Day 35: A Ribbon of Red and a Solid White Line

Hello!

In the midst of a rising work schedule and approaching finals week, I made some time to explore more of the Lake Powell area. I needed a break from all of my learning at the front desk, my hours working on finals papers, and the miles walked while reading.

I should record the list of comments I get from people who pass by me along the road: "Don't trip!", "I could never do that", "You're overly ambitious".  While walking, I hold a book in front of me. On the road I get exercise, time in the sun, and make good progress reading through my books, unlike the number of times I fall asleep while sitting on the couch. Still, I recognize that it is an uncommon sight to pass by a pedestrain who is more focused on the content of a book than what's in front of him. The secret to avoid most tripping accidents when reading and walking is to align a portion of the book along the edge of the sidewalk or follow the solid white line of the road to avoid straying from the pavement.

I began noting the number of lines I must remain cognitive of around here. There's the shoreline of Lake Powell...it is still receding, but with the amount of snow Colorado has been receiving, hopefully that will turn around soon. There's the Utah/Arizona stateline...on the north side of this line (and inside the Navajo nation) it is Mountain Standard Time plus Daylight Savings Time, while the Arizona side doesn't recognize Daylight Savings; with this boundary dividing the resort and the Navajo nation just east of Page, people are constantly confused about the current time, arriving early or late for their boat tours, dinner reservations, or checking into their hotel room. I learned quickly not to trust cell phones with automatic time updates--their time adjusts every time they pick up a signal from a different cell phone tower. There's also the boundary of the Navajo nation, in which the Navajo have established a different legal system and way of life that must be recognized and honored.

All of these lines surround me. Some distinguish one thing from another. Some lines prevent advancement. The lines I most appreciate though are the ones that I do not intersect, but walk alongside. I parallel them and they guide me.

Monday morning I woke up before dawn, got ready, and walked to the boat dock. The sun broke over the horizon on a cloudless morning. That morning I took a boat tour that ventured 50 miles along Lake Powell to Rainbow Bridge National Monument. The morning light intensified this thin line of red mesas, canyons, and buttes surrounded by blue skies and water, marking the boundaries of lake, land, and sky. The boat docked at Rainbow Bridge--the largest natural bridge in the world. Its height matches the Statue of Liberty and would top the capitol building in Washington, DC in a perfect arch.

Rainbow Bridge is located within the Navajo nation. It is a sacred site to the Navajo, and in reverence of the location, people are not to stand beneath the rock's arch. I was a bit disappointed with this line--the best light for photography was found on the other side of the bridge, but I could not access that side without walking beneath it. I could revere the line, or break the boundary (as many tourists do), and take the photos I wanted. In the midst of it, I considered how often I disregard lines in order to do what I want or get what I want. It's not like there's an actual line preventing me, but there's some invisible boundary nevertheless.

So instead of getting the photos I was hoping for at Rainbow Bridge, I sat at this invisible boundary line and looked up, enjoying the moment filled with gratitude for the chance to be there, a place I had wanted to visit since I was 12. Instead begrudging the line, the bridge overshadowed me--a line that spans the sky, and I prayed God would guide me as I learn to walk more closely alongside Him.

Photos from the trip are available in Photos of the Week. I hope you enjoy your week!
Blessings!