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April 07, 2007

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Here's another image from my 2002 trip. I felt I should share.

For reasons of time constraints and various other personal reasons, I did leave out a lot of experiences from my trip around the country from my web site. Mostly I just haven't had the time to add them in. Although I have always planned on elaborating on some of those moments and add more details within the completion of a book. 
However, I have, and I still find myself continually plagued with a lack of the available time, privacy, and solitude I need to allow me a chance to be able to sit down and complete this project, as well as many others. Life sometimes has a way of dragging us around by some invisible leash, and forcing us to work on daily tasks and lose those moments we might need to be able to complete the handful of goals that many of us have. 
And then when we have that minute of time to relax, it's just not always long enough to even start on a project. So we often just sit and watch a sunset for a few moments and wonder where life may have gone, and where did all that time go that we thought we had. And other times we just take to reflect other moments in our lives.

In any case...

While I was on my trip, I had once stopped off of the highway to enjoy one of those moments, and an upcoming sunset. I was riding west from the east entrance of the Yosemite National Park. I was hoping to get to the park with enough time to find a spot to camp out before it got too dark. But it didn't look like I was going to have that option and the sunset was upon me before I got far enough into the park. So I was looking for a good spot to pull off of the highway and get a few pictures of the sunset. Then I would ride on further and hopefully find another place to camp later.

I found and parked in a small dirt turnout on the side of the highway next to a small, faded, dark-red car, and followed a trail to the edge of a hill and drop-off where there were a bunch of interesting rock formations and a clearing where the sunset was easily visible. As I walked up I noticed this beautiful young woman sitting up on top of these rocks, all alone. There was only one other vehicle where I had parked, I heard no other voices, or saw any other signs of people, so I figured she was alone. Her figure was captivating silhouetted against the sunset and horizon. So I quickly took a picture.

 I had made my way around the front of the rocks where I could see to the clearing and did manage to turn and see her face very well, and although she seemed a bit solemn, I was quite impressed with her beauty. She had shoulder-length, straight dark-brown hair that curled under at the ends. She had a very smooth complexion and her face seemed soft, alluring and pure, with that "girl-next-door" appeal. Her angelic blue eyes would have made any man melt and fall under any spell she could cast. She appeared to be wearing a small amount of facial make-up, but was quite stunning and natural and I could tell that she would not have needed any at all. Although she was sitting I could tell that she was a fairly small, slender, and petite young woman. She appeared to be in her mid to late twenties. Her clothing did not look like that of a typical park visitor and was definitely not your standard "out-doors" type of apparel. My thoughts went back to the parked vehicle for a moment, and although it was a very small, inexpensive and older model, and had obviously seen some miles with plenty of wear and tear, her clothing, posture and presence definitely displayed a great deal of class. There was certainly something special about this girl. 

As I glanced over, I could see the sun was on her face and it sparkled within the tears in her blue eyes. 
Many thoughts raced through my mind as I wondered who she was, where she was from, why she was there, how far she had been traveling, and where she was going. And more about what might have been affecting her so. I was immediately captivated by her and felt something strong in the air about her. It was almost as if she was beaming with emotions. But they were not happy ones, and the energy I had sensed from her was troubled and sad. At that moment I thought it may have seemed a bit ridiculous and implausible that I could actually sense or presume how she was feeling, but since there were no other people for miles around, and we were the only two on that hill, I thought perhaps it might be more possible to perceive and detect such energy from another human being. Especially if they are in such a strong emotional state, and at that moment her energy could have been projecting like a beacon in the night.

Although she didn't turn and look in my direction, I knew she was aware of my presence, and could easily have seen me from the corner of her eye, and most definitely would have heard me walking up the trail from behind her. I paused for a moment, in hopes that she might initiate some sort of communication or acknowledgement and possibly begin a conversation.
 But it was her rock and it was her private little spot that she had found prior to my arrival. And although we were in a national park, open to all, and I should have free roam anywhere I deemed fit, I still felt like the trespasser upon her small little piece of the world, and also felt the need to honor and respect that.

So rather than break out into conversation, or appear to make small talk, and invade upon her time and space, I just gave her a brief and soft, "hi" with a slight nod of my head. She lowered her head slightly, turned to me, and nodded back, with an even softer, "hi". 

So sad was the look on her face, I wanted to reach out and help in some way and I wished I could have eased her pain somehow. But her demeanor and body language definitely let me know that, although she was cordial and polite, she just wanted to be left alone. As a stranger I was ignorant and had no idea what was the foundation of her current emotional state. Perhaps she had just lost a loved one and the sunset was a grim and lonely reminder of previously shared moments gone by. Or maybe she had recently been jilted and torn from a relationship that had gone bad, and she was taking that time to reflect and ponder her new life and future alone.
 Either way, and especially the latter, and by just being a guy, I could have actually been the enemy at that very moment. And any intervention or attempt at compassion on my part, at that moment could have actually provided the opposite for her and been a nuisance or a burden on her already fragile heart. 
So I said not another word, and stood there just for a moment to allow her a chance to reach out, had she wanted or needed it. I remained my distance and briefly admired the sunset there. Not another word or exchange was made, so I turned and walked around and found another isolated spot, some distance away, so as not to bother her and to allow her the space that it seemed she desired. 

After taking a handful of pictures of the sunset I returned to the parking area and my bike. The timing was reasonably close, and as I was preparing to leave, the girl came out from the trail and returned to her car. For a brief moment she stopped, turned and looked towards the trail and sunset once more, then turned to me, nodded her head, and gave me what appeared to be an approving but subtle smile, as I did the same in return. Somehow, without any words, I could tell that she was okay, and I felt more at ease. 

While I was still preparing myself with gloves and helmet, and returning my camera to it's bag, she got in her car and drove away down the highway, in the opposite direction of my route, and I never saw her again. 
But there was something magical about that moment and exchange and I now cherish this image that I took just prior to our brief encounter. And, although it was no more than just a brief encounter I feel fortunate that I was observant enough and gave her the space that she apparently needed, and left her alone. I am often quite ignorant and not usually that perceptive.

During my life, and even more so during my trip around the country, I have had my moments and desires to be just left alone. Some of those times may have been moments of reflection on life, or relationships, or just that necessary space needed to be creative, and I have felt the need in having that space, and that time left alone. And life doesn't always give us that time when and where we need it. I have also been guilty and have failed on numerous occasions myself in providing that space and time for others in the past. But sometimes we have to try our best to be a bit more sensitive and perceptive of other's feelings and desires, and sometimes, no matter how much we feel the urge to reach out and help, quite often it's best just to give somebody their space and leave them alone.

And when the attention or care is needed, hopefully they will ask.
And when that time comes, hopefully we can be there for them.

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