Sunday, September 16, 2018

Published by National Geographic 2019

Several years ago, I wrote a story about my first hiking trip into the Narrows of Zion.  On this particular trip I was fortunate enough to have the hike all to myself in the wee hours of a warm May morning.  It was a rich experience the felt entrancing and humbling to be in a place of such intense beauty.  At times, I'm bathed in the soft canyon bounce light and got lost in the sounds of the Virgin River rambling on by as my legs, my whole body sways with it's rhythm. 

The echos of the canyon wrens keep me company and I just can't stop looking up. 

I'd stop and look behind me occasionally to see where I'd been. One instance, I'd had a random dagger of a memory recall. A sudden recogniton.  I'd remembered seeing images of this place, this scene in the pages of National Geographic Magazine. My great uncle and grandmother were world travelers. My uncle especially collected artifacts of his travels and had stories for each one. He was a walking history lesson and his home was like a museum, National Geographic magazines to last a lifetime. 

I stopped in mid hike. I'd just realized in the most extraordinary way the my life had come full circle. 
It evoked a spontaneous rush of exhilaration.  It was an emotional release and such a validating experience I'll never forget. The past, the present and the future fused together in synchronicity and clarity. It's this experience that calls to me as a photographer. 

My random epiphanies usually come about in the lone and remote experiences of exploring the landscapes. 
I'd never before realized that I was in fact living the life I'd dreamed about as a child. In those times where fantasy and escapism beckoned like a savior in the darkness.
I'd kept my promise to my young self, 
not only was there light but what a beautiful sweet light it is.  

This year marks another milestone in this continuing story. I'm one of many who delved so eagerly into the pages of National Geographic to explore a world full of adventure and who would  also one day pick up a camera and continue on that journey.  

 National Geographic 
will publish one of those moments of adventure in their 
2019 Beautiful Landscape Calendars. 

Here's to the continuation of your story! 

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