Jeff and I recently visited the Grand Canyon again. We try to get up there at least once a year. The past couple of times, it’s been windy when we first got there, but died down in the afternoon. This time, it was windy when we got there and just increased during the afternoon.

We walked along the Rim Trail, and out onto a couple of the points that jut into the Canyon. In the late afternoon, the wind was blowing a gale. Once, I had to stop walking and crouch down because the wind would have blown me down if I hadn’t. Jeff grabbed the handle on my pack and steadied me as we continued.

We had to be careful not to get too close to the edge without bracing ourselves, because a sudden gust of wind could have caused us to lose our balance and fall. And it’s a long way down.

I realized it’s like life. You can coast along with calm breezes, then have gale winds buffet you, trying to push you off course. Sometimes, you have to hunker down until they pass. And sometimes, you need some help to ground you and keep you on track.

But no matter what the winds, you can enjoy the scenery and recognize that the challenge is a temporary situation. In another day, the weather can be completely different. Your choice is whether to complain about the conditions, or adjust to them and enjoy the journey.

~ Linda-Ann Stewart