I forgot to mention in my Zion blog last week that long before I ever stepped foot in Utah a good friend of mine Steve from Colorado told me I had to go to Zion National Park. He told me I had to hike Angels Landing and he pulled a masterful quote out and laid it on me.

"You shall top rise and behold creation and you will need the tongue of an angel to describe what you have seen"

I hiked Angels Landing and found it extraordinary... but when I came to the last point I was stopped dead in my tracks. The last stretch of the hike takes you across a thin span of rock with, what must be, 2000ft drops to either side of you. This narrow section leads up the side of the last pinnacle of the hike to the large rise known as Angels Landing. Now in the past I've tried to motivate people afraid of heights, I never really laughed at them, I've been supportive, but I always tried to reassure them that it wasn't a big deal, they could do it... mind over matter.

Well karma has a funny way of teaching us things, bringing things full circle. Here I was at the scout lookout and there was no way in hell my body would let me go any further. I sat down, my mind trying to win the argument... you can do it, I said to myself. But my insides churned and guts rocked, and there was no debate.

Sitting under a tree nearby an older woman was watching me, clearly seeing the inner struggle I was putting myself through, clearly seeing that I wanted to try, I wanted to push on, I wanted to succeed, I wanted to will myself to overpower my physical body and all the truth I knew it was telling me.

At that moment she said to me, "A wise man knows his limits."

True... I thought to myself... we all have limits, and it is up to only ourselves to recognize them, and not push ourselves unreasonably, and not let ourselves be pushed by anyone else. There's no shame in having limits... everything in it's own time.

One day I'll hike to the top of Angels Landing... but I'm in no rush to get there.

peace,
d

(photo: Steve Knepper. Steve I tried to email you via Flickr to no avail. If you have any issue with the use of this photo please let me know.)