"The human soul does not merely hunger for beauty, but that we feel most alive in the presence of what is beautiful. It returns us often in fleeting but sustaining moments to our highest selves. Beauty is not A luxury. It ennobles the heart and reminds us of the infinity that is within us. "
-John O'Donoghue
If you know me at all, you know I love to be outside in the middle of nowhere. If two hours can go by without seeing another human being, I am in my happy place and feel the most alive and connected. These images were shot in one of my happy places...located in The Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Its majesty and beauty reminds me of what is important in life and like the quote above says reminds me of my highest self. The expansive and mind-blowing views surprisingly don't draw huge crowds. The remoteness of this place scares some off. I selfishly want it to stay like that forever.
If you have been watching the news lately you might have heard about how this national monument has been cut by 800,000 acres. I know there are two sides on pretty much every issue but I can't help but think that in 50 years we will never regret having preserved such amazing places but we might regret letting them be exploited. I don't have answers and am still trying to educate myself on what this all really means for the area. All I know is I'd like to make sure my kids and future grandkids can experience these important places for years to come. The thought of this place being mined or drilled just makes me sad. The question is, what can we do about it?