Crestone #6: Thomas Berry

You know, I’ve backpacked in Rocky Mountain National Park with a 4 year-old and an apprehensive wife and had a pretty good time, once I got over my altitude headache.

I hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon to Phantom Ranch and back up the Bright Angel Trail four different summers with high school kids and an ornery colleague. It took some time, but everybody came out okay, none the worse for wear.

Then about ten years ago I hiked in the mountains just outside Yellowstone. After about 90 minutes on the trail and 1,000 feet in elevation, I got cramps in my legs so bad I could hardly move. It was not a very good day. Lesson learned about eating and drinking while hiking.

So today, anticipating the effects of hiking up to South Crestone Lake, guess which wild walking adventure I cared to dwell on? You guessed it. The bad one. I wimped out.

Too much physical exertion scares me as I approach my 60th year. I’m not happy to report that.

Part of it today, too, was that the trail is not carefully marked and I don’t have a topo or trail map. I think my equipment is okay, but what if I get lost or run out of water?

Still, I’m going to do it. Sooner or later before I pull out of Crestone, I’m heading up that trail just as far as my lungs can get in about three hours -- or until my body screams loud enough to make me turn around. We’ll see.

Besides the physical thing, it’s spiritual for me. Even if I don’t make the lake, I will encounter the mountain in some spiritual way. Shoot, it’s a big part why I came.

The day was not a wash out, by any means. Instead, I spent time listening to the poet/philosopher/‘geologian’ Thomas Berry on tape speaking about The Moment of Grace humanity has come to. He went on eloquently about how essential it is for every aspect of human economy to consider how everything is effected when an act is taken. He stressed creativity and our finding a positive way to set course for the future. Meaningful stuff.

My guess is the recently deceased Berry will be on my mind when I finally make way up the trail. I’ll let you know.

Today’s elder idea: Everything is sacred by its participation in the universe.

Thomas Berry

died 1 June 2009