Sunrise at Enchanted Rock

There is something about a sunrise that just makes me want to stop the world just so that I can linger in the beauty that it brings. Such was the case on a recent visit to a beautiful Texas treasure. This hidden treasure is in the Texas hill country and it is called Enchanted Rock. It is a fascinating and intriquing granite formation that just seems to appear out of nowhere as you come upon it as you wind around the backroad between Llano and Fredericksburg. I have been to this place on many occasions in my life. When my children were little they used to love to go camping there. It is purely tent and primitive camping with no electricity at any of the sites. Wildlife is abundant and they are not afraid to wander right into your camp. We always had to secure our ice chest and everything else  because the raccoons were quite good at getting into everything. Deer, squirrels, raccoons, all sorts of animals will wander right through your campsite.

It was late on Saturday evening when I rolled into the campground. The temperature on my truck was registering a nice cool 104 degrees. With those types of temperatures, it did not take me long to set up camp. The breeze was blowing nicely so even with the heat, it really was't that bad. As evening settled in, I began to relax and to just enjoy being out with nature. It has been such a long time since I just allowed myself the pleasure of just getting away and stopping for a little while. A late evening walk brought back such fond memories for me. As I wandered along the trails that weaved in and out of various campsites, I would see the curious squirrel as she dug through someone's camping gear that had obviously never experienced the wildlife here before and then there were the deer just grazing innocently along the trail. They just stop for a moment and glance up as if to say hello. This is where they live and we are their guest.

 

I could almost here the laughter of my own children from twenty years ago echoing through the trees and along the trails. Those were precious times as a family. I believe that those were the times that brought the strength to our family that was needed just to endure the everyday life that just seemed to do its best to suck the life right out of you. It was a time where as a family we just had such good times. As you know, my family is grown and gone now, but one of these days we will return to this place and I will hear the laughter of not only my children but also that of my grandchildren. I love this place.

When the night finally convinced me that it was time to rest, I simply lay in my tent and looked up through the screened ceiling and just marveled at how crisp and clear the stars were. They winked and nodded and held my attention as the breeze in the trees gently lulled me to sleep. It was a deep peaceful sleep, even without the comforts of home, it was just a deep soothing sleep.

The birds acted as my alarm clock that next morning. My body naturally awakens about 5:30 to 6:00, and the musical performance that I was greeted with was fantastic. I just lay there quietly and listened as they beautifully welcomed the day. I arose while the sky was still dark and I quickly slipped into some shorts and hiking shoes so that I could go and conquer this granite beast while the day was still cool. As I wandered throught the trails that led to the base, I could not help but notice that there were people there from all walks of life. People from all over the country as well as the world were represented here in this unique little slice of Texas.

When I arrived at the main trail leading up the rock, I decided to do something different. Because it always takes so long, my family and I would always go up the main trail to the peak and not linger at the other trails or the other lesser peaks. This particular morning I chose not to tackle the main climb, but to explore some of the lower peaks. It was while I was ascending this rougher more remote area that I saw the sun begin to break upon the day. I stopped and unloaded my camera and began to take numerous photos of this grand entrance that the sun had decided to make this day. It was beautiful indeed and it made me stop in the midst of my struggle up this mountain to enjoy where I was in this climb and that is when I began to realize how many tiimes the sun had risen on me and I was too busy to stop and even realize where I was.

Many times in the midst of our struggles in life, the sun has risen on us screaming out with beauty to gain our attention trying to get us to stop and simply enjoy where we were even in the midst of our climb up this mountain that we call our life. Sadly many times I was so focused on the climb that I missed it. Day after day I missed it. This however was a new day. This day I realized where I was in my climb and I realized the sun would be with me all day but the sunrise was only momentary, so I lingered in my climb and I soaked every moment of it in until it had fully risen and moved into its rightful place in the sky. It was only then that I proceeded with my climb up to the top of the mountain that I had chosen to climb this day. I faced many obstacles on this climb but with renewed patience and purpose I methodically worked my way to the top. From that vantage point, the world was different than when I began at the base. Not better, not worse, just different. A different perspective is sometimes all that we need to make us see things that have been there all along.

As I left this wonderful Enchanted Rock, it had a whole new meaning in my life. It is not about where I had been or where I was going. It was simply about where I am and being at peace with that.

The photos will never do it justice, but I just wanted you to at least get a glimpse of what it looks like.

GW