As we continue our journey across the country I cannot help but notice a huge diversity of color in the landscape. Honestly, my favorite contrast of color has always been evergreen trees against a clear blue sky.
There have been plenty of opportunities to see that! And I have enjoyed the diversity of green in all of the forests, meadows, and farm land. I have also noticed huge variety in the color of rocks…from the red rocks of Zion, to the orange and yellow of Bryce, to the blue and grey of Grand Teton, to the rich variety of Yellowstone. There is even the darker brown and black of the black hills of South Dakota.
Coming out of an enormous rain storm the other day in Wyoming we saw a spectacular rainbow. When I see the rainbow I think, not only of the hope it provides, but also of the reminder of God’s creative power. Diversity is a good thing. Diversity of color, ethnicity, food, culture, ideas, etc. helps us to learn, grow, and dream bigger than we ever could in a monolithic situation. (We saw one of those too at Devil’s Tower!)
As we have driven across this beautiful land (over 5000 miles so far) I am so grateful for the wonderful diversity that I see and hear. It is not only in the rocks and the landscape, but in the people that are visiting our parks, in the multitude of languages that I hear spoken, in the many different family structures that I see driving by on our roads. We learn so much from each other when we open ourselves up to that experience.
We are into our final week of travels. We have seen so much and have had so many wonderful experiences. I have much to think about and reflect upon. Hopefully I will be open to all the learning that can come from it!
Please remember that I am still training for “50 for Freedom.” The run is September 29th and I am hoping to raise $50,000 to help end Human Trafficking. Will you help? Scroll down and click on the “50 for Freedom” logo to make a tax deductible gift to Lily Pad Haven and to support your 50-mile run. Thanks.