I realize I’m very fortunate to see parts of the world that most people never dream of seeing. I get the chance to see beauty in forms that I have never seen before. And I relish every moment of those experiences.
We had planned on a short hike, 30 minutes or so, just to get a feel for the land. Not expecting to be gone too long, we opted to leave the water in the car. That is one of those decisions you see in the movies and you immediately scream at the actors that they are making a mistake. The route that the people in the office told us would take about a half an hour was actually just to the point where we could go back another half an hour to see a water fall—we opted against that. But we still had another “half an hour” back to the bridge. Except it took us about an hour to get to place to make the turn and finish out the loop.
If you want to see more images from the day, check out the album I posted on FB. If you’re not already a “Friend” send me an invitation.
The air was filled with smoke in a lot of places. I finally realized why. The farmers were lighting fires on the hillsides to clear land in preparation for planting beans. And the rainy season is coming on. I am sure they have been planting that way for many, many years, but with the steep terrain and the hillsides cleared of vegetation, you know almost all of the topsoil will end up in the river. And they will move on to the next hillside the next year.
I didn’t watch Oprah’s final show recently, but I understand she called on her viewers to find something to be passionate about; something that makes life worth living. I would repeat that. I have no (serious) issue with most of the “entertainment” on TV today, but it is simply mind-numbing entertainment. We all need to relax from time to time and that is fine. But there are other opportunities in our own back yard to get involved and make a difference in someone’s life. Helping out one person, or one situation, can often have a much greater influence than you even realize.
