Article April 4, 1988 Issue

Desert dawn and the Hassayampa

Nature, in its beauty, has lessons to teach, if we have the eyes to see and ears to hear.

Sam L. Hornbeak

It's four in the morning. I'm more awake than asleep. And what comes to me? The Hassayampa! I ask myself why. I am at least sixty miles from this Arizona river, which in many places is nothing but dry rock and dust at this time of year. Or is it?

But before I go too far in considering this subject, the discouraging suggestion comes, "It's too early. You haven't caught your usual 'eight.' Better force yourself to go back to sleep." But no! This time I refuse to listen to this suggestion. I feel a desire to be awake—not just humanly but spiritually.

So I climb out of bed and walk outside. What a reward! The full moon, which we had admired the evening before, is now rapidly dropping in the southwestern sky. The lights of the city below still twinkle brightly. And to the east, the first faint pink glow of the coming dawn outlines the mountains. The panorama is breathtaking. Inspired, I go to my desk to write down these thoughts.

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