Thankful For The Gift

The alarm goes off when it feels like you just fell asleep. You move quickly through the darkness, throw on some clothes, try not to wake your wife. The coffee is already brewed and the eggs cook quickly. Hop in the van and pick up your two friends, who have never had an adventure like this. The fourth is picked up by the side of the road, and you head south. It’s misty and rainy out, but stars are visible in parts of the sky, so you persevere onward, hoping for the best.

As you wind along the mountain roads, the sun begins to illuminate the sky in brilliant pinks and oranges that no artist could ever conceive. It also reveals more clouds than you’d like to see before hiking down into this ominous canyon. You’ve already come this far, so might as well keep on driving. When you arrive, another party has decided not to climb their intended route, due to the threatening weather, but your objective is much shorter and significantly less committing. You also really want your friends to have this experience, one you know will mean so much and be a pivotal point in their young climbing careers.

You rack up and start the descent down into the canyon. As you make the raps, you know you might be climbing out this in the rain, but don’t really care, you’ve committed and besides, it’s been awhile since you’ve had a good epic. When you get to the base, the sky is showing signs of clearing, and the psyche of touching the stone on your route amps you up and you cast off for the top in a state of joy. You enjoy yourself immensely, knowing your friends are having their minds blown by the overwhelming majesty of the canyon. You look around every once in awhile and smile, thinking it truly IS an amazing place.

Standing on top, after a few hoots and hollers, pictures are taken and then a quick rap and ascent up the gully to the rim. The clouds have built again, but you pulled it off, and are thankful for the gift that you and your friends received in being able to climb in such a magical place.