The Value of Solitude It’s mid-afternoon; the clouds are dancing on summer breezes sending shadows that skitter along the canyon walls. A sliver of the muddy Colorado peaks out between buttes that are so old oxygen was still forming in the atmosphere when the rock was laid down. Beyond the east rim, for hundreds of miles, stretches the plains and mesas of the Painted Desert. The world is awash in pastels, a palette of muted umber, vermilion, scarlet, orange, green and grey. Perched on a limestone outcropping at Cape Final my gaze takes in the confluence of the Little Colorado River and Grand Canyon. The silence of this place only interrupted by cascades of wind rushing up the canyon walls to rustle through the ponderosas. I can feel my heartbeat. What is the value of solitude? In our oh so busy world where can we go to find it? As the 50th anniversary of the 1964 Wilderness Act approaches we are reminded of the values, such as solitude, for which Grand Canyon and all national parks were established. Solitude allows us to look inward, to tap into those aspects of ourselves that are often lost in the hubbub of a busy world. Creativity, peace of mind, self-awareness and a deep-centered joy comes when we connect with ourselves during moments of solitude in wild places. These are the values for which we preserve national parks. These are the reasons why that long ago day in 1903 Teddy Roosevelt implored, “Leave it as it is. You cannot improve on it. The ages have been at work on it, and man can only mar it. What you can do is to keep it for your children, your children’s children, and for all who come after you, as one of the great sights which every American should see.” Our greatest legacy, beyond our vibrant democracy, is the wild places we are determined to preserve unimpaired for future generations. This we all hold. This solitude belongs to us all and it belongs to our children’s children. Take a few seconds and join me, in solitude, at Cape Final. - jp Time lapse photography by J. Pope
Posted on: Thu, 24 Jul 2014 17:00:00 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015