Grand Canyon

Look around, the vast expanse of beauty will surely take your breath away and make you ask, HOW?

The theories by geologist are certainly there but none of them seem to be acceptable to mind. Philosopher, or the logical, or romantic or whichever way one defines oneself, they all come to one conclusion that theories do not justify the scenery and its creation.

That is Grand Canyon for you.

This was my 2nd time here, and I was even more awed and more mesmerized than the 1^st time. Hundreds of miles of stretch and thousands of feet depth and the turquoise blue river that seems to crawl through the canyon like a snake. But it is not crawling, it is gushing at top speed and roaring while it does the same. 

I agree with the Natives; who have called this place home for centuries; that all this is sacred. Also, I can’t argue against the theory that this can be the birthplace of life as we see. The energy that this place emits. The open arms invitation that it extends to everyone, welcoming to embrace all in a loving warm hug. You soak in the beauty. You be a part of it. You feel the connection, a connection that is way older than you or maybe even older than the human race. The nationality, the race, the language and many such things that we commonly tag ourselves with seem to lose significance.

Now some theories I heard

The sudden impact talks about two tectonic plates colliding and the force generated was so strong that it raised the whole area (thousands square miles) by  many thousand feet. And a canyon cut through.

The multi-million-year concept talks about the river painstakingly chiseling it down for more than 70 million years.

Then there is 2 rivers theory that talk about a possible ancient river flowing in opposite direction from the one that flows now. And the flood theory and the volcanic eruption theories.

But what do you accept? What do you believe? None of that syncs in as all of that is way beyond our reach of knowledge and strength. We, humans, being creatures of logic want more proof, want documentation, want a precise reason and not opposing theories. So, it leaves us wanting. I felt humbled by the vastness and my own existence in relation to that. I am sure I was not the only one in feeling that way.

Anyhow I did feel that whatever science tells, it all started with a creator who wanted to create something unique. With a hammer and chisel, chipping the rock. Slowly and deliberately. Shaping the formations, exposing the layers from the rock. Making curves and edges. Delivering some harder and forceful blows followed by many calculated soft hammerings. Inch by inch. Rock by rock. Stone by stone. Creating the landscape. And then one day millions of years later, the master creator stopped, kept the hammer and chisel away and walked. You may find somewhere the Hammer and Chisel; if you are committed to find. The work was done. It was complete. Actually, it had always been complete and the chisel and hammer could have stopped carving the rock any time. 

The creator then said, "you who will come one day may ask for documented proof. And I am giving you that. Not a scientific journal but a canvas with a million stories of its creation. You may ask and argue. Or you may just observe and witness and find your own theory, your own story. I want you to know, your story is right. As right as that of your friend. However different those two may be. Just carry your story with you. Sit around bonfire in the night and share your stories. Sing and dance and laugh. Speak and sing in different languages and still know that everyone understands."

"Live, that is what the canyon tells you. You will always feel small till you compare. But read my hammer strikes and you will know; you don't have to compare. You are a part of the vastness. You are one with the Canyon and the river below. You have been created with same pain and toil as the Canyon. Ask me because I did that too. Some of you name that effort as evolution. And evolution it is. So, go blessed and return some day to read more stories in these rocks. More stories to live and share and sing about."

I just shared my story with you. My theory, what I saw and decoded. Logical or philosophical or romantic or just insane, I don't know. I leave it to you to decide. But one day let us go back and explore more. Explore the next chapter of the stories, as I've told some of you, "I believe best stories are those that don't want to end"

Note: The Pictures above are taken by me, some in 2005 when I went to Grand Canyon for the 1st time and some in 2020, during my 2nd visit.