Scenes From My Life

It was quiet. The nearly empty streets of the National Park were illuminated only by the headlights on the occasional passing car. The trees lining the driveway blocked any clear views of the Grand Canyon only yards away. Slowly winding our car along the darkened streets, my friend and I came to a sign directing visitors to a viewing area. We had spent the entire day exploring the South Rim of the Canyon from numerous vantage points, each more impressive than the last. Yet, we had chosen to explore the Park further, seeking out additional views. Vague as it was, this sign piqued our curiosity and we turned off of the main street and onto a gravel-covered parking lot. The view changed immediately. Gone were the towering evergreen trees. In their place was a clear, unobstructed view . . . of nothing. The gravel lot extended a few yards beyond the parking area before it blended with the rocky ledge of the Canyon. Above it, the nighttime sky was imposing ...

Driving through a city in a car or tour bus, there is only so much one can see. Most of the city goes by in a blur. Stops are made on a preset schedule. For a true tour of any city, the best way to see it is by walking. When walking, one can see a city at their own pace. As many or as few stops as desired can be made. In my travels, walking has provided some of my most memorable experiences. One of my more memorable walks happened late at night. It was not so much the walk itself that was memorable, but the circumstances surrounding it. It was January 1, 2000. A group of friends and I had spent much of the evening on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., welcoming in the new millennium with countless other people. After 1a.m., the crowd began to disperse and we were faced with a decision. Earlier that evening, a friend had dropped us off near the Mall before continuing onto her own New Year’s celebration. Did we join the throngs of people waiting for ...