The Journey

For most of my life, I had only seen photos and heard people talk about the Grand Canyon. From this, I thought I knew what it looked like, and thought I had an appreciation for the scale and significance of its geology and biome. Then I saw it in person for the first time, and I wept. I now realized I had no idea what this place was really like, and that I could hike and study it for a lifetime and still not fully grasp all its secrets and wonders. That first sight opened my mind in a way that photos and secondhand descriptions cannot possibly do. It was an awesome and humbling experience. One really must see it for self.

I once had a conversation with a friend, who had attended a Jesuit college, about the nature and existence of God. I cannot recall exactly how the conversation started, or the words exchanged. But it only lasted a minute or so, and it was not anything dogmatic or specific. However, I do recall that the last thing he said to me was that he knew people who could sit and talk for days on the subject, and that they would discuss God in terms that most people would not, or could not, imagine. For a very long time I wondered what he meant. I guess I eventually decided I had to see for myself.

That was over a decade ago, and I feel as though I have only scratched the surface. These are the stories and reflections of The Journey.