This is a note I wrote a few years ago after returning from a trip to the beautiful Rocky Mountains in Colorado.  I discovered my perspective at the top of a mountain had everything to do with every day life. It’s all about appreciating everything and everyone, seeing the worth and value in every place and every person. Everything and everyone is perfect, just the way they are!

“and I think to myself, what a wonderful world!”

What a Wonderful World, written by Bob Thiele and George Weiss

I just returned from visiting God at the top of the mountain where I found peace, tranquility, gratitude, and perfection. I could see within my heart, possibly for the first time.

From the hot desert in Phoenix Arizona to the cool Colorado Rocky Mountains I traveled with my husband and then 15-year-old son. It was a trip that would last eight days, and bring me new found clarity as well as challenge my perspective on everything.

The three of us climbed to over 11,000 feet to one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. There were three lakes along the hike, each a little different and with a beauty and perfection all their own. The mountain trail ended at Emerald Lake, which was a milky green color, still and quiet, surrounded by towering mountains on all side, and a large peak directly in front of us. I stood in awe of the magnificence and perfection of that location.

I began climbing the rocks that surrounded the lake to find a quieter place away from all the hikers that were resting after their long trek. I wondered what each was thinking as they were socializing with their companions. Did they take this place for granted or did they just want to conquer the mountain? Did they see the perfection, the beauty, the splendor of this divine location? I soon put their thoughts out of my mind as I soaked up the beauty from the rock I claimed at a more private location beyond the end of the trail.

The perfection I saw could be no less than the work of the divine. It was filled with serenity, inspiration, and wonder. It evoked imagination, deep thought, and the feeling of being so small and minute in the immenseness of all creation. Overcome by the feeling of oneness, I felt a deep connection to everything and everyone. Every part of this location had it’s place in making this small but vast scene feel perfect and magical.

It reminded me of everyday life, with all its activity and chaos, change and routine, and all we take for granted. Why is it that wherever I am I don’t see this same perfection? Why did it take this place to open my eyes to all the magic around me daily? If I felt peace, tranquility, joy and perfection here in this beautiful setting, then why is it that I didn’t see that wherever I was?

Could it be that the same questions I pondered of those around me as I reached that summit were the same questions I needed to ask myself every day? Do I take my own life for granted? Do I see the beauty of everything and everyone around me? Do I just want to conquer the next thing on my “to do” list? Do I see the perfection, the beauty, the splendor and the divine in every location, every situation, every opportunity?

Take a look around. There is magic everywhere, something to be grateful for, and perfection to be found wherever you are at this moment.

If you don’t believe me, everyone believes Ferris Bueller…

Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

I left with a new found appreciation for nature as well as the “real” world. Nature and cities have much in common, both created to sustain life and fulfill the needs of their inhabitants. Just as we rely on others, so do others rely on us, making each of us a unique part of the wholeness of the universe.

Quality of life exists in the mind, as does inspiration, imagination and creativity, and love.

The greatest gift we were given is our ability to choose how we see our world, how we react to those around us, and how we take care of others and ourselves. We create our own reality, and have the ability to make our lives truly amazing.

It’s all about perspective,
Pam