Melanie Bolton
Sister Hritz
English 106-37
6 May 2013
Overlooking Beauty
I
am clinging to the door handle of my Dad’s truck, eyes shut, as if my grip
could keep the vehicle on the bumpy, narrow road. My Dad and Mom have placed us
in the truck and camper, for a weekend family camping trip. After several hours
(which seems like days), my Dad stops the truck at the top of the last rise of
the winding, mountain track. He
breathes deeply and says, “Wow. This view always takes my breath away. Just
look at God’s beautiful creations!” I too take a deep breath, but mine is to alleviate
the panic I know I am going to feel as soon as I see the steep escarpment,
which I silently pray won’t be the reason for our untimely demise. I will
myself to look. In front of me is a gray-white mountainside which drops off
severely to valleys on both sides of the road. Scrubby looking grass is dotted
sparsely across the top of the mountain. My eyes follow the road downward to
the right, as it parts the dusty, rocky, mountain. Suddenly, I see magnificence.
The valley below me is blanketed in waves of green meadow grass. On one side of
the gulley stands a tall army of Ponderosa pine trees, sentinels of this forest
island. Lying idle in the sun at the bottom of this valley is a beautiful body
of lake, a turquoise jewel.
While
I am admiring the picturesque basin, my Dad points to our left and commands us,
“Look there!” I turn my gaze to view yellow-brown and red-clay plateaus, distant
purple mountains, and a vast, barren, uninhabitable desert. As I am gazing, my Dad
declares, “This is definitely God’s country.” Have I misunderstood him? Here are
two contrasting views from one mountain height. Could both be beautiful? To
this child, the lake, amid grass dotted with wildflowers of red, purple and
yellow, with the pine trees which surround the valley, is the winner of
nature’s beauty pageant. Yet, my Dad has called the desert scene beautiful also.
In my mind, there could not be two winners. We drive on, and the question in my
mind is not settled.
Many
years later, I disembark my car at the same crest on the mountain. I look over both
valleys, realizing how much I have missed this panorama, the desert plateaus on
one hand, the verdant valley on the other. This viewpoint is magnificent,
literally breathtaking. Seeing it through my wiser, adult eyes, I realize this
is the most beautiful spot in the world. I declare to my Dad, who is standing
with my children, “This is definitely God’s country!”
More comment from Melanie:
I thought maybe you would like to read an creative essay I had to write about Overlooked Beauty. I received high marks and praise for the paper. It was limited to 450 words, so I feel it could have been better if I had been allowed to elaborate a bit more...you know, be more wordy. :)
Mel
Myrna wrote: Oh, Melanie, dear heart. It is perfect as it is. I had an editor once who said that enough words needed to be used to cover the subject but short enough to keep the reader's attention. I think the quote is more like: essays are like skirts--long enough to cover the subject short enough to make it interesting.
I shed a few tears. I agree with your teacher. You should have high marks and an A+.
I love you. I am so proud of you.
Dad is napping after mowing the grass. I printed it off for him to read.
Leonard wrote: Thanks for sharing this with us. I am proud of you and your writing brought back many happy memories. I am asking your mother to share this with all of your siblings.
