A Beautiful Life Worth Living

Beauty they say is in the eyes of the beholder!

Visiting the Grand Canyon has changed my opinion of this long held belief of this human race. There are things; people; images in this world that can be beautiful to every beholder. I had the wonderful experience of visiting the Grand Canyon this past week and I can say without a doubt that it is the first Great Wonder of the world that I have seen. I say my first because I firmly believe that after visiting the Grand Canyon – I know for a fact that this world – no matter how ugly we human beings try to make it - is beautiful. I say IS in the present tense, because the world “was not” beautiful or “can be” beautiful. It IS beautiful. Further it will not be the last Great Wonder of the world that I will see - God Willing.

There is beauty in every tree, every deer, every sunrise, every sunset; every person. Before this week I was unable to see beauty in everything, but when you are afforded the opportunity to partake and participate in one of the world’s wonders you are just unable to say ever again that “beauty only exists in some things”. Beauty exists in everything. We often find ourselves sitting out our little lives on the side lines; sitting behind our desks, in front of our TVs and wonder what does life hold for us? Life holds exactly what you give it!

I needed this rest, this retreat, to do something outside the norm so that I can say definitely to myself that “Life is Worth Living”. I have read it in many books, watched it on several TV programs but I have rarely done anything that has showed me that life is worth living.

This past week I experienced things I had watched others do or watched on TV or read in a book. This week I had the chance to do it all for myself. To taste the heat of the dessert; watch the sunrise over the world’s most fascinating rock formations; ride a horse for the first time in more than 10 years!, fly in a hot air balloon!!

Naturally things like sky diving although I say I will never do, this trip has given a little bit of courage to be able to say “Maybe some day”.

I hiked!!! I hiked!!! I hiked down into the Grand Canyon to Cedar Ridge. Cedar Ridge not one of the natural ridges of the Canyon but just as challenging. I was able to go hiking!

From all the vantage points I was able to view the world up there. I was able to see the real beauty of the world and actually feel like I was apart of it. I felt connected to the horse, the rock formation, the sunrise, the sunset, the river, the lake. I felt connected and this is why I say partaking and participating in the beauty that surrounds us. As much as we try to destroy what is beautiful we have to remember that without us there will be no beauty as well. Because who will see all this beauty who will watch in amazement at the deer crossing the street? Who will watch the Colorado River flow through the canyon? Who will capture the Historic Watchtower on film? We will! Because we know what beauty is. Beauty is everywhere.

Don’t let your life pass you by. If there is something out there that you want to do, but you keep telling yourself – I don’t have the time, or the money, or the energy – just get out there and do it. We have one chance, one chance in this small world to make a difference, to do something for you, to something that will make you feel apart of this world.

Don’t watch the world from the sidelines – enjoy and live life to the fullest. Remember we are all given something on this earth – Life – and like anything you are given it can be taken away so enjoy it while you have it.

Faith, Hope and Love All.