Thursday evening an adventure was started. I traveled to South Salem where I would spend the night and meet the people whop I would be journeying with the following day. Friday morning we awoke at four in the morning. We left our starting point at around five in the morning. We traveled for a few hours into the Cascades to where we would leave the vehicles and allow our feet to carry us up South Sister. We arrived at this destination at about nine. We exited the cars switched to boots, put on sunscreen and loaded ourselves down with our packs and crossed the road to the trail head. Soon we were off on the snow covered trail on a grand adventure. As we traveled at some point we left the trail that was planed and took a slight detour on a trail of our own making. We stopped while on this portion of our trek for lunch at a spot that had a beautiful view of Mt. Bachelor. As we continued traveling through this wonderful portion of creation we eventually found a trail not of our own making which we followed up through the trees .We stopped for a while as we exited the heavy treed area and then headed across the fairly flat landscape, covered in egg-crate snow. After a while three of the eight stop, they would eventually decide to turn back rather than wait for the five of us who kept going. As we traveled through the snow I slowly came to realize I would not make it to the summit. Between our detour on steep terrain and the snow, I was starting to wear. Eventually one another of the five stopped, and I decided to stop with him, three continued on, heading for a little further up, and possibly the summit. The two of us rested there at about 7,500 feet. After a brief time our fellow travelers who went further returned, having gone further than us, but not making it to the lake up ahead. We soon started our decent down the mountain. As we went we decided at a few points to slide down the snow cover hills. The sun started to set as we traveled. We started to descend through the trees as night set in. As we descended I learned quickly that going downhill on snow is not what I am built for. I slipped and fell several times on the way down, and thus slowing our decent down. As it got dark and we looked up through the trees to the sky, there was a wonderful feast for our eyes, a sky full of stars. The night sky is wonderful to look at when away from the light pollution of cities and towns, for it is truly filled with stars rather than just the few stars that can seen closer to areas of large human habitation. The five of us reached the cars and the three who turned back early at about 11:30. I sat down to remove my boots and the tiredness and soreness flew through my body, and yet on my mind though my body’s reply to the events of the day was a sense of great joy, appreciation and thanks for having the opportunity to experience that portion of creation with that group of people on that day. We arrived in Salem a bit after three in the morning. Soon I fell asleep to awake a few ours later. After a while others awoke, and then sadly our time together was over as we parted ways. (Some of the pictures I took can be found on my flickr photostream)
I was surprised this morning when I awoke to find myself only a little sore and not as sore as I expected. Someday I may attempt South Sister again, but only after the snow has melted from the trails.
As I was just a tad sore this morning I got up and headed to Tuality Community of Christ (TCC). Visiting today where two former members of the congregation who now live over near Redmond, OR. They ministered to me in many ways as I grew up and it was good to see them today and to experience the ministry they had to offer. Another person who has played an import role in my life was there today also, Apostle Dale Luffman. When I was teenager he was the Apostle for this area of the world and at several camps he and I would be two of the first ones up. He is a guest minister for the Lewis River Reunion this week. I hope I get a chance this week to get up to the campgrounds. The ministry he has offered to me and others has touched and inspired me. Thus he is one of the people on my long list of people who have influenced me and helped me as I struggle on the path of Discipleship. It’s one of my favorite places, unfortunately I am unable to be there for the whole week.
As I thought about how to title this piece, I reflected upon my adventure on Friday and the words “Once in a lifetime” came to mind. It truly was a once in a lifetime experience, however these words caused me to think some more. Often the great and grand opportunities in life we wish to label with these words, but in truth these words describe everything we do in life. Yes my mountain experience was a once in a lifetime experience. I will never climb South Sister with that group of people, following that route, under those conditions again. It will not be repeated, and yet the same can be said about everything I do. Each shower I take is different, each breath I take is different from any before or after. Every moment of life is new and different, we just don’t always take the time to see. I think that if we all try and embrace and recognize the uniqueness of every moment of our lives that we cherish the little and the big things more. We may notice the spirit in everything, notice the Love of the Creating One in everything and rejoice in it. Maybe when we started to notice the wonder of creation, the uniqueness of every moment of life that we will truly be able to know the One who creates in a new way. Maybe they we will recognize the love in all, we will accept all of creation for what it is, the creation of the Creating One. Maybe then the peaceable kingdom, yea even Zion will truly be. Maybe then we will truly accept everyone and no longer wage war, no longer express hatred, distrust… towards those different from us. I know it is a big dream, and may take a long time to achieve, but I truly hope that one day the human community will be able to embrace the uniqueness of one another without fear, pain, prejudice, but with celebration and joy that we are unique and yet all equal in worth and loved equally by the One who creates. That we will learn from our differences, and come to know one another better, and to finally be that which we are called to be. Maybe then we will treat all of creation, yes all, with the respect and love. Love like that which it was created from.
I doubt that I will achieve the point where I remember to recognize everything as “Once in a lifetime” but I will try to cherish a bit more those things which often get overlooked as “routine” “everyday”. . . and then maybe, just maybe from this I will gain a better understanding of the rest of creation, myself, and yes The Eternal One. Though I have not used these words, I already do this to some extent with my prayers of thanks and praise, but now I have more motivation to do so.
Praise be to the One who creates. Let us be glad and rejoice and embrace one another and all of creation.
Peace be with you,
— Lyle II
July 30th, 2006 @ 11:28 am
[...] A couple of weeks ago I traveled to South Sister, and with others attempted to climb this volcano. It was an amazing experience and I am very grateful for having the opportunity to have had this experience. I spoke about it in a previous post of mine called “Once in a Lifetime. . .” I am very glad that Chris invited me to go on this expedition and that I accepted the invitation. I met wonderful people, reacquainted with old, and had a wonderful time. I placed on flickr some of my landscape shots from the trip, (and a “self portrait”) at that time. Today I am please to announced that Chris has produced a post including images of the climb along with a narrative of our trip. This narrative can be found at: http://www.xanga.com/bf_pinkerton/505038273/item.html [...]