Vista Ridge – The sun warms my back. A gentile mountain breeze blows from behind me and I feel it caress the back of my ears and through the hair on the underside of my legs. I hear it sway the tree tops. An occasional bug buzzes by. The purple lupine and other white wild flowers blanket the meadows above and below me interspersed with some midget trees and some large ones as well. Beyond in almost every direction are numerous ridges rising from the valley floor through which the Suiattle River flows. Between each ridge is a creek each adding to the Suiattle. The ridges are covered with trees which are light and dark green.
Above all this beauty, dominating the view, are the meadows and peaks of the Cascade Mountains. Endless blue sky with a few light, magical clouds provide the background. The grandeur is overwhelming. The Peace and beauty overpowering.
Being here creates the opportunity to just be. To just exist. No outside occurrences can affect me for now. There is a chance to be a part of the universe which has been for millions of years and will be for millions and billions more.
I hope someday to return to this spot. It won’t be any different. That’s the beauty. With all that goes on I our daily lives that makes us crazy, what really matters never changes. Life and death – the universe, it keeps going on.
At 5600 feet we’re almost 3000 feet above the river and the valley floor. It’s hard to imagine that you would have to put the Sears Tower on top of itself twice to be over 3000 feet. And Glacier Peak is still over 4500 feet above us! How small and insignificant are the elements of mankind. Even if we destroy ourselves with nuclear bombs, who will care? And if we don’t throw the planet off its orbit and destroy the planet, in some way it will re-generate itself – maybe a million or hundred million or a billion years from now. What’s the difference?
So, life, it doesn’t mean much except to those of us who have to live it – or who get to live it. The miracle that allows us a moment of eternity is precious if only to ourselves.
Our families and our friends are the only things that make our stay here worthwhile. And, moments like these.
It’s not really lonely here. The solitude is pleasant in a world full of hustle and bustle. One needs time to unwind and relax… The beauty and spectacle of this spot is truly unbelievably spectacular.
