so small

After running they day before Carolyn, Chad and I rented a car and began driving south towards the town of Seward. Upon arrival we met up with Tommy and Sarah and hiked up to Exit Glacier. Wow! There really aren't words to describe what it was like standing before such an immense and foreign object. It looked like a prop for a movie. I mean, just like a science fair project with blue food coloring added for a realistic touch it stood there before us. The following day we headed out early for an 8 hour day of sea kayaking. Out into the deep blue (well, it was actually grey) sea we went with a warning from our guide that we could only survive for 90 second in the water when we capsized. Um, you mean "if?" The day was spectacular, the views were unlike anything I have ever seen. We saw 5 bald eagles, shouting each time "bald eagle!" We stopped at north Beach for a bit of lunch and hiked up to a waterfall. The forest floor was covered in ferns and salmonberry flowers. I munched on fiddle heads as we hiked down to the beach. For a few minutes we laid back on the grey wacky rock (official name) which was smooth and absorbed the heat of the sun. Carolyn and I could help saying "remember that time in Alaska......?"

As we fought against the waves in the middle of paradise, I felt so connected to the earth and yet so irrelevant. I was so small in such a big sea with such big mountains rising around me. Truly humbling. I wish my kids and husband could have been with me to see the beauty and experience the exhilaration of the moment but at the same time felt empowered to be doing something as myself.