The Canyon is Grand
I am awoken for the 3rd night in a row before the sun has even risen. As I struggle to lift my body, every bone aches. It’s so dark outside that I cannot even see my own two feet but I certainly can feel the painful blisters that are still covering them. As I change from my somewhat clean shorts and t-shirt to my filthy, smelly ones, I feel a twinge of disappointment realizing this will be my last morning waking up this way.
A sound in the bushes distracts me from my thoughts. Assuming there’s a giant spider or rattlesnake, my two biggest fears of the canyon, I abruptly turn and face my brother wearing the same tired look myself and the rest of my family wears. He looks ready to go, ready to conquer the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and our last leg of our 33-mile hike.
Throughout my last morning hike, I drift back to my thoughts and consider the exhilarating experience my family and I have had over the last four days. Being one with nature, surrounded by constant beauty, seeing the sunrise and the sun set and experiencing the breathtaking view of Plateau Point are some experiences my descriptions could not properly justify. The accomplishments of defeating the dreadful Devil’s corkscrew, taking a dip in the chilled Colorado River and withstanding 130-degree heat make every day life back home look like a piece of cake.
As I climbed that last mile of the canyon, avoiding the oblivious single day tourists, holding my breathe to avoid my own four-day old stench and looking forward to the Lemon-Lime Gatorade that awaited me at the top, I continued to reflect on what this trip meant for me. This was no ordinary family vacation. We each had our own connection to the canyon over the past several days. For me, it was developing a strong appreciation of the beauty of nature and escaping the craziness of technology and my everyday life.
As unprepared as I may have previously felt, as scared of rattle snakes, scorpions and spiders as I may have been and as difficult as the journey may have seemed, I overcame all my fears to have one of the best experiences of my life.
With my last step, reaching flat land at the peak of the canyon, I turn around to once again view the breathtaking wonder of the world. This is where I want to be every time. I feel fearless and accomplished. I am up for any challenge. This adventure inspired me to travel and explore the millions of opportunities of the world. The Grand Canyon and its amazing wonders helped shape me into what I’ve become today. Someone who believes that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.
As agonizing as it may have seemed when I woke up that last morning in the canyon, the worst part was knowing that this journey was coming to an end. The best part was knowing that this was just the beginning.
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