For our date last night, my wife and I decided to go on a hike up Hornet Canyon--specifically to see the "Grotto" (a grotto is a small cave that usually has water in it or next to it). At 4:30 in the afternoon, it was hot. And as we started out, the first quarter mile was on what seemed like a fire break road devoid of trees or shade. It was kind of miserable, actually. But then we found the actual offshoot trail to the Grotto and we started to get some trees--though what we traded for some shade was some steep inclines. As we hiked along and parts became steeper and more precarious, we became eager to reach our destination. After all, with all of the heat and exertion, we were getting tired and knew we still had to go all the way back. A glimmer of hope manifested itself in the form of a marker which pointed the way to the last .19 miles. The marker, though giving us the great news that we were almost there, warned us that the last part of the trail was very steep and narrow.
Trudging onward, we kept going up and up. Jennifer had hiking poles that assisted her and I relied on tree branches and pieces of rope that someone had kindly put up to hold on to. At long last, our continual steep incline reached an end and the narrow pathway opened up to a beautiful grotto. Rather than an actual cave, there was an indentation on the mountain side with water coming off the top portion and trickling down, forming pools of water below. We were immediately enveloped with not only the beauty of the site, but the coolness the area stemming from the water and rocks and shade. Indeed, it was a payoff worthy of the effort to get there.
As we all continue to get through this pandemic, I'm not sure where, along the "hiking path" we are. Are the inclines and steep narrow pathways going to get worse? Are we going to get a reprieve from the hot sun? Along the way are we going to recognize and use sturdy "hiking sticks" and "ropes" to hold on to? How far is the next marker and what will it say? When it's all said and done, and we reach the grotto, what will we have learned? Will we feel satisfied with our efforts?
These are all good questions, none of which currently have answers. But I think it's safe to say that eventually this pandemic will end--we will reach the grotto. There will be other challenges that will take the pandemic's place (just like there were challenges we encountered by reversing our course and hiking out of the canyon), but the particular realities associated with this pandemic will hopefully give way to getting back to a sense of the normal we all dearly miss. And that, of course for me, includes getting back to singing with the Tabernacle Choir. Until then, I pray we can all keep moving forward in hope, enjoying the shade along the way, navigating the steep parts successfully, and believing we'll reach the grotto soon.
To end, just a few choir-related things I wanted to remind you of. First is the concert being broadcast this coming Saturday evening. You can find the details HERE. Also, there's a contest you can enter to win a CD and other memorabilia associated with the concert. Enter that contest HERE. Lastly, check out the organ performances live streaming every Mon, Wed, and Fri. More details HERE.
Until next time, God be with you.
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