GOOD MORNING, MOON

PAUL SHIPPEY,—BOULDER, COLORADO

New Mexico is known as "the land of enchantment" for good reason. To me, its rich Native American heritage makes any visit to the back country a unique, spiritual experience. Camping in such areas allows one to commune with nature, to enjoy living interwoven with the rich tapestry of the land.

I happened to crawl out of my tent before dawn one morning to be greeted by the sight of this spectacular moon setting over the desert. The howl of coyotes in the distance enhanced the Wild West atmosphere.

I sat alone, surrounded by the vastness of the land, and thought of something the great American naturalist John Muir once wrote: "Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves" (Our National Parks, 1901, p. 56).

How sweetly this echoes the Psalmist who sang, "Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice before the Lord" (Ps. 96:12, 13).

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