For me, it's Yellowstone National Park. I'm kind of a freak for educational things. I'm weird like that. I think I'm IN LOVE with Yellowstone. Who knows what it is. I'm not an outdoor person. Hiking really isn't my thing. Derek and I did some hiking on Seorak Mountain in Korea, but those hikes were all paved, or had well worn paths that were super easy.
I might connect with Yellowstone because Yellowstone's just so NEAT!!! There are so many different things to see and experience; so many colors, textures and smells! I'm all for variety and uniqueness. I don't think there's ANY place even remotely similar to Yellowstone.
It also could be because it's the first place where I really made a connection from my geography studies that I love so much with the real world. Derek and I visited the first time right after I took a Physical Geography course at BYU. We had studied a bit about the huge 1988 forest fire, and I was really excited to see first hand the things I had spent so much time studying.
Probably the major reason why I feel such a strong connection to Yellowstone is because I can really see how the Earth is formed; how God created our world. I was in such awe at the waterfall in "the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone." There was so much water going by! Even with the loud rushing water sounds, I felt a quiet reverence for God's work.
Sometimes it's hard to see our Heavenly Father's hand in the natural world around us, especially when we live in a sub-urban area. I catch glimpses of it at times, and then I try really hard to think about it more. But in Yellowstone, it's in your face. I don't think you can go there without seeing it!
Luckily for me, Yellowstone isn't too far away from where I live. It's about 7 hours by car. Well, maybe 7 hours. I'm not so good at estimating numbered things, and I didn't pay much attention to the time last time we went. And when we go, we have accommodations available for us. That's probably the best benefit. It's pretty expensive to stay in motels and especially hotels, and while I enjoy camping, I enjoy it for camping, not as a means of accommodation.
So anyways, how about you? With what place do you feel a real deep connection?
I love where we live in Minnesota. Our home reminds me of God's creations every day. The harshness of the climate and the forest I can get lost in just looking out my window or the perennials that can weather over another season and still bloom the next year amazed me that we ever make it through and how much we rely on Him for protection. Yellowstone was a smelly memory for my children, but I will always love the views of the Grand Canyon there, too.
ReplyDeleteYellowstone is so great. My parents took us right after the fires of 88 and I still remember looking out the window and so much black ground. It is such a beautiful place. I feel so connected on the beaches or islands of Hawaii. I have been twice but my ancestry on my dad's side is Hawaiian so I have always felt a special connection with the place and memories.
ReplyDeleteI love Yellwostine as well. I haven't been since Tyler was a baby, but Robert took Britain there camping last summer. They had a great time together. I have thought about this in the past and I just don't have a place that I connect with other than the temple. I am not sure if this is because we moved aroung so much growing up or what. Oh well.
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