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M. Trosino's avatar

17 years old. Sitting an a stump on the ridge of a knob in central Ky. 1/2 hour before sun-up, 5 decades ago this month. Flashlight put away, Winchester across my lap. First opening day in the woods totally alone.

No deer to be had that day. No matter. Watched as Old Sol crested the ridge of the knob across the narrow winding creek bottom below in the most glorious sunrise I've seen to date, unfolding through the sparkling haze of my own frosty breath.

Spring '97. Standing hip deep in the fast, cold waters of the Big Manistee, steelhead rod in hand.

Had seen Hale-Bopp comet from home many miles away quite a few times by then. Impressive. But looking up into the depth of that dead-of-night sky from those chilly waters, through the absolute clearness of that cold springtime air, it looked completely differently. Like I could reach out and touch it with my fingertips. Caught some fish that night, too. Though I don't recall how many exactly.

3 years ago. August. Walking toward the shoreline of the Straits of Mackinac at the Tip O' The Mitt, wondering why so many people are gathered along the water's edge. Simple...

Standing on the shore and looking west beneath the Big Mac Bridge, a deep orange sun sitting on the very lip of the blue horizon, the sky and the water blending into one; to the east, a pale, nearly full moon rising just above the water's edge, it's near preternatural coolness a contrast to the summer heat. Above, an azure sky streaked with pastel clouds of every shade. And a little east of center, rising straight up from the narrow channel between Mackinac Island and Round Island, a wide, vertical rainbow disappearing into the clouds above. And the best part about it? My wife was there with me to see it and share the moment.

Not a wide enough angle lens in the world to take in that view accurately or in toto, but the human heart can. If it's willing.

Atheists or agnostics may argue ( as they are welcome and entitled to do ) youthful inexperience of perspective; rock, ice, heat and gas; uncommon but perfectly predictable cosmic alignment and light bent through the prism of moisture...just another example of the laws of physics and the "happy accident" that this world and we all are. But who wrote those laws? We didn't. We only discovered them.

So, in a very unscientific observation, applying Occam's Razor to the question of whether or not we have anyone to thank for the moments of glory that we experience from time to time, the simplest answer for me is that for those whose hearts are open to the true joy of true glory - whatever form it may take for them - do indeed have a benefactor to offer thanks to.

And it sometimes takes a few words like Matt just posted here to remind us that we should indeed do just that.

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Mary's avatar

That, my good man, is a truly beautiful story!

My mother told me long ago, "Mary, if you were an Apostle, you would be Thomas", so I can relate. I also am inclined to dismiss the mystical other worldly, but man, sometimes you just have to ride the ride.

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