Sorrow

This may not be a topic that we like to think about, but due to the happenings in the life of a friend of ours, I have been reminded of the experience that we have had. I have been reflecting on those memories and this is what I have learned.

Sorrow is an unwelcome presence that takes up residence in one's heart. One can try to push it out or ignore it but it is there to stay. At first it seems to occupy every space, but in time one finds that isn't so. However, its size doesn't diminish. It is as if one gets use to its presence, sort of like a picture on a wall or a chair filling a corner of the room. It is just always there. At times it draws back our attention and those feelings that were present at its entrance come flooding back. However, over time it does become easier to look away and see the other things that are also there; the things that bring us happiness and joy. Just because we look for happiness and joy, it doesn't mean that one doesn't recognize sorrows presence. Rather, one appreciates happiness and joy more so because of the presence of sorrow.

Hitting The Trails

Since we are back in California and at the same camping place as last year, we have been doing some hiking.

Last year we made one trip on a trail across the highway from where we are staying. We saw a falls there with little water going over it and wondered what it was like after they had some rain. Since there has been lots of rain in the past few weeks, we decided to check it out. There was lots of water, but it was obvious that there has been more at times. It isn't just one falls, but a series of falls. This was the first group of falls.

Looking up stream.

Following the water as it moves down stream,
And down further,

And into a pool. I had zoomed in on the first pictures, but here you can see the canyon that started to form. The trail is a ways above the water on a steep hill side.
From the pool on down.
And down some more.


We went down around toward the bottom and got the next picture of the water's passageway.

I should say B got this as it was pretty steep and muddy. You can see another pool and more falls.
And it kept dropping but the side trail was too slick to go down.

We followed the trail on down, which parallels the stream. At times we could hear more water falls but couldn't see them. We finally came out next to the stream where I took these pictures.

We were by this part last year also and there wasn't the trash in the trees. It shows how high the water was a few weeks ago when they were getting all of the rain. Where I was standing, the water would have been about to my shoulders.

Then there was this nice pool with a sandy shore and gradual beach. If it had been a hot day it would have been a great place to cool off.

Further down we found these growing on a stump. I thought that they were pretty.

Now, after seeing this falls, B wonders what it looks like at Teneja Falls. But that is a LONG hike in or we have to drive around to get to the shorter route in. (See This, That, and Other Things 4/28/09)