Our guests, Ellen and Bill McEwen, snapped this shot of the mountain from our viewing deck here at the Ranch. Obviously, it was one of those moments where Redoubt was standing, strong and tall, in plain sight for all to see. Breath-taking.
Mountains, much like a sky full of stars at night, are good for reflection. All the little soap operas in our lives, things that often take up so much of our energy, seem to be put in their place when we step back and take in the vastness of nature. Like falling leaves, the wind of awareness comes in and blows away the petty issues that we were allowing to rob us of our vitality and precious time, allowing us to concentrate on the things that are worth it.
The towering mountain reminds us of the temporary nature of our days, and as we breathe that in, we remember that very few things really matter. People matter. How we spend our time matters. Who we spend our time with matters. Learning, growing, developing into who we truly are---that matters. Most of the other stuff, loud and pesky stuff that can often occupy so much of our energies, doesn't really matter at all...
Mount Redoubt is good for that, calling us to go inward and reflect on the priorities we have and changes that, perhaps, it's time for us to make. Seasonally covered in snow or verdant greenery, the mountain stands firm, mysterious, and alive, a treasured part of this Alaskan landscape.
