Ruminations on Rainbow Falls

 

On a trip to the Smokys we took one long hike (long to me that is). We walked to Rainbow Falls which was a round trip of 5.2 miles. I whined and complained a lot of the way up, at least to myself, because the path was very steep, rocky and root-filled, and there seemed to be only isolated pockets of the wildflowers I had come to see. In fairness though, the flowers were grand, and I saw dutchman's britches, squirrel corn (both Dicentras) in patches that covered a whole hillside, and several painted trillium. Rainbow Falls was a pitiful trickle by many standards, and having fallen on some rocks in a stream the day before, I elected not to climb over the boulders to the falls itself.I had only injured my hands in that fall, but was not anxious to tempt fate.
The passage of a few days has sweetened the experience, and now I am glad I did it. It was a challenge I was able to meet and although I may not go to THAT falls again, I will not be willing to forgo 5 mile hikes on the chance that I might see something as wonderful as rare wildflowers and show myself that white hair does not tell the whole story.
Later I thought about some life lessons that might be learned from this trail. When I am on the relatively smooth level parts of my journey, I wonder if there is something I am missing. Maybe I am not paying enough attention. What should I be doing to become more aware and deepen my relationship and understanding with the Spirit of Life itself?
When Mother was near the end she still had many boulders to climb before she reached the Falls, and there was very little that could be done to assist her. Mainly we just stood back on the trail and tried to shout encouragement. Sometimes we shouted for her to come back. After a time the noise of the falls became so great that she could not hear us any more, but the falls kept beckoning her on. By that time the Spirit of Life took over and helped her the rest of the way.


"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."

-John 14:1-7 (NRSV)