did at that moment. Every
day that I  hiked was a gift and a blessing and a treasure. Every hike
brought peace, health and an appreciation of the beauties of this world and the people in it.
Every hike built friendships as our feet carried us through the desert, for
its a well proven fact that hiking and talking are a perfect match. And talking
and sharing one's life with others is cathartic, cleansing and good for
ones mental health not to mention ones waist line.
Im so glad that I weedled myself into this shot.  Im grateful
that Cheryl took it.  It will be poinient memory for me from here on out.

Trying to 'recap' my hiking career with Fitness Ridge and then for Desert Cliffs will be like trying explain the color blue.
Trying to express in words what hiking and meeting the amazing folks I have been blessed to meet would be as difficult as explaining all the hues of red in the desert.
Trying to express my emotions and gratitude for my hiking guides and my bosses- who are more like family- for their friendships and companionship on the trails is nearly an almost impossible task.
Having the best gig on the planet..working for the best people and meeting the best people was heaven on earth. Here's hoping I can find heaven elsewhere somehow, some way.
Here's hoping I find blessings in some other form.... somewhere....

3 comments:

Unknown said...

If I had known it would have been your last hike with us...I would have taken so many more photos. I would have whined and cried the whole time. I would have been in shock.

Cindy said...

Love you Cheryl!! Oh how I'll miss you!

Sabine said...

I will never hike the red roks without thinking of you, I love you Cindy !