This week I flew to Phoenix for my Brother's final flight in
the F-16 at Luke Air Force Base. We then packed up and drove his U-haul to Utah
where he's going to store some of his stuff while they spend a year in Korea. The picture above are some pictures from the
trip. Unfortunately we accidentally deleted some beautiful sunset and sunrise
shots, oh well::)
It was
a wonderful drive, if we wanted to stop and look at something we did it. There
wasn't a time constraint. We drove through the Navajo Nation and camped on a
ridge in Monument Valley. We woke up
early and watched the brilliant sun rise over the deep red cliffs and
outcroppings found in that valley. We
then spent the rest of that day driving home. We did make one final stop in
Arches National Park where the we were able to sit and hang out the window on
the passenger side and let the wind blow through our hair. We need to have some fun::)
The
drive and experience were incredible. The red rock cliffs and formations make
one marvel at their creation and grandeur.
One experience that was particularly interesting was the evening we
camped on the ridge. There was a Navajo youth group there as well. We found the
two leaders and asked if they might share some of their Navajo history with us
as well as what they think about life and death and why we're here. It was interesting to hear this leader recount
the struggles and challenges of his people during the settling and conflicts of
the pioneers. It was also interesting to
hear him describe his feelings about where we came from, why we're here and
where they think we're going. Although we obviously differ in some areas, one
lesson I walked away with is the importance of connecting with the earth. It's amazing to me how important it is for
the Navajo to understand and connect with "Mother Earth." He talked about the consumer lifestyle so
many live and how we've forgotten so much of what the earth has to offer,
including small things such as medicinal plants and the ability of people to go
and ponder in a natural setting. The Earth has always been associated with the
feminine gender, while the Sun has always been associated with a male gender. I have to agree with this Navajo leader,
there is a lot we can learn from these living beings (the earth and surrounding
planets and stars). We can each find
ways to learn from what the earth can teach us. One of the greatest forms of
learning is to retreat into nature and find a place to ponder and pray. For Nephi, Moses, the Brother of Jared, and
many others it was resorting to the mountains to pray when it became their
personal temple and the veil was parted.
Nephi expressed, "And I, Nephi, did go into the mount oft,
and I did pray oft unto the Lord; wherefore the Lord showed unto me great
things." This statement can be true
for each of us!
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