It’s 5:45 in the morning and pitch black on the trail. The Smoky Mountain National Park ranger suggested hiking the Alum Cave Bluffs Trail to catch the sunrise over the mountains. Only problem, it’s a 2.5-mile hike that takes an hour and a half. If one wants to see the morning glow, you need to begin this odyssey in the dark. The ranger made me swear to take a flashlight or better yet a headlamp. He warned about the dangers on the trail or coming across a black bear in the wilderness.I borrowed a flashlight from the rectory that had the logo printed with the words St. Mary’s Hospital. Was this an omen? The experienced ranger knew this trail’s dangers were its infestation of nasty roots, boulders, water hazards and native furry creatures.
My trek began cautiously with flashlight in hand in pitch darkness. The light reminds me how God leads, showing us the way despite all the obstacles along the way. In the dark, I could hear a stream that paralleled the trail. Pointing the light off the path, it showed that the banks of the stream were only a few feet away. So image this scene, I am engulfed in complete darkness, walking over gnarled roots, around jagged boulders and keeping my distance from the banks of the stream, and yes, the batteries in the flashlight are glowing dim. Despite these dangers, the sound of the stream was like something “holy” calming my nerves and telling me not to be afraid.
It’s 6:05 and the pre-dawn light comes into focus. The rocks and roots are barely in focus, but I still need the light to help me safely up the mountain trail. The obstacles remind me of the fears that accumulate during our life’s journey. The suffering comes in many forms, the exhaustion of caretaking loved ones or battling some miserable disease. The fear of losing our retirement pension, our jobs or our homes. The illusion that chemicals can cure all our ills or that "stuff" brings happiness and the peace. These are the boulders that will trip and make us fall despite our best efforts to stay upright.
The flashlight keeps me on course, but the trail grows steeper and harder to hike. Sometimes "life" gives us more than we can bear. It is more than a “moderate hike” for we feel our heart pumping hard from all the strain. It is time to take a rest.
It’s 6:15 and the path grows clearer. The rocks and roots are visible without the flashlight. The climb takes me away from the stream and climbs to a tunnel in the cliff. Stone steps wind up the mountain with a steel cable that serves as a handrail. This is a much tougher climb than the ranger led me to believe. The whining points out that I’m not in shape for this kind of journey. Still, my hope is to take some pictures of the sunrise. If we are mindful of the spirit, we would know what to do when we are feeling overwhelmed by the journey. Patience, patience and more patience. The hike continues up and more up, climbing over boulder after boulder. Finally, the climb leads out of the woods and into a clearing where the morning light pours over the autumn trees. It’s a stunning shot as the morning light makes this scene “holy and majestic.”
God prays for us as we reflect: “Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble.” (Proverbs 3:23).
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends whose journeys take them to the limits of their endurance. May your light lead us on a path where we will not stumble nor fall. May the voice of the spirit like the sound of a running stream breathe new life into our weakness and give us strength for the journey ahead that leads to our home in heaven.
