Bell Canyon Reservoir

 I love this hike. It's close to home and relatively easy.

Pity Plus Sunshine

I have a friend who has cancer. She recently posted some of her fears about it on Instagram. In the comments, she explained she wasn't asking for pity or encouragement. She was just posting for her journal, for somewhere to express herself. Even so, many of her friends made comments that were full of pity and encouragement. That's not what she said she wanted, but I guess those friends couldn't stay quiet. I hope she felt loved. I hope she keeps posting about the hard days.

What is it about pity that makes everything worse?

As far as I know, I don't have cancer. My harder days can't compare to my friend's. Sometimes I do have bad days or weeks. The other day, I posted on Instagram something like, "Darker difficult days sometimes lighten up." It was a bit of hyperbole. 

My intention was to express how I felt lighter after a lovely walk outside. Being out in the sun helped. I didn't want to focus on the darkness of earlier, but on the light I was feeling in the evening. I didn't explain what I hoped to hear in response. As usual, I was mostly writing for myself.

Life is full of contrasts. Sometimes really difficult and dark experiences happen on the same day as enormously happy things. The tough times sharpen the joyful times. It's easier to be grateful for a sunny day when you've had some rain.

I wished I hadn't posted about the difficulties. I received unwanted and unneeded sympathy and encouragement from a couple of kind friends. I remembered something similar happened a year or so earlier. I didn't like the responses then either. I thought about deleting the recent post, but I liked the pictures so ended up editing down the words. I don't want anyone to worry about me.

I'm fine. And I'm not fine. I become very private and more introverted when I'm struggling. I'm the kind of person who likes to be alone until she feels better. I like to be a positive influence in the world. I like to forget myself and my problems.

Also, part of me doesn't like to be alone all the time. I'm thankful for the few who walk with me through all kinds of days.

Bryce Canyon National Park Day 1

We recently returned from a wonderful trip to Bryce Canyon National Park. There are several posts here from that experience.

On our first day, after a picnic, we walked south toward Sunset Point. Here are pictures of our views.

Bryce Canyon National Park Day 2 Hike

I'm posting these pictures out of the order we saw them. We walked from Sunset Point to Sunrise Point on the Queen's Garden/ Navajo Loop Trails up through the Two Bridges area which is posted first.

Bryce Canyon National Park Day 2 Scenic Drive

 

Here are a few pictures I took from viewpoints in Bryce National Park on the scenic drive up to Mile 18 and back.

Bryce Canyon National Park Day 3- Mossy Cave Hike

Don't miss the Mossy Cave hike if you ever go to Bryce Canyon National Park! It was my absolute favorite experience this visit. These pictures are mostly in the order I took them. Since I'd never been there before, I took the most pictures of this hike.