Wednesday, June 24, 2009

The Beauty of Yosemite


There are only handful of places in the world that can continue to take my breath away over and over again. Yosemite is one of those places. Like my mom, I've grown up coming to the Yosemite Valley, hiking its trails, hearing the Native American folklore, yelling to Elmer the bear, sitting by the campfire with my family. This place is so inextricably a part of my life and my childhood, that it is difficult to see it through an unbiased lens.

For several years when I was a kid, my entire family - aunts, uncles and cousins - would pack up our gear and head for a camping trip in the valley. So many of our family stories have come from our times there. The night me, my brother and my cousin Jillian stayed up late to try to see a bear, only to sleep through the moment when it finally made the inevitable trek into our campsite and smashed out the window of our car. Our hikes up the Falls, and our swims in the perfect clear water rolling off the granite cliffs. My aunt's old blue and white striped tent that we nicknamed, "the circus tent" and how it miraculously seemed to defy gravity, despite missing a few parts.

This year my brother and I went for a weekend. Although things may change in our lives - some people move, others die, and still others get caught up in the struggles of life- the Valley doesn't change so much. It is our memories that live on every trail and in the trees and the sky and the granite faces. Yes, Yosemite is undeniably one of the most beautiful places in the world, but it is these memories that keep me coming back for more; all these beautiful surroundings that are a part of the story of my life.