Of Sunrise, Mountains, and Overcoming Fears

Sometimes discovering new things and experiencing something amazing requires getting over one's fears. That was the case for me last week when I visited the Rockies in Colorado.

I had decided beforehand that I would be up in the mountains for sunrise and sunset each day. In the evenings there were more cars driving up and down in the park, but at 6:30 am I would spot one, maybe two other cars. The sense of isolation in a new place and in a completely new type of environment was slightly unnerving for me given some of my background and my very limited knowledge of potential dangers, so the most I managed was to stay close to the car. I knew the black bears had already been spotted in town, and I had no real awareness of what their presence entails (so much so that on the first day when I drove up I left my car doors open with my turkey sandwiches on the passenger's seat. :P I learned better by the next day though!) so I didn't want to take any risks by venturing on trails at that hour. I basically drove through the mountains chasing the light and looking for something beautiful.

Witnessing the morning light literally painting the landscape in different colors that changed almost by the minute was absolutely fascinating. In the end, the incredible scenery enveloped me and I almost forgot about my fears. I was caught into the moment, absorbed by that beauty so deeply and fully immersed in the feeling of solitude I now embraced. This morning and the scene remained imprinted in my mind as a very special memory.

I had tears in my eyes as I drove away from Estes Park. I just wasn't ready to let go of the awe-inspiring beauty I experienced. I thought visiting Colorado would be a good nature fix, but I found myself craving for more nature the more time I spent there. Have you had a similar experience in nature? What do you think makes our souls crave for it? Is there any particular place where you feel most connected with nature?

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