Yesterday I said that it doesn’t get much better than God’s creation… but that favorite thing #3 did. Favorite thing #3 is INTERACTING with nature, vs. just observing it. A sunset is great and all, but hiking up the side of a regal mountain and stumbling upon a family of Bighorn sheep who don’t mind you being around is even better. I remember sitting maybe 15 feet from the ram of a herd of five or six sheep, who stood between me and the younger ones. We probably had ten minutes of holy mystery together before they moved on. It felt like locking eyes with God.
Cliffs are fun, but climbing them is even better. There’s something about hauling your trembling carcass over the top of a rock face you’ve strategically mastered through an artful combo of grace and grunt, waiting for your burning forearms to stop singing, that just can’t be beat. Or even getting your butt handed to you by a rock face that won’t let you climb it, like the teacher telling you that running in the hallway isn’t allowed. Sounds counter-intuitive, I know, but it’s amazing.
Over the past few years I’ve gotten into Parkour, or Free Running, and have experienced the rush and joy of climbing, running, tumbling, and trying to move gracefully across urban landscapes.
Or working out, feeling your body working hard, sweating, pushing itself, becoming more. Bottom line?
Using the temple (body) God gave me to explore the world around me is fantastic. But wait till you hear about favorite thing #4.