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Safe in the canyon
Originally appeared on spirituality.com
One bright October morning about three years ago, I was on the back of a mule, descending down a steep trail in the Grand Canyon in Arizona. What had begun as a wonderful adventure with friends had quickly become an exercise in challenging fear.
My mule became fond of inching up to the edge of the precipice and dancing around while we were at rest stops, sending rocks and dirt flying down into the Canyon. Each time she did this, it got more unnerving and I knew I had to decide who was in control. Was it me, the mule, or was it, as I had learned through my study of Christian Science—God? It’s amazing how focused my affirmations of God’s love became in those moments when there was nothing but 600 feet of air separating us from the ground below! I wanted to feel safe.
As soon as I would master the fear through my prayers, my mule would stop for a while—but then try something new. This went on all morning. At lunch I even tried giving her my apple to forge a friendly bond. It didn’t seem to work. Soon, we came to a part of the trail called the “Devil’s Corkscrew.”
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About the author
Patti Waddell lives in Billings, Montana, United States.
