Cathedral Splendor

 

  I am on vacation and this morning my alarm clock sounded at 4:15 a.m. It was not by accident but rather by design.  I am spending a week in Sedona Arizona.  It is one of the most stunning and magical places that I have encountered. The red rock formations scream of vibrancy and connection. Today I planned to bear witness to the dawning of a new day and watch the sun rise from a vantage point on one of Cathedral Rock’s plateaus.

  As I readied for the trip I dressed in hiking shorts, a tank top and I wore a light windbreaker jacket.  The outside temperature registered forty eight degrees on the rental car dashboard.  There was no time to go back to my hotel room to grab a long sleeve shirt.  I needed to drive to the trail entrance and hike up the mountain to my chosen spot. Today time was of an essence. My first and only other trip to Sedona was September 2011.  It was a group tour and this was the way we had spent our last morning together.  When I made my current plans to return I knew that this event would be prominently inked in on my schedule. No pencil for this one, there was no chance of change or erasure.

  When I arrived my car was the only one in the parking lot.  As the nighttime darkness was starting to wane I began my accent.  It was 4:55 a.m. and according to the internet, sunrise was to occur at 5:16 a.m. I knew I had some time because it would take a little longer for that ball of fire to top the mountainous red rock in the distance, but how much time I did not know for sure.  So I moved swiftly but gingerly up the rocky path.  Not wanting to miss this event I didn’t stop to photograph two heart shaped rocks that I had spotted along the way.  By the time I reached my destination I had worked up a light sweat. 

  I settled on a spot where one tier of the rock formation overlaps another.  Higher behind me were the spires of Cathedral Rock and above them in the shifting color of the sky from black to blue was the moon.

    Every day holds a different meaning for each of us.  My thoughts turned to my niece who on this morning will hold and nurse her one week old son.  Today one of my co-workers will say her final goodbye to her father-in-law and I remember my friend who anxiously awaits the results of a medical test.  We all share the same day but it evokes different thoughts and emotions in each of us.  Some days are joyous, some heartbreaking, others are anxiety filled but most of them are filled with the routine functions of life.

  I remember the countless number of times that as a new day dawned I would lie wrapped tightly under my bed covers and all I could think about was when the work day would be over so that I could return home. Instead of viewing the day as full of possibilities I have wished and willed hundreds of thousands of minutes away none of which can be reclaimed nor recovered. 

  One constant occurrence in our lives is that each and every day the sun will rise.  Sometimes it will be hidden behind clouds, rain or snow but it occurs whether we witness it or not.   Rarely do we concern ourselves or notice the risings and settings of the sun, rather we just expect them.  And far less often do we take the time to dance within their splendor.  For me, this is what this morning is for, taking the time to notice, appreciate and enjoy.

  Stillness blanketed the canyon.  For the first forty five minutes of my journey my only companions were a few sparrows and an occasional spiny lizard. Oh yeah, and the forty seconds of howling from the coyotes in the distance. I was thankful for the distance!

 With each passing moment the sky became lighter and lighter.  It was 5:30 a.m. and with the benefits of my aerobic hike up the trail dwindling, cold began to settle in.  I put down my journal and pen and wrapped my windbreaker tighter around me. I blew warm air into my slightly numb hands.  Not only was I anxiously awaiting the sun’s entrance for her beauty but also to feel her warmth.

 

   At 6:02 a.m. light appeared along the crown of the red rocks in the distance.  As I turned to look at the spires of Cathedral Rock behind me, their pinnacles that had moments before appeared amber now emitted a golden hue.  The ceremony had begun.  It was the changing of the guards.  The sun rising in the east was relieving the moon stationed in the west. 

 

 

  The sun’s accent was rapid.  Within minutes the light was brilliant and blinding. I was unable to look squarely in her direction.  I closed my eyes and began to feel her familiar loving warmth permeate my body. I likened myself to my niece’s new born son, cocooned in a receiving blanket and lovingly embraced. With gratitude I soaked it all into my heart and let it flow to into my soul.  It was a moment of connectedness and pure bliss.   

 

 With the sun fully emerged from beyond the red rocks I gathered my things and began my morning hike. This is where I believed this blog post would end, but I was wrong.  As I hiked the Templeton Trail the Universe continued to bestow her wisdom upon me.  With the sun warming my jacketless shoulders I began to notice the varying shades of light that was cast upon the desert inhabitants and the messages they conveyed.

  In this patch of prickly pear cactus the sunlight illuminated just a few pieces, two of which when highlighted like this seemed to form a heart.  A reminder, don’t underestimate the joy and love you can spread when you shine your unencumbered heart in this world!

 

  When you think your view is impeded, don’t allow outside factors or elements to block or diminish it. And don’t focus on the altered view.  Envision the grand picture that lies beyond.

 

 It is not necessary to reside in the spot light.  We are all connected and receive equal benefit from the gift of warmth and light.

 

 When you can’t see a clear pathway or solution to a problem trust that the way out will be illuminated for you.

   This morning I sat in a Cathedral.  It was not adorned with bronze statues, wooden pews or brilliantly colored storytelling windows. However, it was equally exquisite.  It was adorned with glowing rocks of red and gold, the musical accompaniment was provided by a chorus of sparrows, its ceiling was a loosely fitted dome of brilliant blue sky and its sanctuary was guarded by the sun and the moon.  It was Mother Nature’s Cathedral and I was humbled and grateful to occupy a seat and enjoy all of her splendor.

  No matter what is going on in your life, rest assured that each day the sun will rise and it will set. It is your choice, like everything else we encounter, to take notice.